Praying Vs. Pulpit Pleading.
When I first became the children’s pastor at my church everyone quit. I was faced with my first servanteerism dilemma. What is your main recruitment tool? Everybody has a fail-safe method for when you get hit with mass volunteer exodus.
I had always grown up in church and had seen mostly a combo of well placed bulletin announcements mixed with a few pulpit pleas. I had only been a children’s pastor for only a few months and sat down to write said “well place bulletin announcement”, when I felt God speak to me not to.
I felt God speak to me that He cared for the kids even more than I and not to settle for workers, who help out of obligation, but shepherds who have a passion for kids.
Without prayer, volunteer recruitment is pointless and fruitless.
We live in an area where lots of our kids leave to go to school elsewhere and then leave for good to find well paying jobs in their field. I recently lost around 7 key teachers. Back in the day this would have been cause for concern.
I have prayed, will pray and need to pray. God sees what my needs are before I even ask. What amazes me most is God always replaces that irreplaceable team member with someone even better. God is so good.
The basis of servanteerism has been and always will be prayer. Prayer changes things. If you need volunteers, pray to the Lord of the harvest.
John 10:11-1311“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives his life for the sheep. 12The worker who is paid to keep the sheep is different from the shepherd who owns them. So when the worker sees a wolf coming, he runs away and leaves the sheep alone. Then the wolf attacks the sheep and scatters them. 13The man runs away because he is only a paid worker. He does not really care for the sheep.
So even though I'm not moving away – I am Sooooo sorry, Sam!
Well said, Sam. Prayer is the basis. I love your observation that God knows our needs. In fact, He is not surprised when those invaluable volunteers depart. Every person that enters our ministry should be a direct response to our fervent pleas to God. Notice it's fervent pleas to God… not people. You're right, Sam. When we beg out of need, we gain people that are there purely out of obligation. Obligation doesn't sustain. But vision does. Recruit volunteers out of vision and you have potential to build an amazing team that sticks through thick and thin because they're bought into what God is doing. Good stuff.
So even though I’m not moving away – I am Sooooo sorry, Sam!
Hannah,
Thank you so much, for all you have done for our pre-school. You and Sean are such a blessing. You are definitely an answer to prayer.
Gina,
Thanks for you comment and encouragement.
great thoughts as I begin moving into the arena of learning how to recruit volunteers…thanks!!
Well said, Sam. Prayer is the basis. I love your observation that God knows our needs. In fact, He is not surprised when those invaluable volunteers depart. Every person that enters our ministry should be a direct response to our fervent pleas to God. Notice it’s fervent pleas to God… not people. You’re right, Sam. When we beg out of need, we gain people that are there purely out of obligation. Obligation doesn’t sustain. But vision does. Recruit volunteers out of vision and you have potential to build an amazing team that sticks through thick and thin because they’re bought into what God is doing. Good stuff.
Hannah,
Thank you so much, for all you have done for our pre-school. You and Sean are such a blessing. You are definitely an answer to prayer.
Gina,
Thanks for you comment and encouragement.
great thoughts as I begin moving into the arena of learning how to recruit volunteers…thanks!!
great thoughts as I begin moving into the arena of learning how to recruit volunteers…thanks!!
Hey Josh and I didn't quite. Great post though, I have seen it in action over and over.
Hey Josh and I didn’t quite. Great post though, I have seen it in action over and over.