2026 is just around the corner. I am sure you have started preparing your calendar for a new ministry year.
Here are some tips that I use to plan my ministry calendar.
Buy a big desk calendar.
Spread out the months of the calendar on a table or other flat surface. This will enable you to see a physical copy of the whole year that is coming.
Go through and start writing in ministry dates on the calendar.
What do you need to write on the calendar for January? February? March?
Write in recurring program dates like mid-week programming, Sunday morning Bible studies, etc.
Next write in the dates for your milestone events such as salvation classes, baptism classes, parent and child dedication, etc.
Then write in your big events like camp, vbs, trunk or treat, etc.
More tips:
Make sure you are collaborating with the other ministries in your church. Show them your calendar and make sure there are no events on the same day. You don't want to have two big, competing events on the same day. An example would be avoiding a VBS volunteer training on the same date as a women's ministry event. Plan together with other ministries to avoid silos when it comes to calendar planning.
Remember that less is more. Don't over plan your calendar. You can do a few things with excellence or you can do a lot of things mediocre. Sometimes the best thing you can put on your calendar is eraser marks.
Stay open to change. The calendar shouldn't drive your ministry. The ministry should drive your calendar.
Just because you did something in the past doesn't mean you should be doing it now. Take a hard look at everything you are doing. Is it effective? Are kids and families attending this (people vote with their feet)? Is it helping you reach and disciple kids and families?
Don't get stuck in the past. Be willing to change things that are not working.
Plan out your entire year. You should always strive to be a year ahead on your calendar. Of course, there are occasionally a few exceptions to this that are out of your control, but the goal should be to stay a year ahead.
Start with the end in mind. Where do you want to see the kids at spiritually when the year ends? Your calendar should provide steps to seeing this accomplished. What do you want the kids to know about God and His Word at the end of the year? Your teaching calendar should take them to that.
These simple steps can make your ministry calendar planning a lot less complicated and less stressful. It will also help your ministry be more effective.
Your turn. How do you do your ministry calendar planning? Share your thoughts and insight with us in the comment section below.
