Children’s Ministry Track

Helping children connect with God and develop a strong, lasting foundation of faith requires both intentional discipleship and thoughtful ministry design. The Children’s Ministry Track is built around the heart and vision of Motion City: to create dynamic, Christ-centered environments where children encounter God, understand His Word, and begin to live out their faith in meaningful ways.

This track equips students to cultivate engaging physical and spiritual environments that invite children and families into the Kingdom of God. Students will learn how to develop stories and world-building in a Motion City–style, Bible-centered curriculum that is age-appropriate, creative, and rooted in Scripture while also being engaging and relevant for today’s children.

In addition to curriculum development, students will receive practical training in building, leading, and sustaining a healthy children’s ministry team. Emphasis is placed on team culture, leadership development, safety, excellence, and effective communication with both volunteers and parents. Students will also explore how intentional outreach opportunities—such as Vacation Bible School, special events, and digital media—can extend the reach of children’s ministry beyond the weekend experience.

Throughout the program, students will engage in hands-on ministry training through Motion City, gaining real-world experience in family engagement, lesson development, service execution, and team leadership. Students will participate in creating curriculum and supplemental resources for both in-person environments and digital platforms, ensuring ministry impact inside and outside the church.

For students with a passion for creativity, the Children’s Ministry Track also offers a creative emphasis within the program. This emphasis allows students to focus on developing engaging, Bible-based content for live services and recorded media, including storytelling, character development, stage presence, and visual elements. Through creativity and excellence, students will learn how to use the arts to communicate biblical truth and help bring the Word of God to life for the next generation.

Children’s Ministry Track Objectives

In this first-year track, students will:

  • Design and cultivate welcoming physical and spiritual environments for children of varying ages and developmental stages while creating an atmosphere that makes families feel safe, valued, and connected.
  • Develop Bible-centered curriculum and teaching materials aligned with the Motion City model, including age-appropriate lessons, meaningful object lessons, and supplemental resources that help children engage with God’s Word in practical ways.
  • Demonstrate the ability to assess and respond to classroom and service dynamics and learn how to “read the room” and redirect attention, behavior, and focus toward biblical truth with wisdom and care.
  • Understand and apply children’s ministry safety policies and procedures that protect children, families, volunteers, and the church while fostering an environment where kids are genuinely known and loved.
  • Communicate effectively with parents and caregivers and learn how to answer questions, address concerns, and partner with families in the spiritual development of their children.
  • Train and lead creative ministry teams in the effective use of live performances, video content, music, and storytelling. Students will study stage presence, set design, improvisation, and the thoughtful use of costumes and props to communicate Scripture with excellence.
  • Recruit, develop, and engage volunteers by building a healthy team culture, providing clear expectations, and equipping team members to serve with confidence and purpose.
  • Plan, coordinate, and oversee weekend children’s ministry operations, including team scheduling, service flow, and collaborating with leadership to ensure consistent and excellent ministry execution.
  • Discern when and how to implement special events as effective tools for outreach, discipleship, and family engagement within the life of the church.
  • Design and execute a comprehensive Summer Blast – our Vacation Bible School Experience, including curriculum development, live performance elements, decorations, booklets, and supplemental materials that support the overall theme and vision.
  • Learn strategies for executing large-scale events efficiently and sustainably, with an emphasis on organization, team coordination, and creativity within realistic budget constraints.

Children’s Ministry Track Requirements

Prerequisites

Students enrolling in the Children’s Ministry Track must meet the following requirements:

  • A minimum of one year of children’s ministry service or comparable ministry experience
  • Willingness and ability to engage with people of all ages, including children, parents, volunteers, and leadership
  • A demonstrated passion for seeing children grow in their faith and develop a strong biblical foundation
  • Ability to think creatively, including visualizing environments, contributing ideas, and engaging in curriculum or content development
  • Successful completion of a background check in accordance with church safety and child protection policies

Required Texts and Materials

Students are required to engage with the following texts throughout the duration of the track. These resources have been selected to support spiritual formation, leadership development, and effective discipleship of the next generation:

  • They’re Coming for Your Children by Drenda Keesee
  • Faith Hunt by Gary Keesee
  • The Power of Your Words by Gary Keesee
  • In Search of Timothy by Tony Cooke

A laptop or tablet with Internet capability is also required.

Additional supplemental readings, Scripture studies, or ministry resources may be assigned as needed to support course objectives and practical application.

Course Structure and Weekly Commitment

The Children’s Ministry Track combines classroom instruction with supervised ministry practicum hours within Motion City. Students are expected to actively participate in all required sessions and ministry environments.

Estimated Weekly Commitment:

  • On-site instruction and ministry practicum: approximately 14.5 hours
  • Homework, reading, and assignments: approximately 3 hours

Required Weekly Schedule

  • Tuesdays: Motion City Practice and Instruction
    3:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.
  • Wednesdays: Leadership Training and Ministry Development
    5:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
  • Saturdays: Weekend Children’s Ministry Services, Ministry Preparation, Creative Builds, or Special Events
    4:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
  • Sundays: Weekend Children’s Ministry Services
    8:00 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.

Schedule requirements may increase during seasonal ministry initiatives such as Summer Blast (Vacation Bible School) or major outreach events.

Homework and Assignments

Students should expect to complete approximately 3 hours of homework per week, which may include reading assignments, curriculum development, creative projects, reflection papers, and practicum evaluations.