The Opposition Every
Children’s Ministry Leader Faces
(And How to Overcome)
By Michayla White
“How do I survive this?” she asked me, the
desperation in her eyes was strong coming
through Zoom on my computer screen.
There was also a tinge of hope in her
expression… hope that I would have the
silver bullet or the 12 Easy Steps to Surviving
a Global Pandemic and Its Effects on Your Life
and Your Ministry to Children, or the 5 Keys to
Navigating this Cultural Moment While Also
Homeschooling Your Kids and Leading Your
Team. Those sound ridiculous right? (Even
though some of us might wish those articles
existed.)
“What does survival of this look like to you?” I
asked.
“Well… I don’t know… not losing my ministry.
Not losing my job, my kids and families,
my volunteers, my team… Not to mention
parenting my own kids. I just...well, I just don’t
know if I’m made for this. What if I’m not cut
out for this anymore? What if I never was? They
would be so much better off with someone who
actually knew what they were doing right now.”
Her sigh at the end of that sentence let me
know that it was one she had thought before. It
was familiar to her, like an ending to a story she
had read a hundred times.
After pausing for a moment, I asked, “You mean
they would be better off with someone who
had led children’s ministry through a global
pandemic and a statewide shelter-in-place
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