Guess what? Sunday always returns and you have to be ready.
Some call it the "relentless return of the sabbath."
Here are 7 things you must do each week to be ready for Sunday.
Pray.
Prayer makes the difference. Nothing of eternal value happens without prayer.
Each week you must spend time praying for your volunteers, the ministry, and God's anointing. This verse always convicts me.
He appointed twelve that they might be with Him and that He might send them out to preach. Mark 3:14
Our first priority must be prayer. Then out of our time with Jesus comes the ministry. Prayer can often be something we are tempted to skip or go light on. But if we are going to see God move, then we must first spend time with Him.
Volunteer communication.
Don't expect your volunteers to shine on Sunday if you keep them in the dark during the week. Make sure you are touching base with them during the week. Phone calls. Emails. Text. Social media. Set your volunteers up for success through good communication.
Details promised.
Did you promise a volunteer or parent that you would take care of something? If you don't follow through and take care of it, then it will hurt your leadership. Keeping details is not easy. I have to write everything down when I hear it. Then I transfer it to my do list for that week.
Here is an example. This past Sunday, one of my volunteers let me know that the clock in their room is broken. She asked me if we could get her a new clock. I wrote it down and then on Monday I ordered the clock. When this volunteer walks into her room on Sunday and sees the new clock hanging on the wall, she will feel valued and heard.
Details promised and kept will help you earn trust with your volunteers. Even the smallest of details make a statement when acknowledged and completed.
Follow up with guests.
A phone call? A text message? An email? Have a follow-up plan in place.
I have found a follow-up plan that is very effective. I contact our first-time male guests and invite them to have lunch with me one day that week. Believe it or not, most people say "yes." If I can have lunch with them and share the heart and vision of our church, there is a good chance they are going to return and join us. I have a lot of success stories with this strategy.
Write some thank you notes.
Send a personal, handwritten note to some of your volunteers and families. This is another simple thing that makes a big impact. In the days of technology, a handwritten note is gold.
Go into the weekend with the little details already taken care of.
Don't wait until Sunday morning to complete your tasks. Do them ahead of time. You want Sunday to be a time when you can spend time with your volunteers and guests. But you can't do this if you are having to run around trying to finish details on Sunday morning.
The more tasks you can take care of early, the more freedom you will have to spend your time with people on Sunday morning. It will also make your Sunday mornings a lot less stressful.
Rest.
Find some time each week to rest. Take your day off. Take your day off. Take your day off.
Get the point?
If you are going into the weekend with little or no rest, it will catch up to you.
Don't try to be superman or superwoman. You will burn out and the "S" will fall off your shirt.
Create a rhythm of rest. If you are going to go the distance, this is essential.
So there you have it. Seven things you must do every week to be ready for Sunday.
What are some other things you do to prepare for Sunday? Share your thoughts and insights in the comment section below.
