WORST MINISTRY DECISIONS I HAVE MADE PART 1 (Continued in series)

The good and not so good series continues as I unveil the good, the bad, and the ugly thus far in my ministry career. 

It’s time for the bad stuff. Here are the mistakes I have made that I hope someone can learn from…

1. Apologize, even when you don’t know what you did-Early on in my ministry a mom called me upset because she heard through another boy that I had said bad stuff about her son.  I didn’t say those things, but it was too late for reasoning, so I apologized if I did anything to give the impression of whatever was communicated.  That was not the last time I had to apologize for something not my fault or problem.  The reality is that ministry and leadership can be humbling and when you care about people and want to teaching them something and grow them you may have to stick your neck out farther than you want to.
2. Assuming an event would work in every context-5^th quarter parties worked where I grew up in Rittman, OH. They also worked in Warsaw, IN while I was at Grace, so that menas they will be a huge success in Powell (Columbus), right?……WRONG!  Sometimes you have to know your context, your group’s development, and your momentum or image.  While I have not totally written off any form of Friday night outreach, 3 years later we are just approaching the kind of momentum and understanding of outreach that makes me think we could pull off something like that with excellence.
3. Filling the calendar with purposeless events-It is so hard to not want to put events on a calendar.  Even though we live in a culture where Apple and Google have taught us less is more, youth ministry tradition still wants to have a monthly hang out night.  You know your group better than anyone, but I have learned that every lock-in and movie night dilutes your Wednesday nights and small groups that week.
4. Playing big brother-No one sets out to do it on purpose, I know I don’t.  It is just so easy to play big brother instead of role model or figure of guiding authority.  The line is crossed when the end result or vision is compromised under the guise of being a nice guy.  Are you compromising your goals for students through your interactions with them?
5. Following tradition-We have touched on changing programs, killing programs, and assuming a dead program will work, but what about following a dead or dying tradition?  Sometimes we are afraid to pull the plug when an event is killing our ministry.  Maybe the Sun has set on your quilting bee.  Maybe going the same place every year and doing all the same stuff for your retreat is actually holding you back from growth?  Know why you do what you do and don’t blindly follow when you can lead.