I am an advance planner. I like to start work on Christmas services during the summer (seriously). You don’t have to nail down every detail months out, but prepping as much as possible well ahead of time reduces stress when the service or event nears.
Here’s the thing – as you’re planning, make sure that you’re communicating and including EVERYONE that needs to be in the loop (especially those with significant input to give). I’m always amazed (and discouraged) at how common it is for church staffers to hoard information. While it’s true that sharing ideas might lessen the amount of individual control that you can exert, the end result is virtually always better when EVERYONE is able to plan ahead and the church staff functions as a team, instead of a disorganized collection of subministries.
Besides, it’s always good to remember this truism: A brainstorming team of one is very limited.
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