23rd
How do I get volunteers to help in the recruiting other volunteers?
The burden that many assume I carry alone as the ‘Children’s Pastor’ is to recruit workers. It is in fact a BIG part of my job, and one that mostly I enjoy. However, I’ve learned in 5 years of Children’s Ministry that the most effective recruiters are my volunteer leaders. There is something about the CP asking someone to volunteer that can seem intimidating or self-serving on my part, but when a person who is asked to come on board and be a part of the team is asked by an existing, contributing volunteer it can make a much deeper impact. History has shown that some of my best volunteers are those recruited by current volunteers. The main way that I try and get this accomplished, is by how I respond to my existing volunteers. Quite often I have someone on my ministry approach me and say, “Pastor Jonathan, could you get me someone to help assist in my classroom?” I tell them that I will indeed start looking, but then tell them that there is nobody more qualified to find an assistant than them. They are in constant interaction with the families bringing children, they can better describe what they need help with in their area of ministry, and they have a ‘calling’ to these particular age group of kids that I might not have. When I ask them if they’ve asked anyone to assist them, they usually respond with “NO.” Hmmm, I wonder why they don’t have any help?
