Category Archives: 2009

2009, Ethos, Leadership, Life, Resources, Youth Ministry

Thursdays Are For Micheal

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This semester I have changed my day off from Tuesdays to Thursdays. Tuesdays were not working for me for a variety of reasons but mainly it boiled down to being too early in the week and too many commitments that made Tuesdays a terrible day for me to be off.

I have spent the last two weeks spending my Thursdays on myself and have felt the better for it. I don’t feel rushed trying to finish a Bible study or preparing for Wednesday night class like I did on Tuesdays. I have actually been able to work on a few personal projects. I am learning what a day off really can be. It feels good.

2009, Ethos, Leadership, Life, Ministry, Youth Ministry

Wednesdays Are For Relationships

One of my favorite parts of youth ministry is visiting my students for lunch at their school. For me this usually happens when I can fit it in or when I need to connect with a student during a difficult time in their life. As I looked at managing my schedule better I wanted to carve out specific time for me to visit schools on a regular and consistent basis. So now Wednesdays Are For Relationships.

The plan is for me to visit schools during lunch on Wednesdays this semester. By making this a priority and by staying a head of my schedule I think that I can keep this up.

Rather than haphazardly intending to meet with students I’m strategically making time for it.

2009, Collecting Experiences, Ethos, Leadership, Life, Resources

Mondays Are For Foundations

This week the plan is to post some thoughts on my new schedule. As I stated last semester (I’m the son of teachers, I’m married to a teacher, I am a minister to students- I think in semesters) I was stretched a little thin. The problem wasn’t that I felt overloaded. The problem was that I felt like my schedule was out of my hands. Years ago I wouldn’t have cared but now that I’m staring down a baby that is on its way and a busy summer schedule I knew I had to change something. I decided rather than to ride the wave with a “come what may” attitude that I would take the initiative and make the wave work for me. I sat down and marked down the have tos– the things that I must do or must accomplish each week. From there everything kind of fell into place. I found that in order to start of my week right I would have to make sure that Mondays Are For Foundations.

Each week I make sure that my Mondays are set aside for preparation, study, meetings, and planning.

Have To: Prepare for Teaching
As it now stands, I have to prepare for 4 separate teaching times- Sunday AM, Sunday PM, Tuesday Night, and Wednesday Night. If I don’t adequately prepare for these teaching times than I’m cheating everyone involved from my teens to their parents to myself and I am ignoring my calling to “preach the word.”

Solution
One thing that I learned to do years ago is to approach classes, sermons, and teaching times with a “series” mentality. That way I know what I’ve done, what I’m doing, and where we want to go. By laying out about 3-4 months at a time I can keep my eyes and ears open and prepare “on the go.” This allows me to shorten the actual preparation time for a single class or lesson because I (in essence) have been working on it for weeks. Example: On Sunday Nights I know that in February I’m teaching a month long series on Gospel and Culture and in April I’ll be teaching on the Holy Spirit. I already have pages of notes on each that I add to as I come across things or meditate on these topics. When it comes time to write out these lessons much of the leg work has already been done. It is like I’m sketching the rough outline now and then I’ll come back with the paint when it’s time to teach that lesson. Be prepared helps me be prepared.

Monday I lay the foundation for the week’s teaching times. I fully prep for Tuesday and Wednesday (I’ll spend time those mornings to tie up any loose ends) and I map out for Sunday. I will work/study on each class throughout the week but I really prep hard today.

I lay the foundation early so I can hit the ground building each Monday morning.

2009, Books, Collecting Experiences, Discipleship, Leadership, Life, Music, Theology, Wrestling With Scripture, Youth Ministry

Friday Thoughts

This really has been a good week. Here are some of the highlights:

Schedule: As I stated last week, I’ve altered my schedule to make me a bit more productive and pro-active. Things went well. I found places to tweak and to change. Maybe my schedule can help you schedule. I’ll post on my schedule next week.

Reading: I finished 2 books this past week and started 3 more. I’m reading everything from theology to discipleship to Sesame Street. No fooling.

