1. Choose a theme for your Fall Kick-Off

Whether it’s a Back-to-School Splash (water games, water slides, water buckets and balloons – and more), a Back-to-School Sunday (built into your already-scheduled Sunday time frame), a Fall Kick-Off (football or soccer themed), a Children’s Ministry Fair (carnival themed with games and activities), or something completely different – choose an idea that will excite children and families and that fits your faith community.

2. Set a date

Look at the school calendars to find out when schools begin and plan your event for a time that takes into consideration all the families in your ministry. Some leaders avoid the weekends right before schools go back opting. Instead, they have their Fall Kick-Off a few weeks after schools begin. Whatever date you choose, be sure it’s on the church-wide calendar and your ministry calendar. Then, share it with families well in advance. 

3. Spread the word about Fall Kick-Off… with style 

Let your creative juices flow (or recruit someone else who can help). Design a graphic that includes the title of your event, a brief description, the date and time, the location, and who’s invited. The word free can be a big draw for some families! Then, use this graphic on postcards to send to kids (who love to get mail). Put up posters in local shops and around your church building. Finally, ensure that it’s posted on your church’s website and your ministry’s social media page or group.

4. Be prepared 

A Fall Kick-Off is a great time to exchange important information with parents. Maybe this is a good opportunity to publish and share your ministry calendar for the new school year or fall semester. Perhaps setting up a station where families can complete new emergency forms and photo releases is a good idea. Or maybe you have a specific next event you want to be sure everyone is invited to, and you create take-home cards strategically for that next event. Whatever it is, don’t miss this opportunity to think ahead and prepare to engage parents beyond the present.

5. Choose a winner 

Plan to do a drawing at your kickoff. By creating simple connection cards that collect a family’s names (parents and children), contact information, and children’s birthdates or current grades, you’re not only inviting them to stick around for something exciting – you’re updating your database. Set up a table with a themed basket (family movie night, family game night, make-your-own family t-shirts set, etc.), blank connection cards, pens, a sand bucket for families to place completed cards. At the end of your event, draw a card for the family that wins the basket.

6. Recruit volunteers for your Fall Kick-Off

This is the time to ask some of your behind-the-scenes people (or those who don’t want to serve with kids every week) to volunteer. 

1. Make a list of the areas you’ll need volunteers to serve in and determine how many volunteers / roles you’ll need in each area (e.g. setting up, serving snacks, greeting families, leading games, cleaning up, etc.)
2. Build a list of potential volunteer names. This can include senior adults, youth, whole small groups, board members, anyone who can help to make the Fall Kick-Off a success. 
3. Have a mini job description ready when you prepare to ask someone to volunteer for the Fall Kick-Off. (As an example: Hey, friend. I know it’s only summer but I want to get this on your calendar sooner than later. I’m planning our Fall Kick-Off and I’d love for you to help [greet families] for a couple hours. It’s on [Sunday, August 21] from [2:00 PM – 4:00 PM]. Would you be willing to [sit at a table and help families fill out a welcome card?] 
4. Make the ask. 

Need more help with recruiting for your ministry? Check out our FREE Volunteer Megaboard Tool!

7. Plan ahead 

Make a list of the supplies you’ll need, where you’ll want to shop, and who can help with this preparation. Then, gather supplies at least a week or two ahead of the event. 

8. Follow up after the Fall Kick-Off

After your kickoff, use the information from emergency forms and connection cards (from the drawing) to create or update your ministry database with children and family information. Use this information to invite families to attend regular programming and events and make plans to send birthday cards out to kids. 

Now that your Fall Kick-Off is planned, it’s time to put your feet up and enjoy summer, knowing that the kick-off for Fall is ready to go.

The post 8 Essentials for an Awesome Kids Ministry Fall Kick-Off appeared first on Ministry Architects.

But what about those weeks that follow between Easter and Pentecost? Often these weeks couldn’t feel MORE difficult to plan for. Not only can it be deflating to see worship attendance peak and fall after Easter, but at times I have felt like it didn’t matter what I planned, people simply were not going to show up.

