God can quiet your spirit even while gluing hair on a caterpillar.

It’s been one of the busiest seasons for me personally in ministry, maybe you can relate. On this one particular day projects were piling up, my inbox was full and there were lots of calls to return. When I looked at my calendar I saw that I was supposed to be volunteering in both my kindergartner and second grader’s classrooms. This was probably the busiest day I had all month. And I was so tempted to call their teacher and explain that I just couldn’t make it today. But knowing how much my kids look forward to me being in their classroom I decided I would go. After all, I had made a commitment.

I was rushing through the projects my child’s teacher had asked me to do, and I was excited because I thought I’d be able to get out of there early—after all I had a ton to do. And then she sweetly asked me if I could do one more thing.

“Could you glue this yarn to the caterpillar in the hallway?”

“I’m sorry, could I what??”

Okay, now I’m not talking about one piece of yarn, I’m talking about gluing 100s of tiny pieces of yarn to the six-foot paper caterpillar on the wall. The one that I knew would be removed from the walk in two weeks. The one that sticky little hands would be playing with as they walked down the hallways each day.

“Why, I’d be happy to!” I heard myself saying before I realized it.

It was quite a site. I had glue stuck to my hands, my arms, my clothes, yarn was everywhere—everything was sticky as I glued one string at a time to this very hungry caterpillar.

I settled in for what promised to be a tedious task. That’s when there was this moment, I felt a sense of quiet for the first time all day. It was such a mindless task, but in those 30 minutes of gluing yarn, I was quiet enough to listen. To realize that maybe God gave me this job to quiet my spirit for a brief moment. Maybe this was really a gift, a calm before the storm of projects I needed to do. A way for me to refocus, to remember my priorities, to remember that I can’t do the things I need to do in my own strength.

I finished up and left feeling refreshed, ready to get back to work. I think I was more productive after my caterpillar craft than before.

Did you know that research shows we are actually more productive when we have intense effort for shorter periods of time (45-90 minutes), followed by intentional rest and recovery; and ultimately more productive than moderate, continuous effort for a stretch of hours? (Taken from The Way We’re Working Isn’t Working by Tony Schwartz.)

It’s so easy to get frustrated when things seem to get in the way of our own agenda. When our kids need something, and our first reaction, is I just don’t have time for this. When we are stuck in traffic, or there is a particularly long line in the grocery store, because the person in front of you has 17 items in the “10 item only” check out line. You know, you counted.

Maybe these hiccups throughout the day are really little reminders for us to slow down. For us to refocus on God, to refocus our priorities, to remember that God can speak to us even while gluing hair on a caterpillar.

To learn more about The Way We’re Working Isn’t Working, check out our book preview in YouLead, our library of leadership development resources.

A few years ago a friend of mine mentioned that she was going to spend the next three hours sitting in the dentist chair getting a root canal. My reaction? A stab of envy. Odd, I know! It was in that moment that I realized that I was running on empty.

I just finished reading the book Leading on Empty, for the third time. It’s a book I frequent often, this time to write a piece for YouLead. I laughed as I remembered my own warning signs that I needed a break, here are a few Wayne Cordeiro, author of Leading on Empty, mentions:

You may be leading on empty if:

• One year in solitary confinement is sounding more and more like a good option.
• Your ministry leader calls for the third time wondering where you have been. You consider changing your phone number and possibly moving.
• Every time somebody praises you for your work, you suspiciously eye them, certain that they will ask you to do one more thing.
• You think you would like to work at McDonald’s. It might be nice to see something more fried than you feel.
• You find yourself seeing the long wait in line at the post office as a blessing from God.

But in all seriousness, when we have lost our vision and our passion for what we are doing, everything around us suffers. We can’t be the spouse or parent that God has called us to be, we can’t be a good friend, and we don’t have the strength or energy to do our job. The job that once brought us closer to our heavenly Father can sometimes push us further from Him, when we are leading on empty.

“We will all experience fatigue in the midst of a demanding ministry unless time is set aside to rest and realign ourselves back to God and His original design.” (Leading on Empty, p. 166)

God wasn’t kidding when He told us we needed to take a break! Did you know:

“Serotonin is a chemical like an endorphin. It’s a natural, feel-good hormone. It replenishes during times of rest and then fuels you while you’re working. If, however you continue to drive yourself without replenishing, your store of serotonin will be depleted. As a substitute, your body will be forced to replace the serotonin with adrenaline . . . . Should you continue to run on adrenaline, it will destroy your system. You will burn out sooner on the inside than you’re able to see on the outside.” (Leading on Empty, p. 26)

The end of the school year is almost upon us; summer programming is weighing on our minds, followed by fall kickoffs. We say it’s just a season but in reality that season never ends. So, what are you going to do to rest, to renew your soul?

