If you haven't heard, I just started a new ministry role as the Children's Pastor at a great church in the Kansas City area.
One of my big goals is to help the volunteer team understand how important their role is.
One way I will accomplish this is to share with them "why" we are serving.
No matter what role they serve in on the team, we all have the same goal.
The goal is to help kids and families know Jesus and grow in their faith.
That's "why" we do what we do.
Our volunteers need to be reminded of this on a consistent basis...like every week.
Connecting team members to this goal requires being intentional. You have to be intentional about thanking volunteers for serving and remind them of "why" they are serving.
Here are a few examples of what I did this past weekend.
Security team. I reminded them how important their role is. Parents are extremely cautious about leaving their children with volunteers that they don't know in a ministry their children have never seen. Which is totally understandable in the world we now live in. Security team members can help alleviate some of those fears by being present and alert.
I reminded the security team members that because they are serving, parents can leave their children in our care and go to the adult service with the confidence their children will be safe. This will contribute to parents hearing the Gospel and responding.
I reminded them that the sermon starts way before guest parents enter the adult auditorium and they are a key part of that. Because they are serving, parents can clearly hear the Gospel and be given the opportunity to respond.
Nursery and Preschool team. Volunteers who serve in the nursery and preschool area can sometimes feel like they are just "baby sitting." I was able to remind several of the volunteers in this area that it is not "baby sitting." Rather, it is ministry at one of the most important times in a person's life.
It's in those early years that kids begin to be molded and shaped into who they will be for the rest of their life. Pointing them to Jesus and helping them know and love Him is "why" we serve.
Guest Services team. I stopped by our first-time guest check-in area. I shared with this team that first-time guests decide in the first 8 minutes of their visit if they are going to return or not. I shared with them that a first time impression truly is a lasting impression and they play such a crucial role in seeing guests return and get connected.
Yes...they help new families get registered and checked in...that's they "what." But the "why" is much more than that. The "why" is an opportunity to help guests feel loved and welcomed. It's an opportunity to be the arms of Jesus wrapping around them in love.
Small Group leaders. I was able to connect with several small group leaders and share with them the huge opportunity they have to show kids what it means to be a follower of Jesus. I reminded them that discipleship happens through relationship. As they build a relationship with the kids in their group, they will be able to help disciple them.
Large group teacher. I spent a few minutes backstage talking with a large group teacher. He is a college student and is gifted to communicate with kids. I shared with him that the kids will listen and learn better from a young teacher rather than an "old man" like me. I shared about the opportunity God has given him to make a lifetime difference in the children God brings our way.
Teach and Audio team members. I went to the sound booth and shared with the volunteers that they are a key factor in the service. I told them that the words they share on the screens are life-changing for kids. I reminded them that they are playing a "key role" in sharing God's Word with the next generation.
If people are only serving for the "what," they will eventually burn out and quit. They will get "weary in well doing."
But if people are serving for the "why," they will focus on the mission and be committed to it.
Share the "why" every week with your team members. Do that well and you will have a team that is passionate about ministering to the next generation.
