Have you ever heard it said that 20% of the church does 80% of the work? What if that didn’t have to be true at your church? Instead, what if you were able to find volunteers who were bought in, willing, and faithful to your church and your mission?
It all starts with simplifying volunteer recruitment. Recruiting church volunteers is essential for fostering community engagement and ensuring the smooth operation of church activities. Volunteers contribute to various ministries, helping to build a vibrant and supportive congregation.
We’ve worked to identify 5 simple strategies to recruit church volunteers so your church can start recruiting and start reaching more people in your community and beyond.
1. Extend Personal Invitations and Prioritize Relationship Building
The first and most powerful way to recruit church volunteers is to extend a personal invitation. Not only is this one of the most effective methods, but it also helps to build relationships.
Here’s a quick formula you can use to initiate a conversation, prioritize the relationship, and ask directly:
1. Build Connection
- Example: "Hey [Name], I hope you're doing well! I’ve been thinking about you recently and wanted to reach out personally.
2. Explain the Need
- Example: "Our church is looking for volunteers to help with [specific role or event], and I thought you might be a great fit for this."
3. Highlight the Impact
- Example: "Your help would make a real difference in [describe the positive outcome, e.g., serving our community, helping others grow in faith]."
4. Be Specific & Direct
- Example: "We’re hoping you can help with [specific task or commitment, e.g., leading a group, organizing an event, helping with outreach] for [time commitment]."
5. Express Gratitude
- Example: "I know your time is precious, and I’d really appreciate it if you could consider this opportunity."
6. Provide Easy Next Steps
- Example: "Let me know if you'd like to chat more about it or if you’re ready to jump in. I’d love to have you join us!"
When church leaders and members build relationships and express the value of volunteering, people feel more encouraged to participate.
2. Set Clear Roles and Expectations
Next, whether you’re asking in person or not, volunteers are more likely to commit when they understand their responsibilities. To do this well, make sure you have clearly defined roles from the beginning. Consider providing job descriptions and outlining expectations to help potential volunteers feel more confident in their ability to serve.
It’s also important to be transparent and honest. Not only does this help to reduce misunderstanding, but it also increases retention. Don’t shy away from the hard parts; instead, share the need, and trust the Lord to bring the right person for the job.
3. Promote Volunteer Opportunities Effectively
It’s hard to volunteer for a job that you don’t know exists.
As a church leader, work to use multiple communication channels to promote volunteer opportunities so that as many people as possible are aware and informed about the opportunities to serve. Effective communication avenues include:
- Announcements during services
- Church bulletins
- Email newsletters
- Social media
- Personal outreach
- Bulletin boards around the church
As you promote opportunities, be sure to both share the need and highlight the impact of volunteering to increase participation.
4. Offer Training and Support
Another great way to recruit church volunteers is to provide adequate training and ongoing support so that volunteers feel equipped and valued. It can be intimidating to step into a role you’ve never done before, but by offering training, you’re helping to set volunteers up for success both immediately and in the long term.
Also, consider offering orientation sessions, mentorship programs, and continuous learning opportunities to help build confidence and enhance volunteer effectiveness. When people feel supported, they are more likely to stay committed.
5. Recognize and Appreciate Volunteers
Lastly, it’s crucial to recognize and appreciate volunteers for all they do. They really are the lifeblood of your church, and it’s important to take time to let them know that they are seen, valued, and appreciated. Ultimately, this helps to boost morale and encourage long-term involvement.
A few ways to do this include:
- Recognize volunteers publicly
- Host volunteer appreciation events
- Give small tokens of gratitude such as thank-you notes or certificates
- Celebrate milestones
- Create a volunteer wall or board highlighting different volunteers
- Take volunteers out to lunch individually or as a group
Little things can make a big difference when it comes to recruiting and keeping volunteers.
Next Steps
It is possible to recruit volunteers in your church, but it requires intentional efforts. By building relationships, setting clear expectations, promoting opportunities effectively, offering support, and showing appreciation, churches can cultivate a dedicated team of volunteers who help strengthen the community.
Ministry Brands Amplify was created to help make volunteer recruitment even easier. With tools for automated follow-up, simple communication, and easy delegation, you can recruit, equip, and thank volunteers without adding more to your to-do list. Find out more and try for yourself here.
