3 Things to know about Shepherding Volunteers

1. Focus on their skills: You’ve got to care more about their skills than your ‘holes’.  We know how many volunteers we need and where we need them.  But the truth is… if all we focus on is plugging holes we risk forcing a square peg into a round hole.  It’s great to start with filling holes, but have a system in place to reevaluate the placement at a later time.  Ultimately you want a volunteer to thrive in their role.  They won’t thrive if they’re not using their skills.
2. Focus on their heart: Care more about their spiritual development than your schedule.  If you find your volunteer needs time for spiritual development don’t hesitate.  Be the first to recognize and recommend they take time away to focus on their relationship with Jesus.  Send them out for a specified number of weeks.  Commit to follow up.  Then do it! Give them tools, resources and your blessing.
3. Focus on their ministry: Plugging into your ministry just might ‘light’ somebody up.  They might get excited about ministry to kids.  That’s the goal, right?  And sometimes it reaches a point where it’s time for your volunteer to move.  Sometimes a vision for ministry wells up in them that is outside of your scope of ministry.  That’s okay.  In fact… that amazing!  Allow this to be the positive, encouraging, challenging process that it should be.  Allow this to be the reason volunteers exit your ministry.  Not because you want another opening to fill!  But because you know the value in pursuing exactly what God has placed before us.  Bless them.  Equip them.  Encourage them.  Then step back and allow room for God to do what only He can do.

Holding our volunteer teams with a tight-fisted grip restricts growth.  Hold them with open hands knowing we serve a God of abundance.  God cares more than you do about your ministry.  He desires to work boldly in and through your volunteers.  Allow Him room to show up and work in ways you don’t expect.

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