planning

Time to Come Out of the Bunker: Planning and Calendaring for the New Year

It’s Time to begin Planning for the New Year

2020 has finally passed and with a Covid-19 vaccine on the horizon we can finally begin to look past the latest school closings, and hospital surges. While masks and social distancing will be with us for a while, a new year opens up new opportunities for something new. Do you think I’m ready for something new (absolutely!)

God in His grace gives us newness; new days are given after a night’s rest, new growth is seen as the seasons of the year change, and a new year is given to be used for His glory. Honestly, this has not been the best year for me, and I know it has been really hard for many people. If you have not had a good year, or if you seem to be reacting to life instead of moving the rudder of your life’s ship, then consider the following as you approach the new year:

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Six Items To Consider As You Prepare For a New Year

1. Pray. It seems obvious, but God already has your year mapped out, so why not see what he says about your next year. Are there things that you find yourself foolishly repeating year after year simply because you didn’t spend time with the Lord? Before we begin to plan our next steps, we must consult the Lord and His plans for us.

Jeremiah 29:11-13 “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare2 and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.”

2. Develop Your Calendar. It has been said, “If you don’t control your calendar, then your calendar will control you.” As you chart your next season of life, begin by taking your yearly calendar and adding all of the big annual events (vacations, ministry events, family events like anniversaries and birthdays, and conferences). While Covid-19 may have changed how we do these things, we must think creatively, with purpose and understanding, to see that the intention behind these “big rocks” have the space needed in our lives.

Once you have yearly events, then move to monthly, and then weekly. But before you add all the events from last year to the calendar for this year, you must prayerfully consider each one. How will you evaluate if you need to do this or that event again, on the same scale, or the same way? While I pray that life is not about quarantines and closings this coming year, we still need to carve out the weekly and monthly items that are important.

Make sure you put as much information as you know on the calendar. There will be events that you do not have a specific date for yet, but try to place it as close to the date of where you think it will be held. By having all your events on the calendar before you, you can also evaluate if there will be simply too much going on, or if more things can be added to the calendar. Perhaps, an alternative is to move events around until you find the balance between the two.

3. Along with your events, simultaneously, develop your budget. How much will you need for specific events, trips, or ministry efforts? You may find that you need to scale down an activity or that you have the ability to do something else or to do the event on a larger scale than you once thought possible. Like air in a clown’s balloon, you can twist all the links into it you want, but there is only so much air and the balloon can only stretch so far.

4. Consider your own personal goals and need for growth. If you are finding yourself feeling “burned out” spend some time asking the Lord, “Why am I feeling this way?” or “What am I doing regularly that is negatively impacting my life?”

It may be that you are spending too much time away from home, or not enough in devotional time. It will be different for everyone, but now is the time to plan out how you will not continue to do these same things. You don’t have to feel tired, depressed, worn out, etc. all the time.

This is also a great time to consider the needs of your family. Just as the seasons change, so do the needs of family. Each year brings its’ own set of problems and challenges, and so as you prayerfully plan your budget, calendar out events, and set your personal goals, also consider how your family has changed in the past year. Avoid excessive activity, and build in family time, or special time with a child that may need some extra attention. Your first responsibility is to your family, and then to ministry.[1]

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New Year’s Resolutions

For a person to keep a New Years’ resolution it has to be rooted in the person having a genuine need and the person seeing the benefit of keeping the resolution. Your praying, planning, budgeting will bring needed resolutions to your attention that if you make these changes will help you to be healthier, happier, more rested, and growing as a person.

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5. Review the previous year. I keep a journal where I record detailed notes of meetings, planning lists, journal entries, ideas etc. and I when I go through this time of planning, I review these journals from the previous year. I am reminded of ideas that I had forgotten about, people I need to develop relationships with, projects that have been completed (or not completed), or even goals that have been met.

These journals are encouraging because I am able to see how God has answered prayer, provided what was needed to complete various ministry projects, and carried me through one more year of ministry. They are a reminder of God’s faithfulness.

Unlike a previous year’s calendar, a journal reminds me of thoughts and feelings. There are some items and information that I will transfer from an older journal to a new one, but for the most part each journal is a step forward into a new year.

Regardless of your method, how will you review the previous year? Do we just say it is a “one off,” and treat 2021 like 2019 and pretend 2020 really didn’t happen?

