How to Stay on Schedule

Do you struggle to stay on schedule?

This tip will help keep your Bible study, small group session, Women’s Ministry Fellowship, speaking engagement, and Sunday school class on schedule.

There is nothing worse than running out of time. Except maybe going over!

It’s easy to get caught up in a discussion, a lesson point, or a story. You glance down at your watch and gasp! How did that much time slip away?

If you struggle to stay on schedule, listen up!

I learned this super, simple tip during my Bible Study Fellowship training.

Before you lead, teach, or speak, write the time in the left-hand margin for every point, activity, or question.

Start with your beginning time and make sure you end at the end time. Keeping a run tab of the time down the left-hand side.

Question 1 – 10:45.

Question 2 – 10:47.

Question 3 – 10:49. And so on.

Use a pencil because you may will find you need to make adjustments to get the math to work out just right.

Give more time to those questions/points that you anticipate will need more.

What do you do when you get off schedule?

• You may need to skip or shorten a story or point that you wanted to make.
• Or you may have time to elaborate if you’ve picked up some speed.
• You may need to say, “We’ve only got time for one quick answer on this one, who’s got it?” or “We’ve got to make up some time, let’s go around the circle and everyone take one verse.” Or “We’ve got some extra time; I’d like to hear what a few other people thought about this question.”

I have taken this method beyond leading my discussion group at BSF and have used it when we taught Youth Sunday school classes. I’ve used it for Women’s Ministry team meetings and fellowships. And I’ve used it for speaking to a group.

It works and it’s extremely helpful!

When we use the time God has given us well – He is glorified.

I know some of you are thinking, but what about the Holy Spirit?

Yes, there are going to be times when you are thrown way off track (by God or by Satan). In the moment it may be difficult to discern the source.

You owe it to your small group, team, and audience to finish the lesson, meeting, or talk that God has ordained for that day.

It is okay to ask someone to meet you afterward to continue the discussion. It doesn’t have to be finished in front of the entire group.

Your group deserves to finish the task at hand.

And as a bonus, when you respect their time, they will be more likely to respect yours.

You may also want to read:
Bible Study Facilitator Training
Bible Study Tips & Tools
My Top 10 Team Meeting Pet Peeves
The Importance of an Agenda
10 Agenda Tips