“Lead out of rest and allow your soul to catch up to you. Only then will you be able to put your heart into everything God asks of you. Without rest, you are leading on empty.” (Leading on Empty, p. 128)

For more resources on the subject of Leading on Empty check out YouLead.

LEADING ON EMPTY
Ministry can be one of the most rewarding jobs, and in the same vein it can be one of the most draining jobs. This month in YouLead, we will be taking a look at what happens when you lose your vision, when you no longer feel like leading. How do you use the circumstances you find yourself in to ultimately turn things around and get back on track with what God originally called you to? On a personal note, we will take a look at leading on empty, how you recognize what is draining you and how to renew and restore your soul by finding the things that fill you up.

Look for these resources, coming soon, on Youlead!

PERSONAL LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT

Leading on Empty by Wayne Cordeiro
Book Preview
When you have lost your vision and your passion for what you are doing, everything around you suffers. So, how do you get back to the vision that once fueled you? Wayne Cordeiro shares his personal story of leading on empty and getting back to a place where he felt rest, refueled and reenergized to do what he loves.

Podcast: Craig Jutila
Ever feel like you’re so busy doing ministry that you don’t have time for your spouse or kids? If your biggest fans are at the office instead of at home, you might be headed down the wrong road. There’s a good chance you’re on the journey to an unbalanced life. In this podcast, Craig Jutila will address questions like: What are the symptoms of a hectic life? When does hard work become overwork?

Video: Gordon MacDonald
Gordon MacDonald has been a pastor and author for more than 50 years. He serves as chancellor at Denver Seminary, as editor-at-large for Leadership Journal, and as a speaker at leadership conferences around the world. His books include Building Below the Waterline, Who Stole My Church, A Resilient Life and Ordering Your Private World. Learn from this ministry legend!

Real World: J.K. Rowling
It’s easy to romanticize what it takes to become a best-selling author and the second highest entertaining female in the world, but J.K. Rowling is the first to say that it wasn’t always pretty. In fact, hitting rock bottom was what it took for her to reprioritize her life and change her own story.

TEAM LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT

Vision Lost and Found by Tim Stevens
Book Preview
We continue to say that vision is at the heart of why we do what we do. It’s what fuels our volunteers, inspires our leaders and encourages us to do what God has called us to do. It’s our dreams, our hopes and our desires to be what God has called us to be. So, what happens when you no longer have that vision? How do you get that vision back?

Podcast: Carey Nieuwhof Interviews Mark Beeson
Carey Nieuwhof, senior pastor of Connexus Community Church, interviews Mark Beeson, senior pastor of Granger Community Church. Granger Community Church received national recognition in 2001 as one of the fastest growing, most relevant churches of that time. But over time, Granger began to lose their vision. Hear Mark’s perspective on why this happened and what they did to get back on track.

Real World: Blockbuster
We’re all familiar with the word blockbuster when it comes to movie rentals. However, I would guess that for most of us, we think of it as a place we used to go to rent movies. How long has it been since Blockbuster had your business? We are going to examine Blockbuster at the height of its success and then take a look at its decline. And in the process, we’ll see what lessons we can draw from their story.

“People don’t need new facts—they need a new story.”

Isn’t that the truth? Have you seen that Chevy commercial? Here’s the link if you haven’t seen it! http://www.YouTube.com/watch?v=h9OqyMSvTVM

It’s the one about the sons who find their dad’s 1965 Chevy Impala. After 20 years of family memories in this car, his dad had to sell it to make ends meet. And years later his sons found the car and bought it back and gave it to their dad. I don’t own a Chevy, but was amazed at the power of that story. They could have very easily listed all the facts, all the reasons why you should buy a Chevy, and I would have been the first one to fast-forward through that commercial. But there is something about the power of a story.

Just this month we featured a case study on TOMS. And after learning all about TOMS and reading Blake Mycoskie’s book Start Something That Matters, it confirmed the power story has. When Blake Mycoskie, founder of TOMS, saw a need, he did what few others would do—he took a chance. A trip to Argentina that was meant to be for fun opened Blake’s eyes. He had heard that kids in Argentina and other countries didn’t have shoes, but never realized what that really meant until he saw it with his own eyes. He witnessed the damaging health problems created by exposed feet, and felt the burden to do something about it.

