margin | More Than Dodgeball

Chris WesleyMore Posts What To Do With Your Summer

Even though school has not let out here in Maryland we are already in summer mode. It doesn’t mean we shut things down or fill it up with summer camps and events, we just alter our schedule. We tone down programming, keep things simple and maintain our pace. The goal in our summer is to prepare for the fall while staying in touch with the teens.

Your summers are so important. How you approach them will determine your readiness for the fall. There is a tendency by many youth ministers to either overload their schedule or completely check out. If you are going to do youth ministry for the long haul you need to treat the summer with the same focus, and attention that you do every other season. If you take advantage you’ll find yourself:

Building Margin: By trimming back some of the bells and whistles of your program you’ll find yourself preparing less on a week to week basis. Take that time to rest, pray and grow as a leader. When fall comes you’ll be more conditioned and ready to take on it’s grueling pace.

Keeping Momentum: While you want to build margin, you don’t want to completely stop what you are doing. Make sure what you do over the summer is consistent and scheduled. By maintaining a little bit of a pace you can ensure a smoother transition into fall.

Taking Ministry To A New Level: With the margin your are building you can also experiment with a few activities and projects that would be too difficult to pull off in the fall. Think big and don’t fear failure. Summer is a time to cut loose.

Investing In Leaders: During the grind of the year it’s hard to find time to get to know your leaders. Use the margin that most people have to hang out and get to know one another. Take them out for coffee, catch a ball game or invite them over for a barbecue. Make the summer relational.

Don’t waste your summer by overplanning or completely check it out. Develop a strategy and take advantage of it’s laid back feeling. By capitalizing on the summer you’ll be more ready for the fall.

What do you do with your summers?

Chris Wesley (@chrisrwesley)

1 View Comments 1 day ago

Chris WesleyMore Posts When You Don’t Have Time

I would like to say that when I was young and single that I enjoyed all the margin that was in my schedule to the fullest. Unfortunately, that was not the case. Just like now I had responsibilities, obligations and burdens that constantly made me wonder, “Where did all the time go?”

Doesn’t matter what season of ministry you find yourself in, time management can be a struggle. The problem comes when you do not monitor the amount of responsibilities and obligations that cross your plate. What it does is create a unnecessary and debilitating tension. In order to be successful in youth ministry and manage all that is in front of you, it’s important to step back, look at your calendar and:

Focus On A Few: There is this pressure in youth ministry to do it all; however, all that leads to is ineffective ministry. Focus on those few things that you, and only you can accomplish. By focusing on what you are best at doing you’ll have the greatest impact for your ministry. Delegate the rest to your volunteer and leadership teams to create more capacity.

Learn To Say “NO”: It’s flattering to receive invitations and offers especially when they can lead to big opportunities. While it’s not always easy to say, “NO.” what it will do is protect you from overcommitting. To discern what to accept and what to turn down, figure out what will move you towards your vision and what will pull you away.

Prioritize: To stay efficient you need to know what is Urgent, Important and Expendable. By sorting tasks and responsibilities in their proper category you won’t have to worry about tangents tearing you away from your vision. Make a list, write it down and revisit frequently.

Build Safety Nets: Find people to share your schedule, and goals with. Ask them to hold you accountable and check-in. It’s also important for you to schedule in (Even if you don’t have time) to just connect with God. When you feel as if you have no time, the best you can do is pause and wait for God’s direction.

You always have time, the question is, “How are you using it?” Consistently look at your schedule, review your responsibilities and trim what is unnecessary When you can add margin to your schedule you allow room to recover, refresh and enjoy what God has called you to do.

Which of these habits is hardest for you when it comes to making time?

Chris Wesley (@chrisrwesley)

1 View Comments May 14, 2013

Geoff StewartMore Posts Overtime Legalism

Working in youth ministry is an often dynamic and unpredictable work environment and I often find myself wondering how I get paid to do what I do. The events, conferences, cokes and relationships with leaders and students make being a youth pastor incredibly rewarding. One of the challenges of the unpredictable and relational nature of our job is the strange blending of our personal life and work life and knowing where one starts and the others ends can be blurry.

