It's so easy to get into a rut and not really plan ahead in youth ministry, to sort of fly by the seat of your pants. I live in a beach culture, and we like just going with the flow. The danger is that this can have a negative effect on your youth ministry. Students want to know what direction they're heading as a group. Parents want to be informed on what's taking place now, but also what's being planned for the future of the youth ministry. The youth ministry team needs to know what to plan for, otherwise it's like taking a trip without packing-or worse yet packing for Maui and going to Alaska.

I was reading Exodus 36-38 today-you know, the detail chapters that list how the tabernacle was built and what materials they used. (By the way, where did they get the sea cow skins?  Are there sea cows in that region of the world?) Anyway, I discovered the 3 Ps of planning in those verses.

Picture
As I read the lists of materials, and how the tabernacle was being put together, I was given an excellent picture of what the tabernacle must have looked like. When we're planning, we need to "paint" the picture of where we're going as a ministry. We should be able to list out our priorities, vision, dreams, and goals in such a way that others can read them and see a picture of what the youth ministry will look like. "Here is where we are now. This year when we implement ______ this is where we will be at the end of the year."

Preparation
It is obvious from these chapters that there was some preparation taking place. They were busy gathering the materials, working together, to complete this huge project. They were so into the preparation that they soon had more than they needed, and the people "were constrained."  They were asked to quit bringing in materials. Wouldn't that be a nice problem to have in our youth ministry, to have so many volunteers, so many resources, so much money that we have to ask people to quit giving?
Part of the planning process must include preparation. Don't just take off heading in the direction of your Picture with out preparing. I can think of several youth events that I didn't prepare for, and they were either a total flop or a huge source of stress in my own life. Spend the extra time getting ready.

People
In the construction of the tabernacle there were a whole lot of people involved. They had people with all kinds of skills working hard to see this place of worship come together.
Ministry is bringing people along with you. Ministry shouldn't be done alone. When we minister alone we're not bringing up new ministry leaders in the church. People want to serve; they're waiting to be invited to use the skills God has given them. Don't invite from the pulpit, invite face-to-face. Have others from the team invite folks they know who bring some great skills to the team. People serving together on a youth ministry team, working together to bring about "the plan."

The next time you sit down to plan, you may want to think about how your ministry can put the 3 Ps into action.

Andy Lawrenson is the youth pastor at Nags Head Church.
youth@nagsheadchurch.org