Avoiding Unforced Errors in Ministry

My high school basketball coach had a habit that we all feared: he kept count of our mistakes. Now, before you misunderstand, let me clarify: every game, he kept count of what are called “unforced errors”, mistakes in a basketball game that were not the result of the other team’s efforts or circumstances outside of our control. Examples included dribbling the ball off your own foot, making a bad pass, or stepping out of bounds, etc. If our team reached 15 of those in a game, we would spend the entire next practice running sprints. If we did the same in practice, we would stop what we were doing and run the rest of practice. The principle was simple: carelessness costs you. Everyone makes mistakes, and they can learn from them. But mistakes that are due to laziness, fear, or just a lack of discipline, if they become a pattern, can derail your effectiveness, and drastic measures may be necessary.

I fear too many youth ministers get into trouble not because of persecution or circumstances outside of their control, but for patterns of “unforced errors”, simple practices that, even though they may not be essential to ministry per se, can generate unnecessary consequences. These may not seem significant on their own, but when ministers consistently neglect them, they can reduce credibility in the eyes of other pastors, volunteers, parents, and students. Beyond that, they can cause unnecessary hiccups that hinder the effectiveness of your ministry. 

To help us all avoid unforced errors in ministry, here are some simple practices to prioritize (even if we don’t want to).

Preparing (and Sticking to) a Budget

One of the more tedious aspects of leading a ministry is funding it. You can have all the big ideas in the world, but your church’s financial limitations (or generosity) will in many ways dictate what you are able to accomplish when it comes to resources, events, etc. Financial stewardship is one of the easiest ways for a youth pastor to commit an unforced error: by either failing to plan a budget in line with the youth ministry vision, or to go over the budget due to reckless spending. It not only reflects a lack of proper planning, but when it happens consistently, it can result in a lack of trust from senior leadership.

Demonstrating that you can be a responsible steward of the church’s funds is one of the easiest ways to develop confidence in your leadership. Abiding by financial policies, finding ways to save money, and even helping think through fundraising to accomplish your goals can help parents and church leaders trust that not only do you take your responsibility seriously, but that you are someone whom they can trust to steward what you are given. Especially if your church may not have the ability to increase your budget regularly, budgeting and spending responsibly can be a consistent sign of competence to those who may not always be directly involved in your ministries.

Planning Meetings and Events (Intentionally)

Events and meetings can be a great opportunity for spiritual growth and building relationships within your ministry. But they can also be a prime candidate for “unforced errors”. Whether it’s a consistent, weekly gathering, a parent meeting, or an event offsite: did you put enough thought into the idea? Did you know what the point was (and did you explain that to others)? Did you have a schedule/agenda that you followed? Did you recruit the personnel you needed to pull it off? If it is off-site, did you investigate the facilities and transportation needs to find the right fit? Your ability to handle details and exercise leadership over your ministry’s activities is a litmus test for many parents and volunteers. Neglecting the administrative side of your position can leave a bad taste in the mouths of those you rely on most of all. Not only that, it can limit the effectiveness of those opportunities, because neglected details can easily become distractions that demand your attention.

On the other hand, a well-planned activity or meeting can inspire confidence in your leadership as a whole. It can increase trust from parents and volunteers. It can produce memorable experiences with minimal distractions. There can be greater buy-in next time you want to do a similar idea or event. It can remind your church that there is a goal behind for your ministry strategy, things you are looking to accomplish. It is also a testament to your work ethic: some details will always be hard to account for, but consistency in planning and organization can go a long way.

Communicating Consistently (And Clearly) 

Communication is something most people struggle with. But for youth ministers, it can be especially detrimental. You can do lots of good work, plan good events, recruit good volunteers, and have pastoral support, but if you don’t communicate well and frequently, you can run into the age-old problem of everyone asking, “wait…what is going on?” I can’t tell you the number of times I have heard youth pastors get into frustrating situations because they either didn’t communicate very well, or they thought “once was enough.” There is a need in ministry to learn the art of good communication: learning to explain why you are doing what you are doing and invite others to take part in it. Someone’s failure to understand may be on them…but failure to communicate is always on you.

Good communication can alleviate frustrations, ease concerns, and prepare people well. If you plan events, do you communicate the purpose, details, and deadlines early enough? Does everyone know WHY they should take part in it? Do you send reminders? For weekly gatherings, do you prepare volunteers? Do you have a newsletter where parents can know what is being taught? Do you announce new endeavors in such a way that people understand what is happening? You don’t have to be the most eloquent person, but if you communicate consistently and clearly, you can avoid many of the complications and confusion that might result otherwise.

Building Good Staff Relationships

The final “unforced error” for youth pastors to avoid is neglecting to build good staff relationships. Youth ministry, intentionally or not, operates on much of its own schedule. You are often going to students’ games, plays, and performances in the evenings. You are often in your own “space”. You have your own events. This means that, unless you intentionally fight against it, you can drift into feeling isolated from the rest of your church leadership. And many youth pastors don’t put in the work to cultivate healthy relationships with other pastors, support staff, lay church leadership, etc. This can leave youth pastors feeling forgotten, misunderstood, unsupported, and less likely to seek help from others when they need it.

But taking the time to cultivate healthy relationships with church leadership yields lasting fruit in several ways. First, because it strengthens the support and cooperation between pastors, keeping everyone on the same page so that they can help one another in their respective ministries. Second, because it strengthens the personal capital between you and other leaders that you need for honest (and sometimes difficult) conversations. Lastly, because you are often ministering to their families. As part of the same church, you are not merely co-workers; you are church members who are commanded to bear one another’s burdens, forgive one another, sharpen each other, etc. Investing in those relationships not only increases the trust between you and the rest of the staff, but it will increase the likelihood of longevity in ministry at your church. 

Ministry is already difficult. So don’t make it harder than it needs to be. If you can consistently take care of the little things, you will not only save yourself a lot of headaches, but you will strengthen the confidence that others have in your leadership. Unforced errors, if neglected, will cause all kinds of issues, but when they are taken care of, they provide you with the freedom to focus on the ministry opportunities before you. Do your best to be faithful in the little things, and trust God for the rest.