6 Reasons To Enlist Key Leadership Now

It’s 6:00 AM November 13, 21 degrees outside, and the holiday season is about to get crazy. Why should I be concerned about VBS 2015 today? Even more to the point, why worry about enlisting workers until a few months before VBS?
Here are my top six reasons for enlisting key leaders such as age-group directors/coordinators before the holidays:

1. You have a team to join you in prayer. It’s never too early to begin praying for the hearts that will be transformed during VBS 2015, and it is never too early to begin praying for the people and resources needed to conduct VBS.
2. You have a team to help you dream and explore possibilities. I love to dream the possibilities of ministry events. “What would we do if money were not an object?” “How can we decorate the stage?” “How are we going to motivate workers to volunteer and the community to attend?” “How can we reach more kids and families than ever before?” “How are we going to intentionally connect with unchurched parents discovered during the event?”
3. You have a team to help you with planning responsibilities. Now is the time to plan budgets, dates and schedules, and the number of workers needed. Now is the time to create a planning calendar with bite-size action steps for each month leading up to VBS. By enlisting key leaders early you not only have a team to help with planning but also implementing the plans. You have the freedom of  making assignments and delegating responsibility far in advance of the crunch of VBS.
4. You have a team to help you promote and enlist congregational support. VBS is a ministry opportunity for the entire congregation, not just the kids ministry. It takes team effort to persuade every member of a congregation to not only acknowledge VBS but to assume ownership for it.
5. You have a team to help you begin enlisting other workers. We are all busy and our calendars fill up quickly. Waiting until after Easter to begin enlisting workers will most likely result in disappointment and frustration as potential workers decline due to previously scheduled commitments. By making enlistment a team effort, and beginning early, you have a greater chance of hearing “Yes, to VBS” and discovering new workers along the way.
6. You have a team to join you for Preview and other training opportunities. Believe it our not, VBS 2015 training is already in full swing. Later today I will be with 180 plus VBS leaders in Edmond, Oklahoma, and many national and regional training opportunities are scheduled for January and February. By enlisting key leaders now you can participate in training as a team. The earlier the leadership is trained the most potential you have for equipping the rest of your workers.

Speaking of Preview. I would love for you and your team to join us in January for Preview in North Carolina, Texas, and Tennessee. You can turn the weekend into a team road trip. Just think of the dreaming and planning you can accomplish while traveling as a group.
Join the conversation – what benefits have you realized by enlisting your leadership team early?