Any Kids Ministry leader will testify nonstop that you can’t underestimate the importance of having a strong volunteer base.
Strong volunteers don’t just show up regularly and help make sure things go smoothly on a Sunday morning, they lead. How do we help volunteers grow as leaders? Here are 5 ways:
- Give volunteers meaningful ways to lead. When you give volunteers the chance to do things that matter and lead in the church, they will grow as leaders and lead better. Fight the temptation to just ask volunteers to do the busywork.
- Empower volunteers to solve problems. If something isn’t happening the right way, instead of fixing it yourself help volunteers know how to fix it. It will take more effort in the short run, but it will pay off over time.
- Share constructive feedback with volunteers. Too many times we don’t let volunteers know how they can improve because we’ll hurt their feelings and they may stop volunteering. Giving feedback is actually one of the most caring things a leader can do because it gives someone the opportunity to grow.
- Listen to ideas volunteers share. It’s likely that the people who know what will work in your ministry are the same people who serve in it. When a volunteer shares a new idea, stop and really listen to what they have to say. If you end up implementing it, that person’s investment in the ministry will only increase.
- Allow volunteers to share ministry results. Taking time to celebrate victories isn’t just exciting, it also helps remind us why we do kids ministry. Giving volunteers a time to share what God is doing can encourage everyone and increase motivation to come back and do it all again.
When we help volunteers grow as leaders, our ministries will be more impactful in the lives of kids we serve. What other ways have you found that you can help volunteers grow as leaders?
Logan Meek leads the Student Life for Kids team. Logan joined the Student Life For Kids team in 2014 after spending two years as a Sixth Grade teacher with Teach For America. He believes in the importance of strong kids ministry to help kids build strong spiritual foundations.
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