I've Got Another Brand New Book!

Last weekend I did a pre-release of my brand new book STRETCH-Structuring Your Ministry For Growth. This is the book I wish I could have written first, the only problem was it took me 35 years to learn the principles inside. I sent the book to several Kidmin friends for them to read and over the next few days I'll be sharing some of their comments here on my blog. I hope some of them will also write about it on their blogs.  Also I have given some free copies to some other Kidmin friends to give away on their blogs so I think you'll start seeing some folks talk about it. This is also the first time I've released a book in two versions- there's a paperback version and also there is a special handback edition!


STRETCH has been in my heart for several years. I learned about the importance of structure at my very first church. That's when I learned the hard way that a growth structure would automatically turn into a maintance structure when you hit the 75-80% rule. If I didn't enlarge my structure I was going to be stuck. Every church I have worked at has experience growth. These principles have been tried and tested in churches of different kinds and sizes in four different states. If you are wanting your ministry to grow then this is the book for you!


Here's a listing of the topics inside...


1. The importance of structure
2. Making room to receive
3. Beginning keys to building structure in ministry
4. Structuring yourself to grow
5. Enlarging the abilities of those you lead
6. Structuring your organization for growth
7. Structuring your volunteers for growth
8. Structuring your facilities for growth
9. Communicating your structure
10. Questions to ask yourself.


I believe this book is the most practical leadership book I have ever written. The official release date is September 15th, until then I'm going to be given some away free. In fact all you have to do to enter to win is to tweet the following "@jimwideman is giving away a copy of his latest book STRETCH #kidmin #churchgrowth." Feel free to tweet every day, also checkout this blog to learn more about this new resource from Jim Wideman Ministries.

Illuminate Birmingham was a blast!

This past weekend I got to be a part of the Illuminate Conference in Birmingham. Illuminate is the brainchild of Kenny Conley and his team at Gateway Church in Austin. I love Kenny like a son and was so delighted he asked me to be a part of the pair of conferences. This past weekend the first #illumin8 was held in my birth city Birmingham, Alabama. I love to minister in Birmingham not only is it great to be home but I just love to be around Alabama people. There were also a ton of folks from Georgia, Mississippi & Tennessee. 

Besides me and Kenny, Sam Luce, Jonathan Cliff & Amy Fenton Lee also did breakouts. I love each of these folks and it was such an honor to teach along side them. These are some of the greatest #kidmin leaders I know. Speaking of incredible leaders Jenny Funderburke one of my infuse coaches hosted the conference. Jenny is on my leaders to watch list. (I also think she should be on yours. http://jennyfunderburke.com/blog/) Matt McKee from Roar & Orange leaders was there as well. I love to hangout with leaders like these!

But what make the Illuminate Conference difference from other regional conferences? I’m glad you asked. Have you ever gone to a conference and walked out thinking to yourself, “I wish every one of my volunteers had been here for that”? That’s one of the main reasons why Illuminate was created. Volunteers are the heartbeat of every ministry and just like pastors, directors and staff, they too need the kind of equipping, inspiration and challenge that often comes from the conference experience. Sometimes our volunteers need to hear someone else say the same things we’ve been saying to them all along. Sometimes a simple change of venue or exposure to a few new ideas can light a fire under your volunteer teams that will fuel them with new passion and excitement for what God has called them to do. This is the big #illumin8 difference!

Although a few breakouts for church staff are offered (you need some focused and relevant inspiration too), most of the breakouts are laser-focused at equipping volunteers. Special attention is paid to the various roles found within the typical Children’s Ministry and breakouts are developed to accommodate every volunteer you intend to bring. Almost every speaker at Illuminate are currently on staff in the local church or serving in the areas they’re speaking about. When preparing their talk, they’re asked to keep the topic within the context of “what would you want the volunteers at your church to know as a result of attending your breakout.”

Birmingham is in the record books but if you live anywhere near Austin Tx I hope you’ll join us Saturday, November 12, 2011. To find out more information or to register your team at this incredible low price. http://austin.illuminateconference.tv/

Illuminate is one of the best ideas to help the local church that’s come along in a while!

Why Can’t We All Just Get Along?- Part 2

There have been problems on both sides. Children’s ministers don’t just dislike youth pastors; most Youth Pastors don’t esteem Children’s ministers either. 

