Category Archives: 6. Guiding to Tomorrow

When is a fabulous event a bad thing?

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by Carol

When is a fabulous event a — well, maybe not bad, but — less than 100% good thing?

History

I knew a church that had an annual outreach event every year.  All of the children’s games, signs, food-prep stuff, etc., etc., were brought out of storage when the time rolled around.  Every church member (it seemed) had a favorite place to serve.  Even the families in the neighborhood knew when to expect the flyers and when to show up in droves.

Now, you are probably thinking that it had turned into a bad thing because everyone was in a rut.  And to be fair, it was not working as a true outreach event anymore.  But that wasn’t what turned it into a problem.

The New Kid

The problem started when someone new in the church — who had no awareness of the previous history — was asked to do something very different with the event.  Result?  A fairly successful event because the members tried their best to stay in their rut.

The Staff Kid

The next year, a staff member headed up a moderately successful event.

The Newest New Kid

And then came the “fabulous” year.

A new person in the church — who had no awareness of the previous history — was asked to lead.  She poured her every waking moment and her extended family into the event.  I repeat: It was fabulous.

But…

The next year, she didn’t want to lead it again.  (Can you blame her?)  And the staff member didn’t want to lead it again.  And the earlier recruit didn’t want to get burned again.  And the original games and signs and food-prep stuff had long since gone in a dumpster.  And the church members no longer had their favorite places to serve.  And….

And Finally

No one wanted to try to follow last year’s “fabulous” act.

Lessons to Learn

There are quite a few lessons here:

  • It’s hard to change a well-entrenched ministry.  It has to be done with careful planning.
  • It’s not fair to throw a change like that into the lap of a new volunteer.
  • The dance between volunteer leaders and paid staff can be tricky enough.  Switching roles back and forth creates even more problems.
  • Annual events build over time, so the leadership needs to be recruited and supported over the long haul. A flash in the pan burns out everyone.

Where were we? (more on church size)

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by Carol

Where were we?  Oh, yes.  We were looking at the impact of church size on volunteers.  We had just looked at the large and very large churches, but we didn’t look at the difference between them.

IS there a difference between large and very large churches when it comes to volunteers?  The size categories we’ve used are small (up to 100 in worship attendance), medium (101-350), large (351-750), very large (751-1800), mega (over 1800) and super (more on that in a later post).

So, what’s the difference when you go from 600 up to 1,500?  You are going to have a larger campus, more staff, more programs, more diversity in the congregation, higher quality in everything you do, and more distinction between skills of staff and volunteers.

If you ARE a volunteer, you are going to see these differences in the church.  But, honestly, you might not feel the difference in terms of how volunteers are led or organized.

Staff members and volunteers who lead volunteers, though, will find that it requires
**more intentional communication,
**more intentional recruiting, and
**more lead time for events.
By the time you get to 1,500 in worship, the staff members are learning from the mega churches — the tips, the tricks, and the systems.

For the volunteers, other things matter more than mere numbers.  A church in the midst of explosive growth (because of relocation, a new pastor, etc.) may not have all of the policies, programs, and systems in place yet.  The newly-large will look much different from a church that has been large for a decade.  A church that has been slowly succumbing to outdated leadership may be an unpleasant atmosphere for volunteers, even if it has all of the bells and whistles of the very large church.

Yes, there are differences between large churches and very large churches, but they aren’t as easy to spot  — which is probably why you don’t see many books and articles about their unique characteristics.  In fact, they often get lumped in together.  It could be that more people just means more of what you’ve been doing, rather than requiring anything distinctly different.

If you have some ideas about how volunteers are influenced by the unique features of large or very large churches, leave a comment.  Let’s explore this together!

Helping Church Volunteers to Thrive

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by Carol

Volunteers and church staff need to remind each other of the deep truths they believe and how that fuels their mission.  Simple enough.

But when holidays, special events, and the week-to-week routine roll around (= 24 / 7 / 365), that’s not as easy as it sounds.

Take Easter, for example.  (Side note:  If you let your events get hijacked by the so-called “Easter” bunny, you’re on your own, folks.)  Your church probably has extra services, more music, more sprucing up, more decorations (though not nearly what we do at Christmas), and more printed/electronic communication to the community.  All of these take a lot of additional time and creative effort.  And all of them can siphon off volunteer hours galore.

You would think that the extra emphasis on the Easter message would help volunteers and staff to appreciate Jesus’ suffering for our sin and His resurrection even more.  Many times, though, the appreciation stays on the surface.  Volunteers get tired and staff get burned out.  I’ve seen exhausted music directors turn cranky and crazy.

