How New Ideas Affect Your Ministry

Easter marks a transition time when our ministry starts brainstorming new ideas for next year.  The goal is to dream big in the spring, plan in the summer and implement in the fall.  Over the years some of the new ideas that we’ve thought of have emerged into awesome initiatives.  On the flip side, some of them failed.

Courtesy of leyink/Creative Commons License

You need to dream big and conjure up new ideas in youth ministry.  Youth ministry is dynamic and relevant in the lives of teenagers because of all it’s creativity.  For some it’s easy to be creative, for others it takes some work.  Fears and incompetencies can bring delays to implementing your ideas; however, as long as you are aware of the pitfall there shouldn’t be much to worry about.  To survive any of the obstacles you need to understand that new ideas affect your ministry by:

• DIVERTING ATTENTION: In order for a new project to get off the ground it needs the majority of your attention.  That means something will suffer.  Instead of trying to do it all prepare ahead of time by delegating (More on delegating, click here) responsibility to your leaders.  Make sure whatever you are letting go of has someone’s upmost love.

• INCREASING THE WORK LOAD: New ideas means more work upfront for bigger gain down the road.  This is because there is so much planning and brainstorming.  To handle the increased work load be sure to set parameters (Create a schedule, click here) around your life so that you are able to gain rest.  Make sure you communicate this with your family and ask someone to hold you accountable.  Don’t let something new burn you out.

• TAKING YOU OUT OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE: New ideas can mean risks and failure.  When you take on new ideas that means trying something that could rock the boat.  To successfully work out of your comfort zone tap into as many resources as possible and talk with others who have had a simliar situation.  The best way to work out of your comfort zone is with like-minded people. (More on fears, click here)

• GENERATING EXCITEMENT: Newness brings excitement and a buzz to your ministry.  While this will speed up the pace of your ministry it can bring in people who may have never have been exposed.  Anytime you have something new it means dream big on how you will handle it and don’t be afraid to share it.

Good or bad, anytime you do something new there are risks.  To get those ideas growing you need to share them.  If you don’t those new ideas will wither away.  Gain feedback, try it out and take a risk.  The only way to see if new ideas are actually good ones is by allowing giving them a chance for failure.

What other consequences (Good or Bad) come from doing something new?