Creating a Fresh Elementary Experience (part 1): The Window Moment
- Tony Kensinger
- 19 hours ago
- 3 min read
I never planned on working in Kids Ministry.
From the time I was a small child, I knew I wanted to be a pastor. I talked about it when I was two. I felt it deep in my spirit in sixth grade. Through high school and college, that calling was confirmed again and again. When I started in ministry, I was a Youth Pastor—and that was the plan. I had no intention of doing anything else.
Then ministry got hard.
After a tough transition, I stepped out of full-time ministry for a season and found myself working in corporate America while leading worship at a large church in Seattle. Every Sunday, as we walked off the stage, we passed the chapel where the first–fourth graders were having their service. And week after week, I found myself slowing down… then stopping… then watching.
I didn’t know why at first. I just knew I was drawn to what was happening in that room.
One Sunday, as I stood there peering through the window, I felt the nudge of the Holy Spirit as clearly as I ever have. A quiet but unmistakable voice said, “I called you to be in there.”
Within thirty days, I was volunteering every weekend in Kids Ministry. Not long after that, the door opened for me to step into full-time Kids and Family Ministry where I would spend the next two decades of my life.
And here’s why that moment matters.
Elementary Ministry Is a Unique Window
Elementary ministry sits in a powerful, often overlooked window of development.
Kids at this age are old enough to understand what it means to have a relationship with Jesus. They can read the Bible for themselves. They ask real questions—and expect real answers. They begin to worship intentionally, pray specific prayers, and experience genuine “ah-ha” moments with God.
They also start forming meaningful friendships. They remember their leaders’ names. They begin to feel like church is their place -not just somewhere their parents bring them.
For many kids, this is the season where faith stops being borrowed and starts becoming personal.
From a leadership standpoint, elementary ministry can feel like a sweet spot. It often requires fewer volunteers than early childhood. Parents are generally less anxious. There’s a lot less crying. And kids hang on every word you say.
But that same season can quietly drift into autopilot.
We can unintentionally shift from discipleship to crowd control. From intentional ministry to “keep them busy and moving.” And when that happens, we miss the opportunity sitting right in front of us.
A Different Way to Think About Elementary Ministry
At FRESH, we filter everything we do through five core values:
Family. Relationships. Experience. Safety. Hope.
These values aren’t just philosophical ideas, they are practical lenses that help leaders build healthy, sustainable ministry environments. And when applied intentionally, they create spaces where kids don’t just attend church… they encounter God.
Over the next several posts, I’m going to walk through each of these values specifically as they relate to elementary ministry. You’ll hear stories, principles, and practical insights that work whether you’re leading five kids or five hundred; whether you’re a volunteer, part-time leader, or full-time Kids Pastor or Director.
You don’t need a massive budget.You don’t need a huge staff.You don’t need to be “creative enough” or “experienced enough.”
You just need clarity, intentionality, and a willingness to build with purpose.
Every Church Can Do This
I know the reality of ministry looks different everywhere.
Some of you have multiple rooms and age-specific spaces. Others are in one shared room. Some of you have a full production setup. Others are portable. Some of you are resourced well. Others are paying out of pocket.
This matters: this conversation is for all of you.
Healthy elementary ministry isn’t about copying the church down the road or the one you follow online. It’s about creating a FRESH experience that reflects who your church is and where your families actually are.
Elementary ministry is not something to get through.It’s something to build into.
Because these kids are listening.They’re watching.And for many of them, this is the season where faith begins to make sense.
What’s Next
In the next post, we’re going to start with Family; because the elementary years are busy, complex, and often exhausting for parents. And if we want to disciple kids well, we have to understand and support the family unit they’re part of.
For now, here’s the takeaway:
Elementary ministry is a window.It doesn’t stay open forever. And what we build—or fail to build—during this season matters more than we realize.
Let’s steward it well.
This post is adapted from our “Creating a FRESH Elementary Experience” Lab, available inside FRESH Labs for leaders who want the full training, tools, and implementation support.
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