10 Practical Steps for Recruiting Volunteers

by Shannon Rains

The start of the school year typically brings a flurry of activity in our church’s education ministry. Leading education has many challenges, and recruiting is one of the most critical, yet dreaded, tasks.

If I ask any team of ministers about the biggest struggle in their ministry, someone (probably the children’s minister) will undoubtedly say, “Recruiting!”

Solving recruiting woes takes teamwork! The reach of the entire leadership team is far greater than the reach of one staff member. So, here are ten tips for recruiting that leadership teams can stack hands-on and implement in their church.

1. Regularly pray for your church member’s spiritual lives, confidence in teaching, and their impact on others.
2. Trust God’s Spirit to draw you to individuals God has prepared for this ministry.
3. Take the initiative to engage these individuals, and don’t be afraid to mention that God prompted the conversation.
4. Listen closely to this individual’s response if they are excited and sign up; great! They may hesitate, leading to an opportunity to encourage, equip, and empower them for ministry.
5. Prepare the ministry for the volunteer. In other words, if a volunteer agrees to serve, be sure the volunteer has everything they need on time.
6. Adjust when needed. Leaders must notice programming decisions that over-extend the church’s volunteer base. Don’t be afraid of change!
7. If you are over-functioning, stop it! When leaders over-function, they give the impression they do not need help. Allow problems to surface and invite members to be part of the solution.
8. If you are under-functioning, stop it! Likewise, when leaders are tired, overwhelmed, or burned out, they put less effort into their jobs, and the problems will snowball.
9. Stay positive. Volunteers are attracted to a positive attitude that believes in the ministry.
10. Communicate the ministry’s vision and needs clearly and often. Never allow the ministry to be “out-of-sight, out-of-mind.” Make certain that more than one leader is responsible for communicating the ministry’s needs so that volunteers have no doubt that the education ministry is important to everyone!