KidMin 2015Deeper Learning Track: Volunteer LeadershipDale HudsonSession 3 – Relationships and Validation

Select – how to get on the team

Equip – how to prepare to serve

Relate and Validate – how to keep them on the team long-term

Relationships and validation is the glue that keeps people serving. People serve in order to belong and connect. Discover how to move beyond managing your volunteers to nurturing your volunteers. Learn how to effectively make your volunteers feel affirmed and validated.

Relate – ministry is all about relationships – they will come and go because of this

Glue that keeps people in the church

How to build relationships

Do life together.

Celebrate life milestones together.

Spend time together outside of serving.

Start a Bible study together.

Validate – confirming them as a leader and add value to them as a leader

Value them in the relationship. Shouldn’t’ feel used but highly valued.

Confirm God’s gifts in their life.

Pay them. Their payment is hearing about the lives that have been changed because of their ministry.

Say thank you every week. 65% of workers say they have received no recognition or

appreciation in the past 12 months. Be an intentional encourager. Walk around and personally thank your volunteers each week for serving. Keep a stack of note cards by your desk and discipline yourself to write thank you notes regularly. 

Send hand written thank you notes every week.

Text messages

Thank them for who they are not just what they do.

Brag on them in front of other people.

Small gift with note

Be their biggest fan.

Honor them for years of service.

Ask for their input and ideas.

Remind them of why they do what they do.

Have parties with the only agenda being food, fun, and fellowship. Create a family culture.

“Culture doesn’t happen by chance – it is created.”

Be there for them.

Thru the bad times – when they get sick, when someone in their family dies, when they are in the hospital, when they lose their job,

when their kids go astray, When they are discouraged, when they are hurting

In the good times celebrate with them – birthdays, anniversaries, graduations, birth of a child or grandchild, job promotions, weddings, etc.

Sometimes you won’t even know what to say. But they will remember that you were there…and that you were an encouragement to them.

What a privilege and honor we have to get to serve with God’s people. Is it always easy to enlist, equip, empower, and encourage? No. Is it worth all the time and effort we put into it? Yes…a thousand times over.

Ways we make them feel devalued:

Don't return their phone calls or emails.How to avoid...

Return phone calls or emails within 24 hours.  48 hours max.

Don't communicate with them.How to avoid...

Communicate with them weekly.   Find out what method of communication is most effective for

your team and use it. 

Don't follow through on your promises.How to avoid...

The moment you make a promise, write it down.   Make it happen. Report back to them that it is complete.

Don't be prepared when you ask them to come to a training session or meeting.How to avoid...

Be prepared and set up before they start arriving.  

Don't be prepared for the weekend services.How to avoid...

Be prepared and ready to go way before the service begins.  This allows you to relax and spend time with the kids, parents, and volunteers as they arrive. 

Check everything ahead of time.  Object lessons, sound cues, videos, etc.  Never assume it is going to work without testing it.

Don't listen to their concerns or ideas.How to avoid...

Not only listen to ideas and feedback, but seek it out. Be more concerned about understanding than about being

understood. Remain teachable.   Hold the ministry with open hands. Don't whine or complain about how tough your job is or how

much you are getting paid. Always practice direct communication.  If an issue or question

arises between you and your Pastor or direct report, go talk directly to that person instead of having a side conversation with your volunteers.

Don't give them credit for accomplishments.How to avoid...

Push other people into the spotlight instead of yourself. Brag on your volunteers...a lot. Take time to recognize the people who worked behind the

scenes to make an event or program successful.

Don't lead by relationship.How to avoid...

Spend time loving and honoring people.  You get what you give.

Include people.  Be collaborative.   Build relationships with people.  Let them know you care more

about them than about what they do.

Look for a towel not a title

Be a servant leader

Title will get their duty. Towel will get their heart.