I learned a valuable lesson in the year following the launch of our campus…an event isn’t over until you debrief it. It was a season where everything was new and we weren’t sure what outreach events would reach our new community.

We organize our Outreach Events to provide an opportunity for our students to invite their friends, classmates or neighbors. More specifically, to invite someone that doesn’t go to church. Here is a look at our debrief process that has helped us measure the success of our event and if we should do it again….

WHEN TO DEBRIEF?
We have our debrief meeting scheduled the next working day after our event. It important to debrief an event while it is still fresh on everyone’s mind. The event debrief is put on the calendar the moment we schedule the event.

WHO IS AT THE DEBRIEF?
The team that planned the event is also part of the debrief. We often invite a few students and volunteers to be a part of the process too.

WHAT QUESTIONS TO ASK DURING THE DEBRIEF?

1. What went well? What didn’t?
2. Did our students invite their friends?
3. What did we learn about our people and our community?
4. Should we do this event again? If so, what should we do differently?

Do you debrief your outreach events? If so, what questions do you ask?

Since 2008, I’ve made a “Top 5” list at the end of each year. Why stop now? (click on each line for a pic, tweet or post)…

1. St. Louis Cardinals Game on my 28th Birthday (July 2)
2. Andrew WK Concert and Cincinnati Reds Game (April 28)
3. Baptism Day at #BibleandBeach (June 25)
4. 10 Year Class Reunion (August 15)
5. Jimmy Fallon Reading My Tweet on Fallon Tonight (October 29)

Discoveries

1. New Albany, Indiana Skatepark
2. Breakout Louisville (Escape Games)
3. Climb Nulu (Bouldering Gym)
4. Mailchimp (Email Service Provider)
5. Nike Factory Store

Trips

1. Bermuda Cruise (July 12-19)
2. Riviera Maya, Mexico (June 12-17)
3. San Diego, CA (January 31-February 5)
4. Gatlinburg, TN (April 13-15)
5. Bible and Beach in Panama City Beach, FL (June 20-26)

Albums

1. All Your Favorite Bands by Dawes
2. Medicine by Drew Holcomb & the Neighbors
3. Many Beautiful Things by Sleeping at Last
4. Kids in Love by The Mowgli’s
5. 25 by Adele

Apps

1. Clash of Clans
2. Twitter
3. True Skate
4. Timehop
5. Instagram

Books

1. Start with Why by Simon Sinek
2. God for the Rest of Us by Vince Antonucci
3. Leaders Eat Last by Simon Sinek
4. Jesus Prom by Jon Weece
5. Leadership Axioms by Bill Hybels

What was the highlight of your 2015?

Top 5’s of 2014
Top 5’s of 2013
Top 5’s of 2012
Top 5’s of 2011
Top 5’s of 2010
Top 5’s of 2009
Top 5’s of 2008

The National Youth Workers Convention (NYWC) has been equipping and encouraging Youth Ministry Workers for the past 45 years. I’ve traveled to events like this before but I’ve always found it difficult to take home what I learned and get my volunteer team excited about it. After the last conference I attended, I told myself I’d never go to another one without my team. When I found out that the NYWC was coming to our city (Louisville, KY), I immediately registered my team. We ended up bringing 21 adult volunteers and we had an incredible experience.

Here are a couple of my favorite quotes from the conference…

“We’ll never be like Jesus if we keep trying to be like each other.” @bobgoff

“We talk to our kids about God, but are we talking to God about our kids?” @DougFields

“If you don’t make disciples, you have missed the assignment.” @UYWILarry

“When we make space for teenagers, they rise to the occasion.” @MarkMatlock

“Many sermons are not about grace, but about ‘try harder’. This is not the message of Jesus.” @KPowellFYI

“Your doing does not make your being.” @harveycarey

“Teenagers don’t need cool, they need caring.” @DougFields

“If you don’t know their name, shut up.” @bobgoff

“Unbelievers don’t read the Bible, they read Christians.” @aHopeDealer

“Intentionality is a necessity for diversity.” @TreyGrant

“Schools are 6x more integrated than our churches.” @profrah

“Who I am off the stage is more important than anything I do on the stage.” @harveycarey

“Don’t let your opinions block someone’s view of Jesus.” @bobgoff

“Doubt isn’t toxic to young people’s faith; silence is.” @KPowellFYI

We’ve had a lot of fun debriefing what we’ve learned as a team. Which quote stands out to you? 

This week’s hashtag was #HalloweenFail. Like I’ve done a hundred times, I used the hashtag and tweeted my story…this time it blew up. Over 200 people “favorited” it.

I fell asleep early so I didn’t get to watch the show live. But I woke up to a couple texts and tweets saying it was on the show and he completely butchered my name!  You can watch it here…

Listening to people try to say my last name is always fun, but I think Jimmy Fallon takes home the blue ribbon for butchering it the worse (Mr. X LaBean?). As an added bonus, @FallonTonight then tweeted out a screenshot of my tweet.

Being on stage is a big responsibility. All eyes are on you and everything you say and do impacts the students and the ministry. Here are six keys to being the best stage host for a student ministry program…

1. BE PREPARED
Walking on stage unprepared is the first step to disaster. It’s the host’s job to guide students through the program, if they don’t know what’s next in the program or the details of what needs to be communicated, it’s a train wreck for everyone. Do everyone a favor by looking over the cue sheet and coming prepared.

2. NEVER ACKNOWLEDGE CROWD SIZE
Commenting on the amount of people present never benefits the program. Especially when negative attention is brought to low numbers. The amount of students shouldn’t hinder our attitude towards the night.

