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In the world of church and non profit organizations volunteers are the people who make things happen. Although, it’s important that we recruit people based on ability and not just availability. If there is one thing I’ve come to realize (sometimes the hard way) it’s that a high caliber volunteer can add significant value to your ministry, but the wrong volunteer can have a negative impact on the entire team. So, here are a few things to look for when recruiting volunteers.

1. Proven Track Record - Have they been faithful in the small stuff? 

2. Pure Motives - Do they have a hidden agenda or is their heart in the right place?

3. Problem Solver - Do they complain or do they bring solutions to the table?

4. Cool Under Pressure - How do they respond in high stress situations?

5. Good with People - Are they good with people (other volunteers, parents, guests)?

6. Goes the Extra Mile - Do they take ownership of their role and hand it off in better condition than when it was given to them?

What are some things that you look for in volunteers?

Those in ministry can sometimes be the most susceptible to losing their passion and zeal for God and people. It is very easy to become a “professional minister” or to work in full-time ministry yet have a part-time devotion to God. I have personally experienced this in my own life, completely blind to the condition of my heart. To be completely honest I am still recovering from this and have to be on constant guard.

Here are some symptoms to be on the look out for in your own life:

1. Your time preparing a sermon has replaced your personal Bible study.
2. You avoid people and find yourself “hiding” in your office or backstage preoccupied with tasks and other staff members.
3. You encourage others to invite friends to church or to share their faith, but this is not something you attempt to do yourself.
4. You primarily depend on your own ability and training to do the work of ministry and only look to God when the situation exceeds your personal leadership capacity.
5. Systems are placed at a higher priority than the people they are intended to reach.
6. You rarely spend time in solitude with God away from the busyness of ministry.
7. You can’t remember the last time you cried or felt moved with compassion for the lost.
8. You project an unapproachable persona.

These are only a few, but I think you get the point. It’s important to remember that God is more concerned about having a relationship with you than the “success” of your ministry role. If you can identify with any of these symptoms then I would challenge you to get on your knees before God and ask him to restore a love for him and a love for people. For God to use you greatly, you must first love him deeply.

The one book that has had the greatest impact on shaping my approach to ministry is, Seven Practices of Effective Ministry by Andy Stanley, Lane Jones and Reggie Joiner. I highly recommend that you put this on your reading list. Much of the content of this book is included in a series of free recorded audio discussions. Below I have included links to download each discussion. I hope that you take the time to listen to these and I also hope that they challenge your approach to ministry so that 2011 may be the most effective year you have experienced yet.

• Practice #1 - Clarify The Win   download

  Even the best team can’t score if it can’t find home plate. In this conversation, they discuss the importance of clearly defining wins at every level of your organization.

• Practice #2 - Think Steps, Not Programs   download

  Before you start anything, make sure it takes you where you want to go. In this conversation, they discuss the importance of a clear ministry strategy.

• Practice #3 - Narrow The Focus  download

  The longer a ministry operates, the more complex it becomes. In order to maintain a winning organization, we must continually face the challenge of narrowing its focus.

• Practice #4 - Teach Less For More  download

  People are bombarded by thousands of messages every week. If the local church is going to be effective, it must cut through the noise. It must learn to say only what needs to be said to the people who need to hear it.

• Practice #5 - Listen To Outsiders  download

  Why don’t the unchurched people in your area go to church? Could it be because you’re focusing on who you’re trying to keep instead of who you’re trying to reach?

• Practice #6 - Replace Yourself  download

  We are all replaced eventually. The wisest leaders will extend their influence by finding and mentoring their replacements.

• Practice #7 - Work On It  download

  All of us work in ministry every day, but is that enough? Working on your ministry requires time to evaluate your work and to celebrate your wins.

In my new role of overseeing the Life Group Ministry at Church of the Redeemer I am rereading a book that I read several years ago, “Creating Community” by Andy Stanley and Bill Willits. There is a lot to share from this book, but one thing I found valuable for any organization was the clarification between a community and a committee. I’ve paraphrased this principle below.

You can choose to do ministry (work, life) in the context of relationship in communities, or on committees.  The purpose of a committee is to accomplish a task. Tasks are fine because we need to get a lot done, but it is incomplete. It is important to operate in a relational way that values people as much as their contributions. The goal is for people to be highly successful in their roles, yet experience a level of community. 

I highly recommend this book not only for those involved in small groups, but for any church leader that wants to create a relational culture.

Something we probably already know, but rarely apply is the fact that consistency is the key. It is the key to growth, increase, progress, and desired results - both personally and corporately.

1. Consistent exercise = noticeable strength
2. Consistent study = noticeable knowledge
3. Consistent investment = noticeable dividends
4. Consistent spiritual discipline = noticeable spiritual growth

Don’t just give it a try, put it into practice. Create routines, schedules and systems in your life and organization to bring consistent wanted results.

*Please note: This works negatively also. (Consistent overeating = noticeable health issues)

Food for thought: What is the point of your church? What’s your mission? What’s your goal? What do you want people to become? Is it clear? Is it well known?