Your church’s volunteer culture includes the values, beliefs and practices your helpers share. As the children’s ministry leader, what you do and how you do it affects that volunteer mindset.
Volunteer culture is so important it will make or break your team. Ministries with a great culture thrive, while ones with an unhealthy culture struggle.
Cultures don’t just happen; people create them. So use these three steps to grow a great volunteer culture at your church and kidmin program.
Volunteer Culture Must-Haves for Children’s Ministry
1. Foster a culture of faith.
First, this is the foundation on which you build a volunteer culture. Volunteers serve with a sense of spiritual calling and purpose. They are united with a common vision to reach and disciple the next generation. Place a high priority on helping volunteers grow spiritually. Then that enables them to serve from the overflow of what God is doing in their lives.
How to create a culture of faith:
• Have a clear vision that volunteers can articulate. It should reflect a spiritual mission that helps kids and families know Jesus and grow in their faith. Keep repeating the vision over and over and over. Remember, vision leaks. So you need to keep it refilled!
• Take an active role in helping volunteers grow in their faith. Know where they are spiritually and help them take continual next steps.
• Constantly remind volunteers why they’re serving.
• Help volunteers see that serving is a key component of spiritual growth.
2. Foster a culture of family.
Next, realize that healthy volunteer teams are a family. Volunteers build close relationships and do life together. They often spend time together outside of their serving time. Relationship keeps volunteers serving for the long haul. Without a culture of family, you’ll have constant turnover.
How to create a culture of family:
• Do team-building activities and icebreakers when you meet.
• Share prayer requests and pray together each week before you serve.
• Celebrate birthdays, anniversaries, births, etc.
• Provide opportunities for volunteers to be in Bible studies, small groups, and other types of groups together.
• Regularly have small groups of volunteers over to your house to eat.
• Be there for each other in times of need. (Provide meals when someone’s sick, help people move, paint the house of a volunteer who’s a widower, etc.)