“When you have a memorable story about who you are and what your mission is, your success no longer depends on how experienced you are or how many degrees you have or who you know. A good story transcends boundaries, breaks barriers, and opens doors.”

Blake’s shoes sold because he had a powerful story that moved people to take action.

So, what’s your story? Why is the vision and mission of your ministry so important to you? Is it part of your personal story? How often do you tell you parents and leaders stories of life change that happen through your ministry?

Stories have the power to move us to take action.

Stories have the power to invite others to be part of something that is so much bigger than themselves.

What stories are you telling?

For more resources related to the Power of Story, check out YouLead, a library of leadership resources to improve what you do.

Developed by Orange, YouLead is designed to develop the leadership skills of yourself, your team and your volunteers. It centers on answering three basic questions: What can I do to continue learning as a leader? How can I be intentional about connecting with my volunteers consistently? What can we do to stay on the same page as a team? We do this by creating materials that can be digested in 20 easy minutes. Click here to learn more about a subscription to YouLead.

In an effort to provide you with resources to help you do ministry better, we wanted to let you know what’s coming up NEW on YouLead!

SESSIONS: Selected Messaged from Ministry Experts
Recruiting Volunteers
By Sue Miller
Every single leader is looking for the next volunteer—we all struggle with how to get it done. Learn how you can take on this huge challenge and turn it into a win for both you and your future recruits.

Set Boundaries
By: Tom Shefchunas
Got too much to do? So do I. Welcome to ministry! In a world where just about anything can be included in your job description, how do you keep it manageable? Are there things we simply must do? Is it okay to say “no” to some requests? How do you know which is which? Join Tom Shefchunas, director of middle school for North Point Ministries, as we discuss strategies and principles to not only run the race well, but to finish it victoriously.

The Replacement Plan
By Terry Scalzitti
The term “finish strong” isn’t just for serious marathon runners. It’s a great phrase to keep in mind as you look ahead at your next move in ministry. Here’s the catch: finishing strong isn’t just about your own performance. It’s about having someone ready to take the reigns who is going to be even better at your job than you! Join us for this session where we’ll discuss how to apprentice young leaders and multiply our individual leadership skills.

CULTURE: Executive Summaries and Case Studies
Case Study: TOMS
Stories are powerful. Stories connect us in a way that can leave us inspired and searching for a way to make a difference in the world around us. And so does the story of TOMS.

Executive Summary: Start Something That Matters
By Blake Mycoskie
It matters. Blake Mycoskie saw the hopelessness of the kids in Argentina—the sickness, and ultimate death that was attributed to one simple thing, no shoes. We too are faced with opportunities every day to be part of something that matters. We interact with preschoolers, children, students, parents and volunteers, who need to know they matter. Blake Mycoskie is such a great reminder to us all to take a chance, to take the next step in a BIG idea. Lives are at stake, and God desires to use each of us to do “something that matters.”

Executive Summary: Deep and Wide
By Andy Stanley
Deep and Wide is a book that challenges us to rethink the way we are doing church. Are you a church that has lost its focus? Have you moved the lampstand to shine light on things that are not nearly as important as illuminating Christ? Are you a church for the churched? Or are you willing to be a church that unchurched people love to attend, a church that is committed to strategically reach those that are far from God?

PLUS: Random Stuff Leaders Want
Orange Sunday Event: Stock Family Syndrome
This event will allow you to introduce the families at your church to the Orange Strategy. It will allow them to see why it’s so important for the church and family to partner together. Because, after all . . .

God is at work telling a story of restoration and redemption through your family. Never buy into the myth that you need to become the “right” kind of parent before God can use you in your children’s lives. Instead, learn to cooperate with whatever God desires to do in your heart today so your children will have a front-row seat to the grace and goodness of God.

Included in this event:

• Talking Points to guide you through Reggie Joiner’s talk
• Video of Reggie Joiner: Stock Family Syndrome
• Bumper video: “What is Orange?”
• Keynote and PowerPoint presentations that complement the Stock Family Syndrome video
• Follow-up videos for Small Groups by Carey Nieuwhof – These videos are great to share with your families as they go through the book, Parenting Beyond Your Capacity.