6. Contentment but not Satisfaction. This is not about “we had 20 last year, so this year I want to have 40.” Or “we had 6 groups last year, so this year I want to have 12!” Wanting more people, money or equipment simply because that’s how the world measures success is not a good way of determining a direction in ministry. This method is rooted in pride and will be quickly abandoned when things get difficult.

Before Covid-19 many church leaders measured success by how many backsides were in the pew, and how many dollars were in the plate. Now we are talking about virtual services and giving online. Covid-19 has taught us new ways of measuring success, such as “engagement,” and “relationship building.” But, this is really as it has always been since the time of the early church, we just needed a pandemic to bring us back into focus.

Let me be of encouragement to you, that God loves you, has a purpose and plan for your life and this coming year is going to be a year of recovery and re-building. As we all are beginning to come out of our post-apocalyptic bunkers, know that God will reward our faithfulness to Him.

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[1] 1 Timothy 3:4

Involving Specialists When You are a Generalist

umbrellas This past Tuesday evening was a Cub Scout meeting. As the leader of my sonâ€™s age group we were continuing to go through first aid requirements for a rank advancement. We had to move a couple of times because the church where we meet is having some construction, but eventually we settled in the front of the church sitting on the grass. That evening we had a couple of new scouts that were supposed to be in the older group (they had met off campus that evening and they did not get the word so they sat in with us). So with new faces and beginning a little behind our normal schedule I started to work through my presentation.

We began by reviewing previous weeks (what should go into a first aid kit, defining first aid, how we had made our own first aid kits, etc.) and then we started into new material. We began discussing â€œhurry upâ€ cases like severe bleeding, heart attack, stroke, etc. and as I asked the boys the partner up to practice scenarios, for the first time I looked up and scanned the parents who were sitting toward the back.

One of the dads there was in medical scrubs, so I just asked him, â€œSir what do you do?â€ and he responded â€œopen heart surgery.â€ Of course, I laughed out loud. Here I am teaching first aid while a person who does open heart surgery was sitting in the back of the crowd. An expert in all things first aid was there but a novice was doing the teaching.

As I have reflected on this crazy turn of events I wonder how many times in organizations those who are â€œexpertsâ€ are not utilized; they are in essence sitting the back of the crowd. As the night progressed and we moved from severe bleeding, to stoke, to choking and the heimlich maneuver, I constantly looked to him and said, â€œlet me know if I get this wrongâ€ and â€œplease feel free to add somethingâ€ and he did eventually jump in and begin to add some great insights.

Generalists and Specialists

The Merriam-Webster dictionaryâ€™s simple definition of a generalist states a generalist is â€œa person who knows something about a lot of subjectsâ€. A specialist is defined as â€œa person who has special knowledge and skill relating to a particular job, area of studyâ€. In my example above I have a shallow and broad range of knowledge about first aid. The â€œopen heartâ€ expert dad has â€œspecialistâ€ knowledge in medicine â€“ which is much deeper and specific than my own. Thatâ€™s what he does for a living. Doesnâ€™t it make more sense to let him lead this specific area of study with the boys?

Specialists add a depth to what you are doing; so how does one include then, especially if you are a generalist?

Advanced Planning â€“ As with any degree of creativity and ingenuity, these things often take time to put together. You canâ€™t ask someone to prepare a wonderful presentation, a speech, or even be there if your request comes at the â€œlast minute.â€ As the leader, take the time to think way ahead and you will be surprised at how many opportunities and specialists will present themselves to your organization. They have always been there, you were just not in the right frame of mind to see or utilize them.

Communication â€“ Once your plan is together, then communicate it with the group who is involved in what you are doing. Give the invitation to those whom may have a specialty in a given area to help in that one area.

Many people are unwilling to lead an effort as a whole but they may be much more willing to lead an evening, or specific meeting â€“ especially if it involves something they are passionate and knowledgeable about.

Leave the Ego at the Door â€“ People are leaders for different reasons. If you are a leader who always wants to be in the spotlight, then you are limiting your organization. If the teaching, speaking, leading, etc. always has to be done by you, then you are blocking great opportunities and moments from your organization.

Make sure that this is not being done because of your pride, that you have not communicated with others, or simply havenâ€™t taken the time to plan things out.

