{"id":30872,"date":"2022-09-10T15:07:55","date_gmt":"2022-09-10T20:07:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/how-to-build-and-sustain-a-healthy-volunteer-culture\/"},"modified":"2022-09-10T15:07:55","modified_gmt":"2022-09-10T20:07:55","slug":"how-to-build-and-sustain-a-healthy-volunteer-culture","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/how-to-build-and-sustain-a-healthy-volunteer-culture\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Build (and Sustain) a Healthy Volunteer Culture"},"content":{"rendered":"
Camylla Battani photo – Unsplash <\/p>\n

By Danny Franks<\/em> <\/p>\n

If you\u2019re in the mood to be thoroughly discouraged, there\u2019s a simple, three-step process to get there. First, gather a group of pastors or church staff members. Second, ask them about the biggest challenges they face in ministry. And finally, sit back and listen to them bemoan their lack of volunteers, the inexperience of their leaders, and the seeming reality that no one wants to step up and serve.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s not just anecdotal. In a recent survey by Lifeway Research, 77% of pastors identified \u201cdeveloping volunteers and leaders\u201d as one of their greatest ministry difficulties. At the same time, 68% said \u201ctraining current leaders and volunteers\u201d was something they needed to give attention to.<\/p>\n

The lack of volunteers isn\u2019t an anomaly among churches. A healthy volunteer culture seems to be the exception rather than the rule. And it leads many pastors to discouragement.<\/p>\n

So how do we fix it?<\/p>\n

A healthy volunteer culture takes hundreds of conversations, a commitment to press through seemingly insurmountable obstacles, and a desperation for the Holy Spirit to move in the hearts of your people. \u2014 @LetMeBeFranks Click To Tweet <\/p>\n

A healthy volunteer culture isn\u2019t created overnight. It takes hundreds of conversations, a commitment to press through seemingly insurmountable obstacles, and a desperation for the Holy Spirit to move in the hearts of your people. But I believe there are six practical steps to help you get there:<\/p>\n

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1. Know your <\/em>\u201cwhy\u201d<\/strong><\/h3>\n

We all know what <\/em>we want: more volunteers. But do we know why <\/em>we want them? We have to get gut-level honest with our motivations. Do we want volunteers to take some of the burden off our own shoulders? Are we recruiting people so that we can continue to fuel the ministry machine? Do we think more volunteers in our ministry means we\u2019re better leaders?<\/p>\n

If we\u2019re honest, many of our motivations are selfish and self-serving. We want volunteers for us<\/em>, not for them. <\/em>We don\u2019t take to heart the mandate of Ephesians 4:12 \u201cto equip the saints for the work of ministry, to build up the body of Christ\u201d (CSB).<\/p>\n

2. Know their <\/em>\u201cwhy\u201d<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Our motivations matter, but our current and potential volunteers\u2019 motivations matter as well. Some serve out of a sense of pride: \u201cThis is my <\/em>ministry.\u201d \u201cNo one else can do this as well as I can.\u201d \u201cThe church needs me in this role.\u201d For some, a sense of shame keeps them from serving: \u201cI\u2019m not qualified.\u201d \u201cThere\u2019s no way God could use me.\u201d \u201cI don\u2019t have the skill set for that.\u201d<\/p>\n

Volunteers shouldn\u2019t step up because they\u2019re greedy to lead or because they\u2019ve been guilted to but because they want to be used by God to be a blessing to others. \u2014 @LetMeBeFranks Click To Tweet <\/p>\n

Getting at the heart of our people\u2019s \u201cyes\u201d or \u201cno\u201d <\/em>is crucial to helping them say \u201cyes\u201d for the right reasons. They shouldn\u2019t step up because they\u2019re greedy to lead or because they\u2019ve been guilted to but because they want to be used by God to be a blessing to others.<\/p>\n

