I spent over 15 years in pastoral ministry, and even more counseling ministries. One question always seemed to follow me through the hallways and lobbies of churches – “How do I produce spiritual fruit?”
This wasn’t about personal spiritual discipline but making a real-life impact. In other words, it’s a question about making an outward difference. Something that impacts others. It often felt like people thought pastoring made bearing fruit easy while being just a church member without any stage gifts made it harder. You could hear both the longing and the undeserved guilt in their voices.
Now, what if this concern is echoing throughout your Sunday morning services? What if your congregation is full of people who want to make a meaningful difference but just can’t figure out how? And even more concerning, what if they’re not connecting the volunteer opportunities your church provides with their desire to contribute to the kingdom?
Could this disconnect be a driving factor to the drop in church attendance across the U.S. because people feel they can’t make the difference they yearn for?
I think it is important to ask such questions and pursue rich answers as church leaders. Let’s explore why encouraging a culture of volunteering is vital to strengthening your church community.
1. Volunteering is an onramp to engagement. Key indicators of church generosity are the number of giving units and the frequency of giving. Your most faithful givers didn’t start that way. Everyone begins in the same place, with their very first gift. The first gift only arrives when there is clarity, trust, and desire to participate in the church’s mission.
In the past, most church volunteer positions were held for loyal members. Today, volunteering is a vital way for people to get involved. The desire to serve on a project or in a ministry can often arrive before the felt need to join the church or a small group. It’s essential to have regular volunteer engagement opportunities for everyone, regardless of membership status, where the impact of their service is clear and meaningful.
2. Volunteering is an opportunity to deepen engagement. Not only is volunteering a gateway to engagement, it’s a pathway to deeper engagement.If you have a known system for volunteer leadership growth it will keep your best leaders engaged for the long haul. It will also inspire new volunteers to grow so they can develop into future roles.
Church members volunteer all over the place – at the local school, ball team, or community nonprofit. They fulfill meaningful jobs and task-heavy roles. No one forces people to begrudgingly volunteer. We do it because we are wired by God to do it. It is a part of being made in His image.
As we grow we will naturally look to make bigger and bigger investments with our lives. It’s a part of maturing and aging. I have heard many pastors lament the level of volunteerism of members outside the local church while struggling to staff Sunday ministries. But we should never discourage people from volunteering in the community or around the world. Be sure to not lead volunteerism as a task to complete but as a path of meaningful growth for the volunteer.
No one forces people to begrudgingly volunteer. We do it because we are wired by God to do it. It is a part of being made in His image.
3. Volunteering is personally rewarding. We’ve all been in those staff meetings where the lack of volunteers is a major concern. Often, recruitment feels like finding a willing person and hoping they show up. Creating a robust recruitment, training, and retention program while managing all the other church activities is tough. This can lead to a volunteer culture that lacks personal reward.
Helping others feels good. Yes, it requires a sacrifice of time, energy, and resources. But when people volunteer, the driving desire is to do something good for someone else. They also hope that their church provides a place where their good deeds can have eternal significance.
So, be mindful of how and when you organize activities and programs. Engage your volunteers in ways that feed their souls and remind them that they are called by God to be difference-makers. Speak this truth into their lives for their benefit.
4. Volunteering is communicating vision. Everyone is always focused on the next thing in life, whether at church or home. Rarely do we pause to appreciate the work God has done through us.
For example, Easter required a lot of volunteers. It also sowed a lot of seeds. This collective effort was only accomplished through the joint service of many. Individually, I can do something, but together we can do so much more.
As a leader, it is extremely important to occasionally zoom out, providing perspective of what God has accomplished for all eternity through the joint effort of many volunteers over countless hours. Mark your calendar for a big celebration at least once a year. Throw a party for your volunteers. Then, be sure to season your ongoing communication with encouragement and appreciation on a regular basis.
Individually, I can do something, but together we can do so much more.
5. Volunteer training is discipleship. The recruitment process sets the stage. Now it is time for training. In every volunteer training event or meeting be sure to do a few things:
- Remind them of your church’s vision to extend the ministry of Jesus on earth.
- Read a scripture passage that inspires them with a volunteering hero or principle they can apply.
- Share a story of how their volunteering is a part of kingdom activity.
- Pray for God’s ministry to occur through them into the lives of those they serve.
It is never safe to assume our people intuitively understand these things. They have busy lives outside of church activities and can blow in on two wheels just like you. Lead meetings with a pause. Create an eternal perspective because it may not be a default in everyone’s mind. Our soul longs to experience something when we volunteer. Ensure your people see the unbelievable good they are doing.
A solid volunteer experience can change lives, not just of the recipient of the effort, but of the one delivering the service as well. Generosity begets generosity, so create serving experiences that are meaningful to your volunteers. They will become even more meaningful to the future of your church.
Want to discuss some of these topics with generosity expert, Todd McMichen? Request a meeting and gain invaluable insights and personalized guidance to inspire generosity within your congregation.