A Training Plan for Volunteers

Develop a team of willing helpers

by Shirley J. Good

No church could function without volunteers. But acquiring quality volunteers can prove an ongoing challenge. There are basically two types of church volunteers: those involved in leadership or teaching and those who work in the office or in a support or service role.

Your church could probably use volunteers to do outreach, to stuff envelopes or prepare bulk mailings, run errands, visit the sick, clean the church, deliver packages, or bring meals to seniors.

Recruit with Discretion
Perhaps you've had trouble finding volunteers. The ones you have recruited do less-than-adequate work. Some are inconsistent or unreliable. A few talk too much. One is downright nosy. Perhaps a few share information that should be kept confidential. Maybe one or two take up too much of the pastor's time in social chitchat.

Regardless of the faults of some, the majority of volunteers are dedicated Christians who want to be a blessing. To find and train such people to be valuable members of your church ministry, you must be clear about what kinds of volunteers you need and what you need them for. Try answering the following questions:

1. What do I want volunteers to do? It's difficult for volunteers to be effective if their job descriptions aren't clearly defined. Haphazard or incomplete instructions waste everyone's time because volunteers can't do their work without asking a lot of questions, and answering those questions interrupts the work of employees. A completed work detail form should help everyone get jobs done with a minimum loss of time, energy, and concentration.

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If the volunteer works in your office,
advise him or her about keeping
confidential what goes on there

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2. What is the primary goal for the volunteer? Do you want a job done quickly, or is it more important that it be done neatly and accurately? Are you more concerned about getting people involved in church ministry so they can experience what that means? Do you need volunteers to free you of routine tasks so you can concentrate on other work? However you answer those questions, make the goal for volunteers clear so they can act accordingly.

3. How should I screen volunteers? A simple sign-up sheet is adequate for short-term volunteers. People can also be encouraged to call a contact person or someone in the church office to volunteer for a limited project. Those who'd like to do longer-term volunteer work should probably fill out applications.

Stringent screening is an absolute must if volunteer work involves interaction with babies, children, or young people. Any potential childcare worker must fill out an application. Information on it should be verified and references checked. Preferably, all workers with children and young people in churches should be members of the congregation for at least six months. If they've had some experience working with children or teens, coworkers should be questioned. Then the applicants should be interviewed thoroughly, and all information given during the interview investigated and verified.

Office jobs and service work don't require such intensive screening, but a church should be prudent about selecting any helpers, no matter how eager they seem.

4. How should we advertise the need? Requests for volunteers can be made from the pulpit by pastors or other church leaders. The need can be posted in church bulletins, newsletters, congregational surveys, or even in the local newspaper. Potential volunteers can also be contacted by phone.

Train Your Workers
In addition to answering such questions about volunteer positions, church leaders might heed these suggestions:

Offer volunteer openings initially on a one-time basis. If the secretary needs help with the church newsletter, ask for help on one assignment. If the person who volunteers for the job does well the first time, ask for help on a second project. See how the person does after several sessions. Wait to commit to a long-term arrangement until you're confident that the volunteer is a good match for the position.

Keep volunteer work in perspective. Be grateful for volunteers, but don't feel guilty about using their help. Delegating projects to volunteers may actually help them feel more a part of church.

Ephesians 4:11-12 says, "He gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ." Certain positions or offices train individuals for ministry. But ministry is work. And if someone chooses to work on a volunteer basis, that doesn't debit your account as an employee. A volunteer's work is unto the Lord.

Invest in training and supervision. You don't have to accept poor workmanship from volunteers, even though it's offered without pay. That means if someone is tone deaf or repeatedly sings off key, you shouldn't feel obligated to let that person torture the congregation. The person should be encouraged to develop gifts other than singing.

Likewise, if a person freezes in front of a group or can't speak clearly, that person probably shouldn't be asked to teach a Sunday school class or lead an adult Bible study.

Some firemen are volunteers. Candy stripers in hospitals are volunteers. Many teacher aides are volunteers. All of those volunteers work within a system, following the rules and responsibilities of their professions. They go through training, commit to service, and submit to supervision, evaluation, and correction.

Likewise, the church should have a system for training and supervising volunteers. It needn't settle for shabby work just because someone isn't paid for the service.

Training volunteers requires time and patience, but it's a worthy investment. People who resist the opportunity to disciple someone in volunteer work, thinking they could do the job quicker themselves, are short-sighted. By contrast, in developing the expertise of another, you free up time to do other tasks. You all end up doing more for the church.

Furthermore, your investment in training a volunteer validates that person's worth as a kingdom worker. You broaden that person's horizons and you further the work of the church.

Affirm efforts. Show appreciation by inviting volunteers to a worker appreciation banquet. Thank them in the church bulletin and from the pulpit. Write them thank-you notes. Present them with gift certificates or small gifts. Hug them, pat their backs, shake their hands.

In short, show them how much you value their work. Even Jesus appreciated the thanks of one leper whom he cured.

Deal with problems. If a volunteer is not working out, don't ignore the problem. Take a closer look to see how serious the problem is. Is it an attitude or an aptitude problem? Are you demanding too much? Have you provided appropriate training?

Sometimes a volunteer just isn't suited to a job. Care enough to confront that person in love, and gently tell him or her why things aren't working out. Suggest another way the person could serve. Address the problem, but don't devalue the person.

If the volunteer gets angry, listen, but don't back down on your decision. If feelings are hurt, do your best to affirm the person. Look for another way the person might serve that would be a better match for his or her gifts.

Encourage Professionalism
Ask volunteers to work in a nearby room rather than in your office. Too much socializing could diminish your work.

Wherever you place the volunteer, make sure the space is well-lighted, is comfortably cooled or heated, and includes all necessary equipment, such as a computer, note pads, writing utensils, and a phone. Include directions to the coffee pot and washrooms. Periodically check on the volunteers to assess their needs, their progress, and the quality of their work. Let them know how to reach you if they need help.

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It's difficult for volunteers to be
effective if their job description
isn't clearly defined

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If the volunteer works in your office, advise him or her about keeping confidential what goes on there. For example, it's best not to tell others who has appointments to see the pastor and why. Endeavor to promote a professional atmosphere with volunteers in conversation, appearance, and attitude.

If volunteers will be representing the church in a public setting or location outside the church building, you may want to advise them what type of attire to wear. Communicating such details in advance and in writing minimizes problems and misunderstanding later on.

Use volunteers whenever possible. Think of that as your obedient response to Christ's goal of "equipping the saints for the work of the ministry." Remember that we all work for God, and he deserves the very best.

Shirley J. Good is director of Office Revival, a church-office efficiency consulting service, based in Huguenot, New York.

Copyright © 1998 by the author or Christianity Today International/Your Church magazine. For reprint information call 630-260-6200 or e-mail yceditor@yourchurch.net.
Mar/Apr 1998, Vol.44, No. 2, Page 60

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