Yesterday I did a Google Hangout (I actually hung out with myself LOL) and the Hangout did not record well and both the video and audio (not synced up) are both sketchy. If you want to download the audio of the Hangout you can click HERE
“If you don’t know where you are going, you’ll end up someplace else.” ― Yogi Berra
I can’t tell you how many times I have ended up some place else. Usually some place I did not plan on and it was usually because I did not plan well. Possibly the greatest truth, about planning, I have ever learned is “Start with the end in mind.” If we a Biblical view of a what a spiritually mature believer is, we’ll develop a plan for it. My plan for students include these key elements –
Leading/Serving The more they DO the faith the more mature they become.
Knowing and Understanding God’s Word -You cant live what you don’t know
Outreach– This includes creating a community worth inviting students to and students being able to share what God has done for them
I think good planning is the key to creating a killer youth program. Why? Because no one likes chaos, incompetence, or confusion. Here are my five steps to planning a killer youth program.
1. Whisper First – Share your dreams and ideas with your core kids, core parents, and your Pastor first. Keep it at a whisper until you get feedback.
2. Calendar – Check the calendar to make sure your ideas fit both chronologically with the churches plans and also philosophically.
3. Plan – Write it all out and get it into the hands of everyone who will be a part of it.
4. Pitch it – My roll out starts with my parents, usually at a parents meeting, but remember I have already whispered to a few of them so they know what is coming. Then I pitch it to the students, some of whom already know. I want fans already in the room when I make the pitch.
5. Execute- If you’ve done steps one through four and worked through any push back, then move forward boldly tweaking along the way. I you want to download the audio, and hear my full break down of how I am using this process for the changes I am making, you can download it HERE