Ministry-to-Children.com » Volunteers

So Where’s the Volunteers? (Children’s Ministry Challenge)

Mimi Bullock — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 23:03:53 +0000

It’s the cry of those of us who’ve been stuck in the volunteer wilderness, “Help!” Anyone who’s been there can tell you, it’s a lonely time for a Christian leader. There’s nothing like pouring your heart into the lap of a potential volunteer and having them dust your plea right off with a casual, “No thanks.” As a matter of fact, this situation has led many of us to be bitter, angry and resentful toward our fellow church members. Who hasn’t said, “So where’s the volunteers?”

I’d be lying if I told you I had never felt those things. Trust me when I say, I do fully commiserate. I’ve been a Christian for many years and have been involved in active service for over a decade. My call has led me to small and large ministries. At times my ministry has lacked money and resources. Sadly, the most constant need we’ve had is volunteers. But I’ve learned a few things along the way that have helped me understand a little more as to why there’s such a volunteer deficit. There’s no blanket answer to the dilemma but there are real reasons why help isn’t on its way. Sometimes understanding why can help you cope with the lack of response.

Church Generation Gap
Unchurched Christians are filling our churches. This is a good thing! Of course, we all love these new ‘unprofessional’ Christians because they encourage us, inspire us and prove to us that God still saves. But the unchurched don’t know much about service. Many of them struggle with feels of inadequacies and are afraid to try anything new. In this case, you’ll need to be patient and wait for spiritual growth.

Already Burned
The term ‘burn out’ is a nice way of describing discouraged Christian who are taking an undetermined break. They’ve been in the fields, working diligently, giving of themselves selflessly. Then the worst happens, a cruel word, an angry parent or an unappreciative church member speaks negatively and poisons their walk. They end up in the ranks of the ‘burned out’. They look at you with sympathy but because of their own spiritual wounds, aren’t willing to get back into the game. Open the door for the burned out, but don’t expect a lot from them. They are on the mend, the walking wounded. They need your prayers.

Priorities
Ask any Christian where they rank God on their list of priorities and they’ll say at the top, of course. The problem is Christians don’t equate Christian service with giving God priority. Serving church and serving God don’t seem to mean the same thing to these Christians. The need hasn’t resonated with them. In their minds they assign church tasks, including serving children, to the paid staff. The best thing you can do for this group is to pray that God will remove the scales from their eyes. Ask God to show them how important they really are to His kingdom.

Failure Fears
Ambition and success have invaded the church. Along with the need to be on top has come the fear of failure. People, good people, are afraid to try ministry because they don’t want to fail. They do not want to let the pastor down, the parents down, you down. They’ve seen you work and are intimidated by how easy you make it look. The best approach with this group is to encourage, lift up in prayer and educate them. It won’t be done in a day, but it can be done.

Unaware of Gifts
Untapped potential lies in the hearts of believers. Many potential children’s ministry volunteers are unwilling to try because they are not aware of those gifts. New believers and the immature tend to think of gifts as singing, preaching and altar work only. They don’t realize that their patient spirit, their willing need to serve are also gifts. You’ll need to educate them. Add them to your ministry newsletter or monthly email blast. Ask in advance of course then keep them encouraged and open their eyes to where they fit into the picture with regular contact. Don’t ask them every week to help. Make an investment in their lives and sow some seeds that will bring you a volunteer harvest.

Mimi Bullock is a freelance writer and children’s pastor. She also coaches an all girls praise dance team. Her book, 50 Ideas for Kids Church is loaded with promotional ideas for your ministry. Read more at her website www.lulu.com/monicabullock .

Need more help? Then check out our series of articles titled “Overcoming Challenges in Your Children’s Ministry.”

10 Tips for Finding (and Keeping!) Children’s Ministry Volunteers

Nicole VanderMeulen — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 14:42:50 +0000

Big, small, rich, poor, progressive, conservative, thriving, struggling, traditional, unique, and the list of adjectives could go on and on in an attempt to include the vast array of church characteristics we may be faced with as leaders of children’s ministry. Each church is so different, with its own strengths and weaknesses, and yet, one challenge we all seem to share is the never ending endeavor to find, and more importantly to sustain, passionate, skilled, dependable church volunteers to support children’s ministry.