Practical Theology: I’ve been pondering this for a little over 2 weeks now- Read 1 Cor 9:19-23. Now, think of a specific issue in worship/ministry that causes arguments- you know, weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Next ask yourself, “Would Paul have encouraged _______________ if it would advance the gospel?” or “Would Paul have changed the tradition of ___________________ if it would have led someone to Jesus?” I believe that the answers to these questions has a profound impact on our practices. There’s you some light thinking for the weekend. You are welcome.

U2: Tons of new info out about the album. Rolling Stone & Q have song descriptions. Radio stations are saying that the new single will be out in the next two weeks. Bono is talking about “outdoor” shows and a tour beginning in June (He must have heard my request to avoid the due date of my forstborn. He such a stand up guy.). If only there were some album cover pics. Oh well. We can’t have everything we wish for. Check out all the new information at @U2 New Album Info page.

Technology: I’ve been asked to teach a Youth Ministry seminar in February. One of the sessions will be on “Using Technology in Ministry” I am looking forward to Bobby’s posts on Swerve on using mobile devices for ministry. Check out his quick Mobile Primer.

You: I hope you have a great weekend. See you on Monday.

2009, Experience, Leadership, Ministry, Resources

Staying On Top Of It All

“If we center our lives on correct principles and create a balanced focus between doing and increasing our ability to do, we become empowered in creating effective useful, and peaceful lives.”– Steven Covey, 7 Habits of Highly Effective People

With a new year and a new semester upon us I have been taking a few steps to make my schedule work for me. I’m glad that today is a Friday so I could spend a little time thinking and preparing for the first full week of the new year. I have mapped out my week and look forward to seeing how everything fits together. It is my hope that this new schedule will help me be better- a better disciple, husband, minister, friend, and parent-to-be.

Last semester I was stretched a little thin. The problem wasn’t the load but the schedule. I was out three nights in a row- Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday- with ministry related events. No bueno. This semester I am changing my day off to Thursday and I am only involved in ministry related events on two nights in a row- Tuesday and Wednesday nights. I know what I need to get done each week, how to do it, and when it needs to be finished.

Proactive scheduling is my attempt to be my best in every area of my life. I try and schedule my time the way I drive my car.

When I drive my car I don’t stare at the hood or just in front of my vehicle. That’s too often how we schedule our lives. We focus on the most pressing issue or we only have enough energy for the thing right in front of us. This leads to emergencies, pile-ups, accidents, and dented backends!

When I head out in my car I keep my eyes on the road ahead. I note the traffic, I stay a few moves a head of my directions (No GPS for me- I want to know ahead of time where I’m going. Turn by turn doesn’t do it for me), I observe any road closed signs, and I anticipate the gridlock or an accident. There are too many things to do or get done to be blindsided by a foreseeable incident.

Sure there are things that come up that I can’t anticipate and emergencies I could never account for. I forget things and miss things at times. I get interrupted with real emergencies and with time bandits. That’s ok.

I believe being proactive accounts for the unseen. It allows for breathing room because I am not overloaded with the tyranny of the urgent. This allows me to be fully present when an emergency occurs. It also gives me a sense of peace and clarity and energy to engage an interruption because I know that I’ve done the legwork and that I’ve been faithful to the process of preparation.

How do you schedule your time? What out of control areas of your life could benefit from a few moments of focus and proactive engagement?

2009, Awesomenessness, Music, Pope Bono, U2

It’s Official

March can’t come any faster! This is your warning- Over the next few months I will probably be a one topic pony. This is not an apology. It is just a warning.

No Line On The Horizon, the new studio album from U2, will be released on Monday 2nd March 2009. (Tuesday March 3 here in the States)

Written and recorded in various locations, No Line On The Horizon is the group’s 12th studio album and is their first release since the 9 million selling album How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb, released in late 2004.

Sessions for No Line On The Horizon began last year in Fez, Morocco, continued in the band’s own studio in Dublin, before moving to New York’s Platinum Sound Recording Studios, and finally being completed at Olympic Studios in London.

The album calls on the production talents of long-time collaborators Brian Eno and Danny Lanois, with additional production by Steve Lillywhite.

from U2.com

Now if those in charge of the tour could schedule around the birth of my first born I would greatly appreciate it. Come to Dallas early spring or late summer guys. Just avoid the end of May/beginning of June. Pleeeeeeaaaaasssse!!!!