SOCIAL: Messages and Images That Inspire Volunteers

Week 25
Week 26
Week 27

While I was at a park the other day, I stood back and observed the families that were there enjoying the day. I watched one little girl shout to her friend how excited she was because she was sitting across from her. A little boy waved his arms wildly about as he skipped down the sidewalk. And, another child shouted out her ABCs as loud as she could from the playground swing.

I laughed thinking about the looks I’d get if I shouted out at a friend how excited I was that I was sitting next to her, if I skipped down the sidewalk with my arms flailing, or sang a song loudly for all to hear. Not exactly typical adult behavior. However, it IS typical child behavior.

Watching these childhood moments made me stop and consider the unique opportunity we have to impact the lives of the children and teenagers we serve. There is nothing like seeing the natural curiosity that fills our preschoolers’ minds, the excitement in children when the Jesus of the Bible becomes personal, and the deep desire our teenagers have to live a bigger story.

We have the chance to incite wonder, provoke discovery and fuel passion.

“What if children grew up amazed with the WONDER of their heavenly Father and how much He loves them? What if they understood God is big enough to handle whatever they will face in life?”

“What if children were provoked to pursue a lifestyle of DISCOVERY, where their identity is determined by a personal relationship with Christ and they are guided by His Spirit?”

“What if kids developed a sense of passion that mobilized them to do what Jesus did on earth? What if they understood they are designed to personally participate in God’s story to show His redemptive plan to every generation?” (Excerpt from Think Orange.)

We can easily get so caught up in the things we need to get done, that we forget why we’re doing them.

It reminds me of a scene in the movie, Rise of the Guardians, when Jack Frost asks North, “When was the last time you guys actually hung out with kids?” And North (aka Santa) replies, “We don’t have time for . . . kids.”

In the midst of prepping supplies, preparing to give a message, working on budgets, or any of the number of things that need to be done to make Sunday happen, sometimes we forget. We forget why we are doing this, we forget whom it is we are serving, we forget what is at stake.

We can be in a room full of children and students and still not really know them. If we are to remain relevant to this generation, then the only way to do so is to spend quality time with the kids and students we are serving, to really know them. Only then, can we best communicate to them a message of restoration and redemption.

To hear more about Wonder, Discovery and Passion, check out Reggie Joiner’s podcast in the YouLead library along with additional leadership resources. And if you’re not a subscriber, find out more info on YouLead at http://www.WhatIsOrange.org/youlead/.

You are busy! In any given week you may be pouring into Small Group Leaders, writing scripts, preparing supplies, memorizing Bible stories, hanging out with kids, building relationship with parents and creating dynamic ministry environments. Sunday’s coming, and the pressure is on, and as soon as Sunday’s over you have seven days to do it all over again!

It’s overwhelming to say the least, your best intentions move to the end of the list and the tyranny of the urgent demands your time and attention.

We believe in the work that you are doing, and while we can’t do your job for you we can certainly make your job easier!

What if you could get the answer to your questions, find solutions to your biggest obstacles and have ways to connect and encourage your volunteers on a weekly basis? What if you found a way to be inspired, to get fresh ideas and to develop a vision for your ministry that will reach the next generation?

You can. And we have the answer—YouLead! YouLead is a library of resources to improve what you do!

And if you think you know YouLead, think again. We’ve upgraded the whole library! With a YouLead subscription you now have access to the ENTIRE YouLead library.

Check out the resources you can find now in the new YouLead:

ISSUES – A collection of media tools focused on a core topic.
Each Issue provides resources for you and your team, including book previews, podcasts, videos and case studies along with prewritten emails to send to your volunteers—all centered around a topic, like: creating a family experience, developing a Small Group culture and focusing your message.

SESSIONS – Selected messages from ministry experts
Sessions are featured podcasts from Orange Events that will help answer specific questions you have in ministry. For example: How do I create an environment on a budget? How do I make a big impact on families with special needs? How do I recruit and retain great volunteers?

CULTURE – Executive Summaries and Book Previews
We are learning from the best! Culture provides you with case studies and best practices from organizations such as Pixar, IKEA and Zappos that have relevant application to your family ministries. Also, we provide Book Previews of titles like The Way We’re Working Isn’t Working, Choosing to Cheat, and Switch to help you sharpen your leadership skills and be on the cutting edge.

SOCIAL – Messages and images that inspire volunteers
Social gives you tools to connect weekly with your volunteers. We have created messages and images that will help your volunteers learn, live, lead and laugh. Plus, these pieces will help you stay connected and cast vision!

