The words they need to hear

As a pastor to some 132 active volunteers serving in 211 positions, I know firsthand just how valuable and important these workers are to the ministry of the church. Whether in kids’ clubs, Sunday school, ushering, small groups or governance boards, volunteers play a crucial role. We couldn’t operate our many programs without them.

Since they play such an integral role in the church where I pastor, I recognize the importance of making sure volunteers are cared for and nurtured. I have learned that there are certain words they need to hear – both from me and from others. Whether by card, a short note, during a public event or as part of a private conversation, our volunteers need to hear the following:

“I notice your ministry”

No matter where volunteers serve in the overall ministry of the church, whether playing the cymbals in worship service or making coffee for the fellowship time afterwards, they need to know that someone notices. They do not like to feel they’re invisible. If they don’t have a tangible sense that someone sees their contribution to the ministry of the church, they soon begin to feel disheartened and irrelevant.

“You make a difference”

A key factor in serving with zeal and for lengthy tenure rests in the words, “You make a difference”. All volunteers make an impact. If they are told this – that their investment of time and energy makes a difference, that it counts – they will not only believe their ministry worthwhile, but important enough to continue. If the time they spent with my sons at kids’ club has had an impact, I tell them. If their words or actions encouraged me, made me smile or helped me to change something in my life, I share it with them. If they have touched the hearts of others, I let them know. Volunteers need to hear the words, “You make a difference”.

“Thanks”

I have come to believe that much of the fuel that drives a volunteer’s service is found in one simple word: “thanks”. If volunteers are not overtly and routinely told they are appreciated, they will assume the opposite. Conversely, it is amazing what a handwritten thank-you card can do to elevate a volunteer’s self-esteem.

“Keep it up”

Every staff member at our church likes and, I would suggest, needs to be encouraged to persevere in ministry. Volunteers are no different. Let’s face it, there are times when people just want to call it quits: the kids in his Sunday school class are routinely disruptive, the helper she asked for doesn’t materialize, the program coordinator wants him to take on yet another task. To hear encouragement to stick it out goes a long way.

Even after a ministry is completed, telling a volunteer to invest their skills and energies into a similar future opportunity will not be unwelcome, but rather, an affirmation of their service.

“Can I help?”

In recruiting volunteers for ministry, I am often asked, “Will someone help me if I run into problems?” Volunteers need assurance that someone will be there to help them if they encounter barriers. They do not want to be alone on the ball field, as it were. They want to be part of a team effort, shoulder-to-shoulder with others, especially those who can offer support and guidance.

They also like to know that there will be ongoing practical mentoring as they encounter new experiences and challenges in their ministry. Conveying this to them builds confidence.

Taking volunteers for granted is perhaps the biggest mistake any pastor or other church leader can make. Just as I like to be noticed, thought of as making a difference, appreciated, encouraged to persevere, and helped, so do volunteers.

Volunteers are the church’s greatest resource. Give them the words they need to hear.

Philip Gunther is pastor of Parliament Community Church in Regina.