So, in the spirit of Resurrection and Hope that Easter heralds, here are 5 ideas to keep the momentum going in that nebulous season after Lent:

1. Capitalize on the Energy of Easter

Easter brings a flurry of energy and crowds to our worship services. Are there ways that you can intentionally and personally extend invitations for the crowd to return after Lent? Does your community have a big Spring event scheduled? If not, consider setting a target date when you can focus your energy on re-gathering your flock again. This could be a Graduation Sunday, Confirmation Sunday, Pentecost, or another significant day in the life of your church. Make a big announcement (“reveal”) of this event in worship on Easter Sunday. Stuff the bulletins with paper invitations or magnets that can be displayed on refrigerators. Or, mail these invitations toward the end of Holy Week so they hit mailboxes right after Easter. For a personal touch, include a handwritten note along with hand addressed and stamped envelopes to visitors or members who you haven’t seen in a while.

2. Experiment with Short Term Small Groups After Lent

Don’t be fooled – in all actuality the season after Lent is just another season on the calendar. It lasts a short amount of time and has a clear beginning (Easter) and ending (Pentecost). Your church may have just wrapped up a Lent small group series, so you may be hesitant to launch another round of sermon series or book study small groups. But what if, instead, you launched a more experimental season of small groups? Last year we launched small groups that met for four weeks in the month of May. While some of the groups included a few book studies, the most popular groups were ones that invited folks to build community in local gardens, new (to us) neighborhoods, and even in a parking lot turned CrossFit class. These groups all had a discipleship component, but their primary purpose focused on community and intergenerational relationships.

3. Accept the Reality of the Season

It really can be tough to gather even your regular attenders for typical gatherings immediately after Lent. Spring games are amping up, graduations are being planned, and – let’s face it – the appeal of brunch on a patio or a family hike on a beautiful Sunday morning can be strong. So, could it be that another way to not lose the momentum of Easter is found more in accepting the reality of this challenging season and, then, leveraging it? Maybe you pick a few games or graduations to show up to, in mass. Or create a resource that makes it easy for each person in the pews to choose one game or spring concert to go and support. Can you imagine the look on the middle school boy’s face when the couple who sits behind him in church each week shows up at his baseball game? Okay, fine. He might not give them much of a reaction. But I can guarantee that inside he is thrilled. And, who knows? Maybe the next week he might actually speak to the couple at church! 

4. Dive into Fall Recruiting

Alright, so this one is not so much in the “fun” idea category but, rather, it’s a realistic (and eventually ministry sustaining!) way to spend the season. If you haven’t already begun your volunteer recruiting for the Fall, this season after Lent is the time to dive in. Perhaps you have a celebratory Sunday scheduled already (Senior Sunday, Confirmation Sunday, and Teacher Appreciation Sunday all come to mind). Consider following it up with a dedicated volunteer recruitment initiative. Nothing inspires people to want to volunteer more than knowing they have and will make a difference! You may not know every single Fall volunteer you need just yet, but invest time now to compile that list. From the list, write out as many job descriptions as you can, develop a volunteer recruitment pool, and hit the phones with your requests. This work will pay dividends in the coming months. Let’s face it – if we think it’s hard to track folks down now, it will just become more difficult as folks scatter in the summer months. 

And – If you’re looking for some support as you move toward fall recruiting, I’d encourage you to check out Ministry Architect’s Volunteer Accelerator and read more about why in a blog post here!

Or schedule a FREE DEMO now to find out how the Volunteer Accelerator makes volunteer recruiting easier than ever.

5. Embrace the Joy Both During AND After Lent!

Last but not least, embrace this season after Lent as a season of Joy! We are Easter people after all and this is Resurrection Season! Are there ways that you can intentionally sprinkle joy into your already scheduled programming or worship services? There are times that I put sprinkles on my toddler’s food just for the heck of it. She delights in the surprise (let’s be honest, what’s not to love about sprinkles?)! How about surprise popsicles at Sunday School? Small plants delivered to homebound members by the children? A video message of greeting in worship from a beloved community or staff member who has moved away? You’ll have to develop the ideas for your community, but the ideas are endless.

