Comments on: The Numbers Game: How Small is too Small? Never!

By: Tom

Tom — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 10:36:08 +0000

Adam, you are exactly right. In that situation, and if you were the only leader there, you would have to have a female leader or cancel. In all the events I do, I try to have at least 1 male and female leader there just in case that situations happens.

By: Adam Walker Cleaveland

Adam Walker Cleaveland — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 07:25:13 +0000

Another thing to think about is that it *does* matter who shows up, in that I mean, what the sex of the person is. I’m not one to freak out about every single possible thing that *could* happen or *might* happen, but if you had planned that, and only 1-2 girls showed up, and it was just going to be you leading the trip….then, yah, you’d just have to cancel, or find a female leader to go with you.

So I’m all about not canceling, etc., if the numbers are too low, but I think you do have to take into consideration “who” it is that showed up…

By: Tom

Tom — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 10:43:06 +0000

Bigdaddy, I definitely agree and if I was not clear in my post, I apologize. My issue was that in the past, if those 5 christian kids showed up, I would want to cancel rather than do a plan b option. I think it is always best to have a plan b in case of those situations. So, thanks for pointing that out and I agree.

By: bigdaddy

bigdaddy — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 02:14:30 +0000

I kinda disagree with the program part. I think we need to know why we do different programs. Sometimes we need to go ahead and suck it up (because it stinks when no one shows up…at least sometimes I take it as a personal affront even though it is not meant that way) and go ahead with what was planned, but what I have learned is that plan b is often a really good idea. We need to understand why we have our programs. If a program is meant as an outreach, why do it if there are 5 kids that show up and they are already Christians…find something that would be fun, but would not be outreaching to the 5 core Christian kids.

Just my take

By: Tom Pounder

Tom Pounder — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 11:45:02 +0000

Great comments Liz! I wish I could take back all those events I cancelled and used them as opportunities to build stronger community and share about Christ on a whole different level. Have a great Thanksgiving as well!

By: Liz

Liz — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 20:10:33 +0000

Thanks for the thoughts Tom- I think they are right on the mark. Katie speaks about what I have come to know so well through a smaller youth ministry which sometimes ends up with those unexpected 2-5 people turnouts… it is always worth our time to be with them (just maybe in a different capacity than we had planned). Laying down our expectations of what the time will be for (as in- a specific trip or activity) is great, although it can, of course, be hard. And for me, realizing that ‘we are in this together’- that the middle school youth ministry, for example, is a community that I am not only a leader in, but that I am a part of- has been a huge blessing. The activities (ie youth group & trips) are not about turn out, success, or failure; they are namely about providing space for relationship, hopefully with an element of sharing in the reality of Christ in some way (which may be intentional speaking, or just loving them & being real with His presence in our lives). Happy Thanksgiving to you all up in NOVA!