the Monday Morning Debrief: Keeping students engaged
If you haven't ever met me before in person, it wouldn't take you long to figure out, once we do meet, that I am a big fan of all things Apple, Inc. I have a MacBook, iPhone, Apple TV, iPad and my girls have their own Apple products as well.
One reason why I keep buying Apple products is that they have great products. But, another reason is probably more important. See, with those great products, they have established an eco-system that is hard to move away from. By that I mean that when you buy an iPhone, you buy your Apps, movies and songs all through the iTunes store. Once you buy it on one device you can use what you bought on every other Apple device. That means you don't have to keep buying the same game, song, movie or app over and over again to play it on your various devices. AllThingsD explains this further in a great article about the Stickiness of the Apple iOS.
So what's the stickiness of Apple have to do with ministry?
Once you are sold on Apple's platform and products, it is hard to stray to devices Android and Windows make, but you have tremendous by in already. It doesn't make sense economically to buy an iPad and then a Galaxy III because you will have to buy the same Angry Birds app twice whereas if you just had an iPhone, you could easy download it without having to pay for it all over again.
So the question is, have we engaged our students enough...do they have enough "buy in" our programs and offerings that they aren't going to be wandering off to other programs, ministries or other worldly desires. Now, I'm all about Kingdom work and I don't care who gets the credit when it comes to the salvation of students. However, I believe that if we do ministry well, students aren't going to be looking at other places to find exactly what they are looking for.
So, are your students engaged? Do they like what you are doing? Do they have ownership of the program? Are the contributors or spectators? Are they trying to help but you aren't listening? Do you have a strategy for taking them from new believer to fully devoted follower of Christ? What is our eco-system that students can latch onto?
These are all questions we should be asking ourselves as we try to keep students engaged...not just for the sake of engagement, but to keep them learning and growing in Christ in hopes that the Kingdom of Heaven can continue to grow, one engaged life at a time.
Thoughts? Experiences? Post a comment so that we can all learn from each other and benefit.
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the Monday Morning Debrief: Changing the Rules of the Game
On Friday, MG Siegler from TechCrunch wrote about Apple and its gaming possibilities. As he weighed in on his opinion he made a comment that made me think a lot. He said, "Apple will not win this space by playing the game that Microsoft, Sony, and to some extent, Nintendo, are playing. They will win by changing the rules of the game."
Fascinating comment. Actually, it's more than fascinating. It was a brilliant observation because that is what Apple has always done. They have never played by the same rules as everyone else. They have always changed the rules. Beginning with linking the iPod to an actual music store (iTunes), the iPhone WITHOUT a keyboard and the whole new category they created with the iPad. Sure, Apple didn't create the 1st mp3 player or phone or tablet. They just changed the rules on how they would attack these products.
In the same way, I think we, Youth Ministers, need to change the rules of the game in reaching students. Students are different than they were 20 years ago (that's when I graduated...I know I'm an old man). That means, the ways we reach them needs to change. And, instead of being reactive to their changes, I believe we need to change the rules of the game and be proactive. We need to give these students something they want without them even knowing they want it. I know it sounds consumerism but hear me out.
Before Apple introduced the iPad, there were tablet computers out there. But not like the iPad. Tablets were used as a cross between notebooks and desktops. But what Apple did with the iPad was they created a whole new niche...a consumption machine. The iPad wasn't necessarily for profession or getting work done. Rather, it was more for consumption of information. No one ever though of it like that before. And the iPad was and continues to have a HUGE market share of the tablet market. They created something that we wanted but didn't even realize we wanted until they told us.
How can we present Christ in such a way that they are learning and growing in HIM and not even really realize what they are doing? I'm not saying we trick them but I think we get so fixated on doing things the way they have always done, that we forget how to innovate and create something that is so exciting that students can't wait to participate.
So what is that? I DON'T KNOW! Seriously, I have no idea but being apart of the nZone at New Life has caused me to think of what youth ministry rules I need to break to reach students for Christ. I've already tried a weight training Bible study last summer and I'm looking at doing some intramural type events this spring and fall. But I know there are more possibilities out there. What are they and how can we pull them off? It's exactly the kind of challenge that I'm sure companies like Apple ask themselves all the time. And we, as Youth Ministers, need to be doing the same.