My prayer is that some of these ideas get your brain spinning as you begin to plan for after Lent. What other tips do you have for keeping the momentum going? I’d love to hear your ideas! Email me at caroline.sell@ministryarchitects.com.

The post 5 Ideas to Keep the Momentum Going After Lent appeared first on Ministry Architects.

We’ve thought about you. And our guess is that you, much like everyone you know or pass by, could use a few more breaths of hope and faith this year. A few more moments of joy and peace. A few more encounters with the Light of the World.

That’s our heart in sharing this Advent devotional with you: that you might find a few times each week of this season to sit with our Lord and ponder anew the gift He is to you.

Merry Christmas and may God bless you and keep you as you journey into a new year.

Simply let us know your name and email to download our 2021 Advent Devotional.

The post Advent Devotional 2021 appeared first on Ministry Architects.

And from time to time, ministries come to recognize that one of these major events has become the way that they are known. One of these events has become the way that they are defined. And in the best case scenario, this type of event expresses precisely what the ministry is all about.

That’s what we call a signature event.

But it starts at the beginning…

Every Great Ministry Has a Great Purpose

It’s hard to have a signature event if you don’t know what you’re about in the first place. Every really good ministry has a statement of its mission, an idea of what it is trying to accomplish. And it has an idea of how it wants to operate – how people will treat each other, what values are held dear, and what characterizes the spirit of the ministry. Really good ministries have destinations in mind, places they feel God is leading them and pathways to get them there.

Really good ministries realize that a mission statement is not something that sits on a shelf in a three-ring binder. They realize that these kinds of foundational documents are the expressions of words and spirit that guide the work…
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Expressed in modern parlance, we might say, “Nothing is worth doing if it doesn’t have a worthy ‘why.’”

Every Great Purpose Deserves a Great Plan

Ministries that are built upon great foundations, great ideas, great “whys,” tend to find great “hows,” great plans, great strategies, great ways to accomplish their purpose. Take a look at these examples of ministries that have done great things:

• A small group discipleship ministry in Colombia with an emphasis on experiential student leadership in which a 16-year-old girl supervises 400 student-led discipleship groups.
• A downtown youth ministry committed to community service which sponsors an annual mission event, which has spun off twelve similar events to other communities.
• A suburban church with an emphasis on family ministry where its annual Vacation Bible School has become a major entry point for newcomers into the community.
• A camp ministry with an emphasis on ministry calling which has nurtured 100 ministry candidates over the last two decades.
• A local church with an emphasis on worship which sponsors an annual worship conference drawing thousands.

In the examples above you can see that some of the great visionary ideas become expressed in strategies and plans that are more long-term. That young woman in Colombia didn’t do her ministry at a weekend retreat. It developed over years. And 100 ministry candidates over twenty years obviously didn’t happen overnight.

But sometimes the plan becomes a signature event – often by choice, but sometimes even by accident – and we discover that what we are doing is not just what we do but it is an expression of who we are.
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During my young adult years, I came across a story about a father teaching his son to take pride in his work. “Whatever you do, son, do it in such a way that you would be proud to put your signature on it. Do it so that someone could come along and say, ‘Wow! This guy does great work.’ No matter whether you are fixing a car, writing a sermon, building a house, or painting a portrait, do it in such a way that others will admire your work.”

Like a piece of art signed by the artist, the signature event is something we should be proud to “sign” as a best expression of our work in ministry and something that would be pleasing to God.
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A True Signature Event Calls for the Commitment of the Whole Church

A signature event is a defining event in the life of a church, and the whole church will be called upon to come, give, and lead. Even if the signature event is a children’s event or a youth event, a young adult event or an older adult event, the whole church will have a role to play. Every department makes a commitment and a contribution.

