The best time to train your team is ____________.

A few years ago, I was traveling to a speaking engagement and I just happened to be on the same flight as an NCAA College Basketball team. As I sat there I noticed one of the coaches watching game film on his computer. While taking notes and making adjustments, he leaned across the aisle and began to break down the game film to one of his players, pointing out a few things he could have done better, some of the things he did well, and gave him a few tricks of the trade of posting up, and blocking out his opponent. 

It was really something to watch this coach in a real informal way, take advantage of the time he had to help one of his players improve. 

While watching all of this transpire, I was reminded of the way that Christ taught His team. 

Jesus often taught his disciples in the same informal way. 

Sure from time to to time he sat them down in a group and broke down some incredible teaching. However, most of the time Jesus simply took advantage of the time he had with them. Jesus taught his team while walking down the road, sitting by a well, or eating a meal together. 

Jesus showed us that the best time to teach and train is …. ANYTIME. 

Leadership and life lessons are caught more than they are taught.
From time to time it’s a great idea to train in a formal setting. However, if we don’t take advantage of the time we have eating a meal, driving in the car or watching a game, we are missing out on a great opportunity to model life and leadership to those we have been entrusted to lead.

How to speak to teenagers - Part Two: Hear from God on what to speak on.

With all the great speakers and messages floating around on the internet today, it’s very easy to hear a message from Ed Young, Andy Stanley, Matt Chandler, or Francis Chan and just take their stuff, reshuffle it a little bit and call it your own.

Don’t get me wrong. There is nothing wrong with listening to other speakers, getting ideas and points for messages.  However, when you stand before a group of teenagers you need to know that you have heard from God on what topic to speak on. 

If listening or reading someone else’s message stirs something up inside of you, that’s great. Don’t be afraid to use that information as a catalyst of creativity and content for what you’re going to say. However, before you get up on stage, make sure that you have taken time to get alone, spend time in prayer and wrestle with the text. 

If you want to make a lasting impact in the lives of your listeners, hear from God not just another great speaker. 

For more communication tips check out BUILD and YOUTH MINISTRY UNIVERSITY

How to speak to teenagers - Part One: WHAT IS YOUR POINT

Every teenager that gets into their parents car after the youth service is going to hear their parent ask them two very important questions. Did you have fun? What did you learn? 

As Youth Pastors, you need to make sure that students have the right answers to these questions when they get into the car each week. The best way to do that is to have a one strong walk away point in every message. Too many times Youth Pastors have too many topics in one message, too much content for one message, or get off on too many rabbit trails in one message and when this happens the teenagers leave not knowing for sure what they’ve learned. 

Here is something very important to remember when crafting your messages. 

"It is impossible for a student to live out what they’ve learned at Church, if they can’t remember what was said". 

Parents are bringing their teenager to your Youth Ministry every week because they need help in raising their child. Parents want to take their teen to a place that is safe, fun and where they learn something that draws them closer to Jesus and helps them become a better person. Parents want their child to get into the car and be able to spout out exactly what they learned during the service. This will happen if you begin to have one walk away point every week. 

Several years ago I started speaking to teenagers using just one walk away point in every message. In these messages I would say the same thing three different ways. Using props, stories and scriptures to solidify the one single point we where making that night. Very quickly we started getting emails and phone calls from parents saying, “What is Pastor Kevin doing every Wednesday night? My child gets into the car and can tell me every single thing Pastor Kevin said during the message. I love bringing my teenager to this student ministry”.  I have to say, when we first started getting those emails and calls, I started thinking to myself “Dang, I must be one incredible communicator. These kids are remembering all the points of my message”. Then it hit me. “I only have one point! It is pretty easy to remember one point, I guess I’m really not all that incredible”. The truth is, I wasn’t and I still am not an incredible speaker, however, parents have always loved bringing their teenager to our student ministries because their child actually learned something while they were with us. 

If you want to build a bridge to parents, and empower your students to live out what you just taught ... start crafting messages around one walk away point.

To receive more training check out YOUTH MINISTRY UNIVERSITY and our COACHING PAGE

The eight "MUST DO's" of business owners.

1 - Build Smooth Systems

If there is something that you do more than one time, you need to build a system. 

Things work best in systems and programs. Just look at the human body.  Our bodies are full of different systems all of which are working without you or I having to think about them. Our body breaths, pumps blood, divides cells, digests food, all at the same time without us having to work hard to make it happen. 

