Ministry by the Numbers

Every ministry must give attention to numbers. Why? Because data gives you a snap shot of where your successes and challenges are developing. You don’t have to be numbers-driven to be affected by numerical data. If your numbers go up, you feel confident. If numbers go down you start questioning the game plan. Very few ministries are impartial towards numbers. After all, coaches are judged by them, merchants succeed or fail by them, athletes are passed over or paid according to them, and pastors compliment or complain because of them. It is rare for a supervising pastor to say with a straight face that he does not care about numbers. Even when it is said, it is often out of a desire not to appear to be ruled by them or appear spiritually immature about them.

The sooner you come to terms with the fact that you are going to be judged, evaluated, complemented, compelled, compared, or competed with over numbers the sooner you can move towards a healthy respect for numbers or an immunity from number obsession.

Good data coupled with honest interpretation can result in greater effectiveness, so let me share seven positive and seven negative number points.

Positive points about ministry by the numbers.

1.      Numbers can provide a snapshot of our ministry.

2.      Numbers help determine where challenges are developing.

3.      Numbers help determine where successes are developing.

4.      Numbers can reveal the portion of the wall that needs attention.

5.      Numbers represent souls and souls are extremely important to God.

6.      Numbers allow us to measure with accuracy.

7.      Numbers call us to fervent prayer – either thanking God for his protection and favor or pleading with Him for it.

When are numbers negative?

1.      When you use them to compare your ministry to others.

2.      When you allow the enemy to depress you or suppress you with them.

3.      When you focus too much on them.

4.      When you allow them to determine your strategy or corrupt the vision God has given you.

5.      When you applaud them or yourself.

6.      When you beat yourself up over them.

7.      When you spend more time analyzing them than praying over them.

Your aim is towards balance and health. The secret is to notice without obsessing. Focus more on becoming a healthy ministry rather a bigger ministry. If you are healthy you will eventually grow. The theory of Student Ministry growth is expressed as A+H=EN>. If it is ALIVE and HEALTHY, it will EVENTUALLY and NATURALLY grow.

The responsibility for nurturing a youth group towards sustained health is just as much your responsibility is as keeping your body and mind fit for service. But patience is a continual struggle and steps towards allowing health and subsequent growth takes time. Therein lies the rub – how much time? Of course each ministry situation is different and to some degree health is dependent on the excitement, attraction and overall health of the church as a whole. Albert Einstein said "The only reason for time is so that everything doesn't happen at once." Be patient and remember that the best growth is gradual and steady and if it all happened at once you would struggle to assimilate students and families or meet their individual needs.

Numbers should be for our health and ministry benefit so keep them in perspective and remember that what you do is too vital, too important to be unduly distracted by a negative number game. 

“So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria enjoyed peace being build up; and going on in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it continued to increase”. Acts 9:31

 ^“Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work”. Ephesians 4:15-16

Curriculum: Choose Wisely

Who's job is it to research, evaluate and select bible curriculum for your student ministry? In most student ministries the youth pastor is responsible for recruiting, training and nurturing small group leaders who teach biblical truth and exhibit a Christian lifestyle. The tools you select to assist your volunteers and yourself matter a great deal. When you purchase curriculum, don’t simply use it “as is” out of the box. Instead, read through it ahead of time and tailor it according to the individual needs of your students. From the mega-ministry to the mini-mart, someone should be “proofing” what is being served up on the table of truth from the curriculum tool box. A publishing company will never know your students as well as you or your small group leaders. If you have put your curriculum under a microscope you will be well informed and able to comment on any aspect of it. In many cases it’s not so much a trust issue between you and the publishing group as it is a responsibility towards “righty diving the word of truth”. It is also your opportunity to offer customization thoughts/ideas from which your small group leaders can draw from. When you take the time to know what your volunteers are teaching the parents will appreciate it and you will be conveying to your parents important a priority the small group discipleship time is to you. It is equally important that you consider having all your small group leaders using the same curriculum. Doing this allows students to be on the same page and leads your teachers towards a standardized approach in unpacking biblical content.

Consider the FIVE “T”s when selecting curriculum.

1    1.THEOLOGY: Is it theologically sound? You don’t want to miss the mark on this one. You are the gatekeeper, the filter, and the watchman.

2. TOP DOWN TENETS: Does it match up with my senior pastor and his major theological tenets? While you might think this would not be an issue with selecting student ministry curriculum it can become one. Often times a Youth Minister will inherit a senior pastor or vice versa and find out later that the two are on slightly different pages regarding a couple of theology points. If you intend to remain in your position then you need to be a team player and be willing and able to allow your theology to play second fiddle to that of the senior pastor.

