No Begging Allowed!
Making Disciples For Community Ministry
In your church or other organization, has it ever felt like you were begging for volunteers to fill a gap? Have you ever had to “twist-someone’s-arms” to get them to commit under duress to take on a task because there was no one that has stepped-up-to-the-plate? If you are a leader and responsible for institutional maintenance most certainly you know what I am saying.
As a leader in Christian missions, I would argue that the appeal to involve oneself in global missions is altruistically glamourous while the call to involvement in one’s own backyard (IMBY) in some cases can be frightfully intimidating and consciously or unconsciously laden with prejudices. To go far away on mission, is in obedience to the Great Commission (Matthew 28: 18 - 19) and to be a neighbor IMBY is in obedience as well to both the Great Commission and the Great Commandment (Matthew 22: 36 - 40).
Having served as an associate pastor and now a denominational worker, I have learned a couple of things about authentically mobilizing volunteers for involvement in community ministry. Leaders fare much better when they do the following:
Raise Awareness – Use your communal environment to move the heart to compassion. Testimonies, visuals, literature, and promotional gadgets peak interest. Remember that every issue of life may not align with your churches or organizations overall mission so be selective!
Provide Education – Give God’s people the opportunity to study intensively about social problems. From the traditional classroom model, to conversational engagement, the use of media or experiential simulations potential volunteers are first made privy to the issues. This takes strategic planning and is work!
Recruit, Train & Give Role Clarity - Invite people to serve and then provide an orientation or more intensive training depending on the job. To further equip and minimize conflict and discontent, be very clear on the role in which the volunteer is committing. Do not glamourize a job just to fill the spot!
Connect – Introduce interested community volunteers to key people and places. Let the spirit move where it will! You do not have to control everything!
Affirm – Listen to your volunteers! They have life experiences and a call and passion for their volunteer engagement. Allowing them to have voice in the process will yield amazing results. Just as importantly, gracefully engage the volunteers need to exit the ministry when the season of service comes to an end. No guilt-trips allowed! Celebrate the services rendered and bless that one into a new season of service or of sabbath.
As a leader, what have you learned about mobilizing volunteers? As a volunteer, what’s your perspective or experiences?
(The content of this sparkblog post is taken from an article I wrote that was published by The Center for Baptist Heritage & Studies, University of Richmond, 2004 entitled, The Jerusalem Call: Mobilizing The Local Church For Community Ministry).