Neither do others in the church. When you boil it down our society at large do not esteem those who work with children. It’s a shame what we pay teachers in our country. But we must do more than talk about it; we must give others a reason to esteem us! I think it’s time for Youth Pastors to view Children’s Ministry as a feeder program and work along side the children’s ministry to help strengthen it with their students helping out and learning about serving. The problem is we Children’s Ministers see our ministry as an end instead of part of the preparation process. 

As a team we must prepare kids for the youth ministry. The Youth minister must prepare kids for college and life as a young adult. There is a big difference between renovation and new construction. In new construction each trade works together to build the building base on the blue prints as a single unit working together! It’s up to me to remember our enemy is the devil not each other. 

So with all these things in mind here’s five things that we all should be working together on to help the family succeed 

1. Start with the end in mind and work backwards to build a plan that will give your pastor the end result that he desires to turn children and teens into adult believers in your local church. 

2. Create in children and students a hunger for the Word of God. There is a difference in Bible knowledge and a hunger for the Word. Love for the Word builds a love for Jesus. It’s more important that your young people love Jesus even more than love your church. 

3. Help children and students understand the importance of spiritual service. Desire to train children for a lifetime of service. The way they should go includes serving and ministering to others! I just don’t know why more churches don’t realize that farm clubs work in more than major league baseball. The Children’s ministry should feed everything the youth ministry is doing. The Youth ministry should use the children’s ministry as a training ground for teaching teens about serving. 

4. Watch out for sibling rivalry. Speak highly of each other’s programs and help each other be better. (Iron sharpening iron) Make the kids look forward to being a part of the next ministry. How you lead laterally is just as important as how you lead in any other direction. Don’t compete for all the attention of the Pastor and the budget of the church do everything you can to make everyone on the team look good! 

Don’t think for one minute you build your self-worth by cutting down another minister. Don’t hog all the resources. Settle disagreements fast. This is a key for any lasting relationship. 5. Work together to connect with parents to be a better parent. Remember Deut. 6:6-7 “These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. 

Both teens and young children need models at home! They both need consistent and intentionality to leave a mark. Parent’s must take back the time God said was their’s Morning, Bedtime, travel, when you sit at home. 

Who wins when the Children and Youth Pastors work together? Everybody does, especially the family! 

Why Can’t We All Just Get Along?

 All of us in ministry are on the same team, at least we are supposed to be!

1 Corinthians 12:14-19 tells us there are many different parts of the body of Christ but we exist for the same purpose. If you look in these verses you’ll see three main points. First you should see that every part of the body is needed and is important. Second there is no place for jealousy in the body! And third God knew what He was doing by creating different parts of the body by His own design. We might have different callings or interests but we have the same purpose. The other day I was looking at some different posts on twitter and after reading some #kidmin posts and also a few #stumin or #youthmin posts and reading some of the blogs they were connected to I felt lead to do my own tweet… “I’m not sure who started the war kidmin or stumin? Doesn’t matter it’s time to end it and work together”. I got several retweets and comments but the fact is it’s time we started working together to reach the family. As long as parents have children to parent I want to help them succeed.

Ephesians 4:11-12 says “It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up. I have looked from cover to cover and I can’t find the title Children’s or Youth Pastor mentioned in the Bible other than under the office of the pastor. We both exist to serve and help our pastors. We might work with different age groups but the purpose is the same! Proverbs 22:6 tells us to “Train up a child in the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart. This verse to me doesn’t stop in children’s ministry; it extends to the youth department and beyond. What we do to train children from thirteen to age eighteen is just as important to the process as what we do from three years old until twelve. My good friend Mark Harper says “If Children don’t make close friends at church during forth, fifth and sixth grade then will not stay plugged in the church youth group. I agree with Mark that the things we do with children have lasting affects.

Structure is an amazing study to me. One of the cool things about getting to travel to different churches is to see how they organize and structure their different ministries. For some reason a lot of churches like to do what they have always done. Because of this they have what they have always had. Just because you adopt a model for a season doesn’t mean you are married to it forever. There are many models to choose from today most I have found are a re-naming or re-positioning of older models. Also I am seeing that many people are moving to a family ministry model but they have not spent time defining what family ministry looks like to them and they put the family ministry name on an old Christian Education model. What you do to aid and assist the family is more important to me than what you call it.

