Conversation: Lynn Krogstad

Loving Kids

Lynn Krogstad, children’s pastor at Valley Community Church in Sacramento, Calif., started volunteering in children’s ministry in 1975, the year after she accepted the Lord. During her time as the director of children’s ministry at a church, the senior pastor suggested she go through the credentialing process, which she finished in 1993. She has been married to her husband, Michael, for 35 years. They have two grown sons and four grandchildren. Kelly Bevill, an intern at the Pentecostal Evangel, recently spoke with Krogstad about how adults can connect with kids in their church’s children’s ministries.

evangel: You’re big on the value of volunteers.

KROGSTAD: I have a passion for volunteers because I came in as a layperson not knowing anything. I love to train leaders from that perspective.

evangel: What can adults learn from kids about having a relationship with God?

KROGSTAD: Kids have a simplicity of faith. They read or learn something from the Bible and take it as true without questioning it.

evangel: How can people in the church address needs that arise as a result of broken homes?

KROGSTAD: It’s important not to judge a person by their home situation. Promote your church’s family events in a way that welcomes single parents.

evangel: How can a church meet the needs of kids whose parents don’t attend with them?

KROGSTAD: For the kids who are dropped off, it is especially important not to make them feel like they’re different because their parents aren’t there. Look for opportunities to build a bridge to the parents, like inviting these parents to watch their child in a program or come to the park for a special event. Make sure that every child is treated as an important participant in the program, never as an outsider.

evangel: How can adults bridge the generation gap and reach out to kids in the church?

KROGSTAD: Adults need to love the children in their congregation unconditionally and not allow an age difference to hinder them. Love will transcend any difference. It doesn’t matter how old we are. If we just love the kids, they feel it, they know it, and they receive it.

Also, I encourage my volunteers and parents to turn on the TV and watch the shows that most of the kids are watching and read some of the books they are reading. You may not want your kids reading them, but it is important for you to know what the kids are involved in. This helps bridge that gap, because then you have an understanding of what their world is like.

evangel: As kids go back to school, what can parents do to encourage the spiritual lives of their children?

KROGSTAD: Going back to school is a great time to reprioritize the family. Make sure that spiritual opportunities are plugged into the family calendar before the kids take on extracurricular activities. Be selective and you’ll have a balanced and less stressful schedule.

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