I want to focus on the practical things I learned at Unleash today. Everything I learned was practical, but I want to focus on the systems I can implement into our ministry. Hope this adds value to you and your ministry. I went to two sessions 1.) Triple Threat Youth Ministry with Brad Cooper (This was awesome!) and 2.) Hiring, Firing, and Creating a Staff Culture with Jason Wilson (their Executive Pastor). Here we go:
Services:
- Run Through an Entire Service during mock service as if you were having service
- Worship – Use Planning Center Online – Record Tracks early in the week – send them to team
- Countdown’s with the Series Graphic on it
- If it doesn’t point people to service, don’t do it!
- They Worship, Preach the Word, and do Small Groups – Period. No events except Summer Camp
- 2 Invitations: Salvation and Prayer – Leaders take students who raise their hands for both and either lead them to the Lord or pray with them then follow-up with them
Weekly Schedule (Youth):
- Sunday – All staff goes to all 4 services
- Monday – Critique of Sunday (Brutally honest) / Focus on Area of Specialty
- Tuesday – Plan Services 4 1/2 weeks out / Afternoon off
- Wednesday – A.m. Off / Set-up tear down/ Relationships / Youth Service
- Thursday – Critique of Service
- Friday – Off until 5 p.m. – then Youth Service
- Saturday – Off
Follow-UP
- They use Fellowship One
- Small Group Leaders do the Follow-Up
- They TextSignal.com to follow-up with Text Messages
1st Time Guests
- Have Adult Leaders Escort all 1st time Guests around all night and follow up with that student
- They have a first time guest party – the Jump off – Every 1st timer gets a wrist band that gets them in there
- They get a letter at the 1st time guest party
Volunteer Process
- To be a member – you have to serve
- Observation Night
- Interview
- Application
Staff
- They have staff getaways just to pursue God together
- Evaluations every 6 months – great conversation times, feedback, rating employees
This is just a touch of what I learned and look to implement into our ministry. I definitely recommend following Newspring and seeing what they’re doing. They’ve helped me out several times – they’re more than willing to pour into others and share anything they can that will add value to people and ministries.
