Volunteers vs. Team Members
Probably the number one issue for youth pastors is volunteers. How do you get them? How do you keep them? Here are some simple things I do and don’t do.
Things I Don’t Do:
- Make announcements (they almost never work)
- Put inserts in the bulletin (see above)
- Take anyone who want’s to help
- Ask people to be a volunteer (sounds too much like babysitting, who wants to do that?)
Things I Do:
- Build teams. People want to be part of a team, but they don’t want to be babysitters. This approach takes longer, but the results are better. Sometimes there is a rebuilding year…or two, but the team members stay longer and do a better job of ministering to the students.
- Spend time getting to know adults. If i take time to get to know them, they will want to work with me (as long as they don’t know me too well). I can also get better team members because I know their heart, their maturity, and so on.
- Start simple, ask for help with short term specific things an event, trip, or project.
- Invite them to be part of a team on a mission. Full team members
- Realize I need to get to know a lot of people to find “a few good men (women)”
- Encourage my staff to do the same thing.
- Always keep my head on a swivel looking for fresh talent, I never have enough team members (even when I do, I will find a place if they are good).
Follow these principals, and you will be well on your way to having a great staff.
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