One of the big differences
between church and the corporate world is that the majority of church MVP’s don’t get
paid for their contribution to the wins we make for Jesus—at least on Earth
that is. While we are compensated financially for what we do, for these others
the tangible rewards will come from God Himself.
So the big question: how do
we continue to motivate the troops if we can’t threaten them with getting
fired? Who wants to fire volunteers? We can suggest another
place of serving, give them a break, or possibly even better…fire them up. It’s
a daunting task.
I remember as a Music Pastor
it was one of the more exhausting responsibilities. I wanted musicians and
singers who play every week to feel valued. And I also wanted them to show up
on time…and preferable with joy! I tried all kinds of things and I still try
them although my role is different. The truth is there’s no magic bullet.
But there are some common
reasons why volunteers (or partners as we call them at Crosspoint) lose the fire or quit. And
it’s why we, or even I, lose the fire. Here's one big reason: We forget the WHY.
Call it vision, or purpose, or mission, or dream. But when we lose it, it’s
really hard to keep fighting, keep running, keep praying, keep giving, or keep
serving. Lose the WHY and you’ll lose the FIGHT. You just can’t
fight under the pressure for very long when you can’t remember why you ever
started.
Here are some other good reasons from Dan Reiland1 (based on actual comments from church volunteers):
- "I never knew exactly what they wanted me to do."
- "No one provided leadership, so my questions never got answered."
- "There was no training."
- "There was no ongoing supervision or evaluation."
- "They forgot about me after they gave me the job."
- "No one ever said thanks."
- "They seem like they are continually disorganized."
- "There was a serious breakdown of communication."
- "They expected too much."
- "It seemed like it was all about achieving the pastor's personal goals."
- "I told them I didn't want the job, but they begged me."
- "I never received the tools and resources I needed."
- "It wasn't any fun."
Why do you think volunteers quit?
"If
you want to build a ship, don't drum up the men to gather wood, divide the work
and give orders. Instead, teach them to yearn for the vast and endless
sea." - Antoine de Saint Exupery
1."Why Volunteers Quit" by Dan Reiland from The Pastor's Coach e-newsletter]