So right now, TAKE A MINUTE and think through what are rules you need to change to win the game. What is it that you can offer that is so out of the box that students get sucked in and don't ever want to get out of? Each ministry is different as each can offer something unique. It's finding that "something" that can cause the Kingdom of heaven sing praises and praises because of all the young people that are meeting the Lord for hopefully the 1st time.
Thoughts? Experiences? Post a comment so that we can all be breaking the rules of the game for the sake of the Kingdom. I would love to hear your ideas.
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the Monday Morning Debrief: Who is on your team?
In case you missed it, there has been some strife over at Apple, Inc. recently and two people have been let go. That is some pretty significant news since one of the persons fired was just hired about 6 months ago and the other one was a long-time confidant of Steve Jobs. But, as you can probably see from this article, the bigger issue is new CEO Tim Cook developing his own team after taking over for the deceased Steve Jobs. Can he develop a team to take Apple, Inc. to the next level or not?
So what does Apple's issues have to do with ministry?
It raised the question for me, Who is on MY team? What leaders do I have filling what positions? And, are they team members I want/need to be there or are they just warm bodies? Do they click with me are just cause descent?
In the same way, I believe all of us minister need to be asking these questions because identifying and placing the right leaders in your program can be a tremendous boast to your program. But, it is finding the right people for your program. Finding the wrong fit or the wrong people can bring problems to your program like it brought trouble to Apple, Inc. in recent months.
So right now, TAKE A MINUTE and process who is on your leadership team. Do you have the right team with you? If not, what do you need to do to get the right people on the bus? If you have a solid leadership team on board, what can you do to continue to improve the team?
Thoughts? Comments? Experiences? Share some so that we can all benefit from it.
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Most Useful Piece of Technology
Ok admit it. Really, it's ok. Even if you aren't an Apple Fanboy, you were watching the iPhone 5 announcement with excitement, curiosity and maybe even a little bit of glee as you were debating whether or not to upgrade your current phone. Seriously, it is ok...I did.
With the iPhone 5 announcement, iPod update and the much speculated "iPad Mini" release, it made me think of 2 things:
- My love of Apple products (I'm not afraid to admit it)
- How much I rely on technology for ministry.
Technology has become so vital to how we do ministry so I thought it would be fun to see which piece of technology do we rely on the most and why. For me, it's the iPhone. Why? It's because I can store and play music and videos on it for youth activities. I also rely on the Maps feature for directions for youth trips. In addition, all the social media apps I use (I'm currently writing this blog on my iPhone app), makes for a great way to connect to students and leaders.
I could go on and on about the many uses of my iPhone but I want to hear from you. So right now, TAKE A MINUTE and share your most favorite, useful piece of technology you use for ministry. Whether it's the iPhone, iPad, Android phone, projector, Wii (did you hear about the new Wii U out in soon?) or some other product, share your thoughts and post why.
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the Monday Morning Debrief: Quit Overdoing
This weekend I saw a short little article about the difference between Android based products and Apple based products. It's actually more of a photo than anything else as just looking at the visual speaks volumes.
The posting goes on to say that there is so much Android compared to just 2 Apple products. To some people that may seem like a good thing for Android. But this article goes on the point out that in order for you, a developer, to get your Android based app out, you have to test it against some 400 based devices because every device runs a slightly different version of Android. That is compared to just 2 iOS devices in the iPhone and iPad. The concluding statement was that they support iOS because it is "A little simpler, if you ask us."
So what? So how does this relate to ministry at all?
Simple really...Simplify your life. Simplify your ministry. Android is all over the place but it is fragmented. There is so much that the product it is hard for programmers to develop for them because each product is just a little different. On the other hand, it is easy for programmers to develop of Apple since there are only 2 main devices.
In our lives and ministry we can dilute our time with unnecessary things and programs. We do this thing and that program and we have made ourselves so busy because we believe that the more busy we are the more production we are having. But the reality is that sometimes we do, do, do and then forget why we actually do certain things. It had a purpose early on, but maybe now that purpose is no longer relevant or valid. All these "things" do is clutter our life with more and more unnecessary stuff.
So my encouragement for all of us today is to TAKE A MINUTE and think through what we are doing (both in our personal lives and our ministry). Is something you need to cut out? If so, what do you need to eliminate, not to make your life "easier" but to simplify it so you stay focused on the main things in life and ministry?
