Why Church Volunteers Quit + Tips to Avoid Turnover
Church volunteers quit for many reasons, but most stem from burnout, unclear expectations, lack of communication, or feeling disconnected from the church’s mission. Understanding what volunteers are really saying—and responding early—can dramatically reduce turnover and build healthier ministry teams.
One of the most frustrating events in ministry is when key volunteers quit. Ministry is people's work. The longer you’re active in a particular role, the more effective you become, which is why it is so disappointing when volunteers bail.
But there’s often something behind the words of the volunteer who is stepping down. They may have experienced a weakness in the ministry or the church’s leadership that you need to be aware of.
It’s not fun, but it’s often worth digging into the rationale of a quitting volunteer to discover if something in your ministry or church needs to be tweaked or corrected. Here are the most common reasons volunteers quit, along with steps to take before it happens.
Six Things Volunteers Say and What They Really Mean
1. “I Need a Break"
One of the most common reasons volunteers give when stepping down is that they need a break, or that they’re tired, or that they need to focus on themselves for a while. Sometimes this is absolutely true, but other times “I need a break” means that we’re overutilizing volunteers.
A few years ago, we did a volunteer survey and discovered that volunteers who reported low levels of satisfaction with their volunteering experience at our church were serving in multiple ministries at once.
They were simply stretched too far and were exhausting themselves. Our different ministries had no regular system of communication about volunteers who were serving in multiple areas.
This, we realized, was a problem. Now, we choose not to recruit people who are actively serving in another area of our church. Otherwise, these people would say yes to every serving opportunity because their hearts are gold.
Sometimes, it’s our job as ministry leaders to protect our people by limiting the frequency and scope of their service.
2. "I'm Not Making an Impact"
Sometimes volunteers walk away because they just don’t feel like what they’re doing matters. This is often a reason that is given by our small group leaders who decide to bail a year or less into the gig.
The truth is that ministry is a long-term investment. You’re making an impact, but you probably won’t feel it for a few more years. What I’ve come to realize is that when people say “I’m not making an impact,” it means that we need to tell more stories.
It’s our job as ministry leaders to constantly remind our people that what they’re doing matters. We’re in the habit of telling stories every week—stories about the impact of our ministry. We all need to hear these stories because they motivate, remind, and encourage.
3. "I'm Not Good at This"
Another reason that volunteers quit is that they don’t feel like they’re doing a good job. Sometimes this is because the role they’re in is not a good fit with their gifts, but most of the time it’s because of a lack of clarity around the goals or a lack of training on how to meet them.
We all hate losing, and we all love winning. It’s simple human nature. Do your volunteers know what it means to win in their role? If your volunteers understand what winning looks like on a Sunday morning or a Wednesday evening and they’ve been equipped to do what is necessary to win, the morale and effectiveness of your volunteer teams will skyrocket.
4. "I Feel Like a Cog in the Machine"
There was a phase in our church’s history where I heard this complaint a lot from volunteers and even staff. It’s tempting to rationalize these complaints away, but there’s usually a serious problem behind these statements.
The reason people feel like a cog in the machine is because they aren’t in a relationship with the people who are leading them, so they don’t feel valued or appreciated.
Who is connecting with your volunteers relationally? Who is listening to them, asking them about their lives, and praying for them?
In our student ministry, we’ve structured our staff so that half of our team is focused on this area. In addition, each volunteer in our ministry is automatically placed in a community of 8-10 other volunteers so that their serving experience is a “together” experience.
Why do we do this? Because people who feel cared for, encouraged, and appreciated are far more effective and serve longer. There is a deep desire in all of us to be known and to belong. How can we as ministry leaders lean into these longings and help our volunteers connect relationally?
5. "It's Too Stressful"
In the past, my first reaction to this rationale was usually a stifled eye roll. But what I’ve learned is that if volunteers feel stressed, it’s usually because there’s a communication problem in the ministry. What I mean is that the plan isn’t being communicated clearly enough or early enough.
For example, some of our small group leaders experience stress if they don’t receive the small group questions from our staff a week before the event or if they come to our winter retreat without knowing what cabin they’ll be staying in, who else is in that cabin, and what the schedule is for the weekend.