Because of the high level of commitment that is called for, a church may only be able to handle one or two or three signature events in a calendar year, depending upon the perceived available bandwidth in a congregation. Signature events are not to be entered into lightly but with the realization that they are demanding in nature and can leave a congregation physically, emotionally, and spiritually exhausted. But at the same time they can generate a propelling spiritual energy that drives a church forward into next steps and levels of ministry effectiveness.

A Few Tips for Your Signature Event 

• Put a Major Event Coordinator (MEC) in charge. While a staff person may resource the MEC’s work, a signature event is too big for one person. Recruit your MEC more than six months in advance, and give them the tools they will need.
• Develop a timeline for all aspects of the event. The timeline should include target dates for everything from publicity and promotion to volunteer recruitment to the procurement of supplies.
• Use a Major Event Notebook. Ask your MEC to document everything! Their notes will not only help to keep him or her organized, but will also be of great help to the next year’s coordinator. Collect the notebook from your MEC a month after the event and ready it for next year.
• Make sure that you support the major events of other areas in your church. That’s only fair, and it encourages the work and support of others.

Conclusion

Every great ministry does not necessarily have to have a signature event, but many of them do. And many of them are making an impact in their communities, an impact that flows from the heart of their mission and purpose.

If you want to explore more about the whys and hows of major events, email me at david.carroll@ministryarchitects.com. I’d love to spend some time talking with you about putting together a major event worthy of your signature.

The post Do You Have a Signature Event? appeared first on Ministry Architects.

So why is it a smart idea to start planning for fall ministries now? Because the summer will be crazy, time will pass quickly, Fall will be here, and how the Fall Kick-off goes – so goes our next school year of ministry. When by the Fall Kick-off, a thorough smattering of what everyone in your church needs to know for full participation in the next school year’s ministries is available, it makes for a smoother, happier experience for everyone.

If planning the details for a fabulous and informative fall are delayed till the start of the school year, the ministry year can often feel like it’s perpetually running behind trying to catch up.
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I know, I know. Your team (staff and/or volunteers) are tired and not excited about starting work projects for next year now. They’re ready for a little ministry breather. I get it and volunteers deserve a break, a change of pace.

Here’s an idea I recommend: have an end-of-the-year volunteer “thank you” gathering. Serve a little meal or fun snacks, have a few little tokens of appreciation, and while you’re celebrating the volunteers, pick their brains with debriefing questions. People feel valued when their thoughts are asked for and appreciated. Here’s a list of questions you can ask:

• What celebration stories can we tell from this past year’s ministry?
• What worked really well in the ministry?
• What ministry pieces do we want to keep?
• What didn’t work as well?
• How can we fix those “less than optimal” pieces?
• What new initiatives would be good for next year?

As your people give you input and ideas, observe who has what passion for tweaks and changes in next year’s ministry. Ask them if they would, while still enjoying a breather over the summer, think through a game plan for that piece of the fall ministry puzzle. They don’t have to have any meetings, they don’t have to implement the details; you’re just asking them to think through the steps of what that ministry piece might look like. Be sure and take good notes of everyone’s input and who said they’d think through what. (Email me at stephanie.caro@ministryarchitects.com for a great game plan template you can email them.)

Before everyone says goodbye and heads home, set a date for gathering back in early August to share the game plans each person thought through over the summer. When you meet again, just think how great it will be that so much planning is already done and you, the leader, didn’t have to do it all.

Here’s a final little secret: those people who pondered over game plans for the new school year? Most of them will now have an ownership in their idea plan and I bet they’ll take on a little more leadership of getting it accomplished.

The post Spring Into Your Fall! appeared first on Ministry Architects.

And, as soon as the words left my mouth, I regretted them.
Why?
Because a belief in Jesus’ resurrection impacts every single moment of every single minute of every single day of our lives.

Not. Just. Easter.

Now, before you roll your eyes as dramatically as the stone was rolled away from the tomb (#EasterHumor) ask yourself these Easter Sunday questions:

• Will someone in your church make sure the volunteer greeters are “the nicer ones” on Easter Sunday? (some of you know what I’m talking about)

• Will the speakers in your service use different verbiage to be thoughtful of those who don’t attend church regularly?

