5 Adult Volunteer Strategies

This is going to sound crazy, but in order to have great students, you must have great adults.  The more students that are in your ministry, the more true this really is.  So here are 5 ideas that you can take or leave in terms of dealing with adults:

1.  Make sure that everyone feels like they are needed.  No one wants to show up for 2 hours and do nothing.  That is not fun or useful.  Imagine going to an ice-cream shop and being told just to look at people who are eating giant chocolate covered cones of cookies and cream.  Ministry is so much better than that and looking from the inside and not being able to partake is too much for most people to handle.  So instead, divide and delagate as much as possible.  If someone cannot do something, they will tell you.  What people tend not to tell you is that they are not happy because they are not doing anything significant.

2.  Be super careful about who you invite to help out with your students.  It is 100 x's easier not to ask someone to never come than it is to ask someone to leave.  So before you ask someone to help out, get to know them and their heart.  Then invite them to have a "check us out" period to see if it will be a good match.  If it is a good match, you will be gravy, if not, there is no pressure for them to stick and from your prospective, it is easier if you have to say, "its just not working out" if they have not been helping for too long.  Once a leader becomes deeply plugged in, its like pulling teeth to get them out.

3.  Everyone has different skills, find what people are best at and put them there.  Not everyone will be great at leading small group or playing up front games, but God has a purpose for everyone he puts in your ministry.  Find that purpose and use them there.  Success makes people happy and excited.

4.  Let your leaders be a part of planning.  I have not had a good idea for 3 and a half years now, but I do have the ability to leach ideas of my leaders.  If you let those leaders who know students and the new ones with fresh ideas contribute, you will get better, more diverse ideas.  A great side benefit is that your leaders are more apt to be behind an idea they came up with!

5.  Frog Kiss your leaders.  Leaders need a lot of love and frog kissing (little remarks of kindness) is a good way to show it.  They sacrifice a couple hours a week to be a part of a ministry that requires them to get dirty, hand out with people who only speak in sarcasm, and sleep with one eye open on retreats.  So show them some love.  Be sure that when good things happen, you first credit your leaders even if your leaders are not there to accept the credit.  Also, point out what they do well.  It will make them more aware of what their strengths are and will allow them to focus on those!

In him,

-Schutte