When we talk about volunteering or serving, it’s generally personal–about how we are or could or should or would like to be serving. That’s good, and it’s important. But it’s of as much or more value to think of how we each can be helping others serve. Helping someone else serve is a particularly impactful way for you to serve!

Why help others serve?

• Serving is hard work. While it may be easy and fun to volunteer at an animal shelter, other volunteering–and much of our everyday serving–is challenging: getting the kids in Sunday school to settle down; caring for elderly parents; supporting a friend who tends to make poor choices; caring for young children as a single parent. Our prayers, our encouragement and our support for those serving in these ways strengthen them for their tasks.
• Just like teaching someone to fish has more impact than handing them a fish, so helping someone figure out how God has gifted them and how He’s calling them to serve creates ripples to ends you’ll never see.
• Church families rely heavily on volunteers and most are experiencing the challenge of declining volunteer involvement. When approached in the right spirit, people (even church leaders!) are open to learning best practices in volunteerism. And they’re more open to the views of someone already committed to their mission than they are to the views of some outside ‘expert!’

But let’s be clear:

It’s all about grace!

• Helping others serve is not about getting them to sign up for that place that you know needs volunteers. Sometimes it’s about encouraging them to get off their duff and do something helpful, but primarily it’s about helping them hear God’s call to use what He’s given them to love their neighbor. 
• It’s all about the grace that flows from God’s love for us! We serve because He loves us, not to earn His love. We all need that reminder–often!
• My ‘top ten’ are suggestions, not commandments. It’s just a start. I’d love to hear your suggestions. If we all gave one of these ta ry, think of the impact–on us, on our neighbors, on our communities and God’s kingdom!

Top ten things anyone (you!) can do to help others serve

10.   Pray.  Pray that you and others would use your gifts as God directs for His purposes.

9. Thank a volunteer. Mom was right. Saying ‘thank you’ matters. Thank the person working at the food drive; thank your pastor for the work he puts into the sermon; thank the clerk at Walgreen’s. “Thank you for serving” tells them that you noticed and it frames their work, whether paid or not, as serving.

8. Comment on others’ impact. As you thank someone, or at any time, point out how their effort makes a difference. “Your teaching really made me think.” “The way you organized this made it all so easy.” “You had such a nice way of comforting that crying child.” We all want–and need–to know that what we’re doing has made a difference. It fortifies us for continued serving.

We tend to focus on our weaknesses

7. Comment on the strengths you see in someone. “You’re very thoughtful (careful/gentle/compassionate/skilled/patient)….”  “You’ve sure got a gift for organization (craftmanship/speaking/flower arranging).” I’m amazed at how often people don’t recognize their own strengths; it’s much easier to focus on our weaknesses. Some people think it’s prideful to acknowledge their abilities. Older people, mourning the loss of some of their abilities, don’t recognize the abilities they still have. When others acknowledge our strengths, we’re more likely to use them. The more we use them, even in everyday tasks, the more benefit to those around us.

6. Invite. If you’re helping set up chairs for the community dinner, or planning the rummage sale, or teaching Sunday school, invite someone to come serve with you. For church activities, think outside the box and invite that lonely neighbor to come set up those chairs, or offer to bring that housebound senior who bakes wonderful cookies so she can share her treats with the volunteers. Inviting others can have transformative pay-offs.

5. Learn. If you volunteer in an organization, church or otherwise, read something about best practices in volunteering. All such organizations have room to grow in this area. Look for ways you can contribute to helping your organization improve its volunteerism practice. Check out Healthy Church Volunteerism Resources.

4. Talk. If you see or hear or read something about volunteerism/serving that might benefit others, share it and start a conversation. Always, and especially if sharing with leaders, do so with a humble and open spirit, listening well to what they say and especially to the hurdles they face. When you can offer help, they’re more likely to listen! More on this in “What Can I Do? I’m Just a Volunteer!” 

3. When your organization is recruiting, think seriously about who among your friends and acquaintances has the abilities, interests or availability that match that volunteer opportunity. To take it a step further, ask others who among their friends and acquaintances might be a good fit. You’d be demonstrating recruitment that is thoughtful, personal and invitational, which is way more effective than guilt or arm-twisting. In the process, you’re also inviting many to think of where other’s–and their own–gifts fit well in service.

Pray

2. Grow in your own serving. That doesn’t necessarily mean “do more.” It’s an encouragement to continue or grow your own daily engagement with God through His word; to ask, “What is God saying to me? How will I respond?;” to listen for his voice; to take steps to make your own serving more intentional, joyful, impactful and faith-full).

1. Pray. Prayer is our beginning and everything is bathed in prayer. Pray that you and others would use your gifts as God directs for His purposes.

Growing in our own serving is life-long, and helping others serve is the same. But there’s no pressure to perform, no grading scale, no test at the end of the course. It’s an anxiety-free privilege, full of freedom and peace, for all of God’s daughters and sons. Helping others serve helps us grow in our serving, too. 

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Related Resources: 

Healthy Church Volunteerism Resources
If Every Church Had a Volunteer Champion…
You Can Be/Grow a Volunteer Champion

Top Ten Things Church Staff Can Do to Help Others Serve
Top Ten Things Pastors Can Do to Help Others Serve

More Intentional (and Less Crazy) Everyday Serving
More Joyful (and Less Dreary) Everyday Serving
More Impactful (and Less Ho-Hum) Everyday Serving
More Faith-Full (and Less Disjointed) Everyday Serving
More Serving? Or Better Serving?