• Will there be special communication pieces that get passed out or more intentionality around which announcements get highlighted?

• Will your pastor’s message be more passionate, more “seeker-friendly”, more salvific, or more or less any characteristic, when compared to other weeks?

• Will there be extra follow-up or invitations extended after Easter Sunday that go above and beyond what’s typically done to connect with guests?

If you answered “yes” to any of the above… the next question is: Why? Why is there an extra special effort made to do something really over-the-top on this one Sunday – instead of EVERY week aiming to be thoughtful of who’s walking through our doors?

To get all those “guaranteed” people to come back, right? So that they might meet Jesus and come to know and believe He is who He says He is and is worth trusting and following with their whole life? THAT’S why we have the nice greeters on Easter, right?

I raise these questions because I suspect I’m not alone in being completely guilty of making Easter a big deal and losing sight of the fact that EVERY time the church gathers, it’s a big deal.

EVERY time 30 or 300 or 3,000 people wake up on a Sunday morning or join in for an evening worship – any time a group of people drive to the same location and commit to spending at least an hour or two of their time with other humans in collective recognition of the ONE human who lived and died and rose again over 2,000 years ago – that’s worth celebrating! THAT’S worth inviting everyone we know to Every. Week.

Not. Just. Easter.

At Ministry Architects, we love Easter. We also love the other 51 Sundays of the year – and every day in between. And we want churches to be equipped to do what they’re called to. It’s why we ask questions like…

• Why aren’t the nice greeters the ones who greet people ALL the time?

(practical application question: Does your church have a consistent way of helping a person discern their gifts then inviting them to the best-fit places they can serve? If not, check out our Volunteer Accelerator.)

• Why isn’t there heightened intentionality with communication every Sunday?

(practical application question: Does your church have a known vision, long-range goals, and core values that all opportunities must align with?)

• Why do we seem to care more about the guests on Easter than we do about new, rare, or infrequent attendees the other 51 Sundays a year?

(practical application question: Does your church have a consistent process for connecting with people that impacts their return?)

The Shepherd left the 99 to go find the 1 who was lost. And I just wonder… when we all work so hard to bring our A-games to Easter Sunday, couldn’t one understanding of this parable be that even when just 1 new person shows up on a random, non-Easter Sunday, they get to…

• interact with a body of people who have a Spirit about them that’s palpable from the parking lot to the pulpit?
• experience a whole orchestra, resounding throughout a sanctuary, down the halls, and all the way out the doors?
• be connected with and known with a fierce intentionality by all those around?

All because Jesus is alive and worthy of such praise and purposeful living, every single day.
Not just on Easter.

It shouldn’t be that Easter Sunday is when it’s most acceptable to be head-over-heels, giddy with excitement about the core truth of our faith. It should be all the time! So I challenge you to not tuck away your best efforts along with your baskets and bowties for just once a year.

Pinpoint those things your church does “special” for Easter– and start incorporating them into your every week approach of discipling and reaching others now!

And if you need some help? Just give your favorite Ministry Architect a call.

*Bonus article that reveals how many minutes it takes to make a peep! And other facts that could be good for your next youth group Easter trivia game.

Renée Wilson

renee.wilson@ministryarchitects.com

Renée will tell you the best advice she ever received as a volunteer in youth ministry was “prepare well and love ’em to Jesus.” And that’s exactly why she’s a part of our team. Through her 15+ years of mentoring and ministering with children, youth, and young adults, Renée knows the value of building healthy teams and loves creating approaches around the vision of seeing more and more people come to know Christ.

The post Every Sunday. Not Just Easter. appeared first on Ministry Architects.

True story.

It was the day before Easter, March 30, 1961, and Peter’s 5th birthday had been the day before. It seemed he was on a roll, even though he was in a new community that year. His dad was a minister, and the family had moved to town the summer before. It was a nice little southern town, and the folks were friendly.