For many churches, ministry would be impossible without the work of volunteers and I would argue that even the largest of churches boasting numerous paid staff members and the most generous of budgets still join the hunt for the hidden treasure: children’s ministry volunteers! If we want to implant faith beyond our church doors into the homes and hearts of our families, we must involve our entire community in the carrying and sharing of the Good News to our little ones. As hard as we may try, not one of us has the ability to single handedly accomplish this task of monumental importance.

You probably already know the value of volunteers and yearn to have a team full of them to call your own. So HOW can you find and keep children’s ministry volunteers? Consider giving something from my personal list of tips and tricks a try.

1. Offer Finite Commitments
Many people fear that once they become a volunteer they will be roped in for life and there will be no escaping the commitment. I have found that by repeatedly stating that I only expect Sunday School teachers to help for six weeks has substantially increased my volunteer pool. The real bonus is that after becoming attached to their students and seeing for themselves that their volunteer position is a blessing and not a burden, almost every single one of my teachers requests to continue for longer than the agreed upon six Sundays!

2. Pairs and Mentors:
Some adults are leaders and some are helpers; honor this! Place your volunteers in a roll where they will thrive and can really use their unique gifts. Pair a less confident volunteer with a seasoned veteran and encourage your strong leaders to mentor others.

3. Personal Invitations:
I rarely gain a new volunteer by making a generic request in front of a large group of people or by putting an article in the newsletter. Get to know people and when you find potential volunteers, personally talk with them about their gifts and how you believe they could make a difference in your ministry.

4. Provide Endless Support:
Always offer to assist your volunteers in any way you can. Let them know that you are happy to gather supplies, brainstorm ideas, or help with a difficult child. When you create a positive experience for your volunteers, they will return and maybe even bring others on board with them.

5. Set Them Free:
Sometimes the best way to be supportive is to get out of the way! No one wants to be micromanaged. When you know your volunteer possesses both the skills and passion to plan and lead on their own, let them go! Encourage creativity. It doesn’t always matter HOW children come to know Jesus loves them…just that they do.

6. Have a Substitute:
We all have moments when we are short-handed, even when we’ve done everything we can to have all the necessary volunteers in place. Find one or two capable volunteers who are willing to be your substitutes. I have a husband and wife team who joyfully jump in at the last minute to serve as substitutes, but don’t feel obligated to help all the time, knowing I save them for when they are really needed! This also supports your other volunteers by making it easy for them to take the day off when necessary.

7. Take Turns:
Is there an opportunity to have your volunteers serve on a rotating basis? I work with many busy mothers who can’t make a weekly commitment, yet are happy to help one Sunday every other month. I take the lead planning and teaching role with our multi-age group and have one of seven different volunteers rotate in as my assistant.

8. Search Far and Wide:
Reach beyond parents and professional teachers to fill your volunteer spots. Ask elderly members, junior high youth, and everyone in between to get involved.

9. Think Twice:
If there is a program or event that you continually battle to find volunteers to support, reconsider the value of that particular ministry. Could you do something different that would accomplish the same goal, yet attract more or different volunteers? Ask yourself if the particular ministry is really effective and necessary. If not, let it go!

10. Show Appreciation:
There’s no such thing as saying thank you too often. Do it as much as possible! Send volunteers encouraging notes and emails and take the time to show your appreciation to volunteers in person. A surprise treat or token of thanks is always appropriate.

Share Your Best Ideas

What works for you? If you have an additional idea about how to recruit or sustain members of your children’s ministry team, please share it with us in the comments below.

Need more help? Then check out our series of articles titled “Overcoming Challenges in Your Children’s Ministry.”

Avoid Ministry Burnout & Do More Through Delegation

Charlie Wallace — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 19:21:27 +0000

Those that lead in children’s ministry are typically expected to “do everything” – even if they are not gifted in certain areas. In fact, a common notion is that a “good” Children’s Pastor is one that teaches, administrates, leads, takes out the trash, trains teachers often, is at the church 6 days a week (at least) and still has quality family time.

Unfortunately, this type of standard is just impossible to uphold. What happens is that many children’s ministry leaders end up spending much of their time doing things that (a) they don’t like doing and (b) they don’t want to do. This is a recipe for disaster and ministry burnout.

