Lessons Learned part 2

So today we will be touching another one of those that even though I just started I have found myself already guilty of doing and it is:

3. I will steer clear from the numbers' game.
In a society that demands a clear evaluation system the easiest one that can be used when it comes to youth ministry or small groups is how many people do you have? Success is often ranked by net income, total worth, how many toys you own or how many friends you have on Facebook. It is clear, there are numbers to back our claims and it can be used as a bench mark for the next person. I went to a comedy club once and the comedian said something like "the more friends you have on Facebook the less you have in real life!" There may be some truth to that if you spend all of your time increasing your numbers when are you building relationships?
Stay away from the numbers game instead focus on the positive relationships that you have acquired with your small group. It's a lot easier to find out what is really going on in somebody's life when there are few people as opposed to a large group.

4. I will not criticize the past.
Easier said than done. It is easy to put all the issues that you are facing right now on the person that just left. Focus on the positive from the past and build on it. Work with what works and take it from there. There is a great line in Kung Fu Panda (one of my favorite movies) "Quit, don't quit? Noodles, don't noodles? You are too concerned about what was and what will be. There is a saying: yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift. That is why it is called the "present." The turtle is wise my friend the turtle is wise! Stop focusing on the past start a new chapter and move on. Use what worked as a guideline and build from there.

Until tomorrow remember that it's not about how many or blaming the last guy, it's about building relationships with that one kid that needs your attention now today not the last guy or the next guy YOU TODAY. A wise man once taught me that when he sits back and thinks about his youth group days he doesn't remember what was taught, everyone that was there or how many people went but he will always remember the one on one times, the before and after the service talks or the events that he went to with his Youth Pastor.

Talk at you later

Marty