PREZ – Strategic presentations to train teams
Prez is designed to help you become more effective in your presentations to leaders and volunteers. It provides you with a graphic package and/or audio or video file to help you enhance your PowerPoint or Prezi presentation—and in some cases, we will even include a complete Prezi presentation—a cloud-based presentation and storytelling tool for exploring and sharing ideas on a virtual canvas.

PLUS – Random stuff leaders want
Plus provides you with a variety of random resources that you will love. It includes podcasts that explain the Orange Strategy, bumper videos to enhance environments and curriculum tools to equip you and your team.

For samples and the complete YouLead Resource Catalog, click here!

Today (January 31, 2013) is the last day to purchase a YouLead subscription for just $149, that’s $50 off the regular price! Click here to sign up and enter the following promo code: YL149

Lean into YouLead for resources to help you and your team work together and be better equipped to minister to the next generation.

Got questions? Contact Bre Hallberg at bhallberg@rethinkgroup.org.

The New Year! I’ve always liked the idea of a new year. A fresh start, a time to reflect on the past year and a time to look ahead and plan for the future. Although a lot of people may not believe in resolutions, January does become a time to reflect, to set goals, and create plans for the coming year, whether you call that a resolution or not.

We all have good intentions, to lose the extra holiday weight, begin the project we have been procrastinating on, or read through the pile of books sitting on our bookshelf. And then reality sets in, life gets busy, and our resolutions once again get pushed aside. It’s why you see the gym packed in January and clearing out come mid February, or why people give in to one more box of Thin Mint Girl Scout Cookies, that always go on sale six weeks into your “eating right” resolution.

Perhaps part of the problem is that we set ourselves up for failure from the get go. We set goals that are unattainable; and when we finally realize that they can’t be reached, we give up on everything!

In the book the Slight Edge, by Jeff Olson, Olson clarifies, “Simple little disciplines that, done consistently over time, will add up to the very biggest accomplishments” (p. 36).

Have you ever thought about what keeps us from making the right choices—with the food we eat, the lifestyle we choose, how we spend our time? Well, in this day and age, it’s our need for instant gratification:

“When you make the right choice, you won’t see the results. At least, not today. We live in a result-focused world. We expect to see results, and we expect to see them now. Push the button, the light flicks on. Step on the scale, look in the mirror, check the account balance online 24/7. Give me feedback, trip a sensor, hit a buzzer, tell me, tell me, tell me it’s working,” (p. 37).

Maybe that’s why we give up on our resolutions? Come mid February, we haven’t seen any results, so surely all we are doing must not be working. What if we tried this instead?

Take the books that are sitting on your bookshelf. What if you commit to reading 10 pages a day? That may not seem like a lot, or that it would really make any difference. But in the course of a year, that would be 3,650 pages, or the equivalent to 15-20 books.

What about the podcasts that are sitting in your iTunes list? What if you are intentional about listening to a podcast for 20 minutes while in the car, taking a walk, or running errands? Even if you only did this three times a week, you would have listened to 52 hours of podcasts over this next year.

And what about how you have been wanting to encourage your staff, volunteers, parents or kids, but there just never seems to be enough time? Commit to writing two notes a week to send to your team. Over the course of a year, you will have sent over 100 personal notes.

It all seems simple enough, so why doesn’t everyone do it? Because, just as it’s simple to do, it’s simple not to do as well.

This year, commit to making simple goals that will help you to grow as a leader.

For more leadership development resources, check out YouLead.

Build your leadership skills—for yourself, and for your team—through YouLead in 2013!

YouLead will help you tackle specific issues you and your team face in the reality of everyday ministry, while naturally integrating the Orange Strategy. This library of resources gives you one primary thing—choice. You know how you want to lead, so we’ve given you the option to select the training resources you and your team most need when you need them, based on a variety of themes.

YouLead provides six different kinds of training resources:

ISSUES – A collection of media tools focused on a core topic
Each Issue provides resources for you and your team, including book previews, podcasts, videos and case studies along with prewritten emails to send to your volunteers—all centered around a topic, like: creating a family experience, developing a Small Group culture and focusing your message.

SESSIONS – Selected messages from ministry experts
Sessions are featured podcasts from Orange Events that will help answer specific questions you have in ministry. For example: How do I create an environment on a budget? How do I make a big impact on families with special needs? How do I recruit and retain great volunteers?

