“Why?” is usually one of the most important questions to ask, but it’s also the most important question to answer. Our volunteers need to know why they are here. Their job needs to reflect that. Before you begin your plan to recruit volunteers for the next season of ministry, you need to know why you need people to join you on your team.
Here are some reasons why I need volunteers:
- My story is too small to make sense to every preteen
- I can only offer my perspective
- I am not gifted in every area of spiritual gifts
- I need others to invest in the lives of students
- My voice isn’t enough
- I can’t care for all the students that God has brought our way
- I’m not female. I can’t offer that point of view to our students
- Ministry isn’t meant to be done alone
- God desires to use others to build His kingdom
There are a ton more reasons for me personally, but how about my ministry?
1. Our students need a diverse group of volunteers.
Not just demographically diverse (social class, gender, race, age, etc.) but also spiritually diverse (giftings, experiences, passions, weaknesses, etc.) I want every student that walks into Switch to have someone with which they can relate. This means I need to search out leaders who are different than I am and help them to get on the same page.
2. Our students need loving adults influencing their lives.
It takes a village to raise a child. Every parent needs to have another adult that is partnering with them to help them develop their children. We need perspective and advice to help us see things that we might not be able to see. But we also need another supporting voice influencing our child. When we have loving adults who are supporting what mom and dad or mom or dad or grandma or grandpa are teaching at home, we are successful
3. Our students need to hear about Jesus from more than just us.
If He is real, they need to know He is real to more than just the paid/lead staff person. It’s my job to explain Jesus to children. Our volunteers do it because it’s important enough to do. That makes a world of difference for our students.
So before you make your plans to get as many volunteers as possible, please make sure you know why you are asking people to volunteer in the first place.
