Plans fix problems is a simple maximum, coined by Brianna Wiest, but worthy of a discussion because many of you reading this are filled with anxiety, fear and worry because you don’t have a plan to solve any number of youth ministry problems you have
- to grow your youth ministry
- to disciple your students
- to coordinate your youth ministry calendar
or any number of other ministry related things on your plate.
Fear and worry steal your attention and put it on endless worse case scenarios,
- I’ll lose my job
- I’ll get yelled at
- I’ll be embarrassed
- I’ll be a failure
When I think of plans, I think of the movie Zombieland.
The always nervous Columbus, played by Jesse Eisneberg, has a running list of how to survive the zombie Apocalypse. He has made rules, like
- #1: Cardio – When the virus struck, for obvious reasons, the first ones to go were the fatties.
- #2: Double Tap – In those moments when you’re not sure the undead are really dead dead, don’t get all stingy with your bullets.
- #3: Beware of Bathrooms – Don’t let them catch you with your pants down.
- #4: Seat belts – Fasten your seat belts. It’s gonna be a bumpy ride.
These rules (and about a dozen others) are his plan for staying alive. Stick to the plan, you survive.
I also recently watched the Netflix movie The Killer with Michael Fassbender as a contract killer with a mantra that goes like this,
“Stick to your plan. Anticipate, don’t improvise. Trust no-one. Never yield an advantage.”
Only half of this is good advice for youth pastors, “stick to the plan, anticipate, don’t improvise”
Plans solve problems. Improvisation creates them.
Think about all the things you’re not afraid of. Why aren’t you afraid? It’s most likely that you have a plan to deal with whatever it is.
Fear and anxiety makes you second guess and start improvising. Planning sets your youth ministry in the direction of thriving.
Wouldn’t you like to have a plan that keeps you focused and keeps fear and worry in check?
Five years ago I created the My Youth Ministry Playbook which covers many of the major aspects of youth ministry like events, outreach, discipleship and personal spiritual growth. I’ve put all these resources, tried and tested over 30 years, together into one bundle
- 2024 Calendars
- 52 Youth Meeting Planning Sheets
- Over a 2 dozen ministry shaping articles
- Checklists and worksheets
- Guides that take you step by step from planning unbelievable trips to pulling off an Epic Nerf Night
Do you have too to help you plan like this? You could.
I’ll end with one last Zombieland rule,
#52: Don’t be afraid to ask for help
Worry is not a plan. Fear is not a plan. Crossing your fingers is not a plan. Hope is not a plan.
My hope is that you have a plan for the coming year and you’ll see your youth ministry flourish.
If you don’t have a plan, check out My Youth Ministry Playbook and let me help you along.