CULTURE – Executive Summaries and Book Previews
We are learning from the best! Culture provides you with case studies and best practices from organizations such as Pixar, IKEA and Zappos that have relevant application to your family ministries. Also, we provide Book Previews of titles like The Way We’re Working Isn’t Working, Choosing to Cheat, and Switch to help you sharpen your leadership skills and be on the cutting edge.

SOCIAL – Messages and images that inspire volunteers
Social gives you tools to connect weekly with your volunteers. We have created messages and images that will help your volunteers learn, live, lead and laugh. Plus, these pieces will help you stay connected and cast vision!

PREZ – Strategic presentations to train teams
Prez is designed to help you become more effective in your presentations to leaders and volunteers. It provides you with a graphic package and/or audio or video file to help you enhance your PowerPoint or Prezi presentation—and in some cases, we will even include a complete Prezi presentation—a cloud-based presentation and storytelling tool for exploring and sharing ideas on a virtual canvas.

PLUS – Random stuff leaders want
Plus provides you with a variety of random resources that you will love. It includes podcasts that explain the Orange Strategy, bumper videos to enhance environments and curriculum tools to equip you and your team.

For a limited time, subscribe to YouLead for only $149! That’s about $12 a month for leadership development for your entire church! To take advantage of this opportunity, CLICK HERE and enter code: YL149

YouLead has the leadership training you need, when you need it—as much or as little as you want. It’s easy to use. It’s there when you need it. It’s affordable so you don’t waste any money on content you don’t end up using.

You choose how you lead.

For more information, email Bre Hallberg at bhallberg@rethinkgroup.org.

Christmas is just weeks away—kinda hard to believe! And with Christmas comes the long list of all the things we need to do to make this holiday the perfect experience for our families, specifically the families that may come to church for the very first time. We prepare for the Christmas Eve service, the Christmas pageants, concerts and plays. We eagerly await the families that we may only see once or twice a year. We make every effort to shine brightly for these families in hopes that they will return week after week, that they will catch our vision and return to church.

But, what if we looked at partnering with families in a whole new way? What if we decided to take the church to them? What if we decided to BE the church? What if we decided to partner with every parent whether they attend our church or not?

Think of the parents at the bus stop, at the football game, in line at the grocery store. What if we truly believed in them; if we believed they wanted the best for their child; if we believed they played the most significant role in their families. Would it make a difference in how we treated them? How we modeled the church to them? While they all may not be contemplating the spiritual growth of their children, they are trying to do whatever it takes to be a good parent. They feel overwhelmed. Don’t you feel it too? Trying to live up to the expectations and pressures of being the right kind of parent.

“What would happen if you began to measure the parents you meet, not by an ideal standard of what a family should be, but you begin to see each and every one of them as a part of God’s story of redemption and restoration, and that you begin to lead families to see the bigger picture of God’s love and restoration,” (Reggie Joiner).

Parents feel overwhelmed with the expectations of what they need to do for their child spiritually. So, instead of doing something, they do nothing. Sometimes they’re afraid to walk into the doors of your church, because they already feel like a failure. Why go where someone is going to confirm that failing?

Maybe if we truly believed in every parent we came across, they would be more inclined to see the church as a place where they could become better equipped as a parent—a place with whom they could partner on their parenting journey. Instead of expecting them to do the laundry list of spiritual disciplines in order to be a good parent, we need to encourage them to take one step toward developing an everyday faith in their child. Perhaps that first step is that a mom talks with her daughter and lets her know she cares. Maybe it’s that a dad prays with his son. Or, it’s that a family begins to prioritize church as more than a once in awhile kind of thing.

As leaders in the church, it’s our job to see potential in every family we meet. If we believe that what happens at home is more important than what happens at church, then we need to create a strategy that helps to equip parents rather than crippling them with anxiety. Instead of setting unrealistic expectations that families will never meet, we need to create a strategy of simple steps that helps families become engaged in the story that God is writing in each of their lives.

For more insight on Parent Partnership Levels, check out Reggie Joiner’s podcast on YouLead.

YouLead is designed to develop the leadership skills of yourself, your team and your volunteers. It centers on answering three basic questions: What can I do to continue learning as a leader? How can I be intentional about connecting with my volunteers consistently? What can we do to stay on the same page as a team? We do this by creating materials that can be digested in 20 easy minutes. Click here to learn more about a subscription to YouLead.