Since it was the day before Easter Peter was going to participate in his first church-sponsored Easter Egg Hunt. He and his mom had dyed a dozen eggs and taken them to the church ahead of time, and Peter was excited to go, he supposed. Having never been a part of an Easter Egg Hunt, he wasn’t really sure what it was all about, but at that point it sounded fun enough.

They were just about ready to leave, and then the phone call came… and dragged on… and on… and so they were a few minutes late leaving the house. Uh oh!

As Peter and his mom arrived for the big event, the starting whistle had just been blown, and there was a mad frenetic dash toward the treasured, multi-colored, prized eggs. And even though his freshly five-year-old legs were moving as fast as they could, Peter was overwhelmed by being left behind. But his mom and a friendly teenage girl were urging him forward when “CRUNCH!” Peter had stepped right onto one of those treasures that he sought. He lifted his foot to reveal what he feared, and he looked at his empty Easter basket. And his lower lip began to tremble.

Little did Peter know that the friendly teenager was prepared for just such an occasion. With extra eggs in her pocket she took Peter by the hand to continue his hunt. Amazingly, Peter started to find a beautiful egg at every turn. And his mom watched with delight as she saw this sweet girl play a skillful game of distraction and discovery, resulting in a basket of six beautiful eggs for Peter!

But that’s the way it is in children’s ministry – it’s always important to have some extra eggs because there’s always an empty basket. It is in “extra eggs” that we give the gift of grace.
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Spotting the Empty Basket

Peter’s story is not unusual. There’s always an empty basket at the Easter Egg Hunt. That’s why we literally bring the extra eggs. But Peter’s experience is not limited to Easter Egg Hunts. Children often feel that they hold an “empty basket” and don’t know what to do or to whom they should turn.

• Many a child holds an “empty basket” when he or she is left in the church nursery for the first time.
• The child that is the new student in the Sunday School class often holds an “empty basket.”
• The child whose parents can’t afford the annual school supplies or uniforms,
• The child who is “food insecure,”
• The child abandoned by her parents,
• The child that is abused,
• The child whose family has no interest in spiritual things.

Extra Eggs on Hand

And so we, the Church, must have extra eggs on hand to help address the needs of children who simply feel alone, as well as for those children who are caught in the crossfire of misshapen relationships or a tragic lack of resources. These extra eggs are indeed gifts of grace and often open the door into the life of a child who so desperately needs that gift.

We must have extra eggs available in every setting, and all of our personnel must know how to look for all kinds of empty baskets.

Extra Eggs Are a Sign of the Resurrection

So… I’m sure that you will have some extra eggs at your Easter Egg Hunt. But I bet you’ll also have those “extra eggs” in your other settings and that you’ll have trained your personnel, both paid and volunteer, about the importance of extra eggs.

You see, they are not only gifts of grace. Extra eggs are also signs of the extraordinariness of Resurrection. That’s what grace does. That’s what Resurrection does. It goes way beyond anything that we might have expected.
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Conclusion

May all the gifts of Resurrection be yours this Easter. And I hope that in the giving of extra eggs, you will see the Christ at work. If you want to bat some ideas around about how to share extra eggs in your ministry, email me at david.carroll@ministryarchitects.com. I’d love to spend some time in conversation about giving this divine gift of grace to children in your care.

The post Extra Eggs for Empty Baskets appeared first on Ministry Architects.

• Paul states who he is, because of Christ
• Paul states who the recipient is, because of Christ
• Paul gives thanks for the recipient (because of Christ)

And then? Paul goes on with his main message.

Try something: replace Paul’s name with yours in the above list and think back: when was the last time you approached your leadership team like Paul?

If the first two steps seem a bit far-fetched for you then, in the least, ask yourself this: when was the last time you started a meeting, conversation, or email with ‘thank you’?

Thank you – before asking any question?

Thank you – before giving any direction?

Thank you – before getting on with your main message?

Look at how the New Living Translation characterizes the hearts of Paul, Silas, and Timothy in 2 Thessalonians 1:3 “…we can’t help but thank God for you…”

When was the last time you “couldn’t help but…” say thank you?

Think about that.

