The Options

For many years I was a faithful "Day-timer" person. The system served me well. Day-timer is one of many systems that you can use to keep track of your life and administrative duties. It is a paper system. I, and many of you, have moved to a digital system. The basic rule remains the same! USE IT!

There are many options out there for keeping track of contacts, lists, projects, etc. The important thing is to find one that you can and will use. Currently, I am committed to Google Email, Contacts and Calendar. These I use all of the time, often on my phone. It works pretty well for me - WHEN I REMEMBER THE BASIC RULE - USE IT!.

When you are using a system you need to make it your own. I cannot create labels or tags for you. I cannot sort the various items for you. You have to create that part of your system. I know artist-type people whose system looks like they used a 64 crayon box of Crayola Crayons. Others are strictly black and white. Some of the things you need to do follows.

1. Have a way to sort and store your email. You might use names or projects dates (pretty difficult over a long time). Learn to create rules in you digital system and these things can be done automatically.
2. Have a way to prioritize your to do list. Again, you can color code or letter code the list. Sometimes by altering an item simply you get a better list. For example, I will add a "0" (zero) to an item if I want it at the top of my list (in a digital system). Numbers always come before letters in sorting in ascending order.
3. Use your calendar to help with you list. Put a list item in the day you need to be working on it or the name of someone you want to contact at a later date in that day.

The bottom line for all of this info is,

Have a system and use it.

There is too much to do!!!

In either a Twitter post or a Facebook post someone commented with "Wow" after my last entry. Having just re-read that post I concur, WOW! That is a lot of stuff. Fortunately we don't usually think of all the things that need to be done at the same time. There are a few that get our attention and we focus on those, many times forgetting - or letting them "fall through the cracks" as the saying goes - the rest of the things we need to do. That makes it easier for us to deal with everything BUT, it also will get us in trouble when we forget to call ????? who has been waiting to hear from us. This explains the need for a CALENDAR and a LIST.

Your calendar should always be handy and you should NEVER make and appointment or a promise without looking at it first - from personal experience. (It is not good to double book appointments.) When you make appointments don't forget to factor in travel time. You can't finish and appointment at 1:00pm on one side of town and start the next at 1:00pm. on the other side. You need travel time. As long as you have your calendar out you ought to schedule two things right now. Schedule your teaching prep time (if you have these responsibilities) and your date night (if you are married).

Your LIST should be with you also. Anything that comes to mind that you need to do (hence the term TO DO LIST) should go on the list. Many of you may think your memory is sufficient - "I won't forget" you say. I have had many people schedule appointments with me only to find they aren't there for the appointment because, "I forgot." Get in the habit of writing it down. It will only serve you in the long run. Oh yeah, don't forget you have to look at both your calendar and your list.

Now you have a CALENDAR, a LIST, and if you did the suggested "assignment" from the last post, a list of what you have to do in your ministry. This is a great start. We will continue with the next post.

Don't forget to add your insights, thoughts, suggestions, and questions in the COMMENTS.

Administration for the Pastor

As always, your current position or responsibility is unknown to me. Many time the suggestions that are given can be adapted to your particular situation. If you find that you can't do that feel free to ask a question in the COMMENTS section and we will see what we can do.

Today let's be a pastor. It is your first workday after the weekend - for some that is Monday and for others it might be Tuesday. We will pass on the "at home stuff" for now. You arrive at your office or the place you do your "pastor" work. What has to happen between now and the next weekend?

Let's try and create a list. This is a one pastor office.

• teaching preparation (study, writing, thinking, praying)
• financial review (How is the income vs. expenses going? Do we need to cut some expenses?)
• pastoral meetings (marriage counseling, mentoring, discipling, meetings with various leaders)
• elders' meeting planning (agenda, resources)
• Christmas Service planning (children's program, choir, musicians, gifts, etc)
• Emails (reading and answering)
• Facebook (reading and responding where appropriate - some use Facebook instead of email)
• Write missionaries (often this is overlooked)
• review curriculum (Sunday school at all levels)
• Find a new usher (John just quit. Can I ask Luke?)
• Answer phone calls (listen to answering machine and return necessary calls)
• Visit hospital (hopefully this isn't necessary but...)
• Developmental reading (your own development as a pastor and leader needs to be nourished)
• Men's Bible Study (this is a group you lead on a weekly basis)
• Prayer (start you day in the office with this and take some prayer breaks through the day)
• Review various ministries of the church (What do they need? Where are the strengths and weaknesses? Are they doing OK?)
• Update Blog (only if you started one - should be done regularly to be effective)
• Follow-up on past meetings - do my action list from those meetings (What was it I had to do after the last elders' meeting? Leaders' team meeting?...more later)

This only a small part of what you need to do in your ministry but it is enough to get us panicked and/or overwhelmed. How do I begin?

This is the first day of your week. Pray first. Take several minutes just to lift up the planning you need to do. 

You should have a CALENDAR and LIST with you. Whether the CALENDAR is paper or digital makes no difference - IT DOES NEED TO BE THE SAME CALENDAR EACH TIME. The LIST may be considered a TO DO LIST or not. I like to call it MY LIST. It can be on paper or on a computer BUT as with the CALENDAR it is the same LIST you used last time and will use next time.

Enough for today. If you want an assignment, make up your own list of what you need to do in your ministry similar to the one I just listed. That is a key important part of administration - know what you have to do. 

Be sure to add any thoughts to the COMMENTS.