Most youth pastors who are full time work with a schedule of 40 hours a week + or – with expectations of volunteer hours as well pushing most work weeks to the 45 hours or so mark. Before I worked in the Church a 45 hour work week sounded like heaven compared to my 55+ hour schedule.

With the uniqueness of ministry and the blurriness of personal/work time there comes the need to claw back hours worked outside our your normal schedule. That meeting that is unavoidably on your day off, staying well into the evening for an event or overnight for the dreaded lock in, we sometimes go over our hours. There is any number of compelling and reasonable reasons that one could see those and many other activities that are part of the job and request time off in lieu for those extra hours worked. But just a few weeks back I heard about a youth worker who was taking it way too far.

This youth worker was in a constant battle with his Board of Elders about paid time off for extra time worked. This was not the normal every day type stuff, here is what he was asking for:

3 days off for every 1 day he was on retreat with his students (his rationale being that he normally works 8 hours a day, not 24 and thus should be given the other 16 hours including sleeping time off with pay. After all he was not sleeping in his bed) for a total of 9 days off for a three day retreat
Half a day off for conversations he had with friends about Church in the past few weeks. (rationale being that due to his work at the Church, he ends up working by talking about “Church” while with his friends)
He counts his schedule down the minute making sure that he works his requirement exactly.

I have a great friend at a pretty large church that hosts a massive international conference every year, for the weekend that they host the world it’s all hands on deck. Everyone is serving all weekend and come monday morning everyone is back in the office ready to make it happen. I asked if they were given time off for working the weekend and he said yes, but people that work at the Church are bought into the vision and know that this weekend is core to the mission vision and value. He said they have a culture that being a part of the Church means serving the Church and that if his Pastor gets so much as a sniff of legalism around hours would be watching your taillights leaving the parking lot.

I can understand not giving up every waking hour of your life to the Church but this seems somewhat excessive:

So I have three questions for you:

Where is it appropriate to ask for paid time off for extra hours work?

Have you seen this abused?

We ask our volunteers to give up their time over and above their full time work, how much time should we give?

-Geoff @geoffcstewart

10 View Comments April 17, 2013

Chris WesleyMore Posts The Battle To Rest

A few years back I was training for my third marathon. The regimen leading up to the big race was grueling. I had to change my eating, sleeping, and exercise habits. Sacrifices in family, personal and even professional life were made. Keeping my training schedule were a priority. Finally, it got to be a little too much. I just remember refusing to run one day and then taking a break from the training for an entire 10 days. When I resumed training I had never felt better. The rest was well needed.

Youth ministry is a lot like preparing for a marathon. The days, the weeks and seasons can be grueling. Sacrifices are made and in the end you can hit a wall much like you do in running. Unfortunately, taking a break isn’t so easy because you need your job. While you might be able to take a step back (even away permanently) from a race you need to take the proper steps for REST.

REST as a youth minister means:

Enjoying time with family.
Spending time with God.
Falling back in love with your calling.

There is no question there is more rest can bring; however, being able to find it is a totally different issue. In order to find rest you need to:

Schedule It In: Sounds funny to schedule in rest; however, by putting in breaks you give yourself margin. During busy seasons you’ll use up that margin; however, when the pace truly slows down you will be able to take advantage of the “extra” time you’ve given yourself.

Say “No”: There is a fear that by saying, “No.” you are telling people not to trust you. In reality you are embracing your limitations which is good. If you are overworked and have too much on your plate not only will you sacrifice the things you enjoy, but resent what it is you are doing. Find people to hold you accountable to saying this helpful word.

Build Trust In Your Team: You need a team around you who will step up when you need to take a step back. This allows you to do the things that refresh and rejuvenate you. To truly trust your team you need to work on situations where you let them take on leadership, and ownership of the youth ministry. It’s ok if they fail and mess up, if you show them love and direction in return. A team you can trust is one that will help you rest.

Again, youth ministry can have a grueling pace. If it’s not approached with margin and limitations you’ll find yourself consistently burned out. Unfortunately, gaining rest isn’t as simple as laying your head down on a pillow, you need to take necessary steps. A youth minister who can rest, is one that can go the distance.

What steps do you take to find rest? What sabotages your efforts?

