Volunteer leaders are the backbone of the church.
This is true in churches of all sizes, but especially in small churches which may be led exclusively by volunteers.
After all, volunteers can quit and have more spare time whenever they want to. So we need to give them good reasons to stick around.
Here are 10 of them:
1. Tell Them Why
The days when church leaders did what they were supposed to do merely from a sense of obligation are gone. Good riddance.
People—especially volunteer leaders—want to know why something needs to be done. And they should know. Leaders can’t lead without knowing why.
2. Listen More than You Talk
Pastors and preachers are taught how to speak. But we’re seldom taught how to listen.
As a pastor, I don’t want to be the smartest person in the room. Pastors who do all the talking don’t get smart volunteers, they get mindless followers. They might attract crowds, but they don’t make disciples.
3. Overcommunicate
It’s been said that when you feel like you’ve over-communicated, that’s when they’re hearing it for the first time.
Most pastors live with church events 24/7, but even our most dedicated people will forget that “essential” meeting if they don’t get an extra phone call, text, or email reminder.
4. Be Patient
Volunteer church leaders are working for the church after the kids are finally fed and asleep, the house is semi-clean and the dishes are still piled up in the sink.
If they don’t get everything right the first time they do something (or the fifth), recognize their sacrifice and be patient.
And, especially if you’re bivocational, give yourself the same break.
5. Be Forgiving
The only way to not make mistakes is not to do anything. And that’s a big mistake.
Be grateful for people’s efforts and forgiving of their failures. In our church, if something isn’t the right fit for them, they can quit at any time, guilt-free. When mistakes aren’t fatal, they’ll step up more often.
6. Be Prepared and Consistent
No volunteer leader should ever be more prepared than the pastor.
Be on time. Be ready. Stay for questions afterwards. One of the fastest ways to lose volunteer leaders is to come to meetings late or unprepared.
7. Honor Them and Their Time
People are under no obligation to volunteer at your church. They’ll volunteer where they are honored as people and where their hard work and leadership skills are recognized and valued.
Plus, honoring one another is just the right thing to do.
8. Train, Don’t Just Tell
Leadership is an art and a skill. It’s learned by spending quality time with other leaders.
Invest in great followers by giving them your time and experience. Take them with you as you do ministry. Then trust them enough to hand it off when they’re ready.
9. Train Leaders to Train Leaders
This is how volunteers become your next generation of leaders.
10. Foster an Atmosphere of Thankfulness
You can never say “thank you” too much. Stop trying to guilt people into stepping up. That never works.
Infuse everything with an atmosphere of thankfulness.
Be grateful for the volunteers you have. When they feel appreciated for what they do, they might decide to do more.
(Photo by Eric | Flickr)
