Why do volunteers volunteer? I’m a volunteer coordinator at the Church I work at. So everyday I’m trying to figure out what it is that motivates a volunteer serve. I would like to think that every volunteer is excited about being Christ to each and every person that comes through our doors. I would love to believe that they understand that by serving the Body of Christ they are playing an eternal part in changed lives. I wonder if volunteers get the magnitude of serving? Here is what I believe the reality is. I think people start out wanting to volunteer because they feel called and want to be apart of the church.
But then I think something gets lost in transition. I think their mind shifts from being called and buying into what God is doing in the church to a task oriented mentality. Instead of sharing in a grand story of salvation it turns into handing someone a bulletin or brewing coffee.
What if we led volunteers to a different mindset? What if the reason they wanted to serve is to be apart of community. They don’t serve because they feel like handing a bulletin is huge thing; but because one of their best friends greets at a door right next to them. Hang in here with me for a second. What if by building a small group mentality within a huge team you accomplish an overall atmosphere of community? There are six different areas to our volunteer team. Now if all six areas had their own leaders and were a true team, what would you experience as a visitor walking into a church where all these small groups are serving together?
A visitor would feel the love and comfort of people being Christ to one another. There is two main words that have been coming to mind when it comes to the volunteer team that I lead. Community and Accountability. If people truly feel like God is using them, because God is using them, and that they have value being apart of a team; Can you imagineeverything else that will catch fire? People long for being apart of something great. Usually being a part of something means being apart of a team with the same goals and vision as the individual. Does any of this make sense to anyone besides me?
Makes perfect sense! I’m the volunteer point person at my church, too, and volunteerism works best when it’s all about relationships rather than tasks — relationships with our Lord, with our fellow servants, and with the people we’re serving. Leaders need to trumpet this message over and over again, but it’s hard, particularly for church staff, who are burdened with so many tasks and responsibilities that ‘getting stuff done’ tends to be the highest priority. Building up people, and putting relationships first, takes more time than putting tasks first. Glad to hear I’m not the only one with this perspective! Thanks for the blog.
Great input Karen. Thanks for the commit. Well what if we were able to empower volunteers with administrative giftings to volunteer to do some of the administrative task. This would allow leaders or staff to be freed up a little more to do what we are great at. Building relationships.