This is a common refrain amongst church leaders and honestly, it’s a challenge that never diminishes.

However, recruiting volunteers is a year-round event as well as an intentional focus at set times. The need never diminishes and is an unrelenting task for all church leaders.

And that undoubtedly adds pressure. However, there’s also a huge payoff because there is a direct correlation between the percentage of people volunteering and the health of a church.

As you recruit volunteers for church you also create opportunities for people to grow and become successful support leaders. If you want to grow a healthy church you need to recruit volunteers for church.

When I show pastors how to recruit volunteers for church I encourage them to have two focal points.

# 1 Focal Point – Departmental Needs

When recruiting people to serve your two focal points are the needs of your departments and the wirings of your people.

The first focal point is the needs of your departments in your church.

You need volunteers for office administration, youth and children’s ministry, small group leaders, ushers, money counters, welcomers, hosts for guests, hospitality and so on.

Take Action

Audit your departments and discover where the pressure points are and let your church know the various needs within the departments.

Of course, these pressure points should be turned into specific prayer points for your leaders and prayer network.

# 2 Focal Point – The 5 Wirings

When I teach leaders how to recruit volunteers in church I ask them to consider the 5 wirings or skill sets:

1. Creatives

These folks are passionate about music, graphic design, dance, drama, art, craft, songwriting, stage design, singing and photography.

2. Connection Builders

These people are natural networkers who are confident with people and thrive on linking people together for a common purpose. Relationship building is their forte.

3. Task Lovers

These volunteers generally enjoy behind-the-scenes tasks, practical and usually involving administrative, managerial and organizational skills.

4. Tech Heads

These people enjoy all things technical whether it be operating computers, sound, lighting, cameras, multi-media, or video editing.

5. Friendly Faces

These volunteers enjoy the company of people and excel at welcoming strangers, engaging in conversations, caring for others, and being helpful.

Why Give People These Two Doorways Into Volunteering?

People are motivated by self-belief in their competency.

If they think they are great at kid’s ministry they will get involved.

If they think they are an accomplished tech-head they will get involved.

Leaders must understand that if you focus solely on the church’s needs/departments and not on the motivations within people, you will miss out on recruiting some highly skilled and motivated people who cannot see where their skills fit into your departments.

Therefore when you conduct your annual recruitment drive give people an opportunity to sign up either because they want to serve in a specific department or because they have a particular skill set.
As preachers, we should never rely on our ability or just our own words.

Let the Scriptures be strong in our hearts and hold center stage in our messages.

While our words will pass away one day, the Word of God is eternal and can convince when we are impotent.

It’s vital to not only read the Bible but to study it extensively if you are going to communicate its timeless truths.

Ask everyone to fill out a Volunteers in Church form

Use a well-designed Opportunity to Serve form to sign people up.

In each service ask everyone to fill out your Volunteering Opportunity form.

At the end of the service ask everyone to fill out this simple form that offers them a variety of service options.

Use our template to produce a simple and effective Volunteer Opportunity form.

Google Forms provides an excellent online option.

Get recruiting!

And remember you can boost serving in your church with a simple four-step volunteer onboarding process.