Since we are part of the same family we must practice family living. Judgment must start with us. 1Peter 4:17 says, “For it is time for judgment to begin with the family of God; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God? It’s up to us to pray and search our hearts and ask God to show us areas where we have an us verses them mentality. It’s time to be all “us” when it comes to helping the family reach their children no matter what age their children are. We all have to decide to support one another. As a long time children’s pastor I purposed there where some things I needed to do to help the student ministry department long before I was over it. Commit to pray for the youth ministry team. Offer help to them; use your talents, abilities, and giftings to serve them. Ask for their help and input. Learn to practice Romans 12:15 and rejoice with the accomplishments of others. Dare to be an encourager even better yet dare to be a friend. Proverbs 18:25 tells us “A man that hath friends must show himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother. I think it’s also important for youth and children’s ministers to learn to share joyfully. In most churches it is a necessity to have to share rooms or facilities. That’s also true for resources and even workers. We should also go out of our way to share ideas. For this spirit of sharing to really exist we must be willing to confront wrong thinking and actions and act as a peace maker (Romans 12:18) Admit when there is a problem and always be willing to work out all differences.

Moving Your Ministry From Good To Remarkable- Part 5

#10.  Evaluate your ministry on a regular basis. Good ministries evaluate sometimes, remarkable ministries evaluate constantly!

Here are the seven main areas I evaluate to move my ministry from good to remarkable:

1.  Fruit, results, decisions. What are we doing that’s working and producing lasting results. Is our main thing truly the main thing?

2.  Marketing, graphics, and publications. If your publications don’t look remarkable you won’t be remarkable.

3.  Teachers, teaching, and curriculum. We are only as strong as the weakest member of our team. For our outcome to be remarkable our product and our presentation must be also!

4.  Attendance, check-in, and follow-up. These came make you or break you. Evaluate this weekly!

5.  Facilities this includes both the décor and the cleanliness.

6.  Signage, maps, and customer service. You might not think these go together but they do. How people can navigate on their own throughout your building is as much customer service as the friendliness of your workers and staff.

7.  Last but not least remarkable ministries evaluate their leadership development, their communication, as well as the policies, procedures and   organization.

Don’t be happy with a good children’s ministry, desire remarkable and commit to what it takes to move from good to remarkable!

Moving Your Ministry From Good To Remarkable- Part 4

 #9.  Remarkable leaders are organized. Some people think organization is like good looks you either have it or you don’t. Organization and time management are learned behaviors! Management is the key to promotion Matthew 25:23  says “His master replied, Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master'shappiness!' Management is the key to promotion!  Promotion isn’t just a title change or salary increase it’s being trusted with more

Managing small things well is an indicator of how you will handle more. 

There are five things I believe you need to get organized...

1.  You need a vision.

2.  You need priorities. If you don’t have priorities, you can’t keep them

What are your priorities? Do you have a list? Are they God’s priorities? Do you have someone that can hold you accountable?

3.  Have a desire to change.    Psalms 37:4 tells us “Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart.”

It’s up to you to get your want to right.

4.  Every job is easier with the right tools, even organization.

What are the right tools? My five favorite organization tools are my calendar or PDA, my watch, my timer, my computer and my cell phone.

5.  Develop a routine for the things you do (Habits are not all bad)

Assign days and times that are the same each week. Control your schedule and don’t let your schedule control you. Treat your time like it belongs to you, because it does. If you consider your time valuable, become a student of time management. (I’ve got some great resources on time management at www.jimwideman.com. Be sure and checkout my book "Beat The Clock")

       

Moving Your Ministry From Good To Remarkable- Part 3

#4.  Keep growing and improving in your abilities. Leaders are learners. What are you reading? How much are you reading? Who are you listening to? Who are you watching or observing? Who are you asking questions to? Are you putting into practice what you are learning? Are you evaluating your actions?

            

#5.  Don’t get weary in doing good things. You must develop habits to manage stress. Weary means physically or mentally exhausted; fatigued; tired.  It can also mean impatient or dissatisfied with something. Learn how to refresh yourself and add stress relievers to your life style. The ministry can be a very stressful occupation.  2 Corinthians 4:8 and 9 says “We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed;perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. This is the attitude of someone who has moved from good to remarkable. Mr. Webster defines stress as “the physical, mental, or emotional pressure, pull or force exerted on one thing by another; strain; tension.” Just because stress exists doesn’t mean it cannot be managed and controlled. Electricity like stress can be deadly but when it is harnessed and controlled it is a powerful and helpful resource. You never can be sure of your strength or your ability to lead till it is tested by pressure.

