The beauty of ministry really shines when we work in it together. In the midst of the complex and challenging, effective ministry is much more attainable and enjoyable when done as a team! But that doesn’t mean it’s always easy. And that’s okay!
Leading volunteers is one of the most rewarding parts of ministry—even though it might be hard at times.
Far too often we bring volunteers in, we encourage them, and then we send them on their way without clear leadership. While we want to train and empower our volunteers to own their roles, it’s important that they never feel like an island. Isolation does not honor volunteers.
And we don’t want to make the mistake of forgetting about volunteers until there is a crisis! That is a great way to lose them and none of us want that!
Let’s join together and go beyond enlisting people. Let’s choose to intentionally walk alongside our volunteers on the journey of faith and service.
Leading volunteers is one of the most rewarding parts of ministry.
5 Responsibilities We Have Toward Volunteers
1. Know Them
We lead best when we know the people on our teams! And the people on your teams deserve to be known. Understanding who they are, what they enjoy, their strengths, and even their weaknesses help us lead better.
You see, ministry always happens best in the context of relationship. It always has, and it always will. Jesus displayed the importance of relationships in His ministry on earth.
Getting to know your volunteers is critical to successful ministry and enables all of the following responsibilities to a far greater extent.
2. Listen Well
Listening is key to knowing others. It is also the first step in sharing vision.
Volunteers are people. And many of them, especially those who are passionate about children’s ministry, have great ideas! Listening to them is the only way we’ll ever be able to hear those great ideas that will better our ministries.
These are the key people in the trenches who see the reality of what’s going on in your ministry. They often have the best perspective of what will work and what won’t, what is needed and what isn’t. So, be sure to hear them when they speak to you.
And seek them out if they haven’t come to you. Give them opportunity to share!
Growing Volunteers: Building the Body of Christ in Ministry to Kids and Families
Growing Volunteers: Building the Body of Christ in Ministry to Kids and Families
Growing Volunteers: Building the Body of Christ in Ministry to Kids and Families
3. Align with Vision
Vision keeps your ministry and your team on track for where you want to be. And that vision must be aligned with the overall vision of your church, and it must be wholly owned by every part of your ministry, especially by your volunteers.
If your team is not actively engaged with the defined vision, your ministry could end up in a place you don’t want to go. It can feel disjointed and lacking. Whereas when volunteers also own the vision, we all head in the same direction together.
We owe it to our volunteers to communicate a clear vision so they can own it for themselves!
The people on your teams deserve to be known.
4. Equip to Serve
It’s important that we equip our teams to do the work of ministry. If we aren’t equipping them, then we are failing them as leaders. It’s not fair of us to send them out without them knowing where they’re going.
An equipped volunteer owns their role and brings life into areas of ministry that otherwise may not have it.
“So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up.”
Ephesians 4:11-12 NIV
5. Spiritual Engagement
One of the most important pieces of leading volunteers is investing in them spiritually. This is such a sacred part of growing volunteers.
In this aspect, it’s important we lean in, know what they are learning, see how they are growing, and understand what they might be struggling with.
We’re on this faith journey together, so walking together in faith is key. It’s not necessarily about one-on-one discipleship, but rather creating systems, having conversations, and engaging with volunteers on their spiritual journeys.
Not only is it our responsibility for the purpose of protecting the ministry we are called to lead, but it’s our responsibility because volunteers are as much a part of our ministry as the families we serve each week.
Ideas for Fulfilling These Responsibilities
Decide what your priorities are when it comes to your volunteers and then align your work habits with these responsibilities. You will probably need to delegate things that others can do so that you can focus on what only you can do!
In this, be sure to create systems that help you keep this alive, especially as you equip key leaders to carry some of the responsibilities. In due time, this all will become part of your ministry culture, helping you have a healthy team and ministry.
