president of Kidz Blitz
I did it BACKWARDS. I started as a Lead Pastor and worked my way UP to Children’s Pastor.
I did the whole Lead Pastor thing for 16 years, complete with heavy starched shirts that would stand up by themselves and a big chair on the platform. My church in Florida was merged/absorbed by a big time, flashy church where I took the cushy gig as associate pastor. When our children’s pastor left, I jumped in on a temporary basis to keep the children’s ministry afloat. They were supposed to be looking for someone else to fill the position permanently. Little did I know, but that’s how most people become Children’s Pastors.
My first Sunday I waited behind my podium as the first kid entered children’s church and sat down right in front of me. Lifting his head up he said with disgust in his voice, “Who are you?”
“I’m Pastor Roger,” I replied.
“Where’s Brother Larry?” he asked.
“He’s not here anymore,” I said, “I’m here now.”
He glared at me and announced, “We don’t want you. We want Brother Larry,” as he marched out of the room. I didn’t even know enough to realize you can’t let a kid escape from children’s church. Nobody told me I needed to secure the premises. His mother brought him back 5 minutes later and let me know I had better not let it happen again.
I was officially on the learning curve.
With a background in adult ministry I reached into my normal bag of tools to teach the kids. I preached. I brought in a live band of highly acclaimed, professional musicians. I tried all the “standard” children’s ministry teaching techniques. Everything flopped. EVERYTHING.
Then somehow I instinctively knew the problem. Kids are wired to DO stuff and every method I tried reduced the kids to spectators. They watched and/or listened. But they were not involved. My mission was clear: TURN KIDS FROM SPECTATORS INTO PARTICIPANTS.
From then on every ministry tool we used allowed/encouraged/prompted kids to get INVOLVED in what they were learning. We stopped teaching lessons and began creating experiences. We engulfed kids in games, challenges, interactive skits, worship, prayer and more.
They learned without realizing it!!!
My objective each Sunday was that every kid would go home blabbing (without having to be asked) about what happened in children’s church…to the point that parents would say to themselves, “Dear Lord, I wish I could go to children’s church. I think they learned more than I did.”
Children’s church GREW. Adults approached me asking how they could work in children’s ministry. We outgrew our children’s church room in Florida and moved outside into a tent.
It’s from this high-octane strategy of turning kids from spectators into participants that my wife Tammie and I created Kidz Blitz Ministries. In over 40 denominations from coast to coast, tens of thousands have now received Christ in Kidz Blitz events. To my amazement kids from every type of family situation, social setting and economic level all want to DO stuff. Their race, nationality and gender didn’t matter. They wanted to be involved. Inner city kids and suburban kids alike, all wanted to participate.
Today I am grateful that God promoted me from Lead Pastor to Children’s Minister. I am thankful for my time as a Lead Pastor and I appreciate all that they do. I think it is honorable that they minister to people whose lives are already half-spent. 
I’m not braggin’, just sayin’…I am a children’s minister having fun at Kidz Blitz.
Thanks for sharing your story with us