D6 Conference Notes- Transitioning to Family Ministry

TRANSITIONING TO FAMILY MINISTRY

Leading Up-

I do my best to do things well and with excellence 

I try and use my time and influence wisely. 

I prepare for meetings with my senior leadership.. he’s relational so I might not get to cover everything but after all the “chit chat” and he looks to me and says “whatcha got” I'm prepared. 

I try and solve my own problems and just ask for his feedback wisdom or input instead of expecting him to solve them for me.  I share the STORIES- the wins

I inform him ahead of time of anything in my ministry areas that is a concern or may have “gone South” so he hears it from ME FIRST

I let him know what I need from him- when I’ve been hurt or frustrated

Leading Down

ENCOURAGE

Lead by LISTENING
Know their strengths and weaknesses

Use your words wisely—planting seeds

Leading In-

Stay filled up and when you’re not…remove yourself from the spotlight and refuel (close your office door, leave for the afternoon- whatever) the quickest way to loose trust is to react out of emotion when we are running on empty physically and emotionally

Spend time in the WORD that’s not study or preparation!

Leading Out

From the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks

When you have the buy in from your leadership above you, your team below you, and you are walking in the fullness that God created you for you have the ability to lead out of the anointing God has placed in you for the benefit of the body.  If any of the above are out of order your outward influence diminishes. 

Growing a dynamic Ministry

To kids- 

know their needs

put the right leadership in place

create experiences, be creative and FUN

To students- 

know their needs 

supplement the home

foster relationships with their peers and adult leaders in their lives

invest time energy and resources into them

To families- 

schedule with purpose

Know their needs-if you don't know ask!  Poll parents, sned a group text, utilize social media

Be a blessing to them instead of always expecting from them

To leaders

Know their needs

Love in their language

Tiers of leadership

Annual blowout-celebrate them—across the board not separately—our YOU ROCK EVENT with the tshirts for everyone and the additional gift for those serving for longer

Keeping your most important ministry your priority

FAMILY FIRST
-schedule your time wisely and stick to it—supper club night- my kids know

Scheduling meetings after dinner—make and keep dinner a priority—stats about family dinner

-love in word and ACTION- love spelled T-I-M-E

-attend church AS A FAMILY

Leading all the ministries effectively and strategically

-       -work together for events- trunk or treat, date nights/student serve days

-       -church wide is family wide- 

-       -meet quarterly with the mens/womens/freedom ministry leaders to see how you can compliment what they're doing or they can come alongside what you're doing.

-       -communicate about the crossover between ministries, we are ALL ON THE SAME TEAM

-       -continually encourage each ministry area- as a leader your number one job is to listen, listening takes time, time is a huge commodity

-       -vision that embodies the objectives to navigate the kids from cradle to college that impacts and affects the whole family

PREP-A-RA-TION

prep·a·ra·tion

ˌprepəˈrāSHən/

noun  the action or process of making ready or being made ready for use or consideration.

1. 
   

   This has been something I have had to do a lot more of lately...more than I am used to at least.  And i've learned a lot about myself along the way.  I've learned where my strength lies and where my deficiencies poke me in the eye!  I've been preparing to do things I don't do on a regular basis, things I've never done before, things that take time and energy and brainpower that seem to be insufficient these days as I try and balance the spinning plates I call LIFE.  So here's my two cents on preparation:

   
   

   -MAKE THE TIME DON'T TAKE THE TIME

   You have to carve out, schedule, fight for the time to prepare for the things that are important.  If you just try and "take the time" and throw it in a tiny window of yoru already packed schedule it won't be the quality you want or the task deserves.

   
   

   -UNDIVIDED ATTENTION|UNDIVIDED HEART

   Preparation is the most important part of the task, even or project.  Weather it's a Bible Study, preparing to teach or lead in any capacity, an important meeting, a lunch date with a friend, dinner with our family- we must go in with an undivided heart and undivided attention.

   
   

   -SURRENDER IT ALL

   In the end, if we have made preparation a priority the only other responsibility is to surrender it all to the Father and trust him completely with the outcome with the fruit that will come from your preparation, your time and energy invested, and giving the person or project your undivided attention.  

   
   

   The cliche is true "give God your best and He'll do the rest"