"I don't think I'm going to be able to help out this year, but I really love what you had to say for the youth in this parish."
It was one of the best let-downs I've ever gotten from a potential volunteer. I was still hurt and anxious, but I wasn't mad. I knew the answer wasn't NEVER. It was MAYBE LATER.
But launching a brand new youth ministry, I needed more than MAYBE LATER. I needed WHEN DO I START?
Recruiting volunteers is never easy, because we're either asking out of desperation or we don't like hearing "No" or "Maybe." When we have time to think about it, though, we actually like serving with others. So how do you go from NO and MAYBE LATER to YES?
MASTER THE ART OF STORYTELLING
Why does your ministry matter so much? What life change have you seen in the people you serve, those who serve alongside you, and even yourself? People get involved in something because they're searching for a deeper purpose.
Spend some time on your own story first. Why did you say yes to ministry? Where have you seen God move through you or the ministry? What positive change have you seen in yourself since getting involved?
Encourage those you serve to reflect on their own story too. Share them with one another, ask questions, make it part of your culture. Be authentic about the challenges, and how you overcame them.
When you recruit, people aren't just asking "What does the commitment look like?" They're wondering, "Is this worth it?" Be clear on what needs to be done, but don't shy away from the life change they could experience.
GET BEYOND THE INNER CIRCLE
You only know who you know. The reality is, you've already asked everyone you know. Go beyond your circle. Look at different ways of advertising the need, and encourage others to reach out to their own contacts.
Sit down with a coworker and start listing names. Build a list of different groups or families in your parish. Knights of Columbus, the outreach committee, whoever. They're already involved, but might want more.
Expanding your circle uncovers new styles of leadership and the skill sets you actually need. It starts with asking, "Who hasn't heard me talk about this ministry?"
DEVELOP A CLEAR CALL-TO-ACTION
People say no, or leave shortly after saying yes, because the next steps don't make sense. If you're asking someone to serve, they want to know what that looks like.
Hand them a job description, even a few sentences. Tell them what training is required. Make sure they know when to arrive, where to go, and who to contact. Build an onboarding system so saying "Yes" comes with clarity, not confusion. Clarity builds confidence, and that's the kind of leader you want to be.
If you've never done this before, start with the job description. We have templates in M2GO.
MAKE IT PART OF YOUR DAILY REPERTOIRE
A lot of parishes only recruit once a year. But needs come up all year, and if someone misses the one weekend you talk about your ministry, that's it.
Recruit constantly. Not from the pulpit, but through your website, social media, parish events, and your ministry itself. Let people know there's not just a need, but an opportunity to grow in their faith.
Don't turn into a salesperson. But talk about the wins. Share your story. When someone shows interest, invite them in.
There will always be people who say no, but that's not a reflection of who you are. The more I built a culture of storytelling and recruiting, the more I noticed something: many of the people who said no or maybe later eventually changed their answer. We're called to invite people into God's mission, and the fruit we get to witness is incredible.