Let’s be honest, recruiting can be a big challenge in our ministries. Sometimes recruiting is easier with some than it is others. And sometimes, we desperately want to get people on board, but we just don’t know where to begin. Everyone leader deals with it, and most of us struggle. That’s okay!
Here are a few ideas that might help you as you recruit for your children’s ministry team.
5 Ideas for Recruiting Kidmin Volunteers
1. Know your needs based on your mission.
The first step to any solution is to know what needs you have and what gaps you need to fill. Take time to write down what you want for your ministry, where you are already succeeding and what you’re doing well. Then look at where the holes are.
Based on where you land, you’ll begin to see what roles you need to fill to help you fulfill the mission of your ministry. From there, you can create descriptions and requirements for the roles you need to fill.
This will help you recruit the right people for the right job, not simply fill an empty spot.
The first step to any solution is to know what needs you have and what gaps you need to fill.
2. Create multiple positions.
You need multiple types of roles, and typically you’ll need multiple people for each of those. This creates space for those people in your church who are eager to serve. This will give you space to have one person train another, and have positions where people can fit.
And it never hurts to have someone who is eager tell you what they are interested in. If they are yet qualified for a specific role they want, make space and opportunity for them to learn from those you have in those roles already.
Make space for people to come and grow!
3. Build it and they will come.
Vision will be what leads your ministry. Make sure to shape all of your roles and recruiting efforts around your vision. And then communicate that vision to those in your ministry and those you’d like to join.
Our ability to lead with vision is only going to be as effective as our ability to communicate it well. Sometimes instead of asking volunteers to join a role, it’s even more effective to invite them to be part of a big vision.
4. Build relationships first.
We know this! Ministry is all about relationships, and that includes our relationships with the volunteers who serve in our ministry area.
Sometimes instead of asking volunteers to join a role, it’s even more effective to invite them to be part of a big vision.
Here’s a little acronym to help you remember this.
- Relish the opportunity to lead
- Establish relationships for the sake of relationships
- Learn about people, their personalities, learning styles, etc. and apply it to building relationships
- Accept individuals as individuals, and don’t force them into a box
- Talk first about vision, not position or need
- Enlist people because you know them well enough to know their hearts
5. Ask!
Sometimes, we get so in our heads that we don’t make the ask. We might feel afraid, unsure, and we may even question our ability to lead. But you don’t know until you ask!
Taking that first step will help you get the right people on your team for the mission you want to accomplish, just like Jesus did!
Wonder Ink’s 3-year, 52-week children’s ministry curriculum offers kids space to fully find their place in God’s Big Story. Children discover they are Known by God, Loved by Jesus, and Led by the Holy Spirit.