3. TOOLS: Does it provide volunteers with enough quality tools to promote excellence in teaching?  Small group leaders must have access to quality commentary but equally beneficial and often compromised is a surfeit of ideas to get students connected, engaged and responsive during the bible lesson.

4. TEACHING: Is the content built upon solid instructional methods? The explanation, examination, and application should reflect high retention teaching methods that demonstrate a solid grasp of adolescent development?

5.  TIMED OUT: Is it stimulating, attractive and current regarding culture, references and illustration? Just because curriculum is old does not mean it has and expiration date. At the same time, just because curriculum is new does not mean it has been built upon solid methods for teaching adolescents.

In most youth ministries, teaching students the bible is accomplished from two main delivery platforms: 1. The adolescent pulpit during a  weekly large group gathering and 2. Small group discipleship programming like D-groups, Life groups or Connect groups.

No matter what you call your teaching or discipleship delivery system, take your responsibility for selecting curriculum seriously.

In a growing number of churches, the responsibility for selecting the primary discipleship curriculum has been removed from the privy of the student minister. Why? In many cases it is because one or more of the five T’s was not carefully considered. Don’t be a curriculum slacker who lets everyone choose what they want to use without your scrutiny. Equally important is not to jump on some new band-wagon of popular publishing without careful evaluation. Someone may be an awesome camp preacher, a great writer, or extremely creative yet completely miss the mark for developing high quality student ministry discipleship curriculum. If selecting the curriculum for building disciples is your responsibility be diligent not to fumble the ball from lack of focus or give it up through carelessness.

“Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that need not be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” II Timothy 2:15

To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak; I have become all things to all men, so that I may by all means save some. I do all things for the sake of the gospel, so that I may become a fellow partaker of it. I Corinthians 9:22-23

 

Personality and Student Ministry

Every church and every student ministry has its own personality. Some are known for their friendly disposition while others are known for their generosity and big heart towards missions. Some are community minded while others appear more separated. In large ministries even grades can have distinct personality. I once had an extraordinarily large eighth grade boys group and their personality as a grade in our ministry was overwhelmingly that group of “extrovert jocks”. There were always new prospects showing up on Wednesday night because these guys were outgoing with regular opportunities to invite team-mates and school friends. Being the seniors of the middle school they wielded considerable leverage for outreach.
What type of personality does your group have? What type of personality do you want it to have? If you stick around long enough, your ministry can become more like you. Is that good or bad? Your personality will essentially rub off on the students, the leadership and parents. They become comfortable with how you manage the ministry and how you approach situations. In a productive and healthy ministry, their confidence in you goes up as does their trust in your decisions. Remember that you are modeling the ministry to students that you want your volunteers to imitate.
Have you ever wondered what personality types are most vulnerable to burn-out, firing or failure in Student Ministry? Which personality type tends to register more ministry success and health? Taken from Gary Smalley and John Trent’s personality type inventory, the four animal types (Golden Retriever, Otter, Beaver, and Lion) help point to an understanding of what personality types appear to enjoy longer ministry tenure. According to Ken Kageler’s study, the breakdown of personality types among those youth ministers who were fired or burned-out rank as follows:
32% are Otters
30% are Golden Retrievers
25% are Lions
13% are Beavers
In our own SME study of student ministers with exceptional tenure (7 years in the same church) we found the highest-ranking personality type was the Golden Retriever, which earned 43.5 percent. According to Kageler’s study, the dominant personality type among youth ministers in the United States is the Golden Retriever at 40 percent, followed by the Otter at 32 percent. Additionally, Kageler found that the personality type leading in numerical attendance growth among middle school youth belongs to Lions at 81 percent followed by Beavers at 74 percent, while high school youth returned a 69 percent for Lions and 59 percent for Otters.
Golden Retriever types are loyal, relational, calm, easy-going, dependable, quiet, objective, diplomatic, and humorous. It is not surprising that these personality traits would produce a youth minister with a propensity towards exceptional tenure. There is an 8.7 percent difference between the frontrunner, Golden Retriever, and the second place personality type, which is the Lion. The Lion likes authority, takes charge, displays great confidence, enjoys leading, and is very determined. Since there is significant difference between these two personality types, one might conclude good news for both. The positive reality is that both types have a good record in position tenure. While all personalities have success at longevity, the Golden Retrievers and Lions can take comfort in the solid longevity track record among their diverse personality types. While all four personality types are represented in our tenure study, the lowest ranking type is the Beaver. At 17.4 percent, the Beaver falls 26.1 percentage points below the dominant Golden Retriever. The results might persuade a search team who places a high priority on longevity to seek a Golden Retriever or Lion for a youth minister. On the other hand, Beavers and Otters might take note of their standing in order to be more deliberate in achieving skills or practices that may extend tenure. No matter your personality, you have the opportunity to impact many lives and enjoy a healthy productive ministry as God calls you and leads you to shepherding students. Remember, your ministry, over time and to a great extent, will become “like” you. So minister with excellence and enjoy what God will build through your efforts.