There’s an urgency within them. A “must do” compulsion in their hearts to express love with immense gratitude, right up front.

And it makes me want to ask: How can I have a heart like this, Jesus?

IDEA #1: Choose People-work more than Paperwork

It has been my experience in vocational ministry that we say ‘please’ much more often than we say ‘thank you’. We can get so wrapped up in the paperwork of leading a ministry – the behind-the-scenes planning and the asking of others to help us with those plans – that we forget the people–work of ministry. We forget to take the time to express love by intentionally noticing the gifts of others around us – and lifting them up. Out loud. And often.

HEART CHECK – When you’re mapping out your week, how much of your time is devoted to paperwork? Do you only contact people to fill roles and take on tasks? Or do you thoughtfully connect with others? How often do you thank, affirm, and uplift those who regularly serve right beside you in the trenches of ministry?

IDEA #2: Encourage Connection not Quarantine

If you’ve ever been a part of a team where acknowledgement and accolades are rare to nonexistent, you’ve probably experienced the following:

• Depleted motivation (“Why even bother?”)
• Questioning of sanity (“Am I the only one who is struggling here?”)
• Identity crisis or discouragement in your call (“Maybe I’m not supposed to do this…”)
• Being a “team” in name only (“we’re just a group people in the same place at the same time”)

This is because when we don’t practice the holy habit of thankfulness, we’re not actively trying to see others as the unique beings God’s making them to be. We aren’t looking for opportunities to lift others up and can quickly house hearts that are incompetent when it comes to expressing authentic appreciation. Neglecting the call to outwardly value others stifles our growth and hurts the Kingdom impact we hope to make.

So, instead, let’s be leaders who encourage connection. Let’s cultivate teams who can’t be successful without collaboration. Let’s build our ministries around the truth that we need each other – and then let’s frequently celebrate why that’s true!

HEART CHECK – What does your team culture look like? Do individuals know their unique contributions matter and make the group stronger? Do you praise the offerings of your teammates on a regular basis? Are you encouraging others to do the same?

IDEA #3: Marvel at the Maker

Our God is a genius. Read and be reminded how he designed the body of Christ:

“God has put the body together… so that… its parts should have equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.” -1 Corinthians 12:24-26 (NIV)

When we pause and give thanks for a brother or sister in Christ… When someone calls out – with praise – some of the extraordinary that makes me, me – and you, you… These are moments when God gets honored because people get loved. And ALL can rejoice.

And when we ignore such opportunities? We all suffer. Because we miss a moment with our Maker.

HEART CHECK – What does it take for you to pause and give thanks for someone else? Who’s someone in your life who you know is suffering and needs some appreciation, right now? What can you do this day, this month, this year to honor God with your thankfulness?

Do you need some ideas on how to say thank you? Here’s a thoughtful top 10 list.

Do you need some reasons why living a life of gratitude is good for us? Here’s a list of 7 scientifically proven benefits.

Do you want to NOT read something else? Here’s a 3 minute TED talk about the Power of Thank You.

The post The Holy Habit of Saying “Thank You” appeared first on Ministry Architects.

Bake cookies and take them to the neighbors….check.

Choose gifts for loved ones….check.

Attend holiday parties….check.

Be present with the children in your Sunday school class or small group….check.

Wait.

There are so many things demanding your attention during this season. A good portion of them are beautiful, and sacred, and provide you with wonderful memories for years to come.

But it’s a little too easy to treat the season as a challenge to be conquered instead of an opportunity to cherish.

Being present with your few, those precious preschoolers and children you get to serve, is not something you can simply check off a list.  It’s an intentional choice to focus on during this busy season.

Children know how busy this time of year is, too.

They ride in shopping carts through countless stores as their families prepare for the holiday.  They get to stay up late some nights, sucking on candy canes and sipping barely-warm hot cocoa with groups of friends or family.  They have to put on scratchy clothes and get their pictures taken with a giant man in a bright red outfit.

They feel the stress that threatens to consume as you try to determine what makes Christmas Christmas for you.

So, when these precious ones walk into their rooms this weekend at your churches, the last thing they need is another busy day.

