Showing posts with label committed. Show all posts
Showing posts with label committed. Show all posts

10 Qualities of a Great Children's Ministry Volunteer

Who are the top volunteers in your ministry?  You know, the ones you'd like to clone.  The ones you've told, "If I had 100 more volunteers like you, we could reach all the kids in this city." 

What are the qualities that make these volunteers seem to have an "S" on their shirt? 

Faithfulness
They are always in their spot.  You can always count on them.  Week in and week out, they show up and make a difference.  They are long-termers. 

Flexibility
They don't fight change, they embrace it.  If there is a mix-up and they don't get all of their supplies, they roll with it.  If there is a last minute change, they adjust with a smile. 

Team Player
They don't have their own agenda.  They see the big picture.  They get along well with other volunteers. 

Positive 
They are an encourager.  You look forward to seeing them each week.  They have a "let's take the mountain" attitude. 

Integrity
When they say they will do something, they follow through.  They are known for their character.   They have a solid reputation at work and in the community. 

Provide Good Feedback
They provide good feedback and give you ideas that help improve the ministry. 

Care About Kids
They love working with kids.  Kids are drawn to them.  Parents request for their child to be in the person's group.

Committed
They are all in.  They go the second mile.  When an event is over, they stay and clean up with you to the end.  You have to tell them to go home at times.  

Teachable
They are always looking for ways to improve.  They are on the front row at volunteer training.  They take notes during the pastor's message.  

Serve From the Overflow
They have a growing faith.  They are a spiritual leader to other volunteers.  They keep themselves spiritually healthy.

Who is one of your great volunteers?  Share the person's name and why they are such a great volunteer in the comment section below.  Next Wednesday, I will honor your volunteer here in a special post on the front page.  If you send me their email address as well, I will send them a personal email thanking them for serving on your team and share what you wrote with them.

Don't Live for the Junkyard

Did you know everything we own is headed for the junkyard.  Eventually that's where it all ends up.

My youngest son wants to be a master mechanic.  He likes to go to the car junkyard and look at the old motors, bodystyles, etc.  I go with him since it's a way to spend time with him.  As we look at old, rusting BMW's, Porsches, Benzs, and other junk cars that used to be brand new "luxury" vehicles sitting in someone's garage, I am reminded of how temporary our possessions are. 

The new TV will soon be outdated and be moved from the living room to a bedroom to the garage to the yard sale.  The washer and dryer will go out.  Even the house we live in will one day be leveled.

Why are we consumed with things that will soon be "junk?"  Why do we give so much time, effort, and affection to things that are temporary?

But there is something that is eternal.

John 3:36 says "The person who believes in the Son has ETERNAL life.  The person who does not believe in the Son will not have eternal life."

People are eternal.  The boys, girls, moms, and dads in your community will live forever in one of two places.  Now that's something worth being committed to.  That's something worth investing your life in.  That's something that really matters.

Don't live for the junkyard...live for the eternal.

Do You Have This Person Ministering to Your Pre-Teens?

It's important to have high school and college students ministering to your pre-teens.  They have the potential to impact pre-teens even more than older adults in my opinion. 

A big reason they can grab the attention of pre-teens is because they are who pre-teens want to be.  Pre-teens can't wait to be the age of high school and college students.  Why do you think High School Musical has been so popular?  Why do you think many music and pop culture stars for pre-teens are high school and college-age students? 

Below are some pictures I took this past weekend of some of our students serving.  I love seeing high school and college students leading pre-teen worship, teaching, running tech, and leading small groups.

Here are some tips for getting high school and college students serving in your pre-teen ministry.
  • Be intentional about partnering with student ministry.  Have coffee with your high school pastor / leader and share the vision of students serving in pre-teen ministry.  Get in front of students and share the vision.
  • Be committed to helping students grow in their faith.  Students serving is not an end in itself.  See serving for what it really is... a vital part of the discipleship process.  When you get students serving, you help students grow spiritually.
  • Invest in students.  Spend time with them.  Mentor them.  Train them.  Celebrate them.
  • Set clear expectations and guidelines before they start serving.  Define what the wins are.  What the time commitment is. 
  •  Call them up.  Not out...but up.  They are used to people telling them what they are doing wrong.  Believe in them and let them lead.  Call them up to all that God wants them to be.