Every church and ministry team needs more volunteers. There is always a shortage, whether that is for a sound team, set up and tear down or kids ministry. There is never enough people.

When this happens, people in churches begin looking for the magic bullet of recruiting.

What most ministry team leaders think is the magic bullet is, an announcement from the pulpit.

It makes sense because the thinking is, “if people knew of the need, they would serve.”

This is faulty thinking. The reason it is faulty is because the ministry leaders are often high capacity people with a servant’s heart who see a need and meet it. This is a small percentage of people in any church. Most people see a need and think, “someone should do something about that.” The reason someone is a ministry leader is because they are doing something about it. 

Here’s another problem with the pulpit announcement: the perception.

Let’s say you make a plea for kids ministry volunteers. You have to say yes to whoever signs up then. You can’t deny the creepy guy or the unqualified person who hates kids. You are also telling every mom who does not know the church well, “they will let anyone back there with the kids.” The other perception you give when you make plea’s from the stage is you communicate to your church, no one serves around here.

So, what is the magic bullet of recruiting?

Ready?

It will seriously blow your mind.

Here it is.

Ask.

That’s right. Ask someone.

One of the main reasons people don’t serve in a church is because they don’t feel like they are qualified. They don’t know enough, aren’t talented enough, don’t have enough time or any number of fears.

When you ask someone, you are able to tell them, “I believe you can do this and I’m going to help you.”

The vast majority of people who serve every week in any church do so because someone asked them.

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