Jesus made everything a matter of prayer—including recruitment
Forty days in the wilderness. Forty days of prayer and fasting. Jesus had plenty of time to talk things through with God.
It’s not recorded what Jesus prayed about, but I believe with all my heart he asked God to lead him to the right people. I believe that because the first thing Jesus did when he walked on out of the wilderness was recruit some help.
You and I have a tendency to do everything but pray. Are you praying for the Lord to bring you the right people to staff your children’s ministry?
Jesus took his time to fill the roster
Jesus needed twelve disciples…but he recruited in ones and twos. Could Jesus have lined up twelve recruits in a bigger hurry? I think so—but he wouldn’t have gotten the people he wanted.
Take your time getting people placed in your program. You’re building a team and discerning giftedness, not just scribbling names onto an organizational chart. If you want leaders to emerge from your program, and people to stick long term, Take your time recruiting the right people not just whosoever is willing!
Jesus instituted a draft
Jesus wasn’t shy about getting the people he wanted on his team. In fact, he didn’t recruit them as much as he drafted them.
“You come and follow me” doesn’t sound like a question. It’s a command.
I don’t have quite the authority Jesus has, but when it comes to getting people working in children’s ministry, I don’t ask for volunteers either.
Here’s my favorite way to recruit people: I walk up to folks in my church and ask, “What are you doing in this church?” Most of the time they say, “Nothing.”
So I say, “That’s what I thought. Fill out this four-page worker application. I’m going to make a children’s worker out of you.” And you know what I hear? Most of the time I hear, “OK.”
Now, keep in mind that when I ask someone to work in the Nursery I’m asking them to apply to work in the Nursery. I’m inviting them to enter into a discussion about whether they’re the right person to work in the Nursery. They won’t necessarily end up working with babies; we’ll sort that out through the interview process. But until we get talking, nothing happens.
