“Do we have any volunteers?”
After posing such a question, suddenly the entire church auditorium is filled with fidgety parishioners who just can’t seem to make eye contact with church leadership. It seems that no one is too eager to volunteer these days.
It doesn’t have to be this way, though. It is very possible to build a strong volunteer culture within your church community in 2020. These simple ideas will help you get your church family out of the pews and into action.
Celebrate Your Volunteers
No, it’s not all about the glory, but that doesn’t mean that your volunteers don’t want to be appreciated - and they should be! Beyond the simple fact that church volunteers deserve a little recognition for their efforts, taking the time to celebrate your volunteers can go a long way in building excitement. The more that your community sees its brothers and sisters joining in and lending a hand, the more they will want to get involved themselves. Highlight a “Volunteer of the Month” in your church newsletter or bulletin, share photos of your volunteers on your church’s social media sites, or ask your volunteers to stand for acknowledgement during your church service.
Make the Connection Between Volunteering and Discipleship
We all know that volunteering is a “good” thing to do. In order for your congregation to truly understand the importance of volunteer work, we as leaders need to help them make the connection between volunteering and discipleship. Has your church
?
In Mark Chapter 10 Verse 25, Jesus said,
“Even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve.”
If we are truly to be followers of Christ, we must be willing to be of service. When your church community understands how volunteer work and service is an essential part of their spiritual walk, they will be much more compelled to cheerfully give their time.
Keep It Simple
Unfortunately, there are many churches that make it more challenging to volunteer than it is to get hired at a new job. Lengthy applications, required classes and training, involved interviews, and overly drawn-out “spiritual gifts tests” can be so overwhelming to a prospective volunteer that they get scared off before they can do any good. If someone offers to volunteer, it should be easy for them to get started and to stay connected. Making use of the Community Church Builder volunteer scheduling feature, for example, makes it simple for volunteers to know when and where they are needed.
"When your church community understands how volunteer work and service is an essential part of their spiritual walk, they will be much more compelled to cheerfully give their time."
Make It Fun!
Never underestimate the value of fun. Keep the mood light and full of positive energy when working with your volunteers, and allow your worker bees to lend a hand in areas of the church community that they most enjoy and have a passion for. Fun is contagious, and when your volunteers are having a good time, your team will grow.
Lead By Example
Although church leadership shouldn’t overextend themselves by doing everything, leaders should lead by example and get involved with volunteer activities throughout the year. Not only does this set a positive example for the congregation, it allows them to interact with leadership in a different way.
No matter how large or small your volunteer community currently is, you have a great opportunity to grow a volunteer culture within your church this year, and Community Church Builder software can help. Get your free copy of
and begin growing your volunteer culture today!
