What Happens After the Event?

“What happens after the event is more important than the event itself.”

This is a refrain we have used countless times. It helps us remember that an event like Vacation Bible School or a mission trip is part of the training and growth of leaders and students—not the focus itself.

Let’s take a sports camp as an example.

A sports camp is a super fun week focused on sharing the Gospel. Amazing things happen at many sports camps. Kids come to know Christ in a new way. Relationships are started and deepened. Volunteers are excited about serving, and new families begin attending church.

However, without a plan for debrief, the event stops short of what it can be: an opportunity to develop leaders in the church and disciple people in their new or renewed faith.

Debriefing is an important part of any learning process, including discipleship. Celebrating and evaluating your ministry event helps you learn in two important areas.

The first is organizational learning. You can ask:

• What did we set out to accomplish?

• What actually happened?

• Why did things happen the way they did?

• What can we do differently next time?

The second is personal reflection for yourself and other ministry leaders and volunteers. This can be as simple as answering five basic questions:

• Where did I see God work in this event, and how did He specifically use me?

• What did I learn about God while working on this event?

• What did I learn about myself while working on this event?

• Is God calling me in some way because of my time in this event?

• How can I apply what I learned from this event to my everyday life?

Taking the time to ask these basic questions can transform a week of sports camp from simply being a fun event into a significant leadership development and discipleship opportunity.

In fact, research on the effectiveness of debriefing in a variety of settings has shown approximately a 25% increase in effectiveness for teams and individuals.

And that's in a secular setting.

Imagine the difference it can make in a young leader’s life when they not only evaluate their skills and performance, but also take time to consider how God is leading them.

Imagine the life change that can happen when we invite God into the process.

The event may last a week.

But what happens after the ministry event could shape a leader for a lifetime.