The common lament of leaders who depend on volunteers: I'm not sure what's wrong with these people; they just won't help even though I ask!

If you've said—or even thought—these words about people (other than your own children), consider their lack of response from a different angle. Maybe the issue rests with your ask—specifically, the content of what you say. Opportunities for a high tech video, cleverly written bulletin blurb, or the oh-so-cherished Sunday morning verbal announcement can yield very little without carefully crafted content, also known as messaging.

The organization I work for relies on volunteers to accomplish our mission. Across the country, we work with hundreds of local churches that range in size from 'mega' to 'small and mighty.' Each of these churches must recruit volunteers. From experience with this network of nearly 30,000 volunteer mentors, prayer partners, and leadership/support teams, three best practices in messaging stand out as principles ...