I'd like to simplify my expectations of myself. I expect myself to be perfect and work 24 hours a day, and get so frustrated when I am tired and can't. But trying to achieve those expectations is what is making me exhausted!

It's like potpourri, only for decoration.

I think many of these misconceptions are because people don't respect teens from the beginning and they don't realize that teens listen (like V. Brown mentioned). Yes, they can dress differently, and yes, they don't always make smart decisions but they are people who deserve respect. Even in families you wouldn't think of, there are a lot of kids who are learning that they can't trust or respect the adults in their life at a very early age. This drastically affects how they approach adults as teens. They know who is genuinely caring for them, and who are just putting on a show.

Most nonprofits have the exact same problem. They are constantly knee deep in their work, their cause, that they loads lots of information on people thinking because it's all the information they want to know...not what the person needs to know. As staff members we know the 50 million things that are going on at church, and it's hard to put ourselves on the other side.

The most important thing to outreach is organization. To put the right information, in the right place that people can access it. Sometimes that's all communication needs to go from confusing and overwhelming to understandable and simple.

I think Christians need to really take this chapter to heart not just with out communications within a church on a larger scale- when they are in the world. They get in the habit of using Christian-ese (words only Christian's know the definition/context of ...i.e. fellowship) when trying to evangelize to non-believers, or even just in their daily lives. They are focusing too much on the message, and what they understand it as, and not how the person who they are evangelizing too is going to take it. If someone started spewing technical jargon at you from a field you know nothing about- you are going to be confused and probably not want to talk to that person again. It's vital to Christianity that Christians start taking a serious look at how their message is received and not just what they want to say about the gospel. I think it's important to run new-outreach materials and public communications by non-Christians and/or new Christians who have not been in the Christian bubble too long, they can give you a real objective look at how your message is received.

I think 'no' can be a good thing, because too many times pastors and administrations try to please everyone and end up spreading the resources and themselves to thin. Especially at small churches. There needs to be a constant openness to new ideas, but also a set vision and purpose that they need to fit into. That openness needs to be a constant engagement (as Corbett said) with the congregation...but that doesn't mean it can't end with 'no'.

My blog is all about outreach (with a little PR, event planning, and other elements thrown in), specifically directed at church and non-profit outreach: www.OutreachGeek.com.