Creating a “Volunteers Welcome” Culture
This spring our CM Staff completed a training based upon Jim Wideman’s book, “Volunteers That Stick.” This has been one of the most valuable resources for me and my team. We are going to begin a year long training track on helping volunteers not only want to be involved in your Children’s Ministry, but want to make CM their volunteer career! Sound like something you’re looking for? This month we will be focusing on what it takes to “create a culture where volunteers are welcome, have fun, get their needs met, and want to hang out. That’s when volunteers will stick – and grow in their desire to serve and lead.”
First Impressions count. Have you ever been to Disney World? To get in, you have to wait in line, buy tickets, expensive tickets at that. These days security is tight and people are poking around in your fanny pack
and squishing your peanut butter sandwiches into your disposable camera.
You’d think a first impression like that would make a person want to turn around and run the opposite direction.
However, people in funny costumes greet you and treat you like you are the most important person in the world
and they are excited to have you there. True, these people receive a paycheck to leave this impression on you.
In the employees lounge they probably complain just like everyone else about how their feet or their back aches. But when they are involved with you, they don’t talk or act like they are less than excited to be there. They look you square between the eyes and tell you they are happy you’re there and it has made you feel like
a million bucks!
Being welcomed, not just herded or processed, is a rare thing. And it has a huge impact. If you want to have the kind of Children’s Ministry people are excited about being a part of, greet your volunteers each week like -
“You’re here! How wonderful! Now the party can start!” The other thing about Disney World, the place is flat
out exciting! People like to hang out where it’s exciting. If you want to create a culture that’s welcoming and
make great first impressions, make them glad to be there as a part of your team.
Doing children’s ministry can be fun and exciting! Sadly, this isn’t always the reality. To hear people talk, you’d think you were asking them to board a sinking ship. Too often people have the perception that if they volunteer for CM they will…“go into the bottomless abyss of the children’s ministry world, never to return to normal adult church life.” There’s a first impression for you. I have good news and bad news for you. First the bad news, there are several reasons serving in CM can be the least fun hours of a volunteer’s week, and four of them are all too common. Now the good news: A wise leader can fix them!
1. Leadership sets the wrong tone. You’re attitude determines your altitude. How do you come across when giving a pep talk to your team? Version 1: “We’re going to have the best children’s ministry there is! Have you prepared, are you excited, and prayed up? Cause’ let me tell you something, if you’re not, you have really let God down, the kids down, and you’re being held eternally responsible! We are here to teach boys and girls about Jesus. Don’t make mistakes, keep the kids quiet and in line.” Version 2: “What a privilege we have to share Jesus with the kids of our church. You’ve prayed for wisdom, studied your lesson and in a few minutes the kids will arrive and something wonderful will happen: God will use you! It’s a wonderful opportunity for both you and the kids, so let’s thank God for the great things that are going to happen today.”
Do you see the difference between the two? The second pep talk focuses your volunteers on what God can do. It is important they are prepared and prayed up, but WE aren’t the most important thing that happens in a classroom, God is!
2. There’s unresolved conflict. Maybe someone’s feelings have been hurt, their nursing a grudge against you or another team member, whatever it is, deal with it directly and in love. There is nothing that is more of a downer than to know something isn’t right and not to address it. As the leader, it is important to get the situation resolved. This also helps you and your team members to grow in relationship with one another. When we know one another, we understand each others heart. Often in these situations, there was not an intent to hurt, but you’ll never know unless you address it. Don’t let it fester. Unresolved conflict is like bad plumbing, neither one will fix itself.
- Volunteers are in the wrong job. There is nothing fun about failing, a job that’s boring or a bad fit. If we don’t place volunteers in the right place, that’s what happens. In a later article, I’ll give some suggestions on making sure people are in the right volunteer position. Here is one tip: Often it seems like a no brainer to recruit professional educators to teach in your children’s ministry. Please consider these people are with children all week long! Ask these people to consider helping out in one of your summer events such as VBS.
- Volunteers are saddled with too big a job. Often we expect our teachers to be Super Teachers. Able to tell stories, do puppets, craft projects, worship and any other needs that may arise. Simply put, some people are gifted to tell stories and yet not have the ability or desire to glue two craft sticks together. When we give team members too much to do or expect them to do things they aren’t excellent at, it sucks the enjoyment and life right out, and is often the reason volunteers fail. That’s where job descriptions come in handy! We will talk about that extensively in another article. In addition, I will post the job descriptions we use at Prairie Family Church.
Until next time,
CJ Schindler
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