Thoughts? Comments? Questions? Experiences? Post a comment and let the discussion begin so that we can all benefit from it.
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POLL: What phone do you use for Youth Ministry
Just curious, what phone do you use (not wish you had), but use for ministry?
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the Monday Morning Debrief: Management Lessons Learned from Apple
Last week, Business Insider put out a post about some Management Lessons Learned from Apple, Inc. You can find them here.
Here are some of them that I thought directly apply to Ministry:
- Obsess over the details. Apple is notorious for how much they pay attention to even the smallest details. In the same way, in ministry we need to be a little bit more obsessive over the details of how things will get done and to what degree. When we don't pay close attention to the details things rarely end up being as good as they could be. That is what separates Apple from its competitors and what can put your ministry into a higher effectiveness.
- Stay Focused. Just because you "could" do something doesn't mean you should. Apple is focused on just a few products and simple ideas. They could do much more, but they stay focused on their core. In the same way, in ministry we "could" do a lot of things. But that doesn't mean we should or need to. Stay focused on what you do best and do it the best.
- Pay attention to your Users. Apple is in tune with their users. They know what they want and they provide. You need to pay attention to your users too. If you are offering something you think is great but your students don't, then you need to change it up. Your students are your consumers. They will only buy what they like, no matter how much you think it is great.
- Hire the best people you can. At Apple they hire the best and it shows in their products. In ministry our volunteers and staffers need to be the best. They can't be "ok" or "good enough". That gets you 2nd rate and causes lots of conflicts (I have some experience with this).
Thoughts, comments, questions, suggestions? Post something so that we can all learn from each other and benefit.
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The Monday Morning Debrief: Costly Delays
Late last week, RIM (maker of the Blackberry smartphones) announced that their new smartphones have been delayed until late 2012. 
This is a big deal because Blackberry was THE smartphone to have years ago! Everyone wanted one. It was almost like a status symbol if you had a Blackberry you were "more important". You were esteemed over those who had just a simple old flip phone.
But times have changed and ever since 2007, when Apple introduced the iPhone, RIM has struggled to keep up with the growing smartphone business. Their stock price went from as high as $144.56 in the week of June 16, 2003 to now $13.44 on Friday. Meanwhile, Android and Apple based phones are now killing the market. Everyone HAS to have an iPhone or Android based phone. RIM, meanwhile, is struggling to keep pace with aging phones.
But RIM's apparent demise is not the 1st time this has happened in the smartphone business. Palm, creator of the 1st PDA (Palm Pilot) and smartphone (TREO) ended up having so many delays in new products and outdated software, that they were bought out and then blown up. No one has a Palm smartphone anymore.
So why is this happening to RIM? What is the reason why so few people want to buy a Blackberry anymore? The reason is two-fold: outdated software that is not user-friendly and constant delays for new smartphones. No one wants a clucky, keyboard-type, lousy internet browser based phone anymore. They want apps, music, movies on their phones. They don't want just email and text messaging anymore. RIM knows this but they can't get their new phones out in a timely matter. So will RIM go the way of Palm? Will they be bought out and blown up too? Who knows, but one thing is for sure, these delays in getting new smartphones out is proving to be very costly!
So what's the point here? How does this possibly relate to ministry?
Simple - delays are very costly. Just like in business, ministry delays can cost you a lot. For instance, calendar and curriculum planning. If planning is not done in sufficient time, then there will be a delay in getting the calendar of events and activities out to your parents and leaders. If they don't get the calendar in plenty of time, then they are going to plan other activities instead of coming to your event. That is a costly delay that could have been avoided.
The same goes with curriculum. If your teachers and speakers do not have plenty of notice of what you want them to speak on then they will not have plenty of time to properly prepare for their message. Then they come to your gathering ill prepared and not as effective as they can be. That is a costly delay that could have been avoided.
These are just two examples of costly delays. Is there a delay that you are experiencing right now? Are you having problems rolling out events or programs successfully? The reality is, the longer you delay, the more costly it becomes - the more your ministry hurts because of it. So right now, TAKE A MINUTE and think through what delays you might be experiencing and what you need to do right now to shorten those delays and roll out a better product for you students.