Chris Wesley (@chrisrwesley)

3 View Comments February 19, 2013

Chris WesleyMore Posts How To Grind It Out

There are those days in youth ministry where it feels like you are running through mud. They are slow, there is no significant progress and the only thing moving is your blood pressure rising from the frustration you feel. I can’t tell you when these days will come, they just seem to emerge and when they do they are awful. So what do you do when ministry is mud?

YOU GRIND IT OUT

That means having a plan that is going to help you move forward, no matter how hard it is to be creative or productive. To develop that plan means:

Setting A Firm Schedule: A framework to your day will make sure you aren’t wearing yourself out. That means start time and stop times. Breaks and times when you just sit back and learn. During the times that you schedule for writing, creating and developing you may notice little fruit; however, having the framework will make sure you aren’t dwelling too long in the frustration they might bring.

Fuel And Rest Up: Just like an athlete when the days get hard you need to make sure your energy level is at it’s highest. That means not staying up later, eating right and taking care of your body. Sometimes the writer’s block that you feel is because you are tired or not feeling well. It’s at these times when it’s important for you to focus on your health and not your productivity.

Become A Learner: You could simply be out of ideas. Taking the time you would usually write and create and devote it to reading, watching podcasts or meeting with other youth workers. Listening to others and reading their thoughts will sometimes kickstart the productivity engine. Just make sure anything that develops you write down.

Spend Time In Prayer: When you are in a void of ideas it’s easy to feel disconnected. The best way to reignite this connection is to talk with God. I find that quiet time in scripture calms me down and takes away the frustration that I may feel when it comes to a writer’s block, lack of ideas or a hard day at work.

Youth ministry is just like any industry where you’ll find moments where you just need to grind it out. Do not stress, just go to a plan that will help you move forward. Stay focused, put your head down and lean in. Remember these seasons are temporary.

What would you add to the plan?

Chris Wesley (@chrisrwesley)

4 View Comments February 5, 2013

Chris WesleyMore Posts Survive The Transition

14 days until New Years Eve, Seven days until Christmas and 3 more until the end of the world (At least that’s what the Mayans say). In the next several weeks a lot will be happening and that’s because everyone is in a season of transition. During these times it’s so easy for a youth ministry to get derailed because seasons of change are messy, fast moving and crazy.

Especially during this time of year, nothing is of the usual. All of your students are away from school, some go away on vacation, while others are in the midst of midterms. Nothing is normal during a season of change. But, when the dust settles, it’s important to keep moving as if nothing changed. You need to keep the momentum of your ministry going. If not, it’ll be a long winter and rough spring. So, how does one make the transition from one season to the next?

Embrace God’s Grace: Do what you physically can do and allow God to do the rest. It’s easy during season of change to overextend yourself. Unfortunately, if you are depleted of all energy, there is no way to move forward without feeling burned out. Make sure you schedule in time to sit with God, even if it’s just five minutes a day. It’s essential that it’s scheduled in.

Pass On Future Tasks: During times of transition it’s easy to get focused on the now and forget what’s coming up. Before you get in the midst of the chaos pass off future responsibilities to volunteers or coworkers. Doesn’t matter if it’s as simple as stapling paper, just get it off your plate so that you can do what only you can do. When the chaos settles down you can walk into the next because everything has been prepped.

Write Down Goals: Make a check-list of tasks that need to be done. When you get moving it’s easy to overlook simple tasks and responsibilities. Each day check that list several times and use it as a way of measuring your progress. Celebrate each time you eliminate an item and then move forward.

Sleep, Rest and Sleep: As hard as it might seem try to get as much sleep and rest as possible. During times of high stress it’s tempting to resort to staying up late, eating, and other bad habits that will slow you down. You need to maintain your energy; therefore, with the free time you do have, take it to refuel and refresh.

Transitions and seasons of change can be difficult; however, with a healthy pace and focus you’ll make it through. Build a system, don’t be afraid to rely on others and above all else know that God is walking with you.

How do you move through seasons of transition and chaos?

Chris Wesley (@chrisrwesley)

Add Comment December 18, 2012

Chris WesleyMore Posts Clear Your Calendar

It’s the end of the year and for many of us the days are moving faster and the amount of work is multiplying at a neck breaking speed. In youth ministry you have those seasons that pull, push and beat you up. The ones where you wonder whether or not you can hold on for another round. You try to tell yourself, “This season will be over soon and then I will rest.” But the end never comes and the busyness continues on.