Why? Because that is the expectation. If a Children’s Minister is not doing something that another person in the church expects them to be doing that Children’s minister can be mislabeled as “lazy” or “uncommitted” or even “worthless.”

I don’t have the final answer to this quandary, but I can offer some advice for those that struggle in this area based on my, somewhat limited, experience:

a. Do first what you like doing and what you do well in – Whatever that is, make it a priority. For me, it’s teaching. Therefore, I try to create as many opportunities to teach as possible. That can be somewhat challenging as the bulk of my “job description” is administrative.

b. Delegate what you struggle with and do not like doing – Let’s face it: you’re not going to do something well that you don’t like to do. There are times you’ll have to do part of your job that you don’t like, but for the most part, find those people that enjoy that type of work and hand it off to them. Both of you win in this situation.

c. Take criticism with a grain of salt - The second you start delegating, you’ll begin to get criticized. At my church, there are people who know much more about certain areas of my ministry because not only have I delegated responsibility to them but I’ve also delegated certain levels of authority. When criticized, (a) think about who the criticism is coming from, (b) think about what it is they are saying, (c) think about possible solutions – ask them if they know of one!, (d) pray and ask God to show you anything that you are doing wrong, and (e) move on.

I’m convinced that the Evil One wants to make ministry leaders fell inadequate – especially when they don’t have “control” over every little area of their ministry. Don’t fall victim to that type of spiritual warfare. Do what you do best and delegate the rest. Of course, not everything will be delegated but set a goal of fill about 2/3 of your daily job duties with things that you are good at and enjoy.

What about you? Where are some areas that you’ve discovered that you should delegate? Where are some areas that you’ve discovered, “I need to do more of that”?

Children’s Workers Need “Big Church!”

Jeri Tanner — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 12:59:02 +0000

Your church, like mine, is likely blessed with dedicated volunteers who gladly give their time and energy to children’s ministry. But have you ever known volunteers who serve so willingly they never seem to make it to “big church” on Sundays and Wednesdays? I’ve seen that happen at times in my church–a worker gradually falls into a pattern of rarely gathering with the church to hear God’s word preached, to pray and sing together, or to partake of the Lord’s Supper. This is either due to the demands of the ministry or their own comfort level in being with the children. Either way it’s not an ideal situation.

In some cases, a good plan for rotation or recruiting new workers can help. In other cases, the workers themselves may need to be encouraged to gather with the church when they have the opportunity. Some adult volunteers can actually lose their “taste” for congregational worship, preferring instead the familiarity of the childrens or youth department. It’s an easy thing to happen, but it’s something better avoided for several reasons:

1. It can cause us to miss what we need. Congregational worship offers unique means of edification for us. Hearing the Scriptures taught and preached, singing and praying together, the witnessing of water baptisms and the taking of the Lords Supper are all important ways that God has prescribed to build us up in our faith. If we never join with the church in doing these things we’re missing something vital God has for us.

2. It can set a wrong example. Children, as we all know, see and notice everything; we should be careful to model faithfulness and submission to God’s word for them. Our eagerness to join with other believers in a corporate setting should be displayed for them to see.

3. It can prevent others from serving. If the same folks are teaching a Sunday School class on Sunday morning, working with children’s church during the main service, helping in the nursery on Sunday night and hanging out with the youth on Wednesdays, other people in the church may not see the need to volunteer in these areas, even though they are gifted to serve.

Obviously, it is often hard to find enough people to volunteer in children’s ministry, which makes the task of dedicated workers participating in corporate worship even trickier. But with prayer, sincere effort and good communication, a way can be found! After all, it is God Himself who commanded us not to neglect assembling together as the church (Hebrews 10:24,25); where He has commanded He will also provide!

Has your church experienced and dealt with this problem? What are some ways you’ve addressed it?

How Do You Get Volunteers To Help With The Children’s Ministry

Tony Kummer — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 10:10:50 +0000

I just heard from one of our newsletter readers. She asked, “how do you get volunteers to help you with the children.” I thought it would be a good question to open up here on the website.

