What Are You Doing That’s New?

My birthday was this past Saturday, got some good gifts, including some new clothes.  I’m not going to lie but I love new clothes because they are nice and fresh.  It doesn’t matter if it’s a t-shirt or a suit, new clothes just feel good.  But maybe you don’t like clothes like I do, but I’m willing to bet you like new.  We all do because new is refreshing, it keeps things interesting.
New is important because it keeps things interesting in ministry.  I know it’s obvious but if our ministry is static then it’s stuck.  And while it’s good to keep things new it’s important to be strategic in what we change because too much change can lead to diluted ministry.  So what do we do new?

• How We Thank Our Ministers:  Never assume your ministers know how much you appreciate them.  Never assume a simple thank you does the job of showing your gratitude.  I’m not saying our ministers are selfish or in need of praise, but thanking ministers should never get old.  Writing them a thank you card, buying them a small gift, inviting them over to dinner, etc are all great ways of thanking a minister. 
• How We Meet With Our Ministers:  Our meetings can become mundane if we do the same thing over and over again.  Now, this is hard to do considering the fact that meetings need to have consistency, but too many times than not our meetings grow old and predictable.  Once in a while it’s good to throw some vision casting, some training, some reflection and prayer.  I know we have meetings designed for review or prep for a weekend; however, if you feel as if those meetings drag on, it’s time to try something new.
• How We Interact With Students: This might be a little hard to recognize or admit, but I was noticing that every Thursday and Sunday as students were walking into our programs that I was going up to the same students and talking about the same things.  If you are the youth pastor or a point leader and you aren’t doing your best to interact with new students your ministry will seem like a closed door club.  It’s okay to build relationships with the regulars, but just be sure you don’t shutout the new teens, after all they may need you more.

Again, while change is good it can be bad, that’s why you need to look at it with the question, “How can I make things feel new?”  We need to regularly review our relationships and our systems and structures to make sure that nothing is taken for granted or assumed.  If you can answer the question of what needs to feel new without creating major change you are going to find that your ministers feel refreshed and motivated.  Answering the question keeps the vision new, it keeps the mission fresh, and it keeps the challenge of furthering God’s kingdom exciting.
So how do you keep things new in your ministry?