The solution to combating those busy seasons is by simply CLEARING YOUR CALENDAR. That’s right take an eraser, whiteout, samurai sword or hand grenade and blow that thing up. Actually, take a breather, refrain from using those measures and try these four steps instead:

STEP #1: Prioritize Your Week - Look at what you do and categorize them in the following ways:

Must-Do
Negotiable
Totally Unnecessary

If everything appears as a must do then sit down with a trusted friend or coworker and have them analyze your schedule with you. Let them ask why and whether something can be adjusted or eliminated. Put what’s important in your highly motivated times. Delegate and eliminate the unnecessary and watch your calendar breathe.

STEP #2: Frame Out Your Days – It might differ depending on the day; however, by marking down consistent start and end times into your schedule you will create a framework of discipline. The reason your day runs long is because there are no boundaries. With no boundaries chances are you are taking too many breaks because you do not feel the pressure of a deadline. By finding that you can work 40 hours in a week and still be effective is liberating. It allows you to have a life outside of youth ministry.

STEP #3: Build In ME Time - You might be incredible at scheduling your professional life; but, how are you at your personal? It sounds wrong to plan in quiet time, family time and even when you eat; however, if you find work bleeding into home life you need to take drastic measure. By building in ME time you’ll find your relationship with God and others drastically improve.

STEP #4: Revisit Consistently – Granted you can’t always plan a busy season; however, as you feel the pace of your schedule change take the time to look at your calendar. Repeat steps 1-3 and make the adjustments that are necessary to survive and thrive. Have someone you know analyze your calendar with you. Allow them to tell you where they see holes and areas of improvement.

While you can’t clear you calendar completely, you can take better control of when you need to do what you do. It’s not the most attractive discipline; however, by managing your time you enable yourself to grow as a leader and youth minister.

How do you guard your time?

Chris Wesley (@chrisrwesley)

9 View Comments December 13, 2012

Josh GriffinMore Posts GUEST POST: The 5 Easiest Ways to Make Sure You Lose Your Job

Every few weeks, I hear about youth workers who need new jobs.

Sometimes they leave because they want to
Sometimes they’re asked to leave. We call this a forced resignation.
Other times, they’re outright fired

When I started to learn about how devastating the effects of youth worker turnover are for the local church, I started doing some research. I discovered several themes – the easiest and most common factors that cause good youth workers lose or leave their jobs. Make sure you’re not one of them

If you want to stay in youth ministry for the long haul, don’t do these five things:

1. Mismanage budgeted money. Depending on your theology, it’s either God’s money or other people’s money. Either way, it’s not your money. You’ve been given the responsibility to be a good steward of some of your church’s resources. You might not know what you’re doing yet, but you’ll need to figure it out soon. (This link contains all kinds of good information about managing your church’s money better.)

2. Fight with your Senior Pastor – especially publicly. One problem with working in the Church is that many of your friends will come from the congregation. We all like to vent about our bosses, but if you’re venting to a fellow pew-sitter, you’re in the wrong. If you’re in the business of creating division in the Church, you won’t be a staff member for very long.

3. Show up late for your own events. Parents have their own jobs with their own responsibilities. They know exactly what would happen to them if they slept through their alarm more than once. You can expect the same thing to happen to you.

4. Work way too hard and never, ever take a break. Your own soul care ought to be a top priority. When you’re worn down and hurting, you’ll be less effective as a youth worker. Less effective youth workers frequently become baristas. Besides that, a lack of soul care is the easiest way to make sure you run yourself out of youth ministry. The church doesn’t have to fire you if you get exhausted and quit.

5. Refuse to participate in the larger life of the congregation. You’ll appear much more dispensable if the rest of the congregation never sees you – or your youth group.

Find ways for you and your students to become a crucial part of everything the congregation does. Crucial people are much more difficult to fire.

Now it’s your chance to be the teacher. What is one of the money mistakes you’ve made? How did you fix it?

Aaron Helman is on a mission to help end the epidemic of youth worker burnout. He writes Smarter Youth Ministry to help youth workers with their biggest frustrations. He is also the youth minister at Firehouse Youth Ministries in South Bend, Indiana.