that first time visiting family! Understanding that will change your perspective on many things.
Take a moment to think like a first time visitor. They enter your church for the first time with their 2 children, a 4 year old and a 10 year old. If they walk into your church and they see that your facility is boring, like it or not, you have something to overcome in that family's mind, and the mind of those kids. Bulletin boards are a thing of the past in my opinion. We cannot possibly believe that using something so outdated can truly be very effective today. White walls are great if you're in a hospital or institution, but they are not very effective if your goal is to communicate that families & kids are important to your church.
When you think about designing a creative children's ministry theme you have to first understand your primary audience. The primary audience is that unsaved family coming to your church for the first time. Knowing that will give you direction as you consider your theme.
One of the first questions I ask clients is "what kind of theme do you think will relate to that unsaved family?" If you think about the families that you are reaching out to, what relates to them and their kids. Remember the old saying "talk is cheap"? Don't just tell them you care about kids, show them! A great children's ministry theme design that relates to that family walking into your children's ministry for the first time is a priceless visual communication to the fact that kids are incredibly important to your church, without ever opening your mouth to say that they are.
Designing a creative theme shows that you understand and relate to the needs of their kids not only through the curriculum you teach, but also through creating a fun and effective environment that captures their imagination and lets them know you thought about them.
First beneficiary of creative children's ministry decorating: First time visitors Second beneficiary: Your church family