A quick prayer at the beginning or end of a rehearsal just doesn’t cut it.  A brief reminder doesn’t penetrate the veneer.  You have to be intentional about focusing minds and hearts on your purpose and where it fits within the overall mission.

It’s never too late to help church volunteers thrive, whether you are a leader or a co-worker.

Try these steps:

1.  Keep it healthy. 
Even Leonardo da Vinci had assistants.  No one needs to work around the clock. No one needs to lift and tote and build until they drop over.  No one even needs to shop ‘til they drop!  Provide healthy snacks, plenty of H2O, and adequate rest.  Recruit a big enough team — and let others help.  Pay attention to the health and safety of the people around you.  Worn out people can’t appreciate the meaning of ministry.

2.  Keep it happy. 
Laugh a lot and have fun.   Even the most serious projects and events should have moments when you enjoy each other’s company.  Yes, our efforts have eternal ramifications, but not every step has life-or-death consequences.  Tempers tend to flare when people get too tired or excessively serious.  Find ways to put a smile on your own face and the face of those around you.  Take your mission seriously, take yourself seriously, and take your joy seriously!

3.  Keep it holy. 
This may seem counter to #2, but it shouldn’t be.  Remember that you are with people who believe in the God who does not tolerate sin.  This is where you set limits on the things you do to provoke laugher or light heartedness.  This is where you take time to remind each other of the profound reasons that you are doing what you do.  This is where you remind yourself that members of God’s family are still growing — they need your patience, your example, and your wise counsel.  You shouldn’t have to think hard about how your activity ties to the reason you are doing it, but you may need to think ahead to communicate the reason.  Take more than a “moment” to think deeply and connect sincerely.  You will find that it is well worth the effort.

7 Underestimated Words for Leading Volunteers

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by Carol

In Matthew 5, Jesus repeated the phrases, “You have heard it said that ……, but I tell you……”

You have probably heard that the “seven last words of the church” are, “We’ve never done it that way before.”  But I tell you, maybe the seven most underestimated words for leading volunteers are, “We have always done it that way.”

Neither statement is necessarily true, thank goodness.  Still, they seem contradictory, so let’s take a look.

Some congregations fight against change with every ounce of their strength.  Staff members come and go, but the nucleus of the church holds fast to an old mindset that will not budge.  And yes, in that case, the congregation that refuses to entertain any new thoughts or different ways of doing things will die.  It may be a slow, lingering decline.  The church might even look like it is thriving, but only because it is a sealed-off pocket of ancient rituals in the midst of a landscape of change.

But we have a saying about not throwing the baby out with the bath water.  Think about that picture for a moment.  Who came up with that one?!  I’m trying to picture my grandmother or great grandmother heaving a washtub of soapy water from the back porch — along with the little, pink bundle of joy.

There are things in church that are precious to us.  They tug at our heart strings and define the roles we play and carry the faith to the next generation.

Take Christmas traditions, for example.  Candlelight services probably mean more to those of us that have always lived with electric lights.  We have a core group of Christmas carols that have been carried on for decades (some for centuries).  And most Americans could stage a Christmas pageant, even if they have no personal relationship with the central character.

Traditions, rituals, and things we “have always done” give us a head start with volunteers in the church.  People can imagine where you are going with a concept.  They can see themselves as a part of it.  They can build on last year’s event.  Youngsters can look forward to the day that they will join (or grow into a new role).  Newcomers can get a sense of what holds this group together at the heart level.

Change can be good.  Don’t underestimate tradition and repetition, though.  And don’t be surprised if, when you try to repeat something, you find that it turns out different.  Remember, we serve a God who makes snowflakes.

Is there a place for all? The challenge of creating volunteer positions for all giftedness! Part 2 of 2

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by Kristi

In Part 1, we looked at a volunteer (Team Member 3) whose team had dissolved. Would he stay? Would he go? Let’s look at the rest of the story.

At times, leaders pressured with the task of recruiting volunteers to fully staff an organization can get blinded by the trappings of “we’ve always done it this way.” That way may not be bad or wrong. Sometimes, though, adjustment may be called for.

New Position
In the case of Team Member 3, we realized that putting him into a new team was not going to be a good solution. At the same time, we identified a stress point for our team and created a new job description that fit him very well.

