The 4 Phases of Ease

One of the first and most important things I learned on the journey to becoming a professional youth pastor was something called The 4 Phases of Ease.  David Stone taught this method of enabling the people around you to learn new tasks and do them well at a workshop in 1979, and I never forgot it.  The catchy name is a play on The Three Faces of Eve, a 1950's movie about a psychotic woman.  Fits right in with youth ministry, huh? And I think it is still valuable to all of us today.

Whether in ministry or in life, most of us would like to be able to pass our methods and knowledge along to others in a manner that doesn't hinder our work or hang them out to dry.  This is the very purpose of the 4 Phases.  There are two things about the process that I have always loved.  One, it works.  And two, it has no charts or graphs or tests, and it has no time limits.  You simply help people grow, and in the process free yourself up for new adventures.  So here are the 4 Phases of Ease:

1. I Do It (and you watch)- It's what you already do.  When you want a Bible study taught a certain way, you do it and everyone else watches.  So the first great thing about the process is that EVERYONE is already on step 1.  How cool is that?
2. I Do It (and you help)-  Now we begin to actively involve future leaders in the process.  This stage is also a classic parenting technique.  You teach your children to cook or hammer nails by showing them proper methods and then letting them help.  Or in ministry you might take someone to visit a student at home and show them what to do and what not to do as you both visit with the youth.  This leads to...
3. You Do It (and I'll help)-  You begin to turn it over to your budding apprentice, but you do not leave them out on the ledge.  You go with them.  You supervise.  You encourage and let them know how important they are.  And when they are ready...
4. You Do It (and I'll move on to something else!)-  Just like that, things are happening in a way that is actually helpful to you!  You can actually trust someone to set up the chairs, someone else to teach the lesson and someone else to handle the snacks- all in the ways you would have done it!  You can just sit back and hang out with the youth...or watch the Letterman you Tivo'd the night before!

 As Velvet Jones once famously said, "It's as simple as that!"  I have found the concept to work in various situations and with all kinds of people, including my 15 year old son.  And here's the best part- there is no pressure on the person who is learning.  It's not some program they must finish or they will be a failure.  They simply learn and progress to the point where the task (or ministry) becomes their own.  It's awesome.

So that's today's piece of old school youth ministry wisdom.  Tomorrow I'll tell you about some ancient artifacts no current youth ministry should be without!

Because of Jesus,