How To Be Strategic With Sunday

Image from Wikimedia Commons

Sunday is the beginning of my work week and it’s my long day.  It’s a little funny to start the week like this because Sunday is not like a Monday where you slowly get the wheels cranking.  It’s basically get out of bed, into work and start sprinting.
It’s an odd day for me because the ministries in which I oversee don’t happen until Sunday and Thursday evening.  I know I’m not alone when it comes to this “off-balanced” schedule.  Many youth ministries meet at times that seem counter to their main church service.  I know some of it is due to space issues, while others decided on this due to pure strategy.  When our ministry occurs at a different time it brings up the question, “How are we taking opportunity of the main church service?”
Here are four possibilities:

• Connect With Parents:  Your church’s main service is the best time to meet parents.  Whether they are the kind that just drop off their teens and run or are heavily involved.  This is your opportunity to tell them first hand how they are progressing in their faith journey.  It’s also a key time to briefly meet one on one and check in on the teens’ home life. 
• Minister Recruiting Pool: Being present on the weekend is the easiest way to recruit non parents as ministry volunteers.  It’s the opportunity to build casual relationships and get a feel for who would have the gifts and talents.  Plus, when you can recruit face to face it’s more personal and meaningful.
• Cheer On The Student Leaders: Not sure we can allow parents to sit in the back of the children’s program cheering on their teens as they pour into their younger peers, that would just be weird.  But, you as a youth minister have all access.  You can cheer them on as they serve in the church whether it’s emptying trash cans or opening a door for a newcomer.  Tell them firsthand how proud of them your are that they are feeding into the vision.  
• Show How Youth Ministry Is Connected:  When you appear on the weekend, during or around the main services you are showing others that you are not just invested in the future generations, but the current church as well.  Just your presence alone reminds others that even though the church is made up of many parts; however, we are one body.

Sundays are important on so many levels for the health of the church; however, it seems like many of us take it for granted.  It’s a conflicting day, because we too want to be fed and worship just like any congregant; however, it’s also an opportune time for us to invest in our ministries and the church in a way that can’t be done any other day of the week.

How do you take opportunity of Sunday to help youth ministry?