By Dan Kreienkamp
Since you’re in youth ministry, you already know this fact: volunteers are vital! We wouldn’t get anywhere without them!
When I was an inexperienced youth director, I struggled with volunteers. It was a pain to make the phone calls, follow up, and answer question after question about what would be happening. The inconsistency drove me crazy—sometimes we had more volunteers than we needed and other times we were left wondering if we could transport every youth that showed up.
There will always be challenges when working with volunteers, but it’s important to learn to embrace the challenges. Many of my frustrations actually stemmed from my own issues. I needed to become a better planner and communicator!
But when you face challenges like this, one of the main temptations is to do things on your own—it’d be easier, right? When you’re the one in charge, you tend to do the heavy lifting when it comes to leading activities, teaching Bible class, and heading up administration. This is a recipe for burnout! I have been in that position because I didn’t follow the correct Model. I’m not talking about a youth ministry model or whatever book tells you about what ministry looks like, I’m talking about Jesus and God’s Word.
Here are three E’s I picked up from Jesus and his “volunteers.”
Empower. When Jesus sent out the 72 in Luke 10, he gave them his power. They were amazed that when they went out they were able to heal the sick and cast out demons. While you cannot empower anyone yourself, you can remind your volunteers that they are indeed empowered by the Holy Spirit. They may not have the training and understanding in certain areas—whether it be youth ministry or theology—but they do have the Helper, the Holy Spirit!
Equip. Jesus spent a lot of time training his disciples. When Jesus ascended into heaven, he left his disciples to do the work he prepared them to do. Now, you’re not Jesus, but I think it is important to train and walk with your volunteers. Exponential growth comes when you have adults who are willing to take the lead in ministries such as small groups. The Church grew exponentially when Jesus equipped his disciples to go forth in his name!
Encourage. In John 14:27 (ESV), Jesus encourages his disciples as they go through difficult times: “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” In John 17, he thanks God for his disciples and prays for them. Even the Son of God was thankful for his volunteers! As much of a headache as the disciples gave Jesus at times with their questions and lack of education, Jesus valued them and encouraged them. He sent them out to change the world.
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