By nature, I’m a “go with the flow” kind of guy, but what I’ve come to realize is that if I place this expectation on my volunteers, there is going to be trouble. Some of them will experience stress, and stress isn’t fun.
As ministry leaders, it’s our responsibility to communicate clearly and early enough that our message builds trust and conveys value, rather than generating stress.
6. "I Don't Agree with the Vision"
This is one of the most frustrating things to hear as a ministry leader. This comment often comes during a season of transition from one leader to another or when leadership changes how a ministry functions.
Sometimes there truly is a lack of alignment for the volunteer, but I’ve come to realize that usually “I don’t agree with the vision” means the volunteer isn’t feeling heard. In other words, no one has engaged their questions and objections in a meaningful way.
As ministry leaders, it’s tempting to write someone off when you hear they don’t agree with the vision because it feels like an attack. But there is wisdom in sitting down with that person, asking thoughtful questions, listening well, and carefully explaining the reasons behind your vision.
In my experience, this conversation is usually a unifying one. Most people are mature enough to jump on board. There are, of course, times when it’s truly time to part ways, but at the very least, after a conversation like this, the separation is at least peaceful.
Five Easy Ways to Lose Volunteers
As you aim to increase the number of volunteers in your church, it’s important to plan on encouraging volunteers to continue in their work joyfully. To help you along the way, here are five easy ways to lose volunteers so you can avoid them.
1. Unclear Expectations
How long does someone need to volunteer in their position? Do they know what they need to do? What time does their shift start?
Not clarifying expectations and responsibilities is a great way to discourage volunteers. By creating clear boundaries, you can empower volunteers to wholeheartedly throw themselves into the work of the ministry, which leads us to the next point.
2. Lack of Training
Do your volunteers know how to do what you’re asking them to do?
A lack of competence will not only lead to mistakes, but a lack of training will also lead volunteers to experience significant amounts of stress in their work, rather than the joy of serving.
Ask your volunteers if they have received sufficient training to perform their assigned tasks. If not, consider providing training. Now, if the issue is not a matter of training, then help volunteers find a role that best suits them.
3. Lack of Communication
Volunteers will have questions. Not because they’re volunteers, but because issues will come up that they’re unaware of or don’t know the answer to. So, if there’s a lack of follow-up to their questions, then your volunteers will quickly become discouraged due to the lack of support.
Make sure that volunteers know who to contact in case of emergencies or for regular inquiries, and that you and your team follow up promptly.
4. Failure to Recognize Their Contribution
In general, it’s easy to become discouraged, and it’s human nature to desire some level of recognition. That’s why it’s essential to recognize volunteers for their work.
From saying thank you in the hallway to calling or emailing volunteers during the week or mentioning someone from the pulpit, make sure that your church’s volunteers are recognized and appreciated for their work.
5. A Disconnect Between Their Work and Jesus’ Mission
It’s easy for volunteers not to see how their work is contributing to the big picture. Depending on the size of your church, many moving parts go into fueling the work of the ministry.
On a regular basis, make sure that you are casting a vision for your church and that you are helping people to see how their work, giving, and participation in the work of the ministry are making a difference.
Wrap Up
If you’re experiencing high turnover in your volunteer positions, I would encourage you to start by helping your volunteers understand what it looks like to win.
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Tithely provides the tools you need to engage with your church online, stay connected, increase generosity, and simplify the lives of your staff.
With tools like text and email messaging, custom church apps and websites, church management software, digital giving, and so much more… it’s no wonder why over 37,000 churches in 50 countries trust Tithely to help run their church.
One of the most frustrating events in ministry is when key volunteers quit. Ministry is people's work. The longer you’re active in a particular role, the more effective you become, which is why it is so disappointing when volunteers bail.
But there’s often something behind the words of the volunteer who is stepping down. They may have experienced a weakness in the ministry or the church’s leadership that you need to be aware of.
It’s not fun, but it’s often worth digging into the rationale of a quitting volunteer to discover if something in your ministry or church needs to be tweaked or corrected. Here are the most common reasons volunteers quit, along with steps to take before it happens.
Six Things Volunteers Say and What They Really Mean
1. “I Need a Break"
One of the most common reasons volunteers give when stepping down is that they need a break, or that they’re tired, or that they need to focus on themselves for a while. Sometimes this is absolutely true, but other times “I need a break” means that we’re overutilizing volunteers.