Designing A Good Plan: Elements to Consider

When the scientists designed the original Apollo series spacecraft command modules there were several things they needed to keep in mind. They as president Kennedy said,

â€œ. . . we shall send to the moon, 240,000 miles away from the control station in Houston, a giant rocket more than 300 feet tall, the length of this football field, made of new metal alloys, some of which have not yet been invented, capable of standing heat and stresses several times more than have ever been experienced, fitted together with a precision better than the finest watch, carrying all the equipment needed for propulsion, guidance, control, communications, food and survival, on an untried mission, to an unknown celestial body, and then return it safely to earth, re-entering the atmosphere at speeds of over 25,000 miles per hour, causing heat about half that of the temperature of the sun. . .â€[1]

To start something new feels like an expedition to the moon. The leader launches an idea that has to be designed and carefully thought through. If something is overlooked then the air can get sucked out of the space module (or the next staff meeting). The deadliest of ideas are those that have never been attempted.

The original thought (use caution; very dangerous)

So borrowing from the command module of Apollo spacecraft, here are some items to keep in mind as you engage in the treacherous endeavor of trying something new.Â Your plan (or command module) should include the following:

Mission Trajectory.Â

To know where you are going. The early spacecraft used the trajectory of the spacecraft and the gravitational force of a celestial body to â€œslingshotâ€ the command module back toward earth. If you know where you are going, you can show others on a map, and you can attempt to anticipate upcoming situations. You need to be able to clearly show others the entire mission and important mileposts along the way. Break you plan down into stages and steps.

Â Â 2. ThrustersÂ

Thrusters allow you to make midcourse corrections. As long as you have enough â€œgas in the tankâ€ you can make gradual adjustments as you move forward. Too big of adjustments cause you to burn fuel too quickly and you are dead in the water, heading off into the disaster of open space. Slow gradual adjustments are always best.

How much gas you have in the tank depends directly upon how much the people trust you. If you have the peopleâ€™s trust then you have more ability to make more radical adjustments to the status quo. The situation may also be mission critical where you say, â€œHouston we have a problemâ€ and you have to make quick and radical adjustments to save the spacecraft.

An Escape Hatch.

This is the ability to bail if the plan fails. Larry Osborne said, â€œNever make a change when you can conduct an experiment.â€[2] and â€œWhenever possible, describe any change or new initiative you propose using the language of experimentation. In other words, never make a change when you can conduct an experiment or a trial run.â€

If you have no way of escaping the spacecraft then it will be your last mission. Build this into the plan from the first sketch. This does not make you cowardly; it does however give you the ability to try again another day with another mission.

A Booster Rocket.

This is the initial push to get the spacecraft into orbit at the beginning of the mission. If you look at the proportion of the entire mission spacecraft the booster rocket takes up most of the design. Often times the leader will think that the good idea, in and of itself, will be enough to launch the mission.

There has to be a build up and launch of the new plan in order for it to have the inertia to complete the entire trajectory of the mission. A strong push is necessary to get the spacecraft off the ground and into orbit.

A Parachute.

Similar to thrusters, the parachute allows one to control the speed of the spacecraft. If the spacecraft moves too quickly it will comet into the earth. Plans need to have an appropriate and controllable speed. Moving too fast or too slow is harmful to the mission.

A Window.

The original idea is groundbreaking and you are reaching new heights â€“ why not take some pictures, stare out at the stars, and enjoy the ride. If you get too focused on the instrumentation and gauges you will miss the magic of the view and the wonder of the moment. Document the journey so others can follow you and not have to repeat the same mistakes.

Windows also allow you to see where you are going and how the mission is proceeding. There should be a built in means of evaluation as you are moving forward.

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[1] http://er.jsc.nasa.gov/seh/ricetalk.htm

[2] Larry Osborne. Innovationâ€™s Dirty Little Secret (Grand Rapids, Michigan; Zondervan, 2013) 35.

Six Month Review — How Are We Doing?

I just passed six months as the new Children’s and Family Pastor at First Baptist Church Valdosta. Just an aside — How long will I be the “new” Pastor of Children and Families? I think you have to be at FBCV like ten years before they throw you a banquet, so six months may get me a high-five. The first half of the first year was filled with figuring out how “things work,” where things are located, who I need to talk to deal with various “issues,” and settling into exactly what my job/ministry entails. There are always what is expected and once you begin in a new place, there are many unexpected job responsibilities once you get there. I can honestly say that the church has been a place of acceptance and regular encouragement.Â With only half the year under my belt, we still have some pretty big events coming up like VBS, a family mission trip, Centri-fuge, Children’s Retreat, Miss Patty Cake, (yes I did say, Miss Patty Cake!) etc. But if these events were like our Fall Festival and Christmas season then it will be spectacular. No worries.

