What is Your Scorecard for Measuring Success?
8 Comments Published by Terrace Crawford on 4/13/12 at 9:45 AM.
We need a new scorecard for measuring success in Youth Ministry. Quite frankly, in the CHURCH period! I get sick of hearing from youth workers all over the nation who get treated so poorly by their leadership (and even fired) because they aren't producing enough numbers. Numbers aren't always an accurate picture of health, and therefore, should not be the scorecard for measuring success. This is an entirely different blog post waiting to happen, so I digress...
What got me thinking about this topic at all was a quick read from an expert of a job description posted on Tim Steven's blog from Granger Community Church. Check out this line...
So what is your scorecard for measuring success? What do you think about this job description?
By the way, if you are looking for a position or know someone who might be a great fit for this role, as Student Ministries Director, tell them to apply soon.
What got me thinking about this topic at all was a quick read from an expert of a job description posted on Tim Steven's blog from Granger Community Church. Check out this line...
"Many youth pastors measure their success on what they can do. The person in this role will measure success by what they equip others to do."What a wonderful way to measure success. Spot on, Granger. Spot on.
So what is your scorecard for measuring success? What do you think about this job description?
By the way, if you are looking for a position or know someone who might be a great fit for this role, as Student Ministries Director, tell them to apply soon.
Labels: church leaders, Hot Topics, Issues, Leadership, Resources, Youth Pastors, Youth workers
Our editorial team at ChurchLeaders worked on a special project together earlier this year. We pulled together the best articles that we've published on the website (including articles for Pastors, Youth Pastors, Children's Pastors, Worship Leaders, Small Group Leaders and Outreach Leaders). The result: The Top 100 articles put together in a nice book!This resource features content from some of the most respected leaders in the church today: Andy Stanley, Bill Hybels, Thom Rainer, Craig Groeschel, Greg Stier, and more!
This book is now available for purchase and to celebrate the release of the book I'm offering 5 FREE COPIES here on my blog!
Here's How to Win:
1. Follow @terracecrawford on twitter.
2. Tweet this: I just entered to WIN a FREE copy of the Top 100 from @terracecrawford here: http://bit.ly/mU03TP
3. Comment on this post: include your twitter name (so we know you did step one & two) and what city & state you are from.
4. At 5PM (EST), this Thursday, October 13th we will choose 5 random winners (1 book for each winner!) from the comments & we will tweet you!
If you don't win, you can always purchase your copy via ChurchLeaders.com or Amazon.com.
Labels: Church, church leaders, contests, Leadership, Resources, Youth Pastors
Why You Shouldn't Try To Start a Movement
2 Comments Published by Terrace Crawford on 9/15/11 at 2:32 PM.
A few weeks ago I asked a youth worker out to lunch. We met, had lunch, and talked about our ministries together. In a very short time I noticed a pattern. God seemed to be leading us to teach on some of the very same topics and address some of the same issues in our respective ministries.
Over the last couple of weeks I’ve been working on my upcoming teaching series to help students to take their faith public and began to think about how I wanted to brand the series and roll it out to our students.
Enter the youth worker I had lunch with.
He also had been working on a teaching series to help students take their faith public and just a few days ago branded the series and presented it to his student ministry. Immediately the thing took off. Students overwhelmingly embraced it and it looks like a movement has started.
I was in awe of the response of his students and how God has started using his teaching. It was good. Very good, in fact. So good that I had to come up with something different. It was a tall order though… because I had to work harder to create something bigger and better than he did.
Enter the inward struggle.
I started to really wrestle with this. Why did I have to create something different? Something better? Why can’t I just join the movement instead of creating a new one?
So that is exactly what I did. I tried to overcome my jealously… my drive…my pride… and I picked up the phone and called this youth worker. I told him how great of an idea he had. I told him how awesome it was (and also how obvious it was) that God has started a movement. Then I asked to join him. I asked, “Why can’t we collaborate and do something really big here?” And that’s exactly what we’re doing.
Here are 3 quick things I learned through this:
1. God may have you address some of the same topics with your students as the youth worker down the street. Action item: Have conversations with local youth workers to see if you recognize any themes or patterns.
2. I’m not immune to jealousy, pride, or a competitive spirit when it comes to ministry. My hunch is that you aren’t either. Action item: Ask God to search your heart and point out where you might struggle with these things.
3. God may already be at work around you and you need to recognize it. Action item: Don’t believe the lie that you need to try to start a movement. You might need to join one. You can quote me on that!
Over the last couple of weeks I’ve been working on my upcoming teaching series to help students to take their faith public and began to think about how I wanted to brand the series and roll it out to our students.
Enter the youth worker I had lunch with.
He also had been working on a teaching series to help students take their faith public and just a few days ago branded the series and presented it to his student ministry. Immediately the thing took off. Students overwhelmingly embraced it and it looks like a movement has started.
I was in awe of the response of his students and how God has started using his teaching. It was good. Very good, in fact. So good that I had to come up with something different. It was a tall order though… because I had to work harder to create something bigger and better than he did.
Enter the inward struggle.
I started to really wrestle with this. Why did I have to create something different? Something better? Why can’t I just join the movement instead of creating a new one?
So that is exactly what I did. I tried to overcome my jealously… my drive…my pride… and I picked up the phone and called this youth worker. I told him how great of an idea he had. I told him how awesome it was (and also how obvious it was) that God has started a movement. Then I asked to join him. I asked, “Why can’t we collaborate and do something really big here?” And that’s exactly what we’re doing.
Here are 3 quick things I learned through this:
1. God may have you address some of the same topics with your students as the youth worker down the street. Action item: Have conversations with local youth workers to see if you recognize any themes or patterns.
2. I’m not immune to jealousy, pride, or a competitive spirit when it comes to ministry. My hunch is that you aren’t either. Action item: Ask God to search your heart and point out where you might struggle with these things.
3. God may already be at work around you and you need to recognize it. Action item: Don’t believe the lie that you need to try to start a movement. You might need to join one. You can quote me on that!
Labels: church leaders, churches, Hot Topics, Issues, Youth workers
We've just redesigned the homepage at ChurchLeaders.com. I'm coming up on a year (can't believe its been that long already) as an editor for them. I've truly enjoyed working along with such great people. If you've never checked out the site I encourage you to do that today!
Here's a snapshot in the meantime:
Labels: church leaders, Resources, Site Shout, Youth Pastors