3. Find your stakeholders<\/strong><\/h3>\n

As leaders, we must recognize that we can\u2019t create a healthy volunteer culture on our own. We must have others around us who have bought into the vision of Ephesians 4:12. That may be other staff members, or it may be existing key volunteers.<\/p>\n

A \u201cstakeholder\u201d is someone who will come alongside you to champion the vision, help you get clarity when you\u2019re stuck, and invest in new and existing volunteers. For newer or younger staff members, this can often be an established member or older saint who will help broker conversations when they get tough. For long-time staff members, this can be a person who infuses new life into the ministry with their ideas and encouragement.<\/p>\n

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See also  4 Changes I’d Make If I Could Start Ministry Over<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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4. Create an asking culture<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Too often, we don\u2019t ask because we\u2019re afraid to ask. We don\u2019t want to inconvenience people, don\u2019t know how to articulate the vision, or are fearful that a potential volunteer will tell us no.<\/p>\n

Stage announcements create awareness, but they don\u2019t often create action. \u2014 @LetMeBeFranks Click To Tweet <\/p>\n

So let me be clear about two things in one statement: people like to be asked one-on-one<\/em>. People do <\/em>like to be asked to serve\u2014when we ask for their benefit and not ours. They\u2019re honored when we see something in them they may not see in themselves. They\u2019re challenged when we call out their strengths and giftings.<\/p>\n

But they often don\u2019t get that personalized \u201cask\u201d if we\u2019re asking from the stage. Stage announcements create awareness, but they don\u2019t often create action. So stop relying on the \u201cwhosoever will serve\u201d model and start having individual conversations with people you\u2019ve prayed about, thought about, and asked God to awaken to the pleasure of serving.<\/p>\n

5. Appeal to mission, not need<\/strong><\/h3>\n

I mentioned earlier that people often serve out of a sense of guilt. And church staff members are often certified travel agents in guilt trips: \u201cIf you don\u2019t say yes, we\u2019re going to have to shut down the nursery.\u201d \u201cI know you\u2019re already really busy, but this ministry is at risk of failing. I need you!\u201d<\/p>\n

Need will eventually crush people. But mission awakens people. \u2014 @LetMeBeFranks Click To Tweet <\/p>\n

There\u2019s no lack of people in your church who will respond to needs. But, to go back to the second point, are they responding for the right reasons? Need <\/em>will eventually crush people. But mission <\/em>awakens people. Tie the task to the calling of the gospel, the gifting of the individual, and the indwelling power of the Spirit, and you\u2019ll find people motivated rather than manipulated.<\/p>\n

6. Invest in your high-capacity volunteers<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Too often, leaders get a \u201cyes\u201d and then abandon the volunteer. We assume they know what they\u2019re doing or that they\u2019re satisfied with what they\u2019re doing. However, we\u2019ve seen the fallout that proves the opposite: volunteers who are bored or underutilized are at risk, and we have to find a way to keep them engaged.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s why I love creating spaces for high-capacity volunteers to collaborate, continue to learn, and gather to seek God\u2019s wisdom for the future of the ministry. Buy a few books, brew some coffee or reserve a room at a restaurant, and pull in some of your top-notch people for top-notch conversations. You\u2019ll find that those volunteers will be re-energized for the ministry, and energy begets energy. They\u2019ll soon be your best advocates to create an asking culture.<\/p>\n

The mission is too great and the time is too short to shoulder all the tasks by ourselves. \u2014 @LetMeBeFranks Click To Tweet <\/p>\n

We cannot and should not do ministry alone. The mission is too great and the time is too short to shoulder all the tasks by ourselves. Let\u2019s ask God to show us the people He\u2019s already working in, invite them to the mission, and see the cultures of our churches and communities change.<\/p>\n

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Danny Franks<\/h2>\n

@LetMeBeFranks<\/p>\n

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Danny is\u00a0the Pastor of Guest Services at\u00a0The Summit Church, and author of People Are the Mission: How Churches Can Welcome Guests Without Compromising the Gospel<\/em>.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n