Annual Goal Setting

If you’re like most youth pastors, you’re already thinking about the next semester or the next year. You not only think about it, you dream about it. You may have a note on your phone or some scribbles on a sticky note on your desk of some key areas to focus on, or even some goals you’d like to start working towards.

But, if you’re not careful, next year will fly by, and you’ll find yourself caught up in the weekly sprint, wondering what are we trying to do again?

And I get it. Ministry gets busy fast. Sunday mornings and Wednesday nights can go from the highlights of your week to feeling like it’s just rinse and repeat. Instead of working toward something, you’re trying to survive the night and make sense of the routine that you’re in.

I think as I reflect on ministry and goals, I recognize that some people care more about this than others, some are wired to crush goals and lead others through them, and some of us have goals given to us set by our leadership. No matter where you are, my hope is for you to consider setting a few realistic goals that not only drive growth but also health.

In this blog, we’re going to walk through a simple framework to help you think about goals and even set goals for your ministry.

START WITH WHY

Before you start writing or dreaming of a single goal, stop and zoom out. As a mentor of mine recently said, “Let your why lead the way.”

• Why do you want to set goals this year?
• What would success feel like at the end of the year?
• How do you hope students, leaders, and families are different?

Questions like these help you determine why your goals matter. Goals clarify the wins. If you aren’t defining the win, how do you know where to aim? How do you know where to take people and why are you trying to get them there? The why behind the goals helps you and your team understand what matters most and why it’s all worth the work. 

As you start with your why, you could rally some mentors or trusted voices around you to help weigh in and gather perspective. They can help you align goals and even think beyond your own ideas.

PICK A FEW FOCUS AREAS

There is no shortage of important things in your ministry. Events, communication, development, fun, discipleship, evangelism…Need I say more? Instead of chasing after 20 things in one year, pick 3-4 ministry focus areas. It’s not to say those other things don’t matter, but if everything is a top priority, nothing really is.

Side note: That’s why it’s worth it to stay in ministry roles for the long haul. It help these things come to life!

A focused ministry helps yield greater fruit than a ministry that tries to do it all. If you’re ready to pick focus areas, spend some time praying through areas. Some areas to consider are: small groups, leader development/care, parent ministry, teaching strategy, follow-up plans, attendance, baptisms, salvations, students serving, etc.

Spend time praying, reflecting, looking back, and looking ahead to these areas. Seek the Lord and listen to Him.

SET A CLEAR GOAL FOR EACH AREA

Now here is where the dreaming starts. Now that you’ve identified your top 3-4 areas, write a clear, measurable goal for each one.

Let’s break this down with some examples and think about what’s controllable (lead) and uncontrollable (lag).

• See 80% of students regularly attend small groups.
• See five students baptized each semester.
• See two new leaders recruited and trained each semester.
• See youth group attendance increase by 10% by the end of each semester.

These are also known as lag goals because they lag behind your actions. They focus more on measuring outcomes, but they aren’t effective at guiding you to them. These are things that are out of your direct control. They help you dream, but you can’t force someone to show up, be baptized, or attend a group; however, you can have influence in these areas. That leads to the next point.

BREAK EACH GOAL INTO ACTIONABLE STEPS WITH DEADLINES

Goals require plans and steps. They don’t tend to accidentally happen. They require prayer, faith, work, collaboration, and effort. Goals may be out of your total control, but the influence you have, the steps you take, or the effort you put into them…you can control that.

If lag goals are the things you wish would happen, lead goals are the actions that will get you there. You have control here. So, as we think about what’s controllable and uncontrollable, here are some examples of focus areas, goals, and actions broken down:

This isn’t perfect, but hopefully you see the idea. Lead goals are the steps or the things you can control. Lag goals are where you’re hoping to be. One without the other is like shooting in the dark. The actions are things you can measure that lead you to where you’re hoping to go.

Put in dates and deadlines when these things should happen by. Your goals need deadlines and so do the action steps. In the chart above, I made it work for a semester-based approach. You can do that or think annually. I’d recommend having your action steps reflect monthly or quarterly goals so you can make adjustments as needed throughout the year.

Now, to check hearts here. Every action still needs the work of the Holy Spirit. As you work through those actions, pray through, for, and over them. It’s not in your own effort these things are accomplished.

REVIEW, ADJUST, CELEBRATE

Most of the time, the things you measure get improved. It may not be right away or even in the way you anticipated, but it might be more strategic, look different, or grow based on the attention it received.

As you work through the goals, keep them in front of you and your team. Look at them monthly, talk about them quarterly, and pray about them daily. Don’t only celebrate the result, celebrate the progress. Even if you don’t hit your end result, there’s celebration in the actions people are taking. Let’s say you don’t hit the number of students baptized. You talked with eight students, but only 3 of them were ready. Guess what that means? You now have five students to continue praying for, discipling, and fostering those conversations and relationships that you just started. That’s worth celebrating!

As leaders, you can’t forget this step. As you rally around the goals, stay united and encouraging as a team. Celebrate and honor the progress. 

Goals matter. Don’t set them up with guilt or pressure. Set them from a place of vision and calling. Don’t be afraid of them or set the bar so low because you’re afraid to fail. Where do you believe the Lord is leading your ministry. Pray through the actions you’re taking and trust God with the results.

Share your thoughts with others in our YM360 community:

1. What’s one area of your ministry that needs more focus and clarity this year? What’s one small, consistent action you can take to move it forward?
2. When you think about where God is leading your ministry, what’s one way you can make space for the Holy Spirit to guide your goals, rather than just your effort?

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