UnGlued: 4 Event Planning Mistakes (Updated)

ARE YOU COMING UNGLUED WITH YOUR EVENT PLANNING?

Stuck on Purpose: How to Plan Events Without Coming Unglued

Connections are essential to church leaders because they create the glue that helps truth and relationships stick. In youth and family ministry, we’re passionate about helping students connect with God, His Word, and one another. We do this through consistent weekly gatherings centered on Bible teaching and discussion.

But as powerful as those weekly rhythms are, we know our kids and students also need meaningful moments—opportunities outside the routine where bonds are strengthened and faith becomes real. That’s why we create events.

Events pull students out of the ordinary and into spaces where what they’re learning weekly has the chance to stick in new ways. These moments can strengthen peer relationships, deepen trust with adult leaders, and—perhaps most importantly—help connect families as a whole.

But let’s be real: events can also be a lot. They can leave us as leaders feeling unglued—torn between details, demands, and doubts.

So here are four common mistakes to avoid if you want to stay grounded and focused in your event planning. Let’s STICK with it—literally and spiritually.

1. STICK With It!

You know those little glue sticks in your children’s ministry supply bin—the ones that have survived since the 90s? They remind us: good things stick little by little.

One of the biggest mistakes in event planning is jumping into a big idea without sticking to a plan. Often, leaders announce an exciting concept too soon, then make changes midstream as they try to figure things out. This creates confusion, frustration, and burnout.

Think of it like this: trying to shove a glue stick back into the tube after using it is just going to get messy.

Slow down. Think it through. Process with your team. Set the vision—and then stick with it. Avoid overextending yourself, and be intentional at every step. It’s better to go slow and steady than to spread yourself too thin and come unglued.

2. RUBBER Cement

Remember this playground gem?
“I am rubber, you are glue. Whatever you say bounces off me and sticks to you!”

Here’s the ministry version: Don’t listen to the haters.

There will always be critics—people with reasons why your event won’t work, why the idea is flawed, or why no one will show up. If you’ve prayed, planned, asked good questions, and done your homework—trust the process.

One fast way to lose your grip is to let every negative voice into your headspace. Be like rubber. Let the criticism bounce off. Stay cemented in your calling, in wise planning, and in God’s direction.

3. Feel the SQUEEZE

Time is one of our most valuable resources—and poor time management is a major cause of feeling unglued.

Like that classic Elmer’s glue bottle, if you get to the end and realize you’ve run out, it’s too late. Avoid the last-minute squeeze. Assign timeframes to each step of your planning process. Give every task a deadline and build margin into your calendar.

Scrambling at the last second drains your energy, your team, and the joy of the event. Shake the bottle early—not the night before.

4. Don’t Be CRAZY

There’s always going to be another church doing something bigger. You booked a DJ? They hired a live band. You’re doing an Easter egg hunt? They’re dropping eggs from a helicopter.

The comparison game will make you crazy—if you let it.

One of the biggest mistakes ministries make is trying to outdo the church down the road. Instead, plan events that reflect your people, your budget, and your values. What works for them may not be what’s best for you.

Let your event be your event. Keep your focus on your calling—not on competition.

At the end of the day, the ultimate glue in all of this is Christ. Beyond the agendas, the calendars, and the budgets, it’s His presence that holds everything together. The purpose of our events is simple: to help bond people to Him.

So may your events be joy-filled, meaningful, and low-stress—and may your heart remain sealed in His grace.

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