Volunteers

After a season of working solo, an extra pair of hands is a welcome sight but in our zeal to lighten the load, we can make recruiting mistakes. Recruiting for kids’ ministry is an ongoing process but don’t fall into the trap of desperation and compromise. While the gospel is an “everyone welcome” message, not … Read more

* This idea was submitted by Bethany Tapp, the director of children’s ministries at the United Christian Church of Dubai. Click here to download as PDF document. You can also download the original document from Google Docs and make your own changes. I created a ‘volunteer survival kit’ to give my team this week for the first … Read more

After surviving the lean years of having little or no help, I wasn’t prepared to have too many volunteers, but it did happen. I remember the days when I couldn’t beg, cajole or convince a parent to stay and help, now everyone’s on board (and I’m not complaining.) Here was my situation, a large group … Read more

All volunteers need two things: encouragement and recognition but there’s a few that want a little more. They want to learn to teach! You’ve inspired them to lead children to Jesus or they feel that God has called them specifically to teach kids about His Word. God does most growth work behind the scenes, internally … Read more

I’m not great at predicting summer attendance in my children’s ministry but I still like to offer the community a few kids’ events between June and August. To pull off my wacky outdoor programs and big Sunday promotions I need volunteers – and lots of them! I know it’s a big sacrifice to volunteer during … Read more

What’s the one ingredient your VBS, Kids’ Crusade and summer events all require? Volunteers! Especially during those warm months when most everyone’s mind is focused on vacation and leisure activities. Children’s ministry does not shut down when the weather gets warm; it’s still an important function of the church that needs multiple hands to make … Read more

Spring is approaching and you probably have a big year planned for kids’ church. As someone once said, “No man is an island,” and you cannot achieve those plans all by yourself. For many kids’ ministries, this means finding fresh faces in areas like games, crafts and worshipping. Volunteer recruitment needs to go big and … Read more

Volunteers are essential in every children’s ministry, but too many  get discouraged and eventually quit because leaders make the following mistakes. We simply can’t be careless with the people resources God has sent our way. Work to avoid these mistakes and help keep your volunteers committed and serving in the children’s department. Click here to add your … Read more

That’s right, I said potlucks are a great ministry resource. Some churches call this a pitch-in dinner or covered dish supper.   Whatever the name, this could be the key to your next children’s ministry training. I am at a smaller campus of our church and potlucks fit the informal atmosphere. It just feels right when everybody brings … Read more

How many times have you heard a volunteer say that they want to quit serving because they feel disconnected from other adults?  I know I’ve heard it more times than I can count.  This is a legitimate need and most adult will eventually burn out if their connections to other adults is limited.  Therefore, an … Read more