Comments on: 3 Common Mistakes When Planning a New Event

By: Clark Chilton

Clark Chilton — Wed, 25 May 2011 14:06:31 +0000

I am very thankful for this post. this past semester of 2011 I’ve had to cancel at least 2 events I was excited about, due to waning interest or scheduling conflicts. While I previously would have bounced ideas/calendar stuff off trusted leaders, I didn’t do that with these two events, and it shows. Extra feedback goes a long way. I feel more encouraged…it happens to the best of us sometimes! thank you

By: Paul Loeffler

Paul Loeffler — Fri, 15 May 2009 18:41:38 +0000

I’ve been in youth ministry for over 17 years now, and I still drop the ball, pulling mistakes like this one. I’m glad to see that I’m not the only veteran who goes, “I know better. Why did I do that?”

By: Zach

Zach — Tue, 12 May 2009 15:38:17 +0000

You talk about this all the time, but make sure you plan on how to cast a vision for the new event. Whether it is a senior trip or a new discipleship method, getting people behind it comes from creatively casting a vision. In ministry we think and pray about events and new areas of ministry sometimes for weeks and months before we share it with the students or the church. And we try to cram the weeks of prayer, thought, and excitement into one meeting where we introduce the new idea. Work on casting that vision of what this new event would look like, why it is needed, and what the possible results could be.

By: Kyle Gunderson

Kyle Gunderson — Tue, 12 May 2009 15:33:04 +0000

As i try to get something new started i try to think though the pricing the most. If i want it to become a big hit and tradition i set the price low the first year to gain momentum and get people interested and then the next year charge what we need to to break even. I feel that if it is worth making a big deal of it is worth losing a little bit of cash to make that happen in the future.
The other huge factor as i have seen it is getting my leaders on board early. If i get my small group adult leaders and most of my student leaders pumped early the sign up is way easier, and the price does not effect this as much.
But it is really a hard day when you need to cancel something, it make me feel like a total failure, but it may be God getting us ready for something bigger and better in the future.

By: Steven Moore

Steven Moore — Tue, 12 May 2009 15:10:11 +0000

we are doing this for the first time this year too. We are keeping it super low key and are not doing it until closer to the end of the summer, before they go away to school.

One of the things that I’ve had to consider is all the cost that mount up at the end of the senior year – prom/pictures/invitations/college application fees + any weekly expenses they have. Their schedules mount up the last month or so as well with the planning of all the above, plus they are trying to squeeze in last moment memories with their friends from school.

So we have decided to wait until the mid-end of July when they have a few extra bucks (from all the grad. money they get it in) and a little extra time before they head off.

By: JG

JG — Tue, 12 May 2009 06:18:37 +0000

Agreed! I think we goofed … so trying to learn from it as well as help other youth workers, too. Thanks, Jim. Love your boys (and your daughter soon, too, right?!

By: jim

jim — Tue, 12 May 2009 05:38:32 +0000

Josh,
You faced a couple of things here in SoCal… A lot of youth go to Spirit West Coast which is a 3-4 day event in Del Mar and Prom is the following weekend for two of your local schools. There was also your leadership over-nighter just two weeks ago, own your weekend going on… Can’t do it all. Love ya.
Jim