There are few things more exciting to a ministry minded individual than arriving at a new job or ministry assignment. Seeing new faces, new possibilities, and praying new prayers about what God could do through you is an incredible thrill. Before the newness becomes routine and the opportunities turn into obstacles, there are key nuggets of wisdom that I will pass onto you for the first 30 days in a new ministry setting.
Wisdom Nugget #1: Carve out time with the Lord.
The first few weeks in a new role is busy and time with God could easily fall to the wayside. You stressed, prayed, worried, and trusted to get to this new chapter – don’t leave the Lord now! By this point, I am sure that you know what keeps you connected to the Lord. It might be Scripture, nature, music, keeping a journal of prayers, or solitude. Pursue those spiritual disciplines with even greater commitment. At the same time, be open to the Lord’s prompting to start a new practice in this new season.
Wisdom Nugget #2: Spend time with people.
Unless you have been brought into a crisis situation, you have more time in the first month than you will have in the next several years. Part of this is due to personal ignorance (not your fault) of a complete understanding of your role and what is expected of you and other part of it is due to people allowing you time to transition. One of the most important pieces of advice I will give you in this unique window of time is to have lots of face-to-face time. Start with the people who helped get you there and move to others you meet along the way. Learn life stories, ask key questions, learn names, ask them about their dreams, and so much more. Send the message far and wide, “I want to spend time getting to know you!” Making people a priority in your first month will help pave the way to fruitful, deep impact in this new ministry setting.
Wisdom Nugget #3: Be looking for what is working.
I will be honest that I have not always done this well. I am much more likely to construct a “change list” and a timeline for that change. I highly caution you against this! Take a moment and breathe in this truth: God has been at work in this ministry long before you arrived. Need another punch in the soul? God will be hard at work after your gone. This is a harsh reality for your first few days on the job but it is true. Some things (or many things) are working here. You might not ever have done it this way, you might think it is out of date, and truth be told it doesn’t look anything like your last church or organization. This doesn’t alter the fact that you must identify what is working, fiercely value it, and protect it for the sake of the ministry.
Wisdom Nugget #4: Communicate with excellence.
In any new ministry setting, there is not a single area throughout the ministry that is more important to make a good first impression than communication. You want some “quick wins” in your new role? Spend the time necessary to communicate with clarity, passion, and excellence. This isn’t simply limited to upfront speaking. It also involves emails, newsletters, video clips, and facilitating meetings. Communication is crucial! With so much to learn and so many people to meet with in the early days, I have no reservations about re-working Bible messages that I have taught previously and ones that I feel confident about. I know that is sacrilegious or lazy to some but I have found it to be wise in time management and prioritizing all the demands of the early days. In all your communication, be sure that you are also sharing your story and life with others. People experiencing change have a deep human need to know the new person who is leading them. Give them the gift of you in your communication!
This list might seem too simplistic. After several ministry transitions over the years, I have learn by faithfully implementing the things I’ve talked about or I’ve learned them by painfully neglecting them. Take it from me, the decisions you make (or don’t make) in the first 30 days have a profound effect on the rest of your ministry. If you choose to be foolish with these crucial first days, chances are high that you will have another opportunity soon at a new ministry location to do it the right way. So steward your early days well! You won’t regret it.