A few years ago, we did a volunteer survey and discovered that volunteers who reported low levels of satisfaction with their volunteering experience at our church were serving in multiple ministries at once.
They were simply stretched too far and were exhausting themselves. Our different ministries had no regular system of communication about volunteers who were serving in multiple areas.
This, we realized, was a problem. Now, we choose not to recruit people who are actively serving in another area of our church. Otherwise, these people would say yes to every serving opportunity because their hearts are gold.
Sometimes, it’s our job as ministry leaders to protect our people by limiting the frequency and scope of their service.
2. "I'm Not Making an Impact"
Sometimes volunteers walk away because they just don’t feel like what they’re doing matters. This is often a reason that is given by our small group leaders who decide to bail a year or less into the gig.
The truth is that ministry is a long-term investment. You’re making an impact, but you probably won’t feel it for a few more years. What I’ve come to realize is that when people say “I’m not making an impact,” it means that we need to tell more stories.
It’s our job as ministry leaders to constantly remind our people that what they’re doing matters. We’re in the habit of telling stories every week—stories about the impact of our ministry. We all need to hear these stories because they motivate, remind, and encourage.
3. "I'm Not Good at This"
Another reason that volunteers quit is that they don’t feel like they’re doing a good job. Sometimes this is because the role they’re in is not a good fit with their gifts, but most of the time it’s because of a lack of clarity around the goals or a lack of training on how to meet them.
We all hate losing, and we all love winning. It’s simple human nature. Do your volunteers know what it means to win in their role? If your volunteers understand what winning looks like on a Sunday morning or a Wednesday evening and they’ve been equipped to do what is necessary to win, the morale and effectiveness of your volunteer teams will skyrocket.
4. "I Feel Like a Cog in the Machine"
There was a phase in our church’s history where I heard this complaint a lot from volunteers and even staff. It’s tempting to rationalize these complaints away, but there’s usually a serious problem behind these statements.
The reason people feel like a cog in the machine is because they aren’t in a relationship with the people who are leading them, so they don’t feel valued or appreciated.
Who is connecting with your volunteers relationally? Who is listening to them, asking them about their lives, and praying for them?
In our student ministry, we’ve structured our staff so that half of our team is focused on this area. In addition, each volunteer in our ministry is automatically placed in a community of 8-10 other volunteers so that their serving experience is a “together” experience.
Why do we do this? Because people who feel cared for, encouraged, and appreciated are far more effective and serve longer. There is a deep desire in all of us to be known and to belong. How can we as ministry leaders lean into these longings and help our volunteers connect relationally?
5. "It's Too Stressful"
In the past, my first reaction to this rationale was usually a stifled eye roll. But what I’ve learned is that if volunteers feel stressed, it’s usually because there’s a communication problem in the ministry. What I mean is that the plan isn’t being communicated clearly enough or early enough.
For example, some of our small group leaders experience stress if they don’t receive the small group questions from our staff a week before the event or if they come to our winter retreat without knowing what cabin they’ll be staying in, who else is in that cabin, and what the schedule is for the weekend.
By nature, I’m a “go with the flow” kind of guy, but what I’ve come to realize is that if I place this expectation on my volunteers, there is going to be trouble. Some of them will experience stress, and stress isn’t fun.
As ministry leaders, it’s our responsibility to communicate clearly and early enough that our message builds trust and conveys value, rather than generating stress.
6. "I Don't Agree with the Vision"
This is one of the most frustrating things to hear as a ministry leader. This comment often comes during a season of transition from one leader to another or when leadership changes how a ministry functions.
Sometimes there truly is a lack of alignment for the volunteer, but I’ve come to realize that usually “I don’t agree with the vision” means the volunteer isn’t feeling heard. In other words, no one has engaged their questions and objections in a meaningful way.
As ministry leaders, it’s tempting to write someone off when you hear they don’t agree with the vision because it feels like an attack. But there is wisdom in sitting down with that person, asking thoughtful questions, listening well, and carefully explaining the reasons behind your vision.
