Today when we open the doors to the church, we are missing a lot of the people. Of special note is the volunteer crew … the faithful that rocked babies, hung out the teens and served on a connection team. Perhaps you are feeling that pain.  Most all the churches that I talk to each week are feeling it at some level and are experiencing the reality that it has on their capacity to execute the mission. I recently hosted Jessica Bealer on Ligon Group’s Leadwell Accelerator – Where did all the people go?  Jessica is the Director of Family Ministry Services at Generis.  She has been leading children’s ministry for 19 years, six of which were spent overseeing standards, systems, staffing, and atmosphere for the children’s ministry of Elevation Church. She has overseen the launch of twenty locations and is considered a specialist in kidmin multisite.  And these days she’s helping churches recruit and reengage volunteers. 

You can check out the full video here. 

Following are some highlights: 

One of the things that most churches miss is that recruiting and onboarding are two different things. Too often they lump them together, but knowing their differences is key.

Recruiting – What you are doing to attract people to your ministry or to reengage your volunteer base.

Onboarding – Encompasses the time between the moment a person says yes, “I’m interested in serving,” to the point they are settled into a position with a team and ministry leader. It is really the functionality of making that transition.

Recruiting is where you can make strategic changes. I believe that serving in the local church is what is best for everyone. Yes, you’re filling roster spots to be able to execute the mission, but it is essential to remember serving is good for your volunteers too … it’s a part of their discipleship journey. 

There are several things that you really need to do well: 

Know What and Who You Need:
You should always be able to answer the question, “How many volunteers do you need?” with more than “a lot.” If you’re not specific about your needs you have, it gets complicated. It’s always hard to hit a moving target. Be as specific as, “I need two male small group leaders for the elementary rooms and three guest services volunteers for the welcome center.” 

Increase Viability
Prepare and deliver impactful announcements in worship when given the opportunity. Share B-roll of the ministry in action … during the offering time, pre/post worship, in the lobby. Design ministry specific T-shirts that stand out in the crowd and put them on people who welcome conversation. Share ministry updates through all the avenues available in your church (newsletters, website, social media, etc.)Great signage is key as well! 

Utilize the data: 
Get to know your database and what it has to tell you about your people. Who is regular in worship? Who has recently joined a small group? The information tells a story. Make sure that you are listening. There are great cues about who is ready to serve if invited. 

Create a Contagious Volunteer Experience: 
As important as it is to recruit volunteers, it’s equally important to retain them. In order to retain volunteers you have to make it difficult for them to walk away. When fulfillment surpasses sacrifice, volunteers find it difficult to “wave the white flag.”

If you’ve found these insights helpful, be sure to watch the full video for some additional tools.  And if you would like to learn more about Jess and her ministry, you can connect here.  Be sure to check out her eBook, Recruiting and Retaining High Level Volunteers for additional detail on this topic.

I am pretty confident that this article is scratching where you itch in terms of potential solutions to “what’s next” for volunteer ministry. But perhaps there is another area where you are feeling a little bit uncertain about the next steps. You are not alone. We are all trying to navigate next.  I would love to help!

To schedule a call to talk about it, click here. or email me directly at [email protected].