This week I had a great conversation with my wife about the future of our church. It was so much fun to toss out huge changes in our hypothetical little restructuring dialogue at Starbucks that morning. I was shocked at how quickly massive shifts in policy and procedures were rolling off my tongue. How easily a list of players that should be immediately promoted (or let go) and pet programs that would be eliminated. Wouldn’t you have loved to be a fly on the wall for that conversation?
Well, this post has little to do those details – and everything to do with the principles that I think we stumbled on in that conversation. Here’s what I took away from it all (other than being I have no desire to run Saddleback Church – hahahaha) and a few thoughts that might help you, too:
Ask yourself what questions a new youth worker in your position would immediately ask about the youth ministry. What are the things they would be curious about? What programs lack purpose? Why DO we do it that way? Give yourself fresh, outside eyes and see what questions rise to the surface?
Ask yourself what changes would be a no-brainer. In the depth of your heart, you know some changes that have been difficult to make or even process. If someone coming in would make the changes effortlessly, what are you waiting for?
Ask yourself who they would do ministry with? And who they would let go? Who you do ministry with is one of the most critical aspects of longevity in ministry. People are life-giving or life-draining – who needs a season off in ministry? Who needs to be given their big break and brought onto the team? Don’t move as quickly on this point as you might the others – people are very subjective subject but there’s still value in taking time to evaluate your team.
Ask yourself what programs a new youth pastor would kill with ease. The sacred cow in your ministry may need to be killed. The outside eyes see them in seconds. Kill them quick!
Now don’t get in your head and start running someone else’s youth ministry – God called you there for this season so run it yourself! But don’t be afraid to look at it with the eyes of the outside. You might be surprised that something you haven’t seen at all would be so obvious to them!
JG
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Josh Griffin has been in youth ministry for 16+ years in a small church and a big church. He currently serves as the High School Pastor at Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, CA. [
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Geoff Stewart serves the Jr / Sr High School Pastor at Peace Portal Alliance Church in Surrey B.C.
Chris Wesley serves as the Director of Student Ministry at Church of the Nativity in Timonium, Maryland.
Colton Harker serves with Josh at Saddleback Church. He is currently in his second year in youth ministry.
This is a great practice that Andy Stanley preaches a lot that he got from another guy. He puts it in the form of the question, “If I was to get fired, what would the next guy do. Why don’t we walk out the door and come back in and do the same thing.”
I have the benefit of being in a new ministry but I can look back over my last ministry and realize so many things that I just had put my head down and plowed ahead and never thought about.
Maybe we need to fire ourselves ever year or so.
Here’s a link to the podcast I heard Stanley talking about this concept. It’s the last in a series of 6 questions he discusses. http://feeds.feedburner.com/AndyStanleyLeadershipPodcast
As a fan of change I’m a fan of this practice! Loved the blog!
Tough leadership question from John Maxwell: “Would you re-hire the current people on your team? It the answer is NO, then why haven’t you fired them yet?” Ouch.
You can use the same question with church programs: “Would you re-launch program X? If not why haven’t you killed it yet?”
Interesting post, JG…..Hope I made your cut!
Kurt – you wuld be in for sure! And I love the comments and had totally forgotten about Andy Stanley’s take on this, too. Hey, great minds think alike hahahaha JG