As I have been blogging this morning there seems to be a lot of conversation out there right now on volunteers. Some have written some really good thoughts and given some great insight into ways that we can find volunteers for our ministries, ways that we can keep them for the long haul and even places to recruit. I will list several of those links at the end of this thought on volunteers.

In my reading I have made two observations that have not been mentioned. Having been in ministry for a while I understand the value of volunteers and the need to have them in order to grow a ministry well. Here are the observations that I have made.

1. We have forgotten to tell stories – Let’s be honest we are all driven to make a difference when we hear stories about life change. This week American Idol will hold it’s annual Idol gives back campaign. In doing so they will tug on our hearts by telling stories of students who lives are difficult and how they are overcoming adversity with little help from anyone. In our ministries we are seeing life change from students who live in homes where mom and dad don’t care. Homes where there is no dad and mom is an alcholic. Homes where mom and dad have it all together but the student (their child) can’t handle the pressure to fit in and be a part of the world that is around them. However, we see students accepting Christ and falling in love with the one thing that will give them hope and a reason to live and stand out from the crowd. These stories that we embrace are the stories that should appear on our web-sites, come out of the mouths of leaders. Our Senior Minister will actually ask for stories so he can make a shameless plug for student ministry during his teaching time. We have to remember the stories and our congregations need to hear them.

2. Share the vision – Here is a side of recruiting volunteers that is more difficult. In order for us to recruit quality leaders we are going to have to communicate the vision to them in a manner that they are excited about it. Communicate the “why” in every adult conversation you have. Remind them of what it was like when they were teens and the important role that they can play in the lives of teenagers today.

Note:When your leaders (current volunteers) are excited about what is happening in student ministry then they will tell their friends and their friends will become excited. We all have an internal desire to want to be a part of something bigger then ourselves.

So, when it comes to recruiting volunteers let us not forget to share the stories and communicate the vision to those whom we come into contact with. I always try to share even when they are not interested because they may know of someone who is.

Keeping Volunteers

4 Places to recruit

How to recruit ministry volunteers