What they really need is YOU.

They don’t need you to be worried about creating a perfect footprint angel craft to send home.  Instead, they need you to listen to them tell you about their week.

They don’t need you to focus on doing every single activity in the lesson plan, no matter how rushed they might be. Instead, they need you to focus on reminding them they are loved.

They don’t need you to be preoccupied about your own to-do list and obligations. Instead, they need you to put everything else aside the minute you walk through the door and decide to be present with them.

Your few need YOU for Christmas.  Jesus is the greatest gift ever given, and you have the privilege of being a physical representation of Jesus to them.

So be present with them – and this Christmas may be the best one they’ve ever had, and you’ve ever had.

The post Children Need YOU for Christmas appeared first on Ministry Architects.

Yet, in the middle of the excitement that is fall ministry, somewhere in the back of our minds we’re beginning to think about next summer. In some ways it seems so far off, but that’s the exact right amount of time to get our summer calendars and schedules together.

With that in mind here are ten things to consider as you develop next summer’s calendar.

1. Consider your mission and ministry goals. Summer events, retreats, and programs across age groups in the church can feel like last minute, haphazard, and purposeless planning… when they’re planned last minute, haphazardly, and without purpose. By starting our planning early, it allows time to reflect on our mission and our ministry goals first. Then plan camps, retreats, small groups, mission trips, VBS, or any other summer program in a way the will assure we meet our goals.
2. Request other ministry calendars. Check with the other ministries in the church and see what they’ve got planned or are considering for next summer. This will assure that we don’t step on each other’s toes, demonstrate your willingness to be a team player, and help avoid conflicts that often arise when we wait until the last minute.
3. Collect school calendars. It’s likely your church serves families who attend multiple different schools that probably get out of school and begin school at different times. If your hoping that the multigenerational mission trip will be well attended, plan it around the availability of the families you hope to serve. This can be challenging to navigate once you’ve collected the calendars but will help to make the best decision for the best possible outcomes.
4. Communicate early. As you soon as dates are solidified for your ministry’s summer calendar, publish them. Don’t wait. Let’s help make it easy for others to participate. Parents and volunteers are often requesting their time off at least twelve months in advance. Most summer camps for children and youth publish next summer’s dates at the end of the current event. To help our families prioritize our ministry opportunities, earlier is always better.
5. Help families plan. See above. Families deeply want to be involved, but they often won’t wait. They want their children and youth to be involved, but they are coordinating with other groups who are competing with their children’s time. Plan early and help families do the same.
6. Review the church wide calendar. This can be an often-missed source of guidance when planning ahead. Just double check to see if what you’re considering is already blocked out by another group. By starting in the fall, that allows plenty of time to change or consider new dates to avoid the conflict. And if the calendar is open, be sure that your ministry gets added.
7. Request rooms and church vehicles. Once your on the church wide calendar, be sure to make any room and vehicle requests early in the process.
8. Coordinate payments. Many of the trips that get planned, whether they are a church-wide mission trip, a youth ministry camp, or an offsite volunteer training, require a registration and payments. By planning early, it allows participants to schedule and plan financially as well as with their calendars.
9. Build momentum. For an upcoming mission trip, you may want to have multiple meetings to prepare the group for the work or experience they will have. Each meeting builds excitement for the upcoming opportunity. Each meeting prepares their hearts and minds for what’s to come. Each meeting the Holy Spirit nudges us closer to those we will serve. These are momentum building meetings that will help the trip into the memory maker it deserves to be.
10. Add your fall kickoffs. Remember that the summer schedule is not just about summer but help to launch our falls ministries with success. Be sure to include any fall kickoffs, the start of new ministries, and returning to the regular yearly schedule at the end of the summer calendar.

With a little time and attention, the summer calendar can be scheduled, dates set, plans made, and you’re freed up to focus on the ministry this week, while avoiding the rush and anxiety that is guaranteed to take place if you wait until spring.

The post TOP 10 Considerations for Summer Planning appeared first on Ministry Architects.