During my first week on YL staff, I got a call from my Regional Director. He had sent out a letter and survey to our area committee about the new season of YL in our area. At the end of the letter he asked them about their ongoing involvement on the local committee. He was calling to tell me that all of them had chosen to step off the committee at this time....ALL of them.
Because I didn’t really know what a YL committee did, I wasn’t overly concerned by the news. It was two years later, after operating without a committee, after knowing that anything that needed to be done in the area would have to be done by me, after feeling more and more alone in my life and ministry...that I begged a couple I had just met to help me build a committee. I’m still not sure why they said “yes,” but they did and I soon learned what a gift it is to have a group of adults who shared God’s call to reach kids in our local area.
From that first committee couple (still some of my closest friends) to our Board of Trustees, I am amazed at the caliber, character, and commitment of those God leads to serve on a YL committee or board. Almost 40 years later, I am even more convinced that we cannot and will not reach all the kids God has called us to reach without them.
Committees Today: Our Recent Survey
We recently sent a survey to committee chairs and staff across the mission. The good news is...we got great feedback! The even better news is that committees want to be more involved with staff in reaching kids. Here are a few of the highlights:
544 Committee Chairs (CC’s) and 619 staff completed the survey
70% of CC’s were donors first
1/3 of CC’s were involved with YL as a kid
78% of CC’s and 58% of staff view “partnership with AD” as primary role of committee
CC’s view themselves as having a significant role in the spiritual health of the staff and leaders in their area
Some Observations:
Consistent communication between AD and CC (44% of AD’s meet with their CC’s 2x/month or more) is key!
Attention to the definition of Committee roles and purpose is vital.
The use and involvement of set subcommittees to work alongside the committee at large is on the rise and is healthy for growth.
There is a desire for more training for CC’s from Region/Division/Mission levels.
More contextual work needs to be done in how committee looks like in different types of settings.
There is a desire for collaboration and shared best practices among CC’s.
So what do you do with this information?
Stop and thank God for the men and women in your ministry!
Pick up the phone and verbally express gratitude to them.
Focus on the connection between CC and Area Director on a more regular and deeper level.
Review the survey results with your entire Committee, perhaps even do your own Committee survey for more conversations.
Click this link for Committee Resources and look for more to come from Global Innovation and Training to help staff and committees grow together in our call to reach and teach kids.
Written by John Vicary
jvicary@sc.younglife.org