In my experience, this conversation is usually a unifying one. Most people are mature enough to jump on board. There are, of course, times when it’s truly time to part ways, but at the very least, after a conversation like this, the separation is at least peaceful.
Five Easy Ways to Lose Volunteers
As you aim to increase the number of volunteers in your church, it’s important to plan on encouraging volunteers to continue in their work joyfully. To help you along the way, here are five easy ways to lose volunteers so you can avoid them.
1. Unclear Expectations
How long does someone need to volunteer in their position? Do they know what they need to do? What time does their shift start?
Not clarifying expectations and responsibilities is a great way to discourage volunteers. By creating clear boundaries, you can empower volunteers to wholeheartedly throw themselves into the work of the ministry, which leads us to the next point.
2. Lack of Training
Do your volunteers know how to do what you’re asking them to do?
A lack of competence will not only lead to mistakes, but a lack of training will also lead volunteers to experience significant amounts of stress in their work, rather than the joy of serving.
Ask your volunteers if they have received sufficient training to perform their assigned tasks. If not, consider providing training. Now, if the issue is not a matter of training, then help volunteers find a role that best suits them.
3. Lack of Communication
Volunteers will have questions. Not because they’re volunteers, but because issues will come up that they’re unaware of or don’t know the answer to. So, if there’s a lack of follow-up to their questions, then your volunteers will quickly become discouraged due to the lack of support.
Make sure that volunteers know who to contact in case of emergencies or for regular inquiries, and that you and your team follow up promptly.
4. Failure to Recognize Their Contribution
In general, it’s easy to become discouraged, and it’s human nature to desire some level of recognition. That’s why it’s essential to recognize volunteers for their work.
From saying thank you in the hallway to calling or emailing volunteers during the week or mentioning someone from the pulpit, make sure that your church’s volunteers are recognized and appreciated for their work.
5. A Disconnect Between Their Work and Jesus’ Mission
It’s easy for volunteers not to see how their work is contributing to the big picture. Depending on the size of your church, many moving parts go into fueling the work of the ministry.
On a regular basis, make sure that you are casting a vision for your church and that you are helping people to see how their work, giving, and participation in the work of the ministry are making a difference.
Wrap Up
If you’re experiencing high turnover in your volunteer positions, I would encourage you to start by helping your volunteers understand what it looks like to win.
podcast transcript
Tithely provides the tools you need to engage with your church online, stay connected, increase generosity, and simplify the lives of your staff.
With tools like text and email messaging, custom church apps and websites, church management software, digital giving, and so much more… it’s no wonder why over 37,000 churches in 50 countries trust Tithely to help run their church.
One of the most frustrating events in ministry is when key volunteers quit. Ministry is people's work. The longer you’re active in a particular role, the more effective you become, which is why it is so disappointing when volunteers bail.
But there’s often something behind the words of the volunteer who is stepping down. They may have experienced a weakness in the ministry or the church’s leadership that you need to be aware of.
It’s not fun, but it’s often worth digging into the rationale of a quitting volunteer to discover if something in your ministry or church needs to be tweaked or corrected. Here are the most common reasons volunteers quit, along with steps to take before it happens.
Six Things Volunteers Say and What They Really Mean
1. “I Need a Break"
One of the most common reasons volunteers give when stepping down is that they need a break, or that they’re tired, or that they need to focus on themselves for a while. Sometimes this is absolutely true, but other times “I need a break” means that we’re overutilizing volunteers.
A few years ago, we did a volunteer survey and discovered that volunteers who reported low levels of satisfaction with their volunteering experience at our church were serving in multiple ministries at once.
They were simply stretched too far and were exhausting themselves. Our different ministries had no regular system of communication about volunteers who were serving in multiple areas.
This, we realized, was a problem. Now, we choose not to recruit people who are actively serving in another area of our church. Otherwise, these people would say yes to every serving opportunity because their hearts are gold.
Sometimes, it’s our job as ministry leaders to protect our people by limiting the frequency and scope of their service.
2. "I'm Not Making an Impact"
Sometimes volunteers walk away because they just don’t feel like what they’re doing matters. This is often a reason that is given by our small group leaders who decide to bail a year or less into the gig.
The truth is that ministry is a long-term investment. You’re making an impact, but you probably won’t feel it for a few more years. What I’ve come to realize is that when people say “I’m not making an impact,” it means that we need to tell more stories.
