It’s back-to-school time. As a former elementary teacher, I know teachers everywhere are returning with fresh ideas to make this the best year yet. As pastors and leaders, we can do the same.

Here are three things children’s ministry leaders can learn from public education as we begin a new school season.

Stay Relevant

Teachers are constantly looking for ways to stay relevant and keep their students’ attention.

When away from school, kids have no shortage of things to fill their time. Not only do they have plenty of opportunity to engage in screen time with smartphones, video games, movies, and television, but they also have all the latest and greatest gadgets — like fidget spinners, hover boards, and more.

Great teachers look for ways to integrate their students’ interests into the classroom and keep their attention, and children’s pastors can do the same. When students walk into your kids’ service, does it look like an exciting place to be? Are they sitting during the whole service, or do they get to move around and get a little crazy?

Consider integrating videos, bright colors, and engaging activities. Keeping kids engaged and connected will ultimately help them grow in their faith.

Evaluate

In the education world, nearly everything undergoes evaluation. From student grades to the teachers’ effectiveness, and everything in between, evaluation is key to ensuring children get the best education possible. Education is constantly changing to fit the needs of the school, the classroom, and the students. Children’s pastors should follow suit.

Keeping kids engaged and connected will ultimately help them grow in their faith.

Evaluate your kids’ ministry. Reflect on your goals (or determine them), and evaluate your movement toward those goals. Are your kids learning and growing in their faith? Are they staying engaged during the services? Are you connecting with parents? Is your children’s ministry growing?

Don’t do things just because it’s the way people have always done them. Look around, take note of what is working and what isn’t, and make changes to take your kids’ ministry to the next level. 

Get Families Involved

Most parents expect their children to come home from school with homework, and mom or dad will most likely have to sit down at the table to help them through it.

Parents expect to invest time in their kids’ education at home. It’s even more important that parents invest in their children’s faith at home. It is not just the teacher’s job to educate the student, and it is not just the job of the children’s pastor to disciple. In fact, parents should do most of the discipling in a child’s life.

The children’s pastor can play a huge role in equipping the parents to disciple their kids when away from church. Just as parents might need some direction as they help their students with long division, mom and dad may need help discipling.

Send home a pamphlet each week with questions to guide faith-building discussions. Let parents in on what you’ll be teaching next week so they can begin talking with their kids about it before they get to church on Sunday.

For an even more practical way to equip parents, host your own open house or training night to give mom and dad tips on discipling their kids at home.

Equipping parents to live out their faith with their kids is an important part of nurturing healthy families.

This article originally appeared on, and was adapted from, the Healthy Church Kids blog.