How does your church maximize its impact on your community while minimizing the stress and volunteer burnout that comes with a busy schedule? Here are 3 tips to help your church make the most of 2022. 

You and the other leaders in your church have tons of great ideas on how to reach out to your community and spread the Gospel, grow your church and disciple believers. But, let's be honest - it seems like with every new idea comes more stress and burnout for your already limited group of volunteers and core members.

In 2022, let's not only make this your church's most effective year in reaching your community, but let's also make this your church's best year for minimizing burnout and undue burden.

This year, we'll be sharing posts, articles and emails to help you better plan and make the most of 2022, all in a way that minimizes stress and keeps your team ... well, on the same team! But, as we get started, here are 3 huge tips to keep in mind all year:

1. Holidays: Holidays provide a natural opportunity to serve and bless your community. And, we already know the dates - meaning you have much more opportunity to plan ahead, rather than trying to throw together an outreach event at the last minute. Tip: Sit down with your calendar and mark out dates two months before holidays to remind yourself to start planning how you’ll serve your community. Or, use our outreach planning calendar we’ve already created! (Download it here.)
   
   
2. Personal Connection: Focus a little less time on “the big event” and focus more time and energy on building and encouraging personal connection. A personal connection to one or two families who recently moved to your area can be much more effective than an impersonal mailer or door hanger distributed to 100 new residents. People are longing for community and personal connection - focus on small numbers of genuine connections rather than mass reach.
   
   
3. Build Multiple Teams: Planning 10 to 20 outreach and service opportunities during the year is an exhausting task for any individual or even a team. Start looking for ways to delegate outreach and service opportunities to others in your church. Don’t just tell someone your plan and micromanage as they run it. Grant someone ownership of planning a single opportunity. Alternative teams / individuals who are planning and leading opportunities to minimize stress and burnout for your leaders and volunteers. 

Practical calendar and planning tips:

• Start building teams of 2 to 5 individuals who will take ownership of planning and executing outreach opportunities as soon as possible. Start by assembling one team of individuals who could lead a small team. Meet with them, pray with them, plan with them and share the vision. Then, give each of them the freedom to lead and recruit their own team of just a handful of individuals to plan and execute outreach opportunities.
  
  
• 6 to 8 weeks (or more) before a holiday or other opportunity, the team assigned to that opportunity should begin discussing, brainstorming, praying about and planning outreach activities / events / opportunities.
  
  
• Limit each team to planning only one large outreach opportunity, or two to three small outreach opportunities at a time (all revolving around the same holiday or opportunity of course). Don't allow your teams to take on more than they should.
  
  
• 3 to 5 weeks before a holiday or opportunity, the team should begin recruiting any additional volunteers or support required. This works best when team members personally approach and invite others to help out, as worship guide inserts or announcements from the pulpit are often missed by many congregants.

We’re excited for what your church will do this year to serve your community. To help, we’re preparing to share dozens of ideas with you over the next year to inspire your church.

Disclaimer: All of this is referring to opportunities to get out into the community in small practical ways to reach and serve others. If you're planning a large production (such as an Easter or Christmas production), that will require a much longer timeline and different approach.