attendance
What To Do When No One Is Showing Up
It felt more like a band practice than a night of worship. No one was showing up to our student ministry. We had 4 teens in the student band, 1…
We can feel like so much needs to get done that we will just let the details suffer. But, that’s not the healthiest approach to have in ministry. In fact each detail matters more than you can imagine.
Courtesy of Georgie Pauwels/Creative Commons License
Details make a difference and they can no longer be ignored. I learned this first hand when my ministry decided to move so that my team could have breathing room.This summer we made the decision to move our high school program on Thursdays from 6:30pm start time to 7pm. The impact in a few weeks has been huge. We are seeing:
- Leaders show up early.
- Teens attending more consistent.
- Increased margin to take on more.
The reason such a small change has had a huge impact is because:
EVERY DETAIL MATTERS…
IN YOUR ENVIRONMENTS
As a youth minister you need to take into consideration your environments. That means keeping them:
- Clean – Cleanliness leads to organization and efficiency.
- Engaging – The lighting, noise level and temperature of the room will dictate your comfort. If you are not comfortable you are not focused.
- Purposeful – How you use your environments are key. Don’t just take over a space, embrace it and dress it up.
Take time to evaluate your space. Find someone who has a good eye and is willing to ask, “Why is this the way things are set up?” It’ll help you bring your ministry to a new level.
WITH THE FLOW OF YOUR MEETINGS
Meetings take time and time is a valuable commodity. Make sure your meetings flow by setting an agenda and passing it out (With other materials) ahead of time. To bring flow to your meetings make sure others are:
- Taking notes.
- Keeping time.
- Reporting on a subject.
- Leading prayer.
People will feel like they have ownership and will have a higher level of engagement.
WHEN PREPARING YOUR VOLUNTEERS
If you want your team to complete certain tasks you need to make sure that you are crystal clear with the details. Never assume people get it the first time. Write down, speak and repeat your instructions to those around you. The best sign of progress is when people tell you to stop repeating yourself.
There are so many details to cover, especially in youth ministry. Some are negotiable and some are not. Make sure you track your time, you priorities and rely on God.
[reminder] What details are important to your ministry? [/reminder]