Lead Well

About a year ago, I made a huge change in my career and left my church of 7 years in Montgomery, Alabama and moved to Sarasota, Florida for a new church and new children's ministry.  Next week, I will post about how I tried to start there well, but today I want to talk about how to leave well. When I first felt the release from my assignment in Montgomery, I wasn’t sure if it was the pizza I had the night before, the frustration I was feeling in my current position, or if it was God nudging me in a new direction. This had happened to me before, so I decided to wait and pray. I didn’t tell anyone, not even my wife for the first several weeks, while I sought the Lord. After a few weeks, I realized that this may be the direction I should go, so I asked my wife to pray as well, and I reached out to a couple of my mentors to help me think and pray. Jim Wideman’s Stay or Go resource was invaluable at the time. His best quote was, “If it’s time for you to leave, it has to be

Leading my first VBS If you’ve worked in ministry for any length of time, you know that ministry and events go hand in hand. Most people just volunteer for them. Then, you move up the ranks and start planning or leading different elements. Then before you know it, you’re in charge of the whole thing, and you’re not sure where to begin. This was my story. I had led things before and interned with a children’s pastor over the summer. I knew how much work went into putting on a great event, or at least, I thought I did. A year later, I accepted my first job as a children’s pastor. The senior pastor really wanted to bring back VBS and wanted me to be the one to do it. I had 12 weeks. Also, I was getting married in 13 weeks and starting a brand-new college a few weeks after that. It was a little stressful. I can’t say that that VBS was a disaster. I look back on it with fondness and a great learning experience for me. Over a hundred kids came, and many accepted C

VBS was 5 days away. I’ve been working on it for weeks. There was a booth in the lobby, an announcement in the bulletin, posters in the children’s hall, volunteers recruited, and supplies arriving every day. It was on my own social media channels including the kids Facebook page, but I needed it to be said on the main church social channels. I created the content and sent it over to the social media manager. He said he loved it and would get it cued up for sharing. The he asked, “When is it?” “Monday.” Face palm. To be fair, the guy was new and didn’t have kids. He knew it was coming but hadn’t paid attention as to when. Parents and volunteers are sometimes worse. You can talk about the event or program over and over again. You put up posters, make slides, and make an announcement from the stage, and you get crickets. Or even worse, the week after your event, someone asks you when it is. I hope your story isn’t like this, but mine has been. It’s frustrating

If you’re like me when I first started out in ministry, I didn’t think about follow up. All I focused on was doing a great event or service, and then move on to the next. But just like following through when you swing a bat is key, follow up is as well. It doesn’t feel necessary but is essential to pulling off a great event. We recently wrapped up our VBS at my church using this plan, and it has been well received. 7 steps to a great follow up plan for Sunday and everything else.

Since starting my new position, I've had to build a team of dedicated volunteers to accomplish our mission or developing an authentic faith in Jesus Christ in kids that will last a lifetime. Most of the team I'm building right now are Small Group Leaders. In the past, these leaders were Sunday School teachers, so I am working on transitioning them from Sunday School to Small Group. Some people may say that these two are the same, but in fact, their main goals make them fundamentally different. In Sunday School, the goal is discipleship through instruction.  We're worried about whether or not the kids know the difference between the northern kingdom or the southern.  We make sure they know the different places Paul traveled on his three missionary journeys. Most importantly we teach them about Jesus and what he did. In Small Groups, the goal is discipleship through relationship.  We're worried if a kid knows how to apply what their learning about the Bible. 

I have led vacation Bible school (VBS) almost every year of my ministry and had participated in VBS for as long as I can remember. When I first heard about MEGA Sports Camp (MSC), I was resistant, because I was very happy with the curriculum I was using. I had systems and procedures in place to put on a large VBS without having to reinvent the wheel every year. However, over the past few years, I’ve seen a shift in my area. I was doing some well-known VBS programs, and our church was just one of many churches in my town doing those same programs. I also kept seeing the same kids from other churches come to our VBS without experiencing any real life change. I knew I had to try a different curriculum. A ministry of my church takes place at a private school that serves kids from six weeks old to twelfth grade, and that has all the sports facilities and equipment I needed for MEGA Sports Camp. Hosting the camp seemed almost like a no brainer, so I decided to give it a shot this sum

Designed by Freepik This year was full of big changes.  In October, I accepted a new position at Church of Hope in Sarasota, Florida and said goodbye to all the friends we made in Montgomery.  With that change came a lot of stress.  As a result, I read a lot more fiction this year, than I have in a long time. My favorite book this year by far was The Road Back to You  by Ian Morgan Cron and Suzanne Stabile.  If you didn't hear about the Enneagram this year, you may be living under a rock, but I can say that it is so much more than a personality assessment.  It's about understanding the why of who you are and finding spiritual renewal as you search for health.  I have to say this book has impacted the way I look at life and how I interact with others second only to the Bible.  If you haven't read it yet, you should. So here's my list for 2018 in no particular order: The Bible The Circle Maker by Mark Batterson It's Just a Phase 3 by Kristin Ivy and Re