Thoughts? Comments? Questions? Experiences? Post a comment and let the discussion begin so that we can all benefit from it.
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What will you be remembered for?
In case you didn't hear, Steve Jobs, the founder of Apple, Inc. died yesterday. He was just 56 years old.
In all reality, you have had to be living in a nuclear shelter for the past 10-15 years to not have heard about Steve Jobs and all his creations: iMac, MacBook, iPod, iPhone, iPad to just name a few of the most popular. As I watched CNBC and read articles last night and today I heard a lot of different words/phrases to describe him. Rebel, icon, genius, innovator, visionary, creative, inspiring, mastermind, inventor, entrepreneur, leader are all words that I heard over and over again.
He will be missed by many people. He really did change the way people in the 21st century communicate, function and operate.
All this being said, it does bring to mind what I want to be remembered for when I pass away. What are people going to say about me when I am gone? What kind of legacy will I leave behind?
What about you? TAKE A MINUTE right now and think through what you think people are going to say about you when you are gone. Do you like what you think people are going to say or no? If not, what do you need to do today to leave a legacy that will go on for many, many years after you are gone from this earth? If so, what do you need to keep on doing to leave a lasting legacy for generations to come?
Matthew 5:16 - "In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven."
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Making Changes: Part 3 – Staffing/Volunteer
In case you didn't hear, Steve Jobs resigned this past Wednesday afternoon. This comes at a time when Apple, Inc. is riding an all time high of momentum (check out their latest quarterly earnings and how they apply to ministry here). Whether it is an iPhone, iPod, iPad or any other Mac computer, Apple is crushing the competition. But it wasn't always this way with Steve Jobs and Apple.
Did you know that Steve Jobs, the founder of Apple, Inc., was actually forced out of the company back in 1985? Because of slow Mac sales, poor relationships with colleagues and stronger competition from Microsoft, Jobs was shown the door from the company he created. However, with Apple struggling even more than when Jobs left in 1985, they asked him to come in 1997 to come back to Apple and take it over as CEO. It was only then that the new and improved Apple, Inc. came into fruition. What Jobs has done with Apple since his return is remarkable and his legacy will last a long time as a innovator and marketing genius.
Steve Jobs may be an extreme example, but sometimes job changes and even personnel changes may help make the person and the company better. Obviously, Apple looks really bad in hindsight for letting go of Steve Jobs back in the '80s but better late than never in recognizing that and bringing him back.
In light of last week's resignation, today I am going focus on part 3 of making ministry changes. Part 1: Programmatic changes and Part 2: Strategic changes were done last week. This change may be one of the hardest and biggest one of all the changes you make. It is making staffing and volunteer changes.
As hard as it may be at times, making some staffing and volunteer changes may be exactly what your ministry needs. There are probably a ton of reasons why these changes need to happen but the reality is that when making a change you realize that this particular Staffer or Volunteer is no longer being a valuable assest to your program. They are no longer making an impact. They may not be doing anything negative to affect the program but a change may be needed for the better. There are two different types of "personel" changes:
- It could be something simple like changing their focus
- Asking a leader to step down and no longer be a leader
Now, I want to caution you, my 1st suggestion would be to not just let this person "go" and ask them not to be a leader. The first thing you need to do is to go before God first and foremost and seek his counsel on it. See what He is telling you to do. If, after this time with the Lord, you feel like this person could be of some use in another area of your ministry, it would be best to meet with him/her and discuss your concerns and try to work out a plan for this person to go from making a limited impact to a highly successful one. After all, we want all our staffers and volunteers to be making an impact. If they are not, and have no desire to adjust and change, then there really isn't a point in having them involved much longer.
But what if you have a staffer or volunteer that is causing division and a divide in your group or leadership? What do you do then? Good question and for the sake of longevity of this post, I will be posting on that topic early next week.
Regardless of what you feel like God is leading you to do, I can say that if you know a change needs to happen and you, for whatever reason, do not make the change, it is going to affect your students and program.
So right now, TAKE A MINUTE and go before the Lord and seek his wisdom. Is there a change that needs to happen? In addition, after you spend some time with the Lord, go to a few trusted people with knowledge of your program and see if they feel any changes need to happen.
Thoughts, comments, questions? Post a comment so we can all benefit.
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