Thinking it through

My son Aidan just turned six.  He has a favorite motorcycle that you rev up the engine and make it go fast by repeatedly running the wheels against the ground and then releasing it to go lightening speed. Aidan decided to rev up his motorcycle the other day and instead of releasing it, put it on his tongue.  He ended up with a big surprise as his tongue got caught and ended up bleeding. Yikes, it was bad!  After calming him down and fixing him up, he said, “I guess I just didn’t think that through. I don’t know why I did that.”

His crazy stunt and comment got me thinking.  Hopefully none of us are as impulsive as my 6 year old, but have you ever asked yourself why you’ve chosen to do something within your church or in your children’s ministry? Or have you ever continued doing something once it isn’t working anymore? Have you really thought it all the way through?   

Sometimes we continue to do something because it worked for us for awhile. People liked it or it went well.  Maybe it isn’t the best use of your time or resources any more. Maybe we didn’t think it all the way through on how it would continue after a few weeks, months or years. I know programs and events can sound great at the beginning, but sometimes the hardest part is thinking through the expectations of the “after” or the “what now or next”. 

And then when we look at having multiply campuses or sites doing something, we have to think through what it will look like at all our locations. Have we thought through how this will work everywhere?

Every year we gather our Kids’ City directors together for a retreat to look at some of the things we’ve done this past year and plan some goals and initiatives we want to accomplish in the coming year. This year we will have 10 campuses represented!  I’m excited to help plan this year’s retreat and examine why we do what we do, and really think it all through.

We’ll be sure to talk about:

Are there things we need to stop doing because they aren’t working anymore?

Are there ways we do things (because we’ve always done them that way) that could be made easier/faster/more logical?

Why do we do what we do? What is our end goal?

How about you?  Reflect on your ministry and think about those questions.  Any thoughts you want to share?

Comments

[Vonnie]

Hello! I really like your Blog! Hello, I am a local Christian woman who is hosting an Estate Sale this month in my home on behalf of my Mother.

We are doing this Sale for practical reasons and because we need to raise funds for some of our most pressing needs at this time. Please email me at your earliest convenience and I will promptly send you the Estate Sale flyer.

Please forwad this flyer to as many people as you know. We as a family appreciate your help. These events will take place on Sundays. You are invited to join the Estate Sale after Church in order to give us your Blessing!

Thanks you!

Blessings-Vonnie

[Dani]

I love that you are challenging people to ask these questions and get out of their comfort zones! At Catalyst One Day, Andy Stanley spoke about being "more committed to our mission than to our programming". He continued by saying if we don't look for fresh ideas and perspective, "over time sustaining the programming can become the mission, and eventually the program can end up working against the mission." That really hit home with me! I'm observing, asking questions, and trying some new ideas this summer that I hope will help us to stay more focused on the mission of helping families raise 3C Christ followers.

Thanks for this post - I was feeling a little alone in my mission - its nice to know there are others like yourself who are not afraid to take a step out of the old comfort zone!

[Christi Neill for Kids' City]

Thanks Dani. You are not alone on the mission! Children's ministry and multi-site are all about taking steps out of our comfort zones! Keep up the great work.

[Elpi]

Wow! I really like your blog! Your son is so cute too..