“Be ye therefore imitators of God, as beloved children;² and walk in love, even as Christ also loved you, and gave himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for an odor of a sweet smell. Ephesians 5:1-2

“So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.³² Give no offense to Jews or to Greeks or to the church of God, ³³ just as I try to please everyone in everything I do, not seeking my own advantage, but that of many, that they may be saved. Be imitators of me as I am of Christ.” I Corinthians 10:31-11:1

Create A Watchtower Ministry

Make your ministry a Watchtower ministry. That can be a scary statement if you have ever had the Jehovah’s Witness pay you a house-call to leave their flagship flier the Watchtower. Of course I am not talking about a little pamphlet stuffed with well-disguised lies. I am talking about peering into the lives of students and observing their circumstances, their high times and their lows. If you have a large group, you will need to cultivate your leadership team and small group leaders to be the primary watchmen. If your group is smaller you may be the only one manning the tower at first. Before seminary, I wanted to save some start-up money for married life. Since my degree was in Criminology, I took a job in the Florida penal system at Union Correctional facility. As an engaged single guy I signed up for every hour of overtime I could get - double shifts, holiday pay, and close-custody compensation. However there was one drawback; my extra shift was usually on tower-duty. With a standard issue 12guage shotgun and an AR15 rifle, I sat in a concrete tower overlooking the recreation yard occupied by a thousand inmates each day. The visual vantage point from a tower is tremendous. You can see trouble brewing and direct help to various areas as needed. One vigilant watchman can respond to a variety of situations. Likewise, one committed ministry watchman can provide a tremendous amount of support to a student ministry. Give your volunteers the advantage of noticing students who might be struggling with life issues. Train volunteers not to assume struggling youth will be okay or that someone is speaking encouragement and truth into his or her situation. Train volunteers to pursue relational investment with students and engage them with genuine care and concern. Don’t get so busy that fraught students slip through the cracks or get lost in the masses.

“Then the lookout called, "O Lord, I stand continually by day on the watchtower, And I am stationed every night at my guard post.” Isaiah 21:8

“But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet to warn the people and the sword comes and takes someone’s life, that person’s life will be taken because of their sin, but I will hold the watchman accountable for their blood.’” Ezekiel 33:6

Media Tip

When using video from a movie trailer, Youtube or other open source media, make sure you watch the WHOLE clip before incorporating it into your lesson. There are few glitches more embarrassing than a surprise on the big-screen. Never use media imaging just to appear relevant or cool. On the other hand, don’t hesitate to illustrate a message point using video or some other media source. Modern media capability is a wonderful teaching enhancement tool but it can also make you the joke at Tuesday's staff meeting as well as a question mark in the minds of parents. Our standard in the way we teach, preach, present, counsel and function is to live up to Philippians 4:8 - "Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things." 1 Corinthians 10:31 - "Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God."

