This document discusses the key differences between sustainable and traditional approaches to children's and youth ministry. A sustainable ministry has a long-term focus on a single issue, responsibility is shared by a team through regular meetings and strategic thinking, and expectations involve a multi-year process. In contrast, a traditional ministry has an episodic focus without long-term planning, responsibility falls solely on the paid worker, and issues are addressed reactively without strategic vision or team involvement. The document also provides tips for building a sustainable ministry such as developing key documents, changing culture and vision, encouraging emotional health of workers, and focusing on relationships rather than just programs.

1. Sustainability
What stops children’s or youth ministry being
sustainable?
•Being stuck
•Investment
•Realistic expectations
•Changing culture
•Emotional health children / youth workers
•Navigating church politics
•Lack of volunteers
•When your plans don’t work…
Sustainability

2. Sustainability
Sustainable
Long-term focus on a single issue
Responsibility shared by the team
Regular meetings
Regular time for strategic thinking
Expectations of a multi-year building process
Traditional
Episodic focus with key issues buried
Responsibility carried by the paid worker
Concerns raised reactively at random meetings
Issue addressed between urgent demands of ministry
Expectation of the quick fix
(From Sustainable Youth Ministry by Mark DeVries)
Sustainability

3. • Don't push the "easy button”
• Think clearly about what your ministry needs
• Look at your system before your content
• Develop key documents
• Change the vision
• Change the culture
• Encourage emotional health
• Manage your time well
• Build a constellation of people
• Shift the focus from programmes to friendships
• Learn the unspoken rules of church politics
• Don’t wander down rabbit trails
• Scale brick walls
http://www.crosswalk.com/church/pastors-or-leadership/16-ways-to-build-a-youth-ministry-that-will-last-11599048.html
Children and Youth Ministry that lasts…
Sustainability

4. •What areas of your children or youth
ministry need to become sustainable?
•How?
•In what ways is “sustainable” not good
enough?
in 2s or 3s…
Sustainability