How to Find Children’s Ministry Volunteers in a Small Church

Use this guide when your small church needs more people to teach or help with the kids, and the same few faces keep saying yes. It walks through who to ask, what to ask for, a gentle first Sunday for new helpers, and how to keep everyone from wearing out. Most of it costs nothing but a few conversations. Teaching alone right now? Start with when you are the only one left.

If you feel alone in this, you are not. In the Sunday School Store’s fall 2026 survey of children’s ministry leaders in U.S. churches, finding volunteers was the top worry: 305 of 661 named it (46%). Most of the people who answered were volunteers themselves (554 of 664). One wrote:

“Getting volunteers. We have an 85 year old lady still serving in nursery because she won’t stop until we find a replacement.”

A small-church volunteer, fall 2026 survey

Why small churches run short on kids’ ministry volunteers

The shortage usually has more than one cause.

1. People. Families are busy, and many adults already serve in two or three places.
2. Structure. In a small church the need is often invisible. Kids leave the service, and most adults never see the room.
3. Season. A church may have mostly older members, or simply be small right now. That is still the field God has given you.

A small church also has strengths: everyone knows each other, so you can ask people by name, and one new helper can change the whole room.

Pray before you ask anyone

Jesus told his disciples what to do when workers are few:

“The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into His harvest.” (Matthew 9:37-38, BSB)

Pray for the kids by name. Then pray for the helpers you have not met yet. Ask God to show you who is ready.

“Praying and letting God’s Word change your own life is the most important preparation, no matter what curriculum you have, how many kids you have, or how many years you’ve been teaching.”

Tony Kummer, founder of Ministry-to-Children, in 2026

Make the need visible and honest

People cannot help with a need they have never seen. Share the vision first: these kids are part of the church family, and someone needs to open the Bible with them.

1. Ask the pastor to say it from the pulpit. A short word about the kids carries more weight than a bulletin line. It helps even more when the pastor serves in the room once himself.
2. Show the room. Invite adults to walk through after church, or share one photo of the empty teacher chair (never the children’s faces).
3. Be plain about the gap. “We need one more adult on the second Sunday of each month” is easier to answer than “We need volunteers.”
4. Talk to parents honestly. Tell them what it takes to keep their kids’ class open.

Ask people one at a time, in person

Announcements rarely fill a slot. A personal ask, built on a real relationship, does. Make a short list of potential volunteers and pray over it before you start.

“Whenever possible, ask people in person. Sometimes you will have to call, but looking someone in the eye is the best way to know if they really want to help. If someone shows any hesitation, ask questions to find out why.”

Tony Kummer, founder of Ministry-to-Children, writing in 2008

When you ask, say why you thought of them. Name the one thing you need. Give them a few days to pray. A “no” today is not a “no” forever, so thank them either way.

1. Invite, don’t guilt. People who serve out of guilt rarely stay. Tell them why the kids matter to Jesus, and let them answer freely.
2. Give one clear next step. Hand them a sign-up card, or get their phone number, and follow up within a week.
3. Offer a trial Sunday. Let them sit in once before they commit.
4. Let your volunteers invite their friends. A happy teacher is your best recruiter. Ask each one to invite one person to help with them.
5. Recruit all year. Don’t wait until a teacher quits. Keep a short list of people to ask.

Ask for one small, clear job

A big, open-ended ask scares people off. A small, clear one is easy to say yes to.

1. Helper, not teacher. Sit with the kids, pass out crayons, take a child to the restroom with a second adult.
2. A set length. One month, or one quarter, with an end date.
3. A set Sunday. “Every third Sunday” fits on a calendar.
4. A behind-the-scenes job. Cut out crafts at home, prepare snacks, or copy the lesson pages.

“The #1 qualification is love. As a young Christian, I discovered that many avenues of church service were beyond my abilities. You may never sing a solo or preach a sermon in church, but God wants you to find a place of ministry.”

Tony Kummer, founder of Ministry-to-Children, writing in 2008

Look for people who love kids and are willing to learn. You can teach the rest.

Where to look: parents, grandparents, empty nesters, teens and men

1. Parents of the kids in the room. Many will serve once a month, especially in their own child’s class.
2. Grandparents and empty nesters. They often have time, patience and years of faith to share.
3. Teens. A teenager makes a great helper or co-teacher under an adult. Older kids can help with younger ones too.
4. Men. Kids need to see men who love Jesus. Ask a man to tell the Bible story once a month.
5. New members. Serving is a quick way for them to belong.
6. People who help at events. Someone who served at VBS or a fall festival may be ready for one Sunday a month.

For a bigger summer push, see these tips for finding VBS volunteers on Ministry-to-Children.

Give every new helper a gentle first Sunday

A good start between “yes” and the first Sunday helps a new helper stay.

1. Thank them the same day, with a text or a short note.
2. Finish the safety steps first: your church’s application and background check (see below).
3. Give them the lesson early, at least a few days before.
4. Let the first Sunday be watch-only. They sit beside an experienced teacher and help.
5. Check in after class. Ask what felt hard and what they enjoyed.
6. Walk them through your church’s child-safety policy and any training it requires before they serve. Then give them a one-page reminder of room rules and safety steps.

Background checks: screen every adult before they serve

Every adult who serves with children should be screened, even in a church where everyone knows each other. Ask your pastor what your church already requires. Your church’s insurance agent can tell you what screening your policy expects and whether they offer help with it.

Other simple safety habits:

1. Two screened adults in the room. If your church’s written policy allows another setup, follow it exactly.
2. No adult alone with a child.
3. A written check-in and pick-up plan that every helper knows.

