RELEVANT CHILDREN'S MINISTRY

You spend weeks or even months planning and preparing for a big event, program or day. 

It finally arrives and everything goes well or even exceeds your expectations.  In spite of that, you wake up the next day and instead of feeling great joy, you feel like quitting.  You are emotionally spent.  You feel like you have nothing more to give.  And you wonder what's wrong...you wonder why you are feeling this way.

Don't worry and don't quit.  What you are experiencing is normal.  Here's five things to know about why you crash.

You're experiencing an emotional let down of going from an exciting, challenging, pressure-filled situation to one that’s less demanding.  When you are in the midst of preparing for the big event, your adrenaline is pumping.  Once the event is over, the sense of urgency and adrenaline rushes you felt slow down or even stop.  This causes a withdrawal.

What to do?  Be aware that this is going to happen.  It will help you understand what you are feeling.

You feel like you are going from exciting work back to a "boring" routine. 

What to do?  Fight this by establishing an ongoing growth routine that will keep you challenged, even when you don't have a "big event" going on.

You are experiencing a form of burnout.  Pulling off a big event takes lots of mental, emotional, and physical effort.  Many times, the amount of energy it takes exceeds the amount of energy you have in reserve.  When this happens, you burn out.  This means when you think about post-event work like follow-up, you feel overwhelmed and you don't think you can pull it off.

What to do?  Set expectations for what you can realistically do before, during, and after the event so you have something left to give after it's over.

You probably have a backlog of regular work that has accumulated while you were pulling off the big event.  The rest of your job didn't stand still and now feeling like you can't catch up is discouraging.

What to do?  Instead of diving right into the work, take time to sit down and list, clarify and prioritize what needs to be done.  This will give you a new sense of direction that is energizing.

Your tank is empty.  As mentioned above, you've spent out all of your energy.  You've got nothing left to give.

What to do?  Take some time off.  If you can't take an extended period of time off, then schedule some short breaks.  Get away from your work and take a walk, exercise, do a hobby you like, spend time with a friend, turn off your email and just relax. 

You reached your goal.  To stay engaged, we require new experiences and challenges. 

What to do?  Find something new to be excited about.  Make time to explore new ideas and opportunities. 

Conclusion...
How you feel and what you do following a big event is just as important in the long run as the event itself.  Knowing what to do with the feelings and burnout you experience will help you move from one big win to a consistent streak of wins.

The floor is yours...
Do you experience this after big events or programs?
How do you respond to these feelings?
What has helped you bounce back after a big event or program?
Share with us in the comment section below.

Walt Disney built Disney on 4 principles.  These 4 principles are the secret sauce behind their success over the years.

Dream
From the early days, when the staff could fit into one room, Walt had the ability to gather employees together and capture their imaginations with what could be.

Walt's dreaming was inclusive.  He sought ideas and suggestions from everyone on team.  In fact, employees were not just asked to give input, but required.

Action steps:

• Be committed to dreaming that inspires creativity.
• Set aside time to dream.  Go off-site at least once a year to dream, pray, and plan.
• Encourage everyone on the team to dream and share their ideas, input, and suggestions. 
• Set up pathways that enable the team to share their ideas, input, and suggestions.

Believe
Walt built Disney on values and beliefs.  His passionate belief in the need to instill a company culture led him to set up a formal training program that has become known as Disney University. 

Action steps:

• Formalize your vision and values.  Put them in writing.
• Communicate your vision and values constantly.
• Have each area of your children's ministry write down how they can align with the overall vision and values.
• Let your vision and values guide your decision making.

Dare
Walt knew what it meant to go out on a limb.  He dared to meet challenges, he dared to take risks, he dared to excel.  At times...especially in the early years...he risked it all to see the dream become a reality.

Action steps:

• Take a hard look at your current programs, processes, and philosophy.  Is it working?  Is it time for change?  Are you willing to take a risk to get out of your comfort zone?  Are you willing to do whatever it takes to get out of the rut you're in?
• Create a culture where failure is part of the learning and growing process.

Do
Disney wasn't built with wand-waving or "abracadabras."  It was built on detailed preparation, planning, and execution.

