he next time you see a group of church volunteers, ask them each to tell you what they do at church. They’ll likely answer with comments like these: “I usher . . .,” “I teach Sunday School . . .,”Read more…
What is Equipping?
Want to understand the basics of equipping? Want an easy way to share those basics with others? These materials introduce the idea of equipping people to serve, and on the difference between a focus on recruiting volunteers and focus onRead more…
Governance Change . . . Volunteerism Change?
Many churches these days are changing their governance, moving from a structure of boards and committees to a policy-based governance related to John Carver’s model. Before such a momentous change, leaders carefully consider its ramifications. But one ramification often isRead more…
Profile, Cross Lutheran Church, part 2: Comments
See also Part 1 of this profile. Part 2: Comments from participants at Cross About the Network class: “The process was negative to me in the beginning. Why did I have to go to classes? I was LCMS! I kindaRead more…
Profile of an Equipping Church: Cross Lutheran Church, Yorkville, Illinois
Cross Lutheran equips saints for service by providing many avenues to connect people to serving opportunities, and by emphasizing discipleship-faith in action-rather than membership. Connecting opportunities are coordinated by: Mary Pat Bretthauer, Director of Connect Ministries; [email protected] Her responsibilities: TheRead more…
How Healthy are We?
“How Healthy is Volunteerism in our Church?” — a survey Survey Instructions Survey for Volunteers Survey for Non-Volunteers
Lessons of a Book Bee
“I was surprised by large numbers of people who thanked me for letting them be part of this. People want to serve. We [in the church] don’t always describe a clear connection for volunteers between their task and serving GodRead more…
How to Be the Boss
Recently I asked a group of people to consider whether they prefer to be leaders or followers. I had them demonstrate the degree of their preference for one or the other by choosing a place to stand along an imaginaryRead more…
The Seven Deadly Sins of Leadership
Can the right hand learn from the left hand how to use one of its greatest resources? God’s right-hand kingdom, Martin Luther said, is the kingdom of grace and the Gospel, in which we are given his undeserved love andRead more…
Conversation Starters
Start a conversation about volunteering/working for the Lord. What do people really think about serving? What good and bad experiences have they had? What would they really like to do? We’re often too busy ‘doing,’ and too caught up inRead more…
How to Do Job Descriptions
Churches are finding great value in having a job description for each ministry task done by volunteers–everything from weeding the flower beds to serving on a board. Yet most churches don’t have volunteer job descriptions. It can seem like aRead more…
Train Every Volunteer
At a job interview, or on a first date, you know the first impression is important. It’s just as important if you want to retain that new volunteer you just recruited. What will their first impression be of the taskRead more…
Mary the Servant
“I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary responded to Gabriel’s announcement. “Let it be to me as you have said” (Luke 1:38). With these words, Mary accepted not only an honor, but also a task – mother of the Messiah. WithRead more…
How to Improve Volunteerism
Do you agree? Virtually all church leaders want to improve volunteerism at their church. Virtually all church leaders do little or nothing to improve volunteerism at their church. Perhaps those statements are a bit strong, but they are true inRead more…
How to Assess Church Volunteerism
When you want to improve, you measure. You see where you’re at, decide where you want to be, take steps to get there, and track your results. You use the bathroom scale to see if the diet is working, theRead more…