As director of ministry placement, I’ve made my share of mistakes. Here are some of the biggest I’ve made. I share them so you don’t have to repeat them!
1. Don’t pray about it.
If God gives the vision for a ministry, He always prepares the players to make it happen. Successful ministries grow in God’s own timing.
2. Assume everyone you ask to serve will stick it out automatically.
People stay in the game because they feel needed and valuable. A coach is the one who can keep the vision and purpose before volunteers as they go about doing ministry that God has equipped them to do. It is our responsibility to provide ongoing training and support. We must reinforce their job description and its boundaries. We must ask them often, “How can I better support you? How can I make things easier for you? What tools do you need?”
3. Don’t allow people to tell you where they want to serve.
You can sell your idea or your pity story and hook someone who has the gift of “I can’t say no,” or you can go for a win/win situation for both sides.
The perfect fit in placing someone in ministry comes when you take the time to talk with them and provide testing instruments that will reveal to you both their spiritual gifts, personality style, and God-given passion or burden.
- Ask about their beliefs, their church history, and involvement.
- Talk with their Bible study teachers and friends within the church.
- Be intentional about really getting to know this person, then invite them into a ministry area in which they are gifted and passionate.
I like to give folks several options to consider and pray about. We also allow them to “test drive” a ministry, by connecting them to another member already serving before committing to an assignment.
Also, I never leave a new servant in a role very long without assessing the fit. If it is wrong, end it immediately and begin the quest and praying for another area.
4. Give them a task with no training or clear expectation and let them hang themselves.
I asked one man to take an important role, which he agreed to immediately. I had observed this man in church life for years. He was a deacon, a godly man, attended every Sunday, always pleasant and smiling, a newly retired CEO of a large company—the perfect fit for a leadership role coupled with the gift of administration.
His first Sunday as leader, he delegated every responsibility then sat down. That’s the way he had led in business. It demoralized his team in just one Sunday. I had not clearly explained his role, so we prayed, we discussed ways to better lead the team, and he willingly became a servant rather than a leader and all was well. Today, two years later, he fills the same role successfully.
5. If people are doing their job well, don’t worry too much about their spiritual life.
At peak traffic, it seems like a million vans and sports utility vehicles are entering our campus at the same time. It seems that each family has three or four small children running across traffic to the church building. My concern for safety grew quickly. Once again God sent the perfect person to head this traffic team.
This man was a complete stranger to me, but he had all the right plans of action, started immediately, brought with him half his Bible study class to work. I got to know him and discovered that this man was a former Special Agent with the Narcotics Division. He had resigned because his wife cried so hard every time he left home wearing a bulletproof vest. Now he could play cops and robbers safely and for God. What a deal!
Bob could make things happen. He persuaded me to get a crosswalk painted, put signs in the parking lot that said, “Slow down, Watch for children,” and hire a CPR instructor to teach the entire team for certification. He did a great job on Sundays.
But the more I got to know Bob, I began to discover a very strong personality and “my way or the highway” attitude. Bob has great insight for the team. He could make things happen, but he didn’t like being a fellow servant. He didn’t like the boundaries I set and he couldn’t just hang with the team and love them.
I asked Bob to step down. I soon learned that he was dealing with deep depression and it was obvious that God was dealing with him, though he didn’t yet see it. My first concern for Bob was his spiritual life. It needed repairing. I gave up a leader because his spiritual growth is more valuable to this church and to God for now. He is back in Bible study and worship, probably rearranging and directing some things. I continue to pray for his family and know he will return to the team in God’s own timing. My desire for Bob is to be whole.
6. Just make up the rules as the ministry grows.
Before you begin building a team, have purpose and plan. Know the needs and opportunities available in your church. What is God calling your church to do new, different, better? Have a printed job description for everything. Have someone in place to train, coach, and mentor every volunteer. Correctly interpret their position to further the kingdom.
You are headed for complete disaster if you simply want a ministry in place by fall and you begin pulling people together and expect them to wing it. It is your responsibility to think through the details and spell it out on paper. Never tell them, “I trust your judgment, go for it.” Ownership and authority can be passed on after volunteers are secure in the position and you have shared the church’s vision and they have bought into it. You’ll know it is time when you see a passion for this area of ministry in their heart larger than your own.
Every position must have direction, coaching, support, and practical guidelines. After proper time for performance, feedback, re-training, and buying into the church’s vision, then you can give them the authority to call the shots and make changes, trusting them to do so.
7. Distinguish too much between volunteers and staff.
It’s easier to blame volunteers for their poor performance and lack of motivation rather than to blame ourselves for our lack of coaching. We are the ones who determine their motivation. We are the ones who should equip them to lead.
These people we lead are ministers, not just warm bodies doing a job. They do ministry, not tasks. In many cases, they have the heart and gifts to do ministry as we do. The only difference is we get the paycheck.
Pastor and staff must support and uphold their responsibilities to the laity of the church. Staff is hired to resource ministry and to help equip and coordinate other people. Ministry is now done by teams. The staff must equip and assist the lay leaders. We need to get past territorialism and the “we/they.”
Volunteers are not here for us. Staff is here to help them do ministry, too. One way Christ built His kingdom is by instilling His compassion into the hearts of His followers, who in turn minister to each other and to the whole world.
8. Just keep them happy on Sunday.
We know we’re on the right track when volunteers take what they do on Sunday into what they do on Monday. The result is a group of people who are loving God and letting God work through them. We must respect their faith and values and share the ministry. Ministry placement is a lifelong journey of helping people discover, be affirmed, and grow in their gifts and call for service in the church and in the world.
All believers secretly wish to make a unique contribution to the body of Christ with our unique passions, spiritual gifts, and personality style. We have a responsibility to provide opportunities of service. The resources are in the pews of your very own congregation. Teach them about their God-given gifts; show them how to live an abundant life in service.
9. Direct the program from your Ivory Tower.
- Administer spiritual gift and personality inventories and begin to invest in people.
- Explain why you want to try something different.
- Considered how it will affect each person on the team.
- Never asked someone to serve where you have not already done a “test drive” yourself so you can fully know the responsibilities and commitment needed.
When I serve with people, I do not observe the servants. I observe the flow, the needs being met, ways to simplify their efforts, and any supplies/tools they need.
10. Believe you can start a new ministry and have it ready by Sunday.
To do ministry effectively and work with life-long committed servants, placement must be a slow process and ongoing effort without deadlines. Think about Jesus and the disciples.
- He hand picked twelve to follow.
- He trained them in the fundamentals and sent them out as free agents.
- He taught them how to lean on the Holy Spirit.
- He encouraged them to nurture their communion with God.
- He called them to ministries of justice and compassion and to work on inward growth and outward service.
Volunteers are also called to follow. With care, sensitivity, and reverent imaginations, we can reflect the original design for the church in the will of God.
So wait as you pray for the highest quality of volunteers who will bring to the team commitment, compassion, consistency, chemistry, and competency. A lay minister is a child of God chosen to do ministry which will benefit their relationship with Him.
I get to see the best of what God is doing in individual’s lives, in the church as a whole, and in our community. I serve a church who transforms belief into behavior, which results in service to others. That becomes more true every day. We are building teams. We don’t shy away from change! In fact, we know that our ability to embrace and interpret change is absolutely vital to our commitment to service to our fellowship. As I lead and watch this church grow, my greatest joy is to see volunteers impact others for Christ.
Jamie Atkins is Director of Ministry Placement and Body-Life Team Leader at The People’s Church in Franklin, Tennessee.
Used by permission of LifeWay Christian Resources of the Southern Baptist Convention. www.lifeway.com.
