holidays | Ministry Blackboard

26Dec/110

The Monday Morning Debrief: Christmas break hangouts

If you are a minster who has today off and is actually reading this on Monday, Dec. 26, 2011, do me a favor - SHUT DOWN YOUR COMPUTER. As ministers, we rarely get a day off where we aren't thinking about ministry or processing ministry or even answering a call or text. So, considering we worked all week leading up to Christmas Eve and day and then worked Christmas Eve and day, you need to shut down your computer right now and hang with your family. Seriously...turn it off...right now.

But, if this isn't a day off for you or if you are reading this on another day other than the 26th, I'd like to challenge you to think of what you can be doing this week to reach out to students. The winter break is a great time to hang out with students informally and build relationships. They can tell you about what they got for Christmas and what they are planning on doing for New Years Eve. If students are anything like my own children, it doesn't take much time form them to get bored as they look for something to do. So, if this isn't a week off for you, TAKE A MINUTE right now and think through what students you could give a call to this week and hang out with.

Now, if this is your week off, by all means, make the most of it and spend it with your family. You've worked hard all year and you deserve time off so take that time and enjoy. Seriously, really spend that time and invest in your family.

What are your thoughts, comments, questions or experiences? Post a comment and let the discussion begin so that we can all benefit from it.

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12Dec/110

The Monday Morning Debrief: Do you know what your “Shoppers” want?

This past week I read an interesting article on Yahoo! Finance about Christmas shoppers and deals. It appears that although the stores are offering a greater percentage off on their products, shoppers aren't biting. It seems that although the deals may be better percentage wise, they aren't on items that shoppers want. So the shoppers are revolting and holding out for better deals which made me wonder if the stores know what the consumer really wants. Who cares that there is 50% off of a ZuZu pet when their customers want 50% off an iPod Touch?

Stores need to know what their customers really want. If they don't know and understand their customer and what they are looking for, then they probably aren't going to get the kind of business they desire.

So how does this apply to ministry?

Just as holiday shoppers appear to be revolting against the "deals" the stores are offering, are students in your ministry revolting against what you are offering? By that I mean, are you offering services and activities to students that aren't working? If so, what do you need to do to get them back on board and take you up on what you are offering?

Now, I'm not advocating complete "consumerism" where you "give in" to everything students (and their parents) want. That is visionless and can be very harmful to your ministry. However, what I am encouraging is that we listen to our customer (our target, our audience) and find out what they do want and prefer. T'here is no use having a program filled up with what we view as great things if the students aren't satisfied.

So right now, as the fall semester is winding down and the Christmas/New Years break is upon us, TAKE A MINUTE and begin to evaluate where you are at in ministry. Whether it is polling some leaders, talking to some students, probing some parents or even creating an evaluation to hand out to all parties involved to see if you are reaching your customer. Now is the perfect time to make mid-year changes. So what are you going to do so that instead of frustrating and/or losing customers, you reach more in the winter and spring?

Thoughts? Comments? Questions? Experiences? Post a comment and let the discussion begin so that we can all benefit from it.

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8Dec/110

POLL: Volunteer Leader Appreciation

Volunteer Leaders are the best. Many of them work full-time or go to school full-time while others have growing families of their own. Yet somehow, someway find time to reach out to middle and high school students and make an impact on their lives. And the best thing is that they do it for FREE. Now, we all know that because of all they do for us, that makes it even more important that we appreciate and affirm them for the HUGE amount of help they offer us on a daily and weekly basis. We really couldn't do our job if it weren't for the countless hours they give.

So with this in mind, and Christmas right around the corner, now is the perfect opportunity to show your volunteer leaders just how much you appreciate them. I created a poll below with some simple things, but I'm sure there is a ton of great ideas that you have done or are doing during the Christmas season. So TAKE A MINUTE, look over the poll and post what you do for your leaders so that the appreciated and cared for this year.

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