RELEVANT CHILDREN'S MINISTRY

Successful team builders show their volunteers RESPECT.

Studies show that respect ranks above even recognition and appreciation.  When volunteers know you respect them, they will go the distance with you.

Respect is rooted in how you make people feel.  You are either making your volunteers feel respected or disrespected.

Here are some practical ways to give your volunteers respect.

Listen to them.
Show your voulnteers that you respect their opinions and ideas by actively listening when they are talking to you.  Ask questions and then really listen instead of just thinking about what you will say next.

Ask for their ideas and input.
Be proactive in asking your volunteers for input and ideas to improve the ministry.  In this post, I share some great ways to do this.  When volunteers know they can contribute, it communicates respect.

Always show them kindness.
It's not just WHAT you say, but HOW you say it.  I remember an incident years ago, when I was stressed out and spoke unkindly to a group of our volunteers.  As soon as I said it, I saw their countenance drop and knew I had made a mistake.  I apologized and thankfully they forgave me and continued serving.  It was a great learning experience for me.

Return their phone calls and emails.
Have you ever left someone a message or sent them an email and never heard anything back?  It made you feel disrespected, didn't it.  Return phone calls and respond to emails within 24 hours.  

Give feedback privately.
Correcting a volunteer in front of other people makes him or her feel disrespected.  Ask their permission to give them feedback and then do it 1-on-1.  Give them steps they can take to improve or adjust what they are doing.

Doug Conant became the CEO of Campbell's soup in 2001.  The company was in decline and had lost half it's market value.  Doug turned the company around.  A few years later, the team members were setting all-time performance records.

The secret?  He showed them respect.  This included Doug writing over 30,000 personal thank you notes to team members.  When people feel respected, they flourish.

What are some ways you show your volunteers respect?  Share with us in the comment section below.

Delegation is key to accomplishing your goals.  We talked about this in a previous post.  But there are some things that you shouldn't delegate away.

Vision
As the children's ministry leader, it's your job to cast vision.  Others can help the vision walk, but you've got to articulate it.

Philosophy of Ministry
What are the principles that will guide your ministry?  It's your job to spell them out clearly so the team will know the base for decision making.

Passion
Your team will never be more passionate than you.  You have to lead the charge forward.  You must be the thermostat not the thermometer.

Enlisting Volunteers
You should always be bringing people onto the children's ministry team.  You can't do this alone, but you must lead by example.

Appreciation
Write thank you notes.  Personally walk through the ministry and thank people for serving.  People need to hear it from you. 

How can you keep volunteers long-term?  Here's 5 keys you need to know.

1.  Sweet Spot.
Make sure you place volunteers in their "sweet spot."  In other words, place them in roles they are gifted in and passionate about.

When you ask most new volunteers where they want to serve, they will say, "Wherever you need me."  But don't place them "where you need them."  Place them where they are gifted and passionate.  And a month later, go back and ask them if they are in their sweet spot.  If they're not, let them try another area.

People who are in their sweet spot will stay long term.  People who are not in their sweet spot will eventually catch the "burnout" germ.

2.  Relationships. 
Relationships are the glue that keep people serving in your ministry.  Create an atmosphere of family.  People who do life together will continue doing ministry together long term.

3.  Time off. 
Give your volunteers breaks.  Create windows of margin that will allow them to be gone.  If you don't allow them to take a vacation occasionally from serving, they will retire early from serving in your ministry.

4.  Increased responsibility.
Many times volunteers will get bored in their role after a number of years.  Challenge them to go to the next level in serving.  Give them a fresh challenge or more responsibility.  If you don't, they'll go looking somewhere else for it. 

5.  Appreciation.
Take time to regularly show your appreciation.  Honor them.  Thank them.  Tell them.  Your thank you's may be the difference between a person serving for 10 years instead of 1 year.

What are some other tips for keeping your volunteers long-term?  
Share your thoughts and ideas with us in the comment section below.

Volunteers are the heroes of children's ministry.  And heroes should be recognized, honored, and encouraged.

It's important to show your volunteers how much you appreciate them on a regular basis.  The week-by-week pats-on-the-back, thank you's, and encouragement notes are important.  Those little expressions of appreciation mean a lot.

But it's also important to "roll out the red carpet" occasionally and go all out to show your volunteers how much they mean to you.  This means hosting events in their honor such as cookouts, dinners, and parties.

Three times a year, we have a big event to celebrate our volunteers.  Last week, we literally "rolled out the red carpet" for them.  We honored them, celebrated them and had food for them.  Here's a video of some of the volunteers entering the event.











What do you do to show your volunteers how much they mean to you?  Share your ideas with us below in the comment section. 

Make sure they attend the service.  Watching online doesn't count.

Don't ask them to stay over and serve an extra service.  Even if you are in a bind.

Don't let them serve in multiple ministries.  The "S" on their Super Christian shirt will eventually unravel and fall off.

Give them time off.  Maybe even the summer off.

Make sure they are in their sweet spot.  Nothing leads to burnout faster than serving in a position you are not gifted for or passionate about.

Put them with someone they enjoy serving with.  People who serve long term normally have close relationships with the people they serve with.

Say thank you every week.  Many volunteers have never heard the words "thank you."  They feel like no one cares whether they serve or not.  With words and actions, show them that they highly valued.  Let them know they matter.  Remind them that they are making a difference.  

What are some other ways we can help volunteers avoid burnout?  

Share your thoughts and ideas in the comment section below. 

I took this picture at my desk a few days ago.  I keep a stack of note cards there.  I try to write at least one appreciation note a day.  In the day of digital communication, a personal, hand-written note means a lot to people.  Here's some tips for writing notes.

• Be intentional.  I keep the cards on my desk as a reminder.  If you're not intentional, it's easy to forget in the course of a busy day.

• Make it relational.  Express your appreciation for what they mean to you personally.

• Thank them for who they are, not just for what they do.  Example: Instead of just saying, "thank you for teaching the 3rd grade boy's class," say, "your heart for helping kids know Jesus shines through when you teach."  This shows you value them for who they are, not just for what they do.  

• Be specific in your appreciation.  Example:  Instead of just saying, "you did a great job in preschool," say, "I noticed how you took time to make the new little boy feel welcome by coloring with him before class started.  The extra care you showed him made an impact in that family's life."

• Write to people outside your direct circle.  Ask your leaders for names of people in their areas that you can send a note to.  Reference the leader in the note.  Example:  "Sarah was bragging on you today.  She shared with me what an incredible heart you have for helping kids worship.  Thank you for your ministry.  You are a vital part of what God is doing in the kid's lives."

• Write to leaders of other areas in your church.  Write a note to someone in adult ministry, student ministry, facilities team, etc.  Thank them for the impact they are having.  Be an encourager outside the "children's ministry world" as well.

• Keep a list of who you have written.  This will help you spread the encouragement to a broader spectrum of people.

I promise you this.  If you will write notes, you will impact people's lives.  People will hang onto them.  People will come up and thank you.  People will know that you care.