While the communication skills, techniques and overall presentation approach of youth pastors and youth speakers are virtually interchangeable, their behind-the-scenes planning calendar couldn't be more unique. Whereas professional youth speakers spend most of their planning time developing and polishing a handful of flexible "keynote" messages, youth pastors (professional or volunteer) spend a significant amount of time planning and tweaking a curriculum calendar.
How do you develop this useful tool?
1. Begin with the end in mind.
Before you can flesh out an actual teaching calendar, you need to take a few steps back a determine what the "ideal disciple" in your student ministry will know and do upon graduation.
2. Break the vision down over 4-7 years.
Depending on whether you are calendaring for 6th-12th grades or just high school, layout the segments (topics, message series, book studies, etc) over that time period. Remember to ask your Senior Pastor or church board for any discipleship components that they feel are important to include. Your 4 year calendar doesn't have to be inflexible, but can serve as a rudder, steering the teaching direction of your student ministry.
3. Focus on the next 12 months.
Once you have an overarching curriculum plan, think through the next 12 months. How do the various message series or book studies break down week-by-week? Which bits and pieces are essential to cover? Are their any series or topics that need to be repeated annually?
4. Prepare for this semester.
Figure out which messages you want to personally deliver. Which messages will you delegate to your teaching team?
5. Stay one month ahead.
Instead of preparing messages the night before, attempt to prepare a month in advance. This will allow you the proper amount of time for your messages to "marinate" as well as ample time for rehearsal and practice.
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