Last week, I posted three thoughts about why it is important to plan, with a specific focus on youth ministry. Today I wanted to look at some of the downsides of planning, or perhaps, planning done poorly.
Continue reading “Three More Thoughts about Planning from a Rookie Youth Pastor”
Are You Attending the Desiring God National Conference?
In about a week, hundreds of people will be converging on the Minneapolis Convention Center for the Desiring God 2011 National Conference. I will be one of those people. I’m excited to hear from the speakers on this year’s theme, Finish the Mission: For the Joy of All Peoples Bringing the Gospel to the Unreached and Unengaged.
I think this will be a great conference to hear about international missions, as well as how people are engaging in missional ministry in their local contexts. I think one of the challenges for our youth ministry is how to train our youth to live in such a way that they’re always living intentionally, looking for opportunities to share the Gospel and express God’s love to their neighbors. I hope to be encouraged, challenged, and equipped at this conference.
Let me know if you’re planning to attend, as I would love to meet & grab some coffee or grub and hear about life and ministry in your context. I plan to blog from the event either live or between sessions.
Three Thoughts about Planning from a Rookie Youth Pastor
In the next few months, our youth ministry will be gearing up for the end of the year, as well as planning for the events, programs, series, and other details for 2012. I’m excited about the prospect of hashing these details out now, so that we have a framework in the upcoming year for what we’re doing and the direction we’re going. Here are three thoughts I have about planning.
- Planning prevents pain. One of the clear benefits of doing preliminary planning and scheduling is that it will prevent a good deal of pain in the end. I’ve experienced this on several occasions, where had I planned further in advance, I’d have had more time to adjust when details go awry. Planning keeps us from presumption that we’ll have time later to plan, when oftentimes we do not.
- Planning lets you be intentional. Since we’re planning a year in advance, we can be more focused on the topics we will cover in our meetings, the values or principles that we will emphasize as a youth ministry and ultimately allows us to be more directed in how we proclaim the Gospel in our various programs.
- Planning takes energy, but so does not planning. One of my tendencies is to put off planning because I don’t want to take the creative energy to think things through. But if I’m honest with myself, I think I would have to say that not planning often takes as much or more energy in cramming or maneuvering through snags that I didn’t, well, plan for. Planning is energy well-invested.
How do you go about planning ahead?
Why Adult Volunteers are Indispensable
One the most dynamic aspects of the body of Christ is that no one person can accomplish the mission God has given the church.
This is a principle that I think most Christians would agree with. However, when it comes into practice it can be an area of challenge. The temptation is to guard “your” ministry or “your” area of influence. Or maybe the temptation is to look over the fence at another’s ministry and say, “if only I had…” or “if only I could be like…”
As I’ve been building our youth ministry team, this principle has been one of great excitement and relief. As is the case with many youth workers I know, I’m not very good with administration. Handling details and minutia is not only challenging for me, but it also saps my energy. I love to teach and to study and to learn. But to handle spreadsheets or the varied details of an event- that is tedious. Thankfully, since I’m not the only one on mission, God has gifted others in the many areas of my weakness. And on our team, we have several ladies who are both gifted and passionate about the details.
Beyond that, I’ve been blessed with adults who are gifted in leading small groups, gifted in leadership development, gifted in understanding organizational structures. And these leaders give our ministry momentum, strength, and ultimately allow us to reach more youth more effectively for the sake of the Gospel.
This excites me about the work of God. It is awesome that just as there are many parts to play in this pursuit for God’s glory, there are people who are passionate about playing their part. As one pastor consistently says, I just want to “play my part well.”
Notes from the Conference: Ed Stetzer at Dream 2011 (Wednesday)
Back in July, I attended the Every Nation Dream 2011 conference in Florida. I posted my notes on two previous talks, but never got around to posting my notes for Ed Stetzer’s second talk. It’s definitely worth thinking over, as he covered what he described as God’s intention for the church.
His messaged was entitled The Church of God’s Intent.
Stetzer gave five descriptors under which he laid out the pillars of the church, as God intended her. His five points were that the church (and churches) should be a biblically faithful, mission-driven, culturally relevant, counterculture community for the Kingdom of God.
Biblical Fidelity (Ps. 127:1)
- Unless the Lord builds it, the workers labor in vain.
- Remember first of all, Jesus will build his church.
- We cannot assume fidelity to the Word of God.
- The Word of God gives us the direction of God to accomplish the work of God.
- Building on the Word creates a foundation upon which the church can thrive.
- A skewed view of this can result in the “spiritually amish” or not being on the mission of God.
Mission Driven (Jn. 20:21)
- We are blessed with the Gospel to be a blessing.
- We have been sent just as Jesus was sent.
- We are ambassadors (2 Cor. 5:16-21). The goal is not to live in the embassy, but to go and represent your kingdom.
- We are messengers of reconciliation, not the means thereof.
Culturally Relevant (1 Cor. 9:22-23)
- We have to live as sent to when and where we are.
- Don’t get caught up in demographic lust and community envy.
- Movements birthed in the Boomer era have struggled to reach the next generation.
- How is it that a person becomes a Christian? It must be more than a cultural shift, but a heart change.
- Jude 3 – Never stop contending for the faith.
- Contend and contextualize. Don’t run from the hard teaching, but do make it understandable.
Countercultural Community (1 Pet. 2:9)
- It is a problem when we live like the world (with regard to sin) but look different (with regard to culture and style).
- Scripture calls us to look similar but live radically different (e.g. caring for widows and orphans).
- God always chooses a people and then puts them on display.
- We should not be defined by our hairstyle or clothing but by how we live.
For the Kingdom of God (Matt. 3:2)
- The church does not have a mission so much as God’s mission has a church.
- We have been made citizens of a new Kingdom.
- God has always been in rightful rule of the universe.