How to Grow a Volunteer Base

Our volunteer percentage has got to be over 90% and we have some of the greatest, most joyful-in-serving volunteers on the planet.  Some possible reasons for it...

• We run our volunteer schedule on semesters so we can invite new guests into ministry roles four times a year.
• We repair "bad theology" whenever our ministry leaders feel guilty about asking others to serve. Feeling guilty says that serving God is not a privilege of the greatest magnitude.
• We provide an opportunity to sign-up for a ministry team at our newcomer's lunch every month.
• We lighten the burden by asking for just one Sunday a month [although many people serve in multiple areas].
• Whenever we've got holes in the schedule, we pray like crazy that God would fill it.
• Our ministry team leaders encourage "switching" within their teams rather than dropping out of missed Sundays.
• We say 'Thank You' over and over. I sound like Elvis walking around after the Sunday service is over: "Thankya, thankya very much."
• We have job descriptions for every single role... and I mean every single role... so that no one is left in the dark about how to do it, what is expected, and what a win is.

One thing we're going to do in the new year.... Encourage our current volunteers to invite their friends to join them in serving. If every volunteer is a recruiter, we won't need to recruit volunteers. newchurches

Comments

[Skyler Goodman]

That is fantastic! Thanks for sharing some of the things that are working for you, they are really helpful!

[Wesley Handy]

Ben, wow, great stuff. One of the greatest problems in good churches is that they fail to enable people to do ministry. Preachers lie day in and day out when they say, God has a ministry for you, but then they fail to enable their people to actually do something of what God wants. I was encouraged by our post, and will take notes!

[Ben Arment]

thanks Wes! Congrats on the new baby coming. It's been good to see Emily every month or so on my trips to Richmond...

[Jeremy Isaacs]

This sounds awesome. Do you have those job descriptions available if I was interested in purchasing them or getting them from you? We have good people and a semi good system in place, but lack a sustainable structure. If it's not available to share, no problem. Thanks for the post anyway.