Finding volunteers is not as easy as it sounds, but volunteers are essential in every church activity. It’s a way to get people involved in their local church. Maybe the majority of your church is run by volunteers. Maybe your church only has 2-3 staff members and you’re looking for more volunteers to help fill in the gaps. Whatever the job, whatever the occasion, volunteers are extremely important, especially in ministry.
So how do you find volunteers?
Here are 4 ways to help your church get more volunteers:
Just ask.
No one showing up to volunteer for your event? Have you tried asking? I know it sounds simple, but maybe you need to approach that person and ask him/her if they would like to volunteer. Be personable about it. If you can’t reach them in person, try calling, texting, or emailing. To reach a broader audience, create an ad, and post it on your church’s Facebook page. Don’t expect people to show up to volunteer if you didn’t ask them to.
Be specific.
When asking people to volunteer, it’s important to be specific. Don’t just advertise that you need volunteers. Tell people what they’re volunteering for. Are they handing out tickets for your next event? Are they joining your photography team on Sunday morning? Are the running lyrics for your worship service? All of that information matters. Be specific so people will know what they’re getting into.
Focus on them, not you.
That’s right. Before signing up to volunteer, most people will ask: “How does this benefit me?” Although most of the time it’s not meant in a completely selfish way, it really is a general human trait to be concerned about ourselves. So, let’s play into that. In your advertisement, you could include the possible benefits of being a volunteer. Maybe it’s a free t-shirt (everyone loves a good free t-shirt). Maybe, if the position is fitting for a middle or high schooler, you could offer the position as a way to gain service hours for their club. The ideas are endless.
Stay connected.
Lastly, it’s important to stay connected with your volunteers. Whatever you do, don’t have them volunteer once and never speak again. Keep that connection going. Think about creating a Facebook group for your volunteers. This would be a great way for not only you to stay connected, but also, they could stay connected with other volunteers as well. Consider having bonding time for your volunteers, whether it’s over dinner, a pool party, etc. Whatever you do, don’t lose that connection. If your current volunteers enjoyed working, encourage them to reach out to their friends to volunteer for the next event.
Conclusion
Many churches run off of volunteers. They are essential parts in our every-day ministry. If you don’t have volunteers or need more, we hope these simple tips can help you. Have you thought about personally asking people to volunteer? That could be the key. Make sure to be specific when explaining the “job description” of the volunteer. Also, focus on their benefits, not yours. And lastly, it’s incredibly important to stay connected.
Have any other suggestions? Let us know in the comments.