Here was my basic response, you can also read a post I wrote about finding volunteers for Vacation Bible School:

Finding Children’s Ministry Workers

Make a list of what kids ministry workers you need
Pray over this blank ministry volunteer roster
Brainstorm a list of anyone you think would do a good job. Write them down even if you think they will say NO.
Work down your potential volunteer list. Approach them face-to-face if possible, but phone calls & email work too. Ask them to help – be specific about what / where / how often.
If they say No, thank them and move down the list.
If the positions are still open, restart the list.

I hope that helps, it takes some boldness. But I believe that serving the kids is a blessing and honor for people – so I’m doing them a favor by recruiting them.

Share your ideas in the comment box below.

Learning To Trust Your Children’s Ministry Volunteers

Tony Kummer — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 20:14:12 +0000

One key to children’s ministry leadership is learning to trust your volunteers. In this post, I want to give you some practical tips to make that happen. First I want to remind you why trusting your people matters. The following is true for Sunday School teachers, nursery workers, and even VBS directors.

What Happens When You Really Trust Your People

They feel empowered to fully use the creativity and ministry gifts that God has given them.
They discover the joy of serving God through the children’s ministry, which is always a better than doing their time in the children’s ministry.
Self-directed people will be more inclined to volunteer (or continue serving) through the children’s ministry.
You will free yourself from the stress of micro-managing the ministry.
You will learn to trust God to provide the people resources needed to accomplish his dream for the children in your church.

There is probably more I could say about it, but these are some basic positive outcomes. If this idea gets you excited, please share your thoughts in the comment section below.

Now, how can you make this happen? How can you promote a high trust culture in the children’s ministry you are leading?

Four Practical Ways To Trust The People Serving In Your Ministry

1. Make a habit of saying, “I trust your judgment on this.”

It takes some humility, but usually volunteers are in a better position to make decisions about “details” than I am. For example, I let a trusted nursery worker tell me what supplies we need in the church nursery. Recently, she even does the shopping. This is brilliant because she is much more qualified to make those detail oriented decisions.

2. Ask trusted volunteers for input.

Find a handful of highly committed and competent children’s ministry servants and then poll them for advice. It does not need to be a formal committee, just sent them emails to get their opinions. For example, you could write something like this. “Hi Kellie – I’m looking at next year’s calendar and wanted to get your opinion about VBS dates. It looks like these two options are the strongest; let me know what you think. Thanks again for serving the God through this ministry!”

3. Know and admit your limits.

This goes back to humility, but it is a reminder we all need. None of us are “the best” at everything, and we need help more often than we admit. Do not pretend like you can do it all because you are in charge. In my church, several people have the skills and experience to do my job better than I do. But ministry is more than a job and God has placed me here for his own reasons. So, I trust him, work very hard, and admit my limits. In the end, people will actually respect you more, especially as you avoid the “I can do it all” bottleneck.

4. Deal with letdowns right away.

One deeper reason we do not trust our volunteers is the fear that they will fail us. But confronting these situations are a key to moving the ministry forward. This should always be done in love, even if your feelings were hurt. I would recommend face-to-face, but use the phone rather than waiting.

For example, a volunteer does not show up for their ministry assignment during children’s church. Later that afternoon, you should call them and say something to the point like this. “Hello Bob, I was just calling because you missed your ministry assignment this morning. Is everything okay?“ They may have forgotten or they may have been slipping in commitment. In either case, it is important to affirm their service but also advocate for the children. You could say something like this, “Bob, I really appreciate the way you have been serving God through the children’s ministry. I can see how God has gifted you to make a real difference in the lives of children. But I’m also concerned that we don’t let the children down. Is there anything I can do to help you meet your commitments?”

Obviously, this situation will vary greatly depending on your relationship with the volunteer. But it is very important to deal with letdowns right away.

How Are You Learning To Trust Your People?

This is something that I’m still learning how to do. So, I would love to read your comments about building trust with your children’s ministry volunteers.

Sunday School Teacher Appreciation

Charlie Wallace — Fri, 22 May 2009 02:33:09 +0000

It’s that time of year again. Depending on when your children promote to their new classes (I’ve heard of promotion occuring anywhere between June and September) your church is likely winding the current Sunday school year down. Your teachers are starting to reflect on the year that was – all of the good times, the hard times, and the crazy times with children that they get to see, teach, and know once a week every week for one full year.

