Flashback Friday: The Two Words That Will Kill Your Volunteer Ministry
Every Friday I dig into the archives and dust off an old post. If you haven’t read it, it’s new to you!
Churches and non-profits are built on the backs of volunteers. When babies are rocked, small groups are led, or coffee is poured, those things are more often than not a result of a process that gets people off of the sidelines and into the game.
Getting volunteer buy-in can be challenging. There’s no argument there. But over the years, I’ve discovered that there are two words that will kill off a healthy volunteer culture before it has a chance to get off the ground:
We’re fine.
Those two words are rarely spoken by people who mean harm. Most of the time, those who speak them are volunteers themselves. And the words usually emerge after someone legitimately inquires about how they can help. This is what it usually looks like:
- “Hey, I noticed you guys are short-handed this morning. Need me to jump in?” We’re fine.
- “You look stressed. Can I help out?” No. It’s fine.
- “Are you feeling good about your prep for the event?” Yep. I’m fine.
I think there are at least five reasons we succumb to the “We’re fine” myth:
Read the entire original post here.
