How To Address The Really Obnoxious Middle Schooler
Courtesy of Dreamstime.com One of the best ways to describe middle school youth ministry is controlled chaos. The teens’ behavior on a given week is...
I still have those dreams of walking into the first day off high school totally not prepared for the year. You know that dream? You are missing books, your schedule…even your pants? Okay, maybe not that extreme. Getting ready for the fall season of youth ministry can have the same pressures.
Courtesy of Lel4nd/Creative Commons License
Over the next few weeks kids will start going back to school. As they get ready they’ll:
- Buy their school supplies.
- Get to know their schedule.
- And maybe pick up some new outfits.
As a youth ministry it’s time to get ready, especially if you have not already started. It’s that last push to before the fall season starts. To make sure you are ready for the year ahead here are 3 actions that you need to take to start the year off right:
RALLY THE TEAM
One of the main reasons a youth ministry will fall apart is because there is no unity. Bring your volunteers together to:
- Discuss changes, tweaks and improvements.
- Review the content that you will cover.
- To reflect on the vision and mission.
This will help you share the burden and disperse any worries going into day one. Even if it’s only once or twice get your team meeting and moving.
SET GOALS
Why is this year so important? It’s easy to just jump into the year with no sense of purpose. When you set goals it will help your volunteers focus on what’s most important. It will give you the ability to measure success and improve on failures. Setting goals gives your youth ministry a destination, and getting there is a huge reward.
CREATE A BUZZ
Start getting the word out. Email parents, text students and announce to your congregation that the fall season is near. The truth is you cannot over communicate. In fact you want to create a conversation and build a buzz.
First be clear with times, dates and locations. Next be sure to clarify expectations. When people are clear on what you want them to know and do they’ll embrace it.
Do not let the fall season overwhelm you. Do these three action steps and get others on board. Head into the year with positive momentum and anticipation.
[reminder] What other action steps do we need to take to start the year off right? [/reminder]