How many times have you attended student ministry training events and returned home ready to implement new ideas, to challenge your ministry team to a deeper commitment, and to more clearly focus your day to accomplish the goals of your ministry and become a more deeply committed Christ follower in the process? Here are some ideas to help follow through with your intentions in your life and ministry. Whether it was a recent student ministry conference or something you discovered at camp this past summer, certainly there has been at least one “ah-ha” moment in your life sometime this year. Sometimes your day is so fast-paced and tightly scheduled that you literally don’t have time to stop and organize your thoughts. You want to take action on your “ah-ha” moment but life gets in the way. Whether you have a new idea or a brand new direction in which you would like to head, consider these ideas to help you move from intentions to something real in your life and ministry.

Prior to Training Events
Before you attend a leadership training event, do your homework. Look over the event program and agenda. Take some time to write out your own personal plan for ministry education while in attendance. Write a main reason for attending the event and then several personal goals to meet while at the event.

Another prior-to-the-event idea is to spend some time thinking about areas in which you are struggling in your ministry. Make a list of questions you would like to ask that would help you evaluate and strengthen that area. Ask your own student ministry leadership if there are any areas they would like to see strengthened. Then use your list while you are at the leadership event. While the content planned at the event may not directly relate to your areas of concern, you can ask both the presenters and peers to share what has and has not worked in their ministries.

A final before-you-leave activity should to be to meet with your education pastor or pastor to share what you intend to learn and achieve while at the event. You might ask for feedback to see if he has suggestions for you while at the event. At this meeting, you can go ahead and set a time and date to meet again to review what you discover at the event.

While at the Event
If you have attended similar events before and seem to wander in thought during the presentations, ask God to truly give you a spirit of seeking and hearing and learning while at the event. Take a pen and notepad to write down ideas and to gather information. Don’t be tempted to skip out on meetings just because you have been there and done that before. There might be a student ministry newcomer at that very meeting who needs to learn from your ministry experience. Have an open heart to learn new things and to honestly evaluate your ministry as both new and old ideas are expressed.

Don’t forget the networking that can sometimes be more beneficial to you than the presentations. Instead of asking the size of someone’s youth group, ask the person to tell how God is using his students on the local high school campus. Ask how he equips, trains, and keeps his leadership team excited and involved in students’ lives.

You can also be a huge encouragement to the new student minister at the event. You were the newcomer once and had a burden for students and no clue where to begin. Seek to find at least one newcomer at each event you attend. It is so easy to group up with those we have formed relationships with in student instead of looking for someone who needs to be pulled in to experienced ministry circles. Bring someone in and allow God to use you in a great way.

When You Return Home
When you return home, give yourself a deadline in which to process what you have learned, and then write a few specific goals you would like to achieve based on what you learned. Don’t let the time and money you spent on a conference be wasted. You can file the useful information and make notes regarding things you need to continue to research and pray about.

Even if you didn’t have a meeting with your pastor prior to your most recent event, set a time to meet with him. Make personal notes ahead of time and give him a copy of your notes. In your meeting, share the following information in a concise and brief format:

·         The thing that most impacted you at the event and how God spoke to you.

·         Your top priority based on something you learned at the event.

·         An idea that you believe might benefit your ministry or your church as a whole.

·         Then ask for his feedback based on what you have shared.

You can use questions such as:

·         How do you think this might impact our church and our student ministry?

·         Can you hold me accountable for the following…?

·         Do you know of someone who has taken a similar direction in their ministry? Would it be beneficial for me to contact that person?

Continuing education is important for you to continue to grow personally and professionally in student ministry. Don’t ever feel that you can’t take off to attend an event. The time you invest away from the daily routine will inspire and renew your passion for ministry. If you do not have a personal plan for ministry education, begin planning a yearly plan for you to grow and mature in your professional ministry vocation.