Coming from a smaller church to FBCV I am reminded that human nature is the same wherever you go. For example, a blurb in the bulletin like “help is needed in (enter whatever ministry need)” gets little, if any response. A human conversation and “face time” (no, not the iPhone kind) is required in order to make projects move forward. Personal interaction and spending time with people is still very important (even in the day of Twitter and Facebook.) Also, people are busy no matter what the size of the church. So when we ask them to give up their time to focus on an event, teach a class, or serve in some way, it should be apart of a bigger plan where we are making families stronger and leading children toward Christ.

We all need to be reminded of the reason why we do what we do. Why is Church important? Why should we attend regularly? Why is Children’s Ministry important? Why can’t Drew do everything, isn’t that what we pay him for? (luckily, I have not had to deal with the last one). But is still begs the question of what staff should do and what the expectations of the congregation should be.

I have enjoyed eating dinner with my family and various others on Wednesday evenings, and I have relished seeing my children learning about music and singing to the Lord. There are many other blessings the Lord has poured out upon us in our short “tenture” at FBC, and I know that there are many more to come.

So in light of what I have experienced so far and reaching toward an awesome “second half” of the year I sit and prayerfully consider the rest of the year. The following are a few thoughts and ministry directions so you can pray for me and our ministry (and perhaps be the most awesome person on the planet by volunteering to do more) —

* I need to visit more families (so call me and invite me over), and kids at their school (so you may be getting a letter asking for your “ok.”).

* There needs to be a parent planning team (to chart out the year and help with various projects). I need a group of people who say, “How can we help?,” and “have you thought about (enter fantastic idea) and I will help put this together!” I am not really looking for people who readily identify problems but have no desire to help solve them. Having said that, I do welcome all loving, gentle, and well thought out constructive criticisms, just solve them first.

* We need to begin to focus on “tweeners” (5th and 6th Graders) — once we have a Youth Pastor in place I will ask for him to make it an initial top priority. The puppet ministry gig is still open — just saying.

* I need someone to help with weekly administrative tasks so I can focus on visiting families, elementary schools, hospitals, etc.,Â and other “pastoral” duties. Note: see earlier note about broadcast requests not working — so I’m looking in your general direction right now.

* I need to put some things in writing (like a mission statement, a ministry manual, a yearly calendar, etc.), and make sure everyone on our team, and all parents know what it is and why we are doing ministry the way we are. What are trying to accomplish? It doesn’t help you or your family if it’s all in my head.

* How can we be more outward focused in our children’s ministry? How can we regularly reach out to new families? We need a plan.

* Does anyone want to get a CDL in my place?

Well, just a few ideas that I thought of in-between sips of a grande vanilla latte at Starbucks. Â Thoughts?

When Our Plans Are Changed By Providence

This was the last day of our mission trip to Guatemala. We were able to see hundreds at various medical clinics, worship with locals, scout out a potential church building, and we even had the favor of the local mayor in one of the cities who told us “you can do whatever you want in this city.”

With all of our excitement and experiencing God do a wonderful work through us and being able to see indescribable things there is still the desire to come home. Our team having seen suffering children and extreme poverty want to hold their loved ones in their arms and to be “home.”

Change of plans are a common occurrence on the mission field, but when you cross the line into domestic USA we want consistency, rhythm returned, and life to go back to normal. Knowing that you are forever changed by what you have experienced you still clamor for a return to normalcy.

Then comes the hiccup in the plans. As our team is pulling out of the airport, literally twenty-five fee, the bus breaks down. After hours of trying to fix it, we were shoved toward the indignant “plan B.” oh, how I hate “plan B.” It means something in my plan failed. We were delayed for hours, even more money must be spent on van rentals to get the team back, and an exhausted team now must endure even more travel.

What could possibly by good about “plan B” and why would God make us go through it? Didn’t we prayerfully plan, and systematically budget? Didn’t we work hard on the mission field?

When you find yourself in “plan B” try to remember and consider the following;
1. God can do whatever He wishes, He is God and we are the humans. The sovereign omnipotent One owes us no explanation for how He runs His creation.

2. God is love. His very essence is one of love and compassion. So, when you feel the pinch of inconvenience know that God is loving doing something. Trust Him and His Love. Have faith that this is for His glory.

3. It may not be about you. Our minds tend to drift toward thoughts like, “we were protected from some accident” or “He is helping us to have more patience,” etc. But it may just be that God is moving us along a different “route” in order to use us as an instrument in His hand. Don’t constantly look for reasons, instead lean into Christ and trust Him. Smile.