        

 #6.  Keep a great attitude always. Guard your heart towards leadership, towards others, towards our feelings and our circumstances. Our thoughts should line up with the Word. I love this scripture, Philippians 2:5-7  Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who,

 being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. Your attitude can move you either toward remarkable or keep you from it.

#7.  Be a leader. My favorite definition of a leader is a person who leads! Leadership is the ability to lead. It’s up to each individual to lead and it’s up to me to improve my abilities as a leader. My favorite question to ask myself is “Am I pointing the way to the next level and showing others how to get there?” If you haven’t already I recommend you reading my book “Children’s Ministry Leadership- The You Can Do It Guide, if you have then read it again until you practice what it teaches by reflex.

         

#8.  Don’t keep doing the same old stuff. Remarkable leaders don’t get stuck. Same action brings same results every time. Why we do the same things over and over and how can we avoid it? Let the creative power of God flow in you. Be an innovator. Expose yourself to others who are doing remarkable things. Go to conferences and seminars and network. Go see what others do in action. Stay away from the “That’s the way we’ve always done it” kind of thinking.

All of us get comfortable with things we are familiar with. We thing our way is

the best way. Don’t be afraid to get outside your comfort zone. Try something new, experiment a little. Allow yourself to be stretched!

Put yourself in the children’s place. Dare to enter the world of a child.

A wrong structure also causes us to get stuck. Remarkable ministries examine their structure on a regular basis to determine if it’s a growth structure or maintenance structure. Remarkable children’s ministries are always on the lookout for ruts. I’ve noticed over the last 30 years some common ruts of children ministry:

1.  The order of service format stays the same.

2.  We sing same songs.

3.  We use the same teaching methods all the time.

4. The same teachers do same segments, make different assignments on a regular basis and keep it fresh.

5.  Same props or objects no mater the lessons

6.  Same activities, events and special days you’ve always done

7.  Same clip art, fonts & art look

        

Moving Your Ministry From Good To Remarkable- Part 2

 #2.  Keep your vision gauge on full. This is your responsibility. Do you know the vision of the house? Your individual ministry vision is just a part of the overall corporate vision.

Your vision is your target. If you aim at nothing you’ll hit it every time.

Spend some time doing what Habakkuk 2: 2 tells us and define your vision. While you’re writing it all down go ahead and develop a strategy or a plan. Start with the end in mind. Three questions I like to ask are:

 1. Where do you want to end up?

 2. Where are you right now?

 3.  What are some reachable short-term goals or steps. Now that you have a plan you have to work it

         

#3.  Be an example, someone worth copying. 1 Timothy 4:12 says “ Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity.

Are you an example in your home life? Are your finances in order?

Are you an example in management? Are you an example of a servant?

         

Moving Your Ministry From Good To Remarkable

I like good things, I always have! You who know me well know I enjoy a good meal. I really enjoy a good laugh. I’m always on the lookout for good books, good deals and churches with a good children’s ministry! I believe according to God’s Word we were created to do good works. Ephesians 2:10 tells us,   “For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus

to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Although we have been created to do good works, not everyone does them. We must desire to do good works, that step number one but we also must work at it. Colossians 1:10   says “And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God.”  This doesn’t happen by accident but it is something we must work at constantly. Paul is talking about a life style that moves us from OK to good!

But as good as good is, great is better. Great is what leads us to remarkable!   I like a good meal but a great one is something to tell others about.    I like a good book but a great book, I can hardly put down.    I have passed up some good deals but a great deal I’ve never walked away from. I’m sure you feel the same way  but when it comes to Children’s Ministry we get satisfied or content with good. We have been called and equipped to do great. In John 14:12 Christ tells us

“I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing.

He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. With this in mind I want to give you ten steps to increase your leadership and move your ministry from good to remarkable.

#1.  Stay hooked into Jesus.  Desire to grow daily in your walk and relationship with God. You cannot move to remarkable with yesterday’s spiritual commitment. Give yourself a  test by answering the following questions:

1.  Has there ever been a time in your life that you were more in love with Jesus

than you are right now?