In many cases, recruiting is a year-round process. Just when you think you are fully staffed, someone gets sick or moves away. Typically, it’s much easier to keep a veteran volunteer than to assimilate a new volunteer. In the case of a reluctant volunteer, helping them get one foot inside the door of your organization may be a key to inviting them to a higher level of commitment.

I am pleased to say that Team Member 3 fully embraced his new volunteer position. In some ways, he’s keeping just one foot in my department while the other foot is starting to drift towards the department where his children are now involved. His current role fills a vital need in the organization I oversee. The newly created position allows him to complete his volunteer task within the first half of the program, and he is then able to go to a Bible Study for adults.

Sure, a couple times a month he is a little bit late, but his fulfillment level is high because he still gets to volunteer in an area of passion without giving up new relationships in the adult class. Additionally, before the time comes for him to fully move to another area of volunteering, my department is capitalizing on his interests and experience within our organization to establish the new position and refine that job description.

New Vision
To help prospective volunteers get a glimpse inside your organization, or to assimilate new volunteers onto your team, evaluate “front doors.” Make sure that there are easy ways for prospective volunteers to get one foot inside the door of your organization. If you are really headed a positive direction and have a successful team for them to join, just a glimpse is likely to show them what they need to see.  It may be a huge part of convincing them to join at a deeper level.

Take-Aways
Here are some ideas for starters:

1) Create new short-term jobs.

2) Have a system of purposefully using ‘substitutes’ along-side veterans.

3) Regularly host preview or open house type of events that showcase your organization.

4) Instead of staffing an event with all tried and true loyalists, invite prospective volunteers into one-time type positions that give them a taste of the organization and start building relationships with other volunteers.

5) Finally, don’t forget to find ways to help outgoing volunteers keep one foot in your organization, such as filling in as a substitute, or transferring their knowledge and interests to a new position.

Moving Forward
Remember, volunteers and volunteer organizations change and grow. Pay attention so that the volunteer positions change and grow along with them!

Is there a place for all? The challenge of creating volunteer positions for all giftedness! Part 1 of 2

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By Kristi

While listening to responses from prospective volunteers, you have probably heard all the excuses under the sun.  But have you really heard these people?  In many cases, individuals are telling you that they can’t envision where they fit in.  Perhaps this relates to their interests and passions.  Maybe their current schedule or life pressures are clouding their vision and they can’t clearly see a fit for themselves in your organization.  Your job is to help them understand how they can fit.  If they get one foot in the door, it is much easier for them to enter the rest of the way through the door at a later date – either when life circumstances change, or when they begin to understand their fit.

Pull out a copy of your staffing chart – the document where you record who is volunteering where.  What are the positions for which you are still seeking volunteers?  We all run the risk of viewing our organization through the lens of “how it’s always been.”  As you evaluate your need for volunteers and strive to connect with volunteers of all types, consider these things:

1.  Look
Look carefully at the positions that are still unfilled.  Does this task have to be done in one particular way? Or at a particular time?  Can it be combined with another job description?  Are you asking the right type of people?

A couple years ago, the volunteer teaching team in one classroom consisted of 3 weekly volunteers and another couple volunteers that rotated through the month.  By the end of the term of commitment, Team Member 1 wanted to move to volunteer with a different age group for family reasons, Team Member 2 had major surgery and was not able to return, and when asked to renew his commitment for another term, Team Member 3 initially declined.  The team he had been part of for several years had dissolved, and he had no desire to start fitting in with a new group of volunteers.

2.  Listen
Listen carefully to the folks who are requesting to volunteer and those that are declining your invitation to join the team.  Is there a recurring theme among the interests or passions of either set of people?    Who are the individuals that are rejecting your pleas for more volunteers?

As I listened to Team Member 3, I was told straight up – “I still love children….”  Through this statement, I knew that his interest was still strong in the area where he previously volunteered.  There wasn’t another area that he wanted to serve in more than the current area.  Moreover, he was a really good and faithful volunteer – one that I really did not want to lose.

3.  Assess
The twenty-first century is moving right along at warp speed.  What are you hearing from people regarding their current schedules and pressures in life?  Is your organization keeping up with changes in society and your immediate culture?

Armed with a bit of information about Team Member 3 – and most importantly, with a relationship of good rapport as a supervisor over his team – it was easy to see that he was moving into a new stage of life.  Some of his Sunday schedule was changing as his children were moving out of one division into programming for older children.  His wife was moving to serve in a different area (a possible life pressure).  If he also really wanted to move to a different area, I wanted to let him.  But I also wanted to capitalize and put his passions and gifts to work.

The question was, “How?”

For the answer, come back for Part 2.