It’s our job as ministry leaders to constantly remind our people that what they’re doing matters. We’re in the habit of telling stories every week—stories about the impact of our ministry. We all need to hear these stories because they motivate, remind, and encourage.
3. "I'm Not Good at This"
Another reason that volunteers quit is that they don’t feel like they’re doing a good job. Sometimes this is because the role they’re in is not a good fit with their gifts, but most of the time it’s because of a lack of clarity around the goals or a lack of training on how to meet them.
We all hate losing, and we all love winning. It’s simple human nature. Do your volunteers know what it means to win in their role? If your volunteers understand what winning looks like on a Sunday morning or a Wednesday evening and they’ve been equipped to do what is necessary to win, the morale and effectiveness of your volunteer teams will skyrocket.
4. "I Feel Like a Cog in the Machine"
There was a phase in our church’s history where I heard this complaint a lot from volunteers and even staff. It’s tempting to rationalize these complaints away, but there’s usually a serious problem behind these statements.
The reason people feel like a cog in the machine is because they aren’t in a relationship with the people who are leading them, so they don’t feel valued or appreciated.
Who is connecting with your volunteers relationally? Who is listening to them, asking them about their lives, and praying for them?
In our student ministry, we’ve structured our staff so that half of our team is focused on this area. In addition, each volunteer in our ministry is automatically placed in a community of 8-10 other volunteers so that their serving experience is a “together” experience.
Why do we do this? Because people who feel cared for, encouraged, and appreciated are far more effective and serve longer. There is a deep desire in all of us to be known and to belong. How can we as ministry leaders lean into these longings and help our volunteers connect relationally?
5. "It's Too Stressful"
In the past, my first reaction to this rationale was usually a stifled eye roll. But what I’ve learned is that if volunteers feel stressed, it’s usually because there’s a communication problem in the ministry. What I mean is that the plan isn’t being communicated clearly enough or early enough.
For example, some of our small group leaders experience stress if they don’t receive the small group questions from our staff a week before the event or if they come to our winter retreat without knowing what cabin they’ll be staying in, who else is in that cabin, and what the schedule is for the weekend.
By nature, I’m a “go with the flow” kind of guy, but what I’ve come to realize is that if I place this expectation on my volunteers, there is going to be trouble. Some of them will experience stress, and stress isn’t fun.
As ministry leaders, it’s our responsibility to communicate clearly and early enough that our message builds trust and conveys value, rather than generating stress.
6. "I Don't Agree with the Vision"
This is one of the most frustrating things to hear as a ministry leader. This comment often comes during a season of transition from one leader to another or when leadership changes how a ministry functions.
Sometimes there truly is a lack of alignment for the volunteer, but I’ve come to realize that usually “I don’t agree with the vision” means the volunteer isn’t feeling heard. In other words, no one has engaged their questions and objections in a meaningful way.
As ministry leaders, it’s tempting to write someone off when you hear they don’t agree with the vision because it feels like an attack. But there is wisdom in sitting down with that person, asking thoughtful questions, listening well, and carefully explaining the reasons behind your vision.
In my experience, this conversation is usually a unifying one. Most people are mature enough to jump on board. There are, of course, times when it’s truly time to part ways, but at the very least, after a conversation like this, the separation is at least peaceful.
Five Easy Ways to Lose Volunteers
As you aim to increase the number of volunteers in your church, it’s important to plan on encouraging volunteers to continue in their work joyfully. To help you along the way, here are five easy ways to lose volunteers so you can avoid them.
1. Unclear Expectations
How long does someone need to volunteer in their position? Do they know what they need to do? What time does their shift start?
Not clarifying expectations and responsibilities is a great way to discourage volunteers. By creating clear boundaries, you can empower volunteers to wholeheartedly throw themselves into the work of the ministry, which leads us to the next point.
2. Lack of Training
Do your volunteers know how to do what you’re asking them to do?
A lack of competence will not only lead to mistakes, but a lack of training will also lead volunteers to experience significant amounts of stress in their work, rather than the joy of serving.
Ask your volunteers if they have received sufficient training to perform their assigned tasks. If not, consider providing training. Now, if the issue is not a matter of training, then help volunteers find a role that best suits them.