3. APPROPRIATELY ACKNOWLEDGE FIRST TIME VISITORS
Church growth 101 says never highlight a specific new student. New students are often uncomfortable and making them stand up and/or drawing specific attention to them only makes it worse. A generic “if it’s your first time here, thanks for coming” is plenty to make new students feel welcome.

4. GET PERMISSION BEFORE CALLING OUT A STUDENT
Using a specific person is okay if first approved by the student pastor and the student you want to highlight. This prevents any embarrassment or uncomfortable moments.

5. STAY IN THE ALLOTTED TIME
Each element in the program is allotted a specific amount of time. Going under isn’t too bad…going over is really bad. If you go over your time limit, it cuts time from another element.

6. STAY POSITIVE
Smile, have fun and stay positive. When negative things need to be addressed, let the student pastor be the “bad guy”. And as much as I like it, sarcasm rarely works from the stage.

Is there anything you’d add to the list? Feel free to share in the comments?

Read other posts from the “Key” series…7 Keys to Leading a Game & 5 Keys to Facilitating a Small Group.

Twice a year (January & July), our team answers the question “What is the greatest contribution I can make to our ministry in the next 6 months?” Our goal is to each highlight 6 things we can focus on during that time period. In the book Axiom, Bill Hybels calls it a “6×6”. It has been a very helpful tool for our team. You can learn more about why and how we use 6×6 Goals here.

Here are my current 6×6 goals for July-December 2015…

What goals are you working towards right now?

Engaging games require creative planning and execution. It doesn’t take much for a student ministry game to turn into a disaster. Here are 7 keys to leading a successful game…

1. TEST THE GAME AHEAD OF TIME
The biggest mistake that can be made when leading a game is not testing it out ahead of time. I know the idea seems flawless in your mind but you will learn a thing or two testing it out.

2. COME PREPARED
Time is crucial because attention span is short. If time is wasted, students will “check out”. If you stand up to lead a game that requires 4 hula-hoops and 6 jars of baby food (sounds like a good game), the supplies need to be in place before the game starts.

3. JUMP INTO THE GAME
When it’s time for a game, everyone knows it. No need to waste time by telling students they are going to play a game. Just jump in and start doing it!

4. EXPLAIN THE GAME IN LESS THAN 30 SECONDS
Have I mentioned time is important? If it takes longer than 30 seconds to explain a game, it’s too complicated. Cover the basics, if needed give a quick demonstration, and say “go!” Your volunteers can help the students that are still confused when the game starts.

5. HAVE FUN
The person who has the most fun during the game should be the person leading it. Anything less than total commitment will lead to less excitement and participation from students. Believe in the game and give it everything you’ve got.

6. STAY POSITIVE WHEN ADDRESSING STUDENTS
I get it, it’s tempting to capitalize on a moment when a student fails, but laughter at the expense of a teenager may push them away from your ministry (and maybe even God). Never draw negative attention to a student. The game should leave students in a good mood, not wishing they never played.

7. STAY IN THE ALLOTTED TIME.
Know your time limit and stay within it. When games are going good, it’s easy to play it as long as you can. But the best time to end a game is actually while the students are still enjoying it. It’s better to leave them wanting more than to wish the game would end. And besides, if you go over your time limit, it cuts time from another element in the program.

What would you add to the list?

Check out “5 Keys to Facilitating a Small Group“

Small groups are crucial to any student ministry. A group that is facilitated well can help students connect to other Christians their age, caring adults and Jesus. Here are 5 key elements to a facilitating a successful group.

1. CREATE AN ENVIRONMENT MADE FOR DISCUSSION
Sitting in a circle and on the same level helps create the best environment for a small group. When students are in a circle, everyone can easily see one another. When everyone sits on the same level, everyone feels like they have an equal voice to share and be heard.

2. TURN STATEMENTS INTO QUESTIONS
Don’t become a “formal” teacher in your group, be a “facilitator” of discussion. Less is more when it comes to the facilitator’s voice. Use more question marks than periods.

3. INVOLVE EVERY STUDENT
When someone answers, don’t immediately fill-in with your thoughts. Instead, find opportunities to involve the rest of the group. Ask questions like, “What do you think?” and “What are your reactions?” to the rest of the group.

4. DON’T READ OFF THE LEADER’S GUIDE
Understand the questions before your group meets and be prepared to ask them in your own words. Feel free to generate your own questions during your preparation and even on the spot. The less you look at the Leader’s Guide, the more it feels like a conversation and less like a lesson.

5. FOLLOW UP WITH STUDENTS
Students don’t need another person to talk at them, they need someone to talk and walk with them through life. In order for small groups to have life long impact, the facilitator must follow up with their students throughout the week. One hour a week during programming will do a lot of good for a student, but a relationship that is carried out through an entire week (every week) can change a student’s life.

What would you add to the list?

Now that we are heading to Bible & Beach, the 92 students we are taking from our Campus need your prayers.  That’s why we created an online prayer event through SignUpGenius.com.

It’s easy. Click here to view our prayer event. Select a 30-minute time slot, enter your name/email and pray during your selected time slot. To help guide your prayer time, we listed what we will be doing during your specific time slot.

Let me know in the comments if you’re praying!

Lately I’ve partnered with local schools to help equip parents in our community “how to navigate the challenges of parenting in a social media world”. So I asked the king of social media what he would say to a room full of parents…

Watch Episode 83 of the #AskGaryVee show to hear his response. You can jump to 5:49 and get straight to my question.

Warning: he says a dirty word while answering my question.

What do you think of his answer?