Adult leaders have significant impact on our young people
The effectiveness of ministry with children, youth and families is dependent on effective local leadership—staff-driven or volunteer-based—to foster spiritual formation and growth.
When adults of all ages commit their time to sleeping on leaky air mattresses, volunteering in the nursery, traveling long distances in old church vans, and eating way too many slices of mediocre pizza just to invest in the lives of our young people, we stand in grateful awe.
We need to continue to create contexts where caring adult leaders can interact with children and adolescents and ask them the deep and challenging questions that guide them as they make decisions about their lives.
We also need events like UNITE, MUUUCE and camp that take children and adolescents out of their normal rhythms and challenge them to pursue Jesus wholeheartedly.
Adult Leader Events & Resources
Connections
- Children & Family ministry leaders gather monthly during the school year to be encouraged, develop relationships, pray and share ideas.
- Youth ministry leaders meet monthly throughout the school year for encouragement, education and networking. Topics have included youth ministry management, counseling, storytelling, ministry with kids on the autism spectrum, dating violence prevention, and more.
Recharge
- Each January, Covenant churches from the NWC join with 700+ other children and youth volunteers from a variety of denominations for a day of training and encouragement. The day includes powerful speakers and workshops on a variety of topics in children and youth ministry.
Sabbath Renewal Retreat
- Each spring, we offer a chance to get away and unplug for a few days. Anyone serving in children, youth or family ministry leadership is invited to take advantage of this opportunity to grow in their walk with God so they can lead well.
Communication
- Our staff produces monthly Children & Family and Youth email updates aimed to equip and inform ministry leaders in NWC churches.
- We also stay connected via social media and resources posted on the NWC website.
- The NWC has developed resources to assist churches in child safety and protection and risk management. Resources are available online or by contacting the NWC office.