Anatomy of Effectively Planning Ahead

Planing ahead at the end of June is always hard. Who wants to start thinking or even planning strategically about September through June for next school year when the summer this year has only just begun?

Effectively Planning Ahead can be broken down by using a simple template. I've used this template for years and each year I tweak it a little bit more or a little bit less based on the upcoming year. Get you calendar out for 2014-15 and lets get going.

My planning template consists of six components.

1. Non-negotiable: weekly programs and seasonal events that always happen every year go right into your calendar without any hesitation (e.g. winter retreat, mission trip car wash fundraiser in May, fall kick off event, Friday night you or Sunday school). Make sure you have the church calendar for the next year so you don't double book stuff on missions weekend etc...
2. Curriculum: you need to be praying about this and writing notes down about where God what you to go with curriculum and then evaluate the curriculums to get the right one. This can be done by yourself or in a group setting with your leadership team.
3. Journalling: through out your past year, you must be taking notes about everything. Key questions parents have asked, how can we prevent someone from breaking their arm in our pillow fight night, what worked well at your Christmas banquet, what failed when kids got on the roof and the a neighbour called the cops. These are then applied or thoughtfully consider for the next year. 
4. Next Steps: what are those next steps that you need to provide for your students or volunteer leaders to challenge them to go to that next level? Do you need to start a student leadership team or recruit more volunteers? Do you need to focus on Spiritual gifts this year or plan an overseas mission trip?
5. Share the Plan: after you have everything planned out you need to go through several beta tests (3-4) with three groups of people; 2-3 key volunteers and students from your leadership team, church staff, 2-3 key parents.
6. Publish: send out a basic 2014-15 calendar that only marks out key dates ad has no details. You don't need to list your Friday night theme from September through June but you should have you Friday nights in the calendar.

Two key things you should have on every basic calendar is this: 1) youth ministry schedule subject to change without notice. 2) Friday night youth will not be on these four dates: ____, ____, ____, _____.

@jeffsmyth

Going Slow with Dr. Low

My name is Rob Low and I'm a Spiritual Life Coach.  One of the main focuses of my ministry is helping people to slow down, stop, wait, listen, retreat and rest in God's presence.  Without this kind of reflective and prayerful practice many of us simply keep spinning our wheels at top speed and miss some of the growth and learning opportunities God brings us daily.

This is especially important for youth workers and youth themselves.  Most youth and youth workers run at a pretty fast pace.  Life is busy and full; ministry is demanding; friends, family, church, school and jobs take a lot of time and energy.  God understands this and is with us in these ventures and in the midst of it all He invites us to rest - to rest in Him.  And this is just not an invitation for those who are tired and worn out, this is an important invitation for us all because it involves our very salvation and strength:

"...In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength..."
 ~ Isaiah 30:15

• Do you have an over all attitude of repentance or do you just repent from specific sins from time to time?
• Do you ever spend time in rest and quietness or do you fill your time with as much noise, people and activity as possible to fill the lonely moments?
• Where does your salvation come from?  Resting in God or working harder yourself (or perhaps a bit of both)?
• Are you feeling strong these days?  What do you need to ask God for today?

Don't make the mistake many youth and youth workers make - filling their life as full as possible so not only is there no time for quiet time with God but seemingly no need because we feel full and satisfied with other things.  Stop, look, listen...slow down and join Jesus in His teaching and example of Sabbath Rest.  Jesus, of all people, was very busy, active and successful in His ministry but he regularly modeled rest and retreat as He pulled Himself aside to seek intimate, life-giving moments with His Father.  God loves spending one-on-one time with us; are you taking Him up on His invitations?

For more information on Dr. Low or his Spiritual Life Coaching Ministry click on his website or his blog.