Pick a schedule on purpose: weekly, every other week or monthly

There is no one right schedule. Each one trades something.

1. Weekly: kids see the same face, and trust grows fast. Volunteers wear out faster.
2. Every other week: two teams share the load. Kids still see familiar faces.
3. Monthly: easier to recruit and easier to keep. Kids meet more teachers, so each lesson needs to stand on its own.

Many small churches mix them: one steady lead teacher, with helpers who come once a month. Watch for worship, too. When you can, build in Sundays when each teacher sits with the church. Put the schedule on paper and on people’s refrigerators.

Make the lesson easy to hand off

Many volunteers say no because they think they will have to write the lesson. Take that worry away.

Looking back on his years as a small-church children’s pastor, Tony Kummer put it this way:

“When I handed things off to volunteers, I didn’t want to have to look through the whole thing to make sure it was going to work for the group.”

Tony Kummer, founder of Ministry-to-Children, in 2026

1. Use lessons that are ready to print, with the Bible story, discussion questions and an activity in one place.
2. Pick lessons that work with mixed ages, since small churches often teach everyone in one room.
3. Plan for a short class. Here is how to teach a 30-minute Sunday school lesson.

The free Kids Sample Pack (ages 6 to 12) has four lessons a new volunteer can teach. For ages 3 to 5, use the free Preschool Sample Pack (six lessons).

Advice for a brand-new children’s ministry volunteer: pray, be patient, keep going

The survey asked leaders what they would tell someone just starting out. Of 493 who answered, the top three themes were:

1. Don’t give up, it’s worth it (169 of 493).
2. Pray and rely on God (152 of 493).
3. Be patient and loving (94 of 493).

In their own words:

“Pray first. And feed yourself because you’re going to need to refill your own cup.”

“Get experience volunteering in a [c]lassroom for a teacher, get to know the kids a bit before leading your own class”

“Prayer, be flexible, be ready to pivot when something isn’t working”

“It takes work and time but it is so worth it!”

Small-church volunteers, fall 2026 survey

Pass this section to your next new helper.

How to keep volunteers from burning out

Burnout is common. In the same survey, 161 of 660 leaders (24%) had seriously considered stepping away from children’s ministry in the past year.

“No workers; this class, age group 3-8yrs, only has two of us teachers rotating, so we do get burn out at times. We tag team very well, we need more teachers”

A small-church volunteer, fall 2026 survey

1. Count the cost. Look at what your program asks of each volunteer each month.
2. Check in privately. Ask your steady helpers what has gotten hard, and whether a smaller job would help, like preparing crafts instead of teaching.
3. Give breaks when you can. Even one Sunday a quarter in the worship service helps.
4. Never let anyone serve alone for long. Pair people up.
5. Cut what doesn’t matter. A simple lesson taught with love beats a busy program run by tired people.
6. Build a team, not a list. Pray for each other. Share prayer requests by text. Eat together a few times a year. People stay where they have friends.
7. Let people step down well. Thank them publicly, and leave the door open.

Keeping a volunteer is easier than finding a new one.

“Evaluate what the program is costing the volunteers. Always remember that you are called to shepherd the children and the volunteers in the ministry. Most families are wildly over committed and really struggle to follow through.”

Tony Kummer, founder of Ministry-to-Children, writing in 2008

More help: when your volunteers are worn out and how to delegate and avoid ministry burnout.

When you are the only one left

Many small-church leaders end up teaching alone.

“I started teaching when the last teacher was taking a break, and that turned into me doing it myself. I had support (curriculum, materials, assistance), but no experience teaching Sunday school. While I wasn’t sure I was best for the job, no one else was offering to teach.”

A small-church volunteer, fall 2026 survey

If that is you:

1. Simplify the room. One Bible story, one activity, one prayer time.
2. Teach all ages together. Ask older kids to help younger ones.
3. Don’t stay alone with the kids. Ask a parent or another screened adult to sit in each week. If no one can, ask your pastor whether the kids can join the worship service that Sunday.
4. Tell your pastor what you need. Leaders often don’t know until someone tells them.
5. Rest in God’s care. Galatians 6:9 (BSB) says, “Let us not grow weary in well-doing, for in due time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” Taking a break, or stepping down, is not giving up on God or the children.

Thank your volunteers in small ways

Thanks helps people keep serving, and it does not have to cost much.

1. A handwritten note that names one thing they did well.
2. A thank-you from the kids, like a card everyone signs.
3. A word from the pastor in front of the church.
4. A small gift a few times a year.

For ideas, see 15 volunteer gifts for under $5 and fall and winter volunteer appreciation ideas.

Common questions about children’s ministry volunteers

How many volunteers does a small children’s ministry need?

A good target is two screened adults with every group of kids, plus one backup you can call. Many small churches start with fewer and grow one helper at a time.

What does a children’s ministry volunteer do?

A volunteer teaches or helps with a Bible lesson, leads an activity, keeps kids safe, and builds friendships with the children. Helpers can also prepare crafts, snacks or check-in.

What Bible verse encourages children’s ministry volunteers?

Matthew 9:37-38 says to pray for workers. Galatians 6:9 reminds tired servants that faithful work is not wasted. Mark 10:14 shows how Jesus welcomed children.

How do you thank children’s ministry volunteers?

Thank them often, by name, for something specific. A note, a card from the kids or a small gift goes a long way.

What has helped your church find kids’ ministry volunteers? Share it in the comments so another small church can try it.