3. Lack of Communication
Volunteers will have questions. Not because they’re volunteers, but because issues will come up that they’re unaware of or don’t know the answer to. So, if there’s a lack of follow-up to their questions, then your volunteers will quickly become discouraged due to the lack of support.
Make sure that volunteers know who to contact in case of emergencies or for regular inquiries, and that you and your team follow up promptly.
4. Failure to Recognize Their Contribution
In general, it’s easy to become discouraged, and it’s human nature to desire some level of recognition. That’s why it’s essential to recognize volunteers for their work.
From saying thank you in the hallway to calling or emailing volunteers during the week or mentioning someone from the pulpit, make sure that your church’s volunteers are recognized and appreciated for their work.
5. A Disconnect Between Their Work and Jesus’ Mission
It’s easy for volunteers not to see how their work is contributing to the big picture. Depending on the size of your church, many moving parts go into fueling the work of the ministry.
On a regular basis, make sure that you are casting a vision for your church and that you are helping people to see how their work, giving, and participation in the work of the ministry are making a difference.
Wrap Up
If you’re experiencing high turnover in your volunteer positions, I would encourage you to start by helping your volunteers understand what it looks like to win.
VIDEO transcript
One of the most frustrating events in ministry is when key volunteers quit. Ministry is people's work. The longer you’re active in a particular role, the more effective you become, which is why it is so disappointing when volunteers bail.
But there’s often something behind the words of the volunteer who is stepping down. They may have experienced a weakness in the ministry or the church’s leadership that you need to be aware of.
It’s not fun, but it’s often worth digging into the rationale of a quitting volunteer to discover if something in your ministry or church needs to be tweaked or corrected. Here are the most common reasons volunteers quit, along with steps to take before it happens.
Six Things Volunteers Say and What They Really Mean
1. “I Need a Break"
One of the most common reasons volunteers give when stepping down is that they need a break, or that they’re tired, or that they need to focus on themselves for a while. Sometimes this is absolutely true, but other times “I need a break” means that we’re overutilizing volunteers.
A few years ago, we did a volunteer survey and discovered that volunteers who reported low levels of satisfaction with their volunteering experience at our church were serving in multiple ministries at once.
They were simply stretched too far and were exhausting themselves. Our different ministries had no regular system of communication about volunteers who were serving in multiple areas.
This, we realized, was a problem. Now, we choose not to recruit people who are actively serving in another area of our church. Otherwise, these people would say yes to every serving opportunity because their hearts are gold.
Sometimes, it’s our job as ministry leaders to protect our people by limiting the frequency and scope of their service.
2. "I'm Not Making an Impact"
Sometimes volunteers walk away because they just don’t feel like what they’re doing matters. This is often a reason that is given by our small group leaders who decide to bail a year or less into the gig.
The truth is that ministry is a long-term investment. You’re making an impact, but you probably won’t feel it for a few more years. What I’ve come to realize is that when people say “I’m not making an impact,” it means that we need to tell more stories.
It’s our job as ministry leaders to constantly remind our people that what they’re doing matters. We’re in the habit of telling stories every week—stories about the impact of our ministry. We all need to hear these stories because they motivate, remind, and encourage.
3. "I'm Not Good at This"
Another reason that volunteers quit is that they don’t feel like they’re doing a good job. Sometimes this is because the role they’re in is not a good fit with their gifts, but most of the time it’s because of a lack of clarity around the goals or a lack of training on how to meet them.
We all hate losing, and we all love winning. It’s simple human nature. Do your volunteers know what it means to win in their role? If your volunteers understand what winning looks like on a Sunday morning or a Wednesday evening and they’ve been equipped to do what is necessary to win, the morale and effectiveness of your volunteer teams will skyrocket.
4. "I Feel Like a Cog in the Machine"
There was a phase in our church’s history where I heard this complaint a lot from volunteers and even staff. It’s tempting to rationalize these complaints away, but there’s usually a serious problem behind these statements.
The reason people feel like a cog in the machine is because they aren’t in a relationship with the people who are leading them, so they don’t feel valued or appreciated.
Who is connecting with your volunteers relationally? Who is listening to them, asking them about their lives, and praying for them?
