Youth Ministry Q&A: Tracking My Hours

on July 9th, 2008

I just realized recently the number of questions I get about youth ministry from the contact page here on the blog. And while I’m still very much learning along the way, I really enjoy sharing this journey with other youth workers. If you want, send a question into the blog, too! I think this could be a cool new series of posts …

Josh, recently the leadership in the church has asked me to keep track of my hours. I am usually a go go type person, a doer if you will. The idea of keeping track of my hours and tasks is really hard for me. Have you ever had to keep track of your time? Do you have any tips? Signed, Frustrated Youth Pastor

You’re thinking about this all wrong because in the end, I think this will be a BIG win for you.

Two things – 1) you’ve got nothing to hide, you’re working HARD, be sure to count EVERYTHING, and 2) this will help them better understand you! They will see how you work, when you work, and not place unrealistic expectations on you from here on out. I know it sucks … but there’s a good upside in play. Do the right thing and journey through this, the other side will be insightful and revealing for the leadership above you. Let me know how it goes!

JG


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Sara at 5:27am July 10

I went through this same thing last fall and Josh is right on. As much as I fought it at first, it turned out to be a great thing. It helped the church leadership see all the “hidden” things that come with youth ministry … like the early morning and late night phone calls, the unscheduled meetings with parents who stop in to drop something off and end up staying for 45 minutes because they really need someone to talk to about their kid, the extra hour spent waiting for that last parent to pick up after youth group, the phone calls to 10 different bowling alleys to get the best price on midnight bowling, etc. All the things that we don’t even think about when we’re doing them … all that time really adds up!

It was good for me as well. I was surprised by some of things that take up big chunks of my time. It really helped me reorganize my priorities and my schedule. It was win/win!!! The process does suck but there are definitely benefits on the other side.

Kenn Todd at 7:16am July 13

I love this “He’s been trained to call my cell” from post number 8. That is great! Anyway I have been keeping my hours for a good while now. I just print out a Calendar and put the hours in. Just food for thought, but no doubt like many of us we have those nickel and dime times, anything under an hour, where we get an inspiration and ponder it for about 25 minutes, or we read a chapter of an awesome “SYM” book, or we stop by to have Coffee with Rick Lawrence to talk about ministry, whatever. I dont want to keep track stuff of the piddly stuff, so record the bare minimum of required hours to let the higher ups know that they are the time that they expect. It is great to know that if there is any question, I can pull out my hours which is on the wall and demonstrate to them what I am doing. It also give me an opportunity to share the needs of the ministy and what is important. This will also keep us straight on evaluating our verbal vs actual priorities, it can be a great wake up call to see my what I have been doing and what I need to be doing.