The SILO Effect

Be careful what you are constructing at the student ministry construction site. Without deliberate effort you may accidentally be building a silo rather than a production plant. Some construction looks awesome and spectacular on the outside but turns out to be more of a monument than a manufacturing plant. Is it silo or solo – same thing, a ministry that builds upward and is constructed to store rather than produce. While all silo building isn’t necessarily bad, it can become a real detriment in time. I don’t know of any credible student pastor who would deliberately choose to construct a student ministry storage facility over an adolescent Christian production plant. Without balance and purpose however,  an adolescent disciple making and manufacturing plant can accidentally be reduced to a silo or storehouse  ministry. A silo ministry operates more from an independent framework than from underneath the umbrella of the church as a whole. How you lead and implement your ministry in this regard is a major factor in evaluating healthy student ministry. A silo or tower style ministry does not look at itself as a slice of the pie. Silo leaders see their ministry as THE whole pie. But remember, you are not the whole pie, but only a slice of it. Albeit a very important slice and a slice which the church’s future success depends upon, but still only a slice. To be fair, let me offer a few strengths of a ministry that has a stich of silo fiber woven into the fabric. First, a silo ministry encourages people to remain focused on a particular ministry. Second, it tends to bring people who are passionate about a particular ministry together. Third, a silo ministry can ensure that a particular group is strong in being thoroughly looked after. Fourth, a silo ministry leader knows precisely who he is to encourage, train, support, and supply. Interestingly, the weaknesses of silo ministry emerge from extreme versions of its strength characteristics applied over time. For example, silo ministry can create an environment where the ministry and its leader is so busy looking after its own interest and building itself up that it loses touch with the pastor’s vision for the whole church. Also, if each individual ministry is determined to secure the best resources, recruit the best people, and secure its desired finances without equal concern for the greater body, then the whole church will eventually suffer. Rather than the church body working together in sync towards a church-wide vision it dissolves into a dysfunctional organization with little to no conversation across ministry lines. Another problem with silo style leadership is that the team you lead become more important than the team you are on. In this system, volunteers can become valued only for their ability and willingness to serve your particular ministry silo. This promotes a recruiting competition that becomes more concerned with bagging the best volunteer leaders rather than helping people find their best ministry match per gift and skill set.
Patrick Lencioni the author of the “silo” concept shares the following negative results from allowing such a ministry style to take root.

• Unhealthy competition emerges
• Jealousy creeps in
• Hurt feelings pile up
• Pride increases
• Lack of trust grows
• Fighting over limited resources
• Foot dragging on collaborative ideas
• Politics establish priorities

How can you tell if you are accidentally constructing a silo ministry rather than a disciple factory? Ask yourself these questions:

1. Is filling a position more important to you than helping people discover their passion?

2. Is the value of a volunteer highly linked to whether or not they serve in your ministry?

3. Do you find yourself lobbying for resources that will only benefit your ministry area?

4. Do invite input from other ministry staff to determine how your ministry event can also benefit their area of expertise.

5. Do you seek to collaborate with other ministers in planning, promoting, and executing a ministry happening.

6. Do you involve the entire church by seeking and sharing prayer request when possible? If you do, the church receives the privilege of prayer, you get the credit for thinking of the senior adults and the youth ministry wins through supernatural prayer and practical promotion of ministry. Nothing can help your efforts more than an army of senior citizens who have time to pray for you, your students and your family. Also, they will likely spread the word how “awesome” and thoughtful you are.

If you want to change, minimize or remove silos from your ministry remember to build from the bottom up. Base your ministry foundation on unity remembering that unity does not mean uniformity.

“How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity.” Psalm 133:1

“I appeal to you, dear brothers and sisters, by the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ, to live in harmony with each other. Let there be no divisions in the church. Rather, be of one mind, united in thought and purpose.” 1Corinthians 1:10

Christianese

Ditch the “Christianese.” It is a bit comical but mostly sad to hear any minister use abstruse theology or diffuse biblical concepts. They sound smart and well trained as a polymath in Christian living. However, our intent should be to expose people to the Gospel rather than leaving them confused or impressed by our prolix of verbosity. While student pastors are not the leaders of the pack in this matter compared to those serving as senior pastor, it can be a challenging aspect of student ministry. We want to challenge students without watering down the non-negotiable truths, yet we also want them “get it”. Better to err on the side of simplicity than arcane pleonasm. Use language teenagers understand. This is not the same as using language that sounds like a teenager is the one talking, but rather using words that convey concrete concepts and leave little room for misunderstanding. ex: Christianese says: The third part of the triune God spilt His blood as the propitiation for our transgressions. Speaker to an adolescent audience says: Jesus is the payment for our sin debt. Deep theological lessons and countless hours of preparation mean nothing if they don’t know what you’re talking about. And while I am on a verbal rant, please make a deliberate effort to use words like I, we, and us when preaching rather than you, they, and them. Too often preaching assumes everyone in the room is a believer or the implied idea that everyone needs what is being preached but the one doing the preaching. They may never know how much time you spend preparing to deliver a theological masterpiece understood by your adolescent audience. They may never appreciate your dedication to crafting Gods word into understandable concepts that a high school student can grasp. They may not realize the challenge in delivering bite-sized truths that capture the attention span of a middle school student with Attention Deficit Disorder. But if you speak the truth in love and commit to the task of building a sermon with the learning style and developmental stage of your target audience in mind, you will find more students responding to the truth of the Gospel.

“The unfolding of your words gives light; it imparts understanding to the simple.” Psalm 119:130

“Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.” Colossians 4:6