Each week you and your team strive to complete tasks, sale products, and satisfy the needs of your customers. The only way this takes place is if you set up smooth systems for every area of your business. 

2 - Have 360 degree communication. 

Everything rises and falls on leadership and leadership rises and falls on communication. Communication is a huge key to the success or failure of your business venture. 

You are the one in charge. So that means you are in control of the flow of information in and out of your office. It is your responsibility to make sure that communication easily flows up, down, left and right so that the all the people on your team, and the people your team work with are able to serve the needs of your customers. 

3 - Take a closer look, by asking questions. 

People don’t do what you expect they do what you inspect. 

Asking questions is not micro-managing. Asking questions is good stewardship. 

You take ownership, you lead effectively, by casting good vision, releasing authority, and then following up effectively with the tasks your team has been delegated.  

I read somewhere one time that when you are faithful over the little you will be faithful over much. If you want more influence, more employees, or more money, be faithful with what you already have and you just might get it. 

4 - Pay attention to details.

Its not the big things that will hurt you, its the small details that will kill you.

Here is how you can lead without getting killed by details. 

1. Set a goal. 

2. Establish the steps to completion. 

3. Follow thru until completed. 

4. Repeat steps 1 thru 3. 

5 - Confront Problems Quickly.

One of the worst statements you can ever make as a leader is, “I’ll take care of this problem later”.  I’ve found that if I don’t take care of my problems quickly, my problems quickly take care of me. 

If you want to succeed at anything, you have to become a great problem solver.  

The story of David and Goliath is one of the best problem solving illustrations. 

In the story of David and Goliath we see that David did three things.

1- He acknowledged the problem. 

He saw the 9’ tall problem standing down in the valley. He did not run from it. He did not ignore it. He acknowledged it. 

2 - He looked for the best option on how to solve the problem.

David asked himself, those around him and his authority figures. What should I do?  Should I leave? Should I let someone else fight? If I fight, what am I going to fight with?  He finally came to the conclusion that the best way to handle the problem is for him to fight Goliath and to fight him using a sling shot. 

3 - He handled the problem quickly. 

Once David knew his plan of attack, he ran down the Valley and quickly handled the problem. 

The three things David did are the exact same things you need to do when problems arise:

1 - Acknowledge the Problem.

2 - Look for the best option on how to solve the problem.

3 - Handle the problem the problem quickly. 

You have plenty of confrontation and problems to deal with on a weekly basis.  Because of this, do the best you can, to solve your problems not just quickly, but correctly. 

6 - Have Good Financial Stewardship.

Here are some good questions to ask before spending money.

1- Why do we need this item?

2- Will it help me accomplish my goal?

3- Is there a way to get the same result without spending any money?

4- Have I shopped around for the best price, checking at least different vendors?

5- If I get this item, will it negatively effect other parts of my budget?

7 - Have Strong People Skills.

The greatest asset in every area of your life is people. People work alongside of you. People purchase products. People tell others about their experience.  The more you master the art of connecting with people, the more success you will have. 

Here are six secrets to great people skills

1- Smile 

2 - Look people in the eye.

3 - Seek to hear before being heard.

4 - Ask more questions about them and talk less about yourself. 

5 - Think about how you can serve them, not how they can benefit you. 

6 - Under promise and over deliver. 

8 - Give your heart more than your talent. 

Your talent and $1  will get you a cheap cup of coffee. 

Everyone has talent.  Everyone has a skill set.  Everyone has something they are naturally good at.  But not everyone has heart.  

Your talent and your abilities may have gotten where you are today.  But it will be your character, your integrity, and your hard work that determines where you are in the future. 

If you will take the next six months and lead with your heart, you will go farther than you ever dreamed. 

Considering ministry? You need to see this.

For those considering ministry I want you to see this photo. This is a photo of my office, where I have been for the past three hours working on our upcoming teaching series at TheCHURCH. 

If you notice, the office is not fancy. There is no cool philter on the photo. The computer, notebook, and coffee cup have not been perfectly staged to create a more aesthetically pleasing photograph, in order to give the impression that I am way more cooler than I actually am. 

Nope. Just me in my office. Praying. Reading. Studying. 

This is ministry.

Days filled with study, meetings, prayer times, funerals, and counseling sessions. There really is nothing glamorous about it. 

So before you take the plunge to become a minister. I just wanted you to know that ministry is not as cool, as hipster, or as legendary as some depict on Social Media. However, playing your part in bringing people to Jesus, is an incredible way to spend your life.