Here's his formula.

Step 1 - Blue skies

• ask "what if?"
• be okay with the discomfort of being out of the comfort zone

Step 2 - Concept development

• research
• evaluate
• recommend

Step 3 - Feasibility

• reconcile the dream with what can be done

Step 4 - Schematic

• finalize your plans
• outline the process needed to get you there

Step 5 - Objectives

• finalize details, equipment and materials needed
• develop strategy and budget

Step 6 - Contract documents

• prepare contracts 

Step 7 - Production

• develop
• produce

Step 8 - Install, test, adjust

• install or implement your plans

Step 9 - Close out

• monitor performance

Step 10 - Celebrate

• take time to celebrate the accomplishment

Action Steps:

• Develop a process for implementing your ideas.
• Ask people to own steps of the process.  Let them lead the areas you assign them without micromanaging them.

"The way to get started is to quit talking and get started." - Walt Disney

Give families the opportunity to make memories together.  What event or experience can you create for families to make memories together?

Make check-in easy for families.  This is their new check-in system.  No more turnstiles.  Just swipe your ticket across the mouse ears, place your finger on the indicated spot, and you're in.  How can you make your check-in for families easier and faster?

Use creative thinking to turn ordinary items into fun.  This is a computer screen.  They encased it to look like an old storybook.  Take a look at the ordinary items in your ministry.  How can you put a fun twist on some of them?

Provide good signage.  Look through the eyes of a guest family.  Make it easy for them to identify areas.

You've got ideas you've been waiting to try.  What are you waiting for?  Go for it.

Be committed to excellence.  Families are drawn to excellence.

Effective ministry requires effective planning and organization.

Make your ministry a fun place to be...for kids, families, and your volunteers.  If you hear laughter and see smiles, you're on the right track.

It takes a team to reach families.   It's not what you can do, it's what you can empower others to do.  The most important thing you can do is build a strong volunteer team.

It's all the small things that add up to make a big impact.  This painting on the street was done with a broom and water by a Disney cast member who was simply sweeping the street.  What are some small touches you can add that will make a big impact?

Your turn?  What are some ideas you've gotten from Disney that can help us reach kids and families? Please share them with us in the comment section below.

Social Parent is a new app that helps families socially plan.  It connects families with other families they routinely interact with.

The app was developed for today's families who are on the go and often have unexpected planning needs.  Whether it's a soccer group, church activity, or school event, the app helps families plan and connect.

Other tools include photo streams, easy planning tools, local recommendations and alerts, and common interest groups.

You can download the free app through iTunes or at www.socialparent.com. 

Planning is an important part of children's ministry.  Whether you're preparing for an event, talking over existing programs, or creating something new...it's a vital part of the process.

When you plan, it's important to have the right number of people in the room.  Which leads us to the question, "What is the best size for a planning team?"

Most leadership experts agree the best size is 3 to 10 people.  This is the optimal size if you want to stay focused and accomplish your objective.

The scale of the team should also be based on the importance of the topic.  If it is a minor topic, 3 people can probably take care of it.  If it is a major topic, then bring in up to 10 people.

Okay, your turn.  What have you found is the best size for a planning team?  Share your feedback below.

People think...we only work on Sunday.
Reality...we work weekdays and weekends.

People think...we only lead children.
Reality...we lead adults just as much as we lead children.

People think...our favorite food is goldfish crackers.
Reality...our favorite food is anything but goldfish crackers.

People think...ministry slows down in the summer.
Reality...ministry intensifies for us in the summer.

People think...lessons, crafts, and programs just magically happen.
Reality...it takes a lot of time, effort, and planning to make it happen.

People think...we play with puppets all week.
Reality...we pray with volunteers all week.

People think...our wardrobe only consists of children's ministry t-shirts.
Reality...we have normal shirts as well, but they hang in the closet on weekends.

People think...we listen to Veggie Tale's music in the car.
Reality...we listen to U2 or _________ in the car.

People think...what we do in one hour will outweigh what parents do all week at home. 
Reality...what parents do at home far outweighs what we do at church.

People think...we are childcare.
Reality...we are ministers at the most critical time in a person's life.