Part 3: FAQs [Part 3 of 4] So far we’ve addressed misplaced priorities in families, and overcoming three of the top challenges in developing a spiritual growth plan in families. While I’m certain we’re making progress, the list of questions generated by this topic feels exponential.…
Every great organization has great leadership… period. It’s going to be nearly impossible to become great if your leadership is sub-par. Believe it or not, this relates to churches as well. Many times, in church work, we find ourselves in a tough spot; desperate for help, so we compromise in the area of leadership and we get ‘Volunteers’ to serve in our ministries instead of ‘Leaders.’…
No matter how good you are … you can’t be good at everything. In fact, we’ll take it one step further – you AREN’T good at everything. OK, last step we promise: You’re actually really bad at quite a few things.…
It had been a rough night with our middle school youth. I was talking it through with some of my adult leaders when I had an interesting thought. Often we want kids who already “get it.” They don’t talk back; they do what we ask them to do, etc.…
You wake up exhausted. Was that overnighter a dream? Where did your black eye come from? Why is your arm in a cast? Why are there 13 missed calls from various parents? What speeding ticket? If you’re like us, after a big event or activity the last thing you want to do is re-live all the details.…
Most youth workers like events. We may have mixed emotions about their overall effectiveness, but they aren’t going away anytime soon….we simply won’t let them! And while we all like events, we aren’t all great at planning them from start to finish.…
I will never forget the day, it was a few years ago and I was meeting my former Sunday School teacher for lunch. The cool thing was that after almost 15 years from being in his class we were still friends and we still get together for lunch from time to time.…
Heading into the Christmas season is a great time for reflection and evaluation. Certainly some of that energy needs to be focused on your ministry, but don’t forget to make sure your mentoring relationships are in order, too. Here is one simple strategy to consider: Look Forward – Who Is Leading You?…
The first article addressed the frequently asked question about tips for maintaining your ministry for the long run when just starting out. The article addressed the need to have a team of friends to do ministry with, and when you see them as your friends you feel encouraged and as though you are not alone in the journey.…
As I think about caring for and training volunteers and leaders I can’t help but remember the days when I was one of those weary and worn volunteers myself. Then again, I still volunteer quite a bit (as do a lot of youth ministers) with youth camps, retreats, and of course lock-in parking lot patrols.…