2.  Are you in the Word regularity? (Not for preparation to teach but for you.)

3.  Do you pray more now than you ever have in your life?

4.  Do you attend corporate worship services regularly?

5.  Have you won anyone to Jesus lately? (Not counting in class)

6.  Are you able to maintain a victorious Christian life by attending church and staying

 in the word?  (No counseling or outside help needed)

7.  Do you know you are walking in God’s perfect plan for your life?

How did you do? What do you need to change to go from good to remarkable spiritually?

        more to come...

Delegate or Die: Developing Volunteers Through Ministry-Part 4

10. Dare to confront others .  When you see things that need to be done differently gently confront them..  Don’t wait on things to become a problem, be on the offence and deal with things as they come up.

11. Make corrections and changes when necessary.  What if they quit?  Why be negative, If they quit they quit but what if they change and become a super leader?  If it’s not broke don’t fix it, in other words don’t make changes just for the sake of change.  Every service can be better than the last one if you make changes and corrections each week.  I make a list each Sunday, then spend my week correcting that list then next week, I get to make a new list.

12. Don’t let your volunteers get in a rut.  Don’t keep doing the same old stuff in ministry.  Watch out for complacency.  Be on the look out for familiarity.  Remember variety is the spice of life.  Keep volunteers excited and doing new things.  Each week I look for things I can suggest to my volunteers, have you tried this?  Keep things different.  Different is good!

13. Always set the pace, be the leader.  Be the kind of person you would like to work for.  Dare to lead no matter what.  Give your volunteers an example to follow and a model worth imitating.  

14. Don’t fret about what you don’t have, concentrate on what you have.  So many children’s ministers I know always talk about how many workers they don’t have instead of thanking God for the workers they do have and committing yourself to help each of them find their next level as a leader.

Lead who will follow.  If all you have to lead are kids, start with the kids.  It doesn’t matter how many workers you need, start where you are.  Jesus needed twelve disciples but he didn’t recruit all twelve at the same time.  He recruited them in ones and twos.  If you have a few faithful teens, lead them.  If you only have a few key adults, lead them.  When you pour yourself into improving the ability of those around you.  God will give you more.  You see when you do small things well, God will make you a ruler over more.  But the starting point is always right where you are.

15. As you experience success don’t forget about the things you did that caused you to gain success.  Don’t throw the baby out with the bath water.  Don’t quit doing what has worked for you.   Remember to “dance with the girl that brought us to the dance.”  As your ministry grows keep a closeness among the workers.  We are a big church with a small church closeness.  Ask others about things that you have done they enjoyed or that they miss.  I now have people on my staff that serve me, that where kids in my children’s ministry.  I love to ask them “What were the things I did, or activities we had that stand out in your mind?”  I’m finding that things that have worked in the past will work again.   Also I’ve learned it’s the little things we do in ministry that really count.  I try to encourage my workers to not abandon the things they are doing that are working.  

Delegation is not an option for those who want to succeed in ministry.  But to succeed you must take inventory of where you are.  Start small and go from there.  I try to recruit my team one worker at a time.  Ask yourself and your volunteers, “What do I need to do differently?” What volunteers do you see potential in?  Commit to coach volunteers and let them learn by doing.  What are you waiting on?  Delegate or Die!

Delegate or Die: Developing Volunteers Through Ministry-Part 3

4. Define exactly what you want done.  Everyone needs a job description.  Especially volunteers!  They also need checklist to show them what you want them to do as well as to provide a way to communicate with you what was done.  Remember to always do what is best for the children and not what is only best for adults.  Rotation doesn’t work in building volunteers through action.  Look at verse 22 of Exodus 18, “Have them serve as judges for the people at all times, but have them bring every difficult case to you; the simple cases they can decide themselves. That will make your load lighter, because they will share it with you.  This was not a once a month job but something that was an all the time commitment.

5. Train and teach those you recruit. Exodus 18:20 tells us to “Teach them the decrees and laws, and show them the way to live and the duties they are to perform.  You must model to others how you want it done.  Classes are good, but hands on training is better.  Christians are the only people group I know that confuse the word training with verbal instruction.  Every secular job that offers training does so by verbal communication in addition to the hands on training and mentoring.  You don’t have to be the only model.  I use my master teachers and coordinators to help me train and equip others.  Everyone  should be helping in the training and equipping process.

