volunteers need something worth fighting for

The best way to drive volunteers to quit your ministry is to not give them a real mission and real responsibility. Leaders in kids ministry get this because in order to function with kids they need multiple leaders with real responsibility. For some reason I see many student pastors who think their job is to be the ring leader of the youth ministry circus every week and the volunteers are there for crowd control. If this is your model you may have some leaders who like you, the energy of youth ministry, seeing kids have fun, hearing your talks, the band, and maybe even like being with teens, but those type of volunteers are helpers not leaders. They are helpers because they just want to be there and are willing to stand around until someone asks them to do something. Leaders are different because they not only want to do something, they want to do something significant. Leaders want real responsibility. The volunteers you need in your ministry are the kind that feel like their time is valuable, that want to make a difference, and need a challenge. When volunteers walk into your environment they need to know they area part of something worth fighting for...

• A clear mission // high impact volunteers have to know why they do what they do
• A clear win // volunteers who are leaders have to have a clear goal to celebrate, they have to know what a win is for their effort
• Real responsibility // volunteers who are leaders have to have a significant role in the organization, they want to do things that make a difference and be challenged
• Another leader who is for them // volunteers that are leaders need another leader cheering them on, listening to them, giving them feedback

Are you giving your volunteers these three objectives? Are you recruiting the type of volunteers who are leaders and not just helpers? Your volunteers need a mission...give it to them!