In January, I, the new Howie with Science World, found myself with the faculty leaders of Science World for our planning days away. Each faculty does their planning days differently. Some faculties meet on campus across a day or two, whilst others go away for several days to build in more extensive team time. For the Science World faculty, we decided three days away at Bluey’s Beach near Foster was ideal. My first scientific formula: Planning + Beach = Awesome and Effective Planning Days.

We also spent quite a bit of time planning for our planning days, because planning is such an important part of effective ministry – to value planning is to value your whole ministry.

Planning days for every faculty centres around the EU’s objects. Each faculty has to carefully consider what they are going to do this year to achieve the three objects in their faculty. What will evangelism, edification, and Christian service look like in Science World this coming year?  Hours of time, energy and thought were put into this question at our planning days.

But planning isn’t the only important part of planning days.  At the beginning of each planning session, we made time to hear each other’s testimonies. We asked: how has God been working in each of our lives up to this point? How can we be loving and praying for each other? Plus, Science World spent time each day in Titus, exploring what Christian leadership looks like.

One important focus of Science World this year is prayer, and so one innovative plan is to send out two fortnightly prayer reports: the “LRLR (Less Reached, Less Resourced) Galah”, and the “Focus on FOCUS” (International Student ministry). We want students to be praying for the things we value, and these prayer reports will really help with this.

The Science World faculty, and the Evangelical Union as a whole, know that planning well is an essential part of effective ministry. Perhaps take this opportunity to examine your local Church ministry. Do you invest enough time and resources into planning well?