Planning is an art form. As with any art, you have to practice. You continually need to learn what works and what doesn’t. An artist will take time to observe, ask questions and reflect.

Often people criticize youth pastors for their lack of organization when really the lack of organization is a symptom of the real issue, last-minute planning. Planning takes time, asking questions, investigation and promoting. The more time you have to promote, the better people will understand the plan.

One summer, I read The Art of War by Sun Tzu. I was fascinated by the strategic ideas he presented. His ideas revealed the importance of strategy and planning. I was challenge to look at how I plan, deal with the weak points and use energy.

I soon started incorporating different elements of The Art of War into my art of planning. I started by thinking through how I plan. Most youth pastors are stretched thin. Personally, I have a hard time saying no when it comes to helping other people. I like helping others. People know I like helping them. It’s a match made in heaven. This often leads me into putting off administrative duties, which creates problems with ministry nights and events.

So, every week I set aside blocks in my schedule for administrative duties. During this time, I make sure paperwork is filled out, lessons are written, and ministry nights are better organized. At first, it was difficult because I had to say no. Random acts of kindness had to wait until my plan was outlined and my leaders were given a copy of the plan.

The next change I made was concerning the weak points. What was stopping our ministry from moving forward and growing? I learned some of the problems I could fix; others, I had to learn ways around. I couldn’t fix what I didn’t know about it. Brain storming sessions went from a drag to something I looked forward to attending. I wanted to see the ministry experience growth.

Amazingly, after all that hard work, I had more energy—more energy to be patient and deal with typical youth ministry problems. Dealing with teenagers requires energy. When you are running on fumes, the people who were once your passion quickly becomes nails on a chalkboard. I have been that youth pastor running on fumes. When this goes on for too long, it turns into burnout. Everything from your ministry to your health can suffer.

So, I really started digging in; and after a few months, I felt the weight lifted. I was able to focus, plan and prepare. I looked forward to strategic meetings and spending time with my students.

Life can be unpredictable. When our daughter was born, we did not know she was going to be in the hospital for the next three months. Because the hospital was an hour away, my schedule changed dramatically. I couldn’t spend the normal time that I would have liked in the office. I was emotionally drained from dealing with our daily trips to see her.

What got me through this season was my attention to planning. My fall message series was mapped out, and I knew which upcoming events were taking place. I could only be as organized as I planned to be during this time. When I was approached by a parent, she said, “I’m impressed that you are going through all that you are and haven’t skipped a beat.” It was clear my legwork paid off.

The years spent in youth ministry are vital in regard to personal leadership development and creditability. By being invested in your ability to plan, you are revealing your heart and passion for ministry. This not only will keep you on track, but you will see your students and their parents encouraged.