Predecessor questions

Fortunately, I have known the bloke who was the youth minister before me a long time, getting along well and he left on good terms. 

With these ideal conditions met, I got to meet with him today and quiz him on my new church. 

In reality, all I needed to know was the electronic location of everything that has happened in the past (especially the programs of the last two years) and where the useful things are (like a tug-of-war rope or ball pump).

But, we met over a couple of hours.

So what did I want to know?

To start... I did give my predecessor the option to answer any of the following queries with the response "stop being lazy and find out yourself."

I wanted to know the best way to communicate with kids, leaders, parents and the church.

I wanted to get the scoop on any personal issues which exist between the youth group leaders below the surface (ie, have any gone out and how did it end?).

I wanted to find out what leadership and child protection training had been undertaken and how long ago these occurred.

I wanted to know what things could be thrown out and what, even through it might look like rubbish, must be kept.

I wanted to know who the gatekeepers of the church were. In short, who do you go to in order to make things happen?

Finally, I wanted to know when he was most concerned he would get fired (luckily he couldn't think of a time!) and what one thing he wanted to do but, for whatever reason, never quite got around too.