6. Push authority down!  It is extremely important that you always delegate authority along with responsibility.  One of the dumbest sayings I know is “The buck stops here.” There are many places for the buck to stop when you give authority to others.  Those you delegate to can mot carry out the tasks that you desire without the  authority.

7. Put your heart into the level of leadership under you.  A person cannot represent you well if they don’t have your heart.  You cannot put your heart into your volunteer leaders without making a commitment to spend time with them. Always take someone with you whenever you can.  Be quick to pass on what you know to someone else.  Allow those around you to ask questions. Establish excellent lines of communication.  Take advantage of every communication tool available.  I use meetings, memos, newsletters, faxes, and e-mails.  

8. Establish accountability with those you delegate to.  Teach your volunteers how authority works.  Help them to understand the chain of command.  I love flow charts, they are the simplest way to show others structure and authority.  Remember Jesus said the greatest faith in all of Israel was found in a man who understood how authority worked.  Weekly reports are a must to help you follow-up on what others are doing.  Remember people don’t do what you expect, they do what you inspect!

9. Support and encourage those who help you.  It is imperative that you build a support structure around your volunteers.  This might sound wild but the best way I know to show others you believe in them is by releasing them to do the work of the ministry.  Ephesians 4:11-12 says “It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up.”  Our job is not to do all the work in Children’s Ministry but to train up others and prepare them for works of service.  In the same way we must lead others by encouragement.  This is not as hard as you may think.  Here are five sure fired ways to encourage your volunteers. #1. Say thank you constantly. #2. Catch people doing things right.  Complement your volunteers in a job well done.  #3. Take the calls of your volunteers. #4. Check on your volunteers and see how they are doing.  Use your M.B.W.A. degree. Management by walking around. #5.  Help others be better at what they do, every chance you get.

Delegate or Die: Developing Volunteers Through Ministry-Part 2

There are some projects that are easier to delegate than others.  There are other projects that you should never delegate or if you do delegate, delegate with caution.  Some of the responsibilities I have chosen to delegate are teaching, care-giving things like Hospital visitation, some counseling, visitation, and follow-up.  You can also delegate some of the oversight of children’s ministry.  The world would be in a mess without supervisors and coordinators to serve us in middle management positions. Why can’t we set up middle managers to help us. Phone calls and the returning of messages are some other projects that can be easily delegated to others.  I would recommend that you be slow to delegate the handling of difficult decisions to others.  Jethro warned Moses of this very thing in Exodus 18: 21-22.”But select capable men from all the people --men who fear God, trustworthy men who hate dishonest gain --and appoint them as officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens. Have them serve as judges for the people at all times, but have them bring every difficult case to you; the simple cases they can decide themselves. That will make your load lighter, because they will share it with you. “  You cannot delegate the responsibilities of building relationships with your key workers. This is a job that you must do.  Defining the vision, evaluation or fruit inspection as well as being ultimately responsible for the success of the children’s ministry of your church are projects only the leader should do.  

With these things in mind let’s take a look at fifteen steps I use in  effective delegation that will help you to develop your volunteers through action and cause you to be a master of delegation.

1. Identify what you need to be doing.  Let’s take a look at Acts 6: 2 one more time.  “So the Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, "It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables.”  The disciples were not too good to wait tables but this project was keeping them from what they needed to be doing.  There are loads of good ideas and projects that keep us from doing the God inspired and directed projects, He has for us to do.  I have come to realize that It’s more important that I train, guide, manage and recruit than teach, sing, perform and be the only person that the children identify with.  The best thing I can do to grow is to allow others to be involved and not be a one man show.

2. Identify things others can do and let them do it.  Start with jobs you are doing that others could do if they were properly trained and coached.  Next identify areas you could use a worker if people were no problem.  Don’t think that the same actions will bring different results because same actions always bring the same results.  “If you want what you have never had, you must be willing to do what you have never done!”  The same is true for every volunteer.

3. Qualify all workers.  The disciples didn’t just turn this responsibility over to just anybody.  They found people from among them.  People who were known.  There were requirements needed to do the job like being full of the Spirit and being full of wisdom. Jethro also gave Moses requirements for workers in Exodus 18:21   “But select capable men from all the people --men who fear God, trustworthy men who hate dishonest gain and appoint them as officials over thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens.  A major rule of delegation is qualify who you delegate responsibility to.  Are they capable and able?

to be continued...