Delegation is a must!

I was reminded and challenged by the The Three S’s of Delegation as blogged by Kevin Moore.

It Caused me to think about who I delegate to, and how often I delegate to others.  Here are some questions to ask about what to delegate, how to delegate, when to delegate.

1. What 3 projects or programs take most of my time?
2. How important/needed are those projects/programs?
3. Are there certain projects/programs that I need to focus less on?
4. Are there certain projects/programs I need to build a team to focus on?
5. What projects/programs/ministry areas need to be developed that I can’t currently focus on?
6. Who and how many can I begin to train the how to’s of projects/programs?
7. Who in and around you could take those projects/programs to the next level?
8. Who around me would I choose, Who would Jesus choose (Jesus chose fishermen, a tax collector, ect.)?
9. Are you keeping other people from serving because you will not delegate?

Great Leaders, Great Year, Merry Christmas, and what I didn’t say.

What we talked about at the Christmas Party

I really do get to work with the greatest team of Student Ministry Leaders on planet Earth!!!  A few things that Paul shares in his letter to Philippi, that I wanted to share with my crew.

I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy 5because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.   Philippians 1: 3-6

• You truly are some of the very best leaders I’ve ever known.
  
• I Thank my God every time I remember you. (in all my prayers for ALL OF YOU).

• You guys give me joy.  (You make me laugh, You encourage me, Your heart for God and teens truly gives me joy)
• I’m blessed to be partnered with you on the front lines of the Battlefield of Student Ministry.
  
• I’m confident that He who began a good work in us will carry it on to the completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
• 2009 was a great year.
  

1. In one series, “Save the Humans” we had over a hundred student accept Christ as Lord and Savior.
2.  The entire Fall we’ve averaged over 300 students at The Wave
3.  We’ve seen the High School Life Groups kick off with an incredible core group of students.

4.  So much more!

• I have no doubt that what God has planned for 2010 is going to blow us out of the water!!!
  

Student Ministry:  This thing we’re “Called” to.

Ephesians 4:1-6 one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

WE ARE FAMILY – ONE FATHER OF ALL –
3 Thoughts about what we are all about as Student Ministry Leaders:

1. Calling-  is by God and for God – When you question the “craziness” you can be confident in Christ calling you to this ministry.
   
2. Character – When people see Christ in us, they see Christ.  Our lives point others to Christ, “especially” students.
   
3. Christ – “Little 6 lb. 7 oz. Baby Jesus” who we celebrate, went to the cross as our Savior.  He is our Passion, our Gospel.
   

Student Ministry Leaders: we are who we are:  BUT It’s because of Who JESUS is:
Ephesians 4:7;12-13
But to each one of us grace has been given as Christ apportioned it.

HERE’s WHY:  to prepare God’s people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up 13until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

*Thank you to all the students that served our leaders at our Leader Christmas Party.  I was blessed by your leadership, servant-hood, grace, and love… and the stories you shared continue to resonate in all of our hearts.  Thanks again for the reminder of why we do what we do as Student Ministry Leaders.

LOTS TO DO IN 2010:  Merry, Merry Christmas!

Vital Volunteers

Volunteers are VITAL!!!

Recruiting volunteers never ends in ministry.  It can’t.  The send we stop recruiting is the second we stop gaining new volunteers, and our ministry stops growing.  We must have a strong skeleton of volunteers to support the weight of our ministry.

In order for your body to support it’s weight you must have a sufficiently sized skeleton.  Your skeleton not only supports your body, but it also provides great protection for your vitals.  When our skeleton stops growing our height stops, and our only potential for growth then is to get fat.  If we get too fat our skeleton will become unhealthy, and begin to break down.

So in ministry we must continually recruit to grow our skeleton so that we can provide strength and protection to our ministry.  I’m constantly alerting our student ministry leaders of the importance of growing our volunteer ministry team.  We currently have 54 adult volunteer leaders that give amazing strength to our ministry, however having that many leaders didn’t happen over night.  We constantly invite “potential” leaders to our ministry events and programs.  We then screen them, run background checks, train them, plug them in where they are gifted, and then encourage, resource, encourage, train some more, encourage, brag on them, evaluate, and encourage them some more.

Basically we do work when it comes to volunteers.  And at least one out three that we train will unplug, or realize that this is not for them, and although we’ve signed a year long, contract they still walk away.  Why do we do this?  Why do we value volunteers so much?  Because they are loving students, building relationships, teaching God’s truth, going to students games or shows or whatever… because they are leading students to know Jesus, to chase after Jesus, to live for Jesus.  They are doing what there is no way on earth I could do by myself.  Volunteers are Vital, that’s why we value them, and many of them are some of my closest and dearest friends.

So… What are some ways you recruit volunteers?