Children's Ministry 101 as Taught by Gideon

I love the biblical account of Gideon's victory over the Midianites. From my early days in Sunday School, this story has ranked up there right alongside David's battle with Goliath and Joshua and the battle of Jericho.

This story found Judges 6 and 7 provides three great leadership principles for Children's Ministry leaders.

1. The number of your army (staff) may not be what you want. Gideon didn't appreciate God whittling down his numbers. Through Gideon's example, God proved that being understaffed wasn't a deterent to Gideon's victory.
2. The members of your army (staff) may not be the ones that you'd pick. The ones that Gideon wanted left to return home for various reasons. It's amazing that the "left-overs" under God's anointing saw a mighty victory. Believe it or not, God has commissioned your "left-overs" to join arm-in-arm with you to fulfill your God-given assignment.
3. The weapons of your battle (teaching tools) may not be what you want. The weapons that you use each week aren't the latest, greatest on (or off) the market. For now, they are all that God has provided for your ministry. So, grab your trumpet and an empty jar with a burning torch inside (teaching tools that others would laugh at) and get ready to do God's business.

What an encouragement. God knows my battles (weekly ministry assignments) and has provided both the staff and tools to see the victory that He has prepared for me. The key is to see things as God sees them and start moving towards the course for my victory!