Chances also are that you have quite a few volunteers who serve as lead or assitant teachers. What do you do to appreciate them? The end of the year is a natural time to show your teachers that you do, indeed, appreciate all of the hard work, planning, and time commitment that they have put in to this Sunday school year. If you are a children’s minister of director, what do you do about that?

Sunday School teacher appreciation is important!Here are just a few ideas that can work together and/or separate. Whatever you do for your teachers to show them appreciation, please, do something!

Ideas for Apprecating your Sunday School Teachers

1. Give a free appreciation lunch – Serving a free lunch is a simple and effective way to let your teachers know that you care. Some churches have the luxury of having a kitchen and/or a chef that can prepare food. Other churches may be so small that the children’s minister or director may just have to go pick up a bucket of chicken. Whatever your situation, there is no excuse for not being able to serve your teachers one free lunch a year. Whether your ministry area or yourself incurs the cost, it is a cost that will be well worth it to plan a simple Sunday School appreciation day.

2. Acknowledge each one your teachers publicly – Whatever forum you choose, whether it be a lunch, banquet, or meeting, take time to publicly acknowledge every one of your teachers. Have them stand next to you, put your arm around them and give one or two reasons to the rest of the people in the room what makes that teacher so special.

3. Give your teachers a gift – And give them one that they will actually use. In the past, our church used to give our teachers little “Jesus junk trinkets.” You know the ones I’m talking about: the little pens, coffee mugs, or “holy” book lights that have Bible verses on them. While these are nice thoughts, most teachers really don’t need these type of gifts, nor will they use them. Last year our church gave each teacher a $5 gift card from Chick-Fil-A. They loved it! Try to think outside of the box when it comes to gifts for Sunday School teacher appreciation

4. During a meeting, give them a charge – Tell them how integral they are to your ministry and give them a vision for the next year. “Where there is no vision, the people perish.” If you are the leader, think about where you want the ministry to be next year and what you’d like to focus on and announce that to your teachers. This will energize them for the new year.

Most teachers don’t expect much when it comes to apprecation. Many are teaching Sunday School because they feel called. They are willing to serve with little recognition or appreciation. They are volunteers. But by doing just a few simple acts of appreciation, you’ll energize your volunteer base and perhaps endear them to your leadership. Don’t forget, if you are the leader of your ministry, you are also the lead servant. Take time to serve those who serve your ministry by appreciating them publicly.

What about you? What are some ideas that you’ve tried that work for Sunday School teacher appreciation?

Forum: What To Get Ministry Volunteers For Christmas?

Tony Kummer — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 18:41:45 +0000

I recently sent out a special newsletter talking about gift ideas for Sunday School teachers and other children’s ministry workers. I want to get your ideas too. What gifts do you give out around your church? Leave a comment below to share your thoughts. Related posts:Forum: What To Do When Your Volunteers Are Worn Out? [...] Related posts:

6 Practical Ways To Find Workers For Vacation Bible School

Tony Kummer — Tue, 20 May 2008 01:04:42 +0000

How Can I Find Volunteers For Vacation Bible School?

One constant struggle in children’s ministry is finding the right workers. Here are some tips for getting the right volunteers for your VBS program.

1. Start early
Most people are more willing to commit, and even work around their vacation schedule, if you ask early. I try to start recruiting in February. It’s never too late, but starting early will make the job much easier.

2. Call and recruit last year’s workers
A simple phone call will show that you really do value their service. Once they agree to help, ask them who else they know who would be good to ask.

3. Recruit new volunteers face-to-face
Whenever possible, ask people in person. Sometimes you will have to call, but looking someone in the eye is the best way to know if they really want to help. If someone shows any hesitation, ask questions to find out why. Sometimes, they are afraid to take on the job and simply need more training. Other times, they may be over-committed but hesitant to say no. It’s your job to know the difference and value them enough to not pressure them.

4. Put a worker sign-up form in the church worship bulletin
We put a volunteer registration form in the bulletin from Easter until one week before VBS. This gives less connected people a chance to get involved. Often people step up who I did not think to ask. Tip: This should be a secondary way to recruit. It shows much more respect to personally invite people to be involved.