In our student ministry, we’ve structured our staff so that half of our team is focused on this area. In addition, each volunteer in our ministry is automatically placed in a community of 8-10 other volunteers so that their serving experience is a “together” experience.
Why do we do this? Because people who feel cared for, encouraged, and appreciated are far more effective and serve longer. There is a deep desire in all of us to be known and to belong. How can we as ministry leaders lean into these longings and help our volunteers connect relationally?
5. "It's Too Stressful"
In the past, my first reaction to this rationale was usually a stifled eye roll. But what I’ve learned is that if volunteers feel stressed, it’s usually because there’s a communication problem in the ministry. What I mean is that the plan isn’t being communicated clearly enough or early enough.
For example, some of our small group leaders experience stress if they don’t receive the small group questions from our staff a week before the event or if they come to our winter retreat without knowing what cabin they’ll be staying in, who else is in that cabin, and what the schedule is for the weekend.
By nature, I’m a “go with the flow” kind of guy, but what I’ve come to realize is that if I place this expectation on my volunteers, there is going to be trouble. Some of them will experience stress, and stress isn’t fun.
As ministry leaders, it’s our responsibility to communicate clearly and early enough that our message builds trust and conveys value, rather than generating stress.
6. "I Don't Agree with the Vision"
This is one of the most frustrating things to hear as a ministry leader. This comment often comes during a season of transition from one leader to another or when leadership changes how a ministry functions.
Sometimes there truly is a lack of alignment for the volunteer, but I’ve come to realize that usually “I don’t agree with the vision” means the volunteer isn’t feeling heard. In other words, no one has engaged their questions and objections in a meaningful way.
As ministry leaders, it’s tempting to write someone off when you hear they don’t agree with the vision because it feels like an attack. But there is wisdom in sitting down with that person, asking thoughtful questions, listening well, and carefully explaining the reasons behind your vision.
In my experience, this conversation is usually a unifying one. Most people are mature enough to jump on board. There are, of course, times when it’s truly time to part ways, but at the very least, after a conversation like this, the separation is at least peaceful.
Five Easy Ways to Lose Volunteers
As you aim to increase the number of volunteers in your church, it’s important to plan on encouraging volunteers to continue in their work joyfully. To help you along the way, here are five easy ways to lose volunteers so you can avoid them.
1. Unclear Expectations
How long does someone need to volunteer in their position? Do they know what they need to do? What time does their shift start?
Not clarifying expectations and responsibilities is a great way to discourage volunteers. By creating clear boundaries, you can empower volunteers to wholeheartedly throw themselves into the work of the ministry, which leads us to the next point.
2. Lack of Training
Do your volunteers know how to do what you’re asking them to do?
A lack of competence will not only lead to mistakes, but a lack of training will also lead volunteers to experience significant amounts of stress in their work, rather than the joy of serving.
Ask your volunteers if they have received sufficient training to perform their assigned tasks. If not, consider providing training. Now, if the issue is not a matter of training, then help volunteers find a role that best suits them.
3. Lack of Communication
Volunteers will have questions. Not because they’re volunteers, but because issues will come up that they’re unaware of or don’t know the answer to. So, if there’s a lack of follow-up to their questions, then your volunteers will quickly become discouraged due to the lack of support.
Make sure that volunteers know who to contact in case of emergencies or for regular inquiries, and that you and your team follow up promptly.
4. Failure to Recognize Their Contribution
In general, it’s easy to become discouraged, and it’s human nature to desire some level of recognition. That’s why it’s essential to recognize volunteers for their work.
From saying thank you in the hallway to calling or emailing volunteers during the week or mentioning someone from the pulpit, make sure that your church’s volunteers are recognized and appreciated for their work.
5. A Disconnect Between Their Work and Jesus’ Mission
It’s easy for volunteers not to see how their work is contributing to the big picture. Depending on the size of your church, many moving parts go into fueling the work of the ministry.
On a regular basis, make sure that you are casting a vision for your church and that you are helping people to see how their work, giving, and participation in the work of the ministry are making a difference.
Wrap Up
If you’re experiencing high turnover in your volunteer positions, I would encourage you to start by helping your volunteers understand what it looks like to win.
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