1. Value People People like to feel valued and validated. As a leader, you are in the position to instill value in those who serve. People who feel unvalued or invalidated will not stick, whether they are in a volunteer role or paid staff role. I'm not saying leaders should stroke egos or give undue praise. What I'm saying is to show genuine concern for those who serve in your ministry area. Value their opinions, listen to them, appreciate them, and have their back. Call and check up on them when they are sick. Visit them in the hospital. Ask them how they are doing and help those you can. Don't just dote on those who serve in more visible roles, show each and every person in your minitry you care. I used to feel as though I didn't have adequate time to do this. Even though I couldn't hang out with everyone, I at least tried to keep in touch with every volunteer in the ministry. If I missed someone for a week or two, I would email, call, or seek them out at church to catch up with how they were doing. Of all the things you can do in ministry, this is so critical in keeping healthy relationships among your team. In other words, love people like Jesus loves them! Otherwise, they'll move on to another ministry (or church) where they will feel valued and loved.
2. Listen to Those Who Serve Even though you are a leader over a ministry area doesn't mean you know it all. Therefore, another key ingredient to making a ministry successful in Kingdom work is to listen to those who serve in the ministry along with you. Serving as children's pastor in a church plant had it's challenges. We were writing the rules as we went. I often received 'great suggestions' as to how to run the ministry. However, I learned within the first two years that I couldn't please everyone. Therefore, I learned to listen to those who had buy-in to the ministry - volunteers who served faithfully. As a leader, you will be pulled in all different directions. You may not be aware of the details for specific roles, responsibilities, processes, or functions. Therefore it is critical to listen to those who ACTUALLY SERVE in these areas. This doesn't mean you have to do what others think you should do. However, it's wise to listen when staff or volunteers have an idea or note a way to prevent/improve/solve problems. Do not discount what anyone says no matter how small their role is in the overall scheme of things. God can and often does use those the world considers weak and foolish to accomplish great things for His Kingdom - afterall, look at me! So LISTEN to what those who serve in your ministry say. Even complaints may have an ounce of truth behind them. Sometimes, what others say has merit. Other times, there may not be any merit but simply negative criticism. Whatever the case, truly listen. Then prayerfully consider what others have to say and discern how God would have you to respond. Value their opinion, but if God doesn't lead you to respond in their favor, explain to them why. Ultimately, you aren't here to please people. You are here to please God!
3. Who Can You Count On? When I first got started in children's ministry at PCC, I was blown away by the number of volunteers God sent our way. In the first months of the ministry under my leadership, we had about 40 volunteers! I remember the first leadership conference I went to. The other children's pastors were amazed at the number of volunteers who served in our church's children's ministry - though we were still meeting at the High School! God certainly provided! The original intention was that if enough people volunteered, volunteers would only have to teach once every 6 to 8 weeks. This worked for the first month or two. But not soon after, volunteers started not showing up on Sunday mornings. Even though I wasn't scheduled to teach, I found myself teaching as a sub every single Sunday. There were times that we had to combine two classes into one. Often, people wouldn't even call ahead of time to let me know or they would send word through someone who passed it on to me 10 minutes before the start of children's church! Irresponsible, yes! As I became more experienced in children's ministry I realized a few things:
- It is better to have a small, faithful, committed volunteer base that is manageable versus a large, inconsistent volunteer base.
- Requiring a higher level of commitment may reduce the number of volunteers, but it increases the stability and faithfulness of volunteers who sign on. You know without a doubt you can count on them.
- People will commit to things they value - communicate the value of ministry in accomplishing Kingdom work, testifying to the works He has accomplished and IS accomplishing in the ministry!
- God is always faithful to send the right volunteers at the right time, even if it is at the last minute-which seemed to happen especially for key events such as Easter and VBS!
The bottom line is this, loving the people who serve and are served by your ministry is not only critical to carry out the ministry of Christ, it is mandated by Christ himself!
"I give you a new commandment: love one another. Just as I have loved you, you much also love one another." (John 13:34)
Praying that you love as you lead!
In His Love, Cathy
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