5. Put a roster, with blanks in the bulletin
If your roster is not full and VBS is less than 4 weeks out, it’s time to get serious. Publish your roster-in-progress to show the church where you need help. Ask the pastor to make a special appeal for workers.

6. Combining positions as a last resort
If the VBS still doesn’t have enough volunteers, you may need to combine volunteer roles. Simplify the schedule and even consider cutting activities. Take care not to “throw your workers to the wolves” because a bad experience will keep them form helping next year.

If all these efforts fail you may have to re-think your church’s Bible school for next year. Here are some options for Vacation Bible school that will require less workers next year:

Consider Changes For Next Year’s VBS

Choose an evening VBS schedule. Normally, you can get more parents to help if you plan your program after they get off work.
Partner with other churches to plan a Community Bible School. There are downsides to this, but many churches have partner to provide the best ministry.
Plan a simplified vacation Bible school schedule. Having a weekend only program can also allow working parents to volunteer.
Limit the number of children that can register. This is a worst case scenario, but sometimes safety concerns will have to come first. Again, I don’t like this option, but it may be needed in some cases.
Find a larger church to send a mission team to help with your VBS. If your church is rural and needs outside support, this could be a good option. Contact the children’s minister at a large church within an hour drive.

I hope you found this article helpful. Please leave me a comment if you have more ideas to share.

Need More Help? You can find even more practical ideas on my Vacation Bible School resource page and my Vacation Bible School crafts page.

Forum: What To Do When Your Volunteers Are Worn Out?

Tony Kummer — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 01:05:03 +0000

Something begins to happen in our Wednesday night program every spring. Our volunteers start to get run down. Worse than that – I start to feel tired of the program too.

I’m guessing this is typical for children’s ministry programs. The school year has its own rhythm and life cycle. Fall is constant energy. Kids are making new friends and catching up with each other after the summer break. Things settle down, and then Christmas adds to the energy with holiday parties, pageants and too much candy. Next comes the build up to Easter. Spring Break comes and goes and then the weather starts to change. We all start counting down the final handful of school weeks.

Then I get the phone call, “Tony, we’ve just had a busy week, can I get a sub at church tonight?” I assure them we can adjust and I try to encourage them to put family first. But when these kind of calls come too often, it’s a sure sign that people are getting worn out.

This all set me thinking, what should I do when my volunteers are losing focus?

1. Evaluate what the program is costing the volunteers.
Always remember that you are called to shepherd the children and the volunteers in the ministry. Most families are wildly over committed and really struggle to follow through. Ask yourself, “Are we being sensitive with our service expectations?”

2. Look for ways to renew their vision for the ministry.
We all loose focus, especially after several months serving in the same program. It is vital that your ministry leaders keep the program’s goals in mind. Remind them how God is working through their service to bring children to himself. Remind them how learning God’s Word will make the difference in their lives twenty years from now. Remind them of the eternal kingdom Jesus is building when they share his Gospel with the kids.

3. Remember The Gospel
Being tired should remind us how much we depend on God. He is our creator and holds up our very existence. Being worn out is part of being a creature in this fallen world. But remember the day is coming when the Kingdom of Heaven will rule on Earth. Our Gospel labors will be seem short when Jesus appears, so work hard while it is day.

4. Give them all a break.
Don’t be a slave to the calendar. If the situation warrants, arrange for a one-week break from the program. We have one scheduled next week while I’m away at a pastors’ conference. Be wise with this move, make sure to listen to your key leaders and communicate any schedule changes well in advance.

5. Pray for God’s direction and blessing to finish the year well.
After all, it is God’s grace that makes any real ministry possible. Be sure to seek his support and strength to make it through. Pray that he would make the final weeks of the program the best.

6. Consider a shorter schedule next year.
We’re already talking about a simplified schedule for the next school year. I made the mistake of having Upward Soccer overlap our Wednesday night children’s programs. This was very taxing on our most involved people and the quality of both programs suffered. Next year, we want to space things out.

What do you think?
I would love to hear your ideas about encouraging worn out volunteers. How do you get your people through the final stretch of the your school year programs? Click here to post your comments.

photo credit: aidantmorgan