Thread by @KarlVaters

5 Simple Steps to Recruit Volunteers In a Small Church
🧵
#church #pastoring #ministry #leadership

The primary calling of the pastor is to equip God’s people to do the work of ministry (Eph 4:11-12).

But what if you can’t find volunteers to do that work, including specific events and ministries?

Should you make a general announcement? Or do one-on-one requests?

Especially in a small church, do both.

Here's a five-step process:

Step 1: Make General Announcements
Use your bulletin, weekly email, Facebook page, Sunday announcements, and so on.

Don’t be surprised if you receive little or no response. You’re not expecting them yet, so if you get any it’s a bonus.

Step 2: Look for a Specific Person
After announcing the need, pray, think, and look for someone with the gifts, passion, and calling to meet that need – even if they don’t recognize it in themselves, yet.

But pick them based on passion and servanthood, not status and experience.

Step 3: Make a Specific Request
Tell the potential volunteer you’ve been praying about who should do this ministry, and it might be them.

Start with a request like, “You know how we’ve been asking for help in Kids’ Min? You’d be great at that. Could I share some ideas with you?”

If you've found someone you really think might be called to it, they're very likely to say yes to a sit-down, even if they’re not ready to say yes to doing the ministry – yet.

BTW, if you did get a volunteer from the general announcement, do the following steps with them, too.

Step 4: Meet To Share Your Vision and Hear Theirs
Let them know what you’re asking of them and what you’re willing to give in help and training.

Ask them their thoughts. If they’re right for it they'll have ideas that need to be taken into consideration.

Step 5: Train Them
This turns volunteering into discipleship.

Remember, the Apostle Paul told pastors (along with apostles, prophets, evangelists and teachers) to “equip the saints,” not just find warm bodies to fill empty positions.

With this 5-step process, some important things happen.

• First, the personal, prayerful ask makes the right match more likely.
• Second, by sharing ideas up front, we’re less likely to lose people later.
• Third, training dramatically increases the likelihood of success.

It’s been said the best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago. The second best time is today. Start today. Or years from now you’ll wish you had.

Start to develop a self-perpetuating mentoring system in which those who get discipled, disciple others.

karlvaters.com/recruit-volunt…