Three Qualities You Want From Your Volunteers

I couldn’t believe my eyes. As teens walked into our ministry, one of my volunteers was to the side reading a book. She didn’t look up as people passed. There were no greetings or smiles, and if you didn’t know her, you’d think she was a random woman hanging outside of some youth program. We talked, and let’s say she didn’t last long in ministry.

It’s hard enough to find volunteers, let alone quality ones to serve in our ministry. However, I believe that if you build a team with men and women who hold the right qualities that recruiting future volunteers will be less of an issue. And, that’s because people want to be a part of a positive movement and they want to be a part of something special. Your ministry team can be that experience; you need to make sure you recruit, cultivate, and train them to embrace the right qualities.

While there are dozens of different characteristics that could benefit your ministry, here are three I think every volunteer should embrace:

Always Put Christ At The Center

This concept might seem obvious, but you cannot overstate it. Your team needs to have a love for Jesus and the local church. That doesn’t mean they have to know everything about the church; if they are new to their faith, they can still serve in a variety of ways.

While your team doesn’t have to be full of theologians, they should be passionate about getting to know God and the local church. Their passion for putting Christ at the center of their lives will encourage them to grow deeper in their faith. They’ll be able to witness to the teens, and that passion will be contagious.

If you want your team to have Christ at the center of their lives, then you need to model it for them. It’s important to pray with your team and share resources that will help them grow. Take the time to meet with them and ask them about their faith journey. Align your budget towards opportunities like retreats to help them grow. Do not assume your team has Christ at the center because they serve in your ministry, walk with them, and help them grow.

Joyous With How They Approach Life

Teens will stop coming to your ministry if it’s filled with negative people. As John Paul II said, “We are Easter people, and Alleluia is our song!” Our teens need to see the joy that God brings us daily because the world they live in can be cynical and anxiety-driven. By filling your ministry with joyous people, you are showing young people that there is still hope despite the craziness going on in their lives.

For some people, joy comes naturally to them because they are optimistic, and that’s great. For the rest of your team, you are not only going to have to model it but find ways where you can bring joy into their lives. A few ways you can do that is:

• Writing thank you cards when they do something special
• Telling them that they are loved, and you are glad they are a part of your team
• Inviting them to do something that you enjoy doing or having fun together

When joy fills your ministry, it communicates hospitality to the teens, and you are excited to spend time with them. It’s a reminder that God accepts all of us no matter what we’ve done or where we’ve been.

Open To Growing And Learning

Leaders are learners is a phrase that cannot be said enough. If you fil your ministry with people that have the willingness to grow, adapt, and learn, it will not have limits. When it comes to youth ministry, it’s essential to have an openness to new things because there is so much change in the lives of teens and the culture that surrounds them.

We have to remind our leaders that what once worked five years ago is no longer relevant. We have to help our teams know what is essential in the lives of teens and their families. To cultivate this quality, we need to train and resource our team. Share with them podcasts, books, and articles that talk about the culture. Send them to workshops or webinars that will sharpen their skills.

A healthy youth ministry has leaders who are willing to learn, grow, and take on new challenges. A strong team is one that has fun and remembers that smiling is a form of hospitality. Your ministry team needs to have Christ at the center, and all these characteristics need to be modeled by you, or you’ll limit the potential of what God is calling you to do.

What other characteristics would you add to the list?

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