Q: We struggle with diversity. How can I get a more diverse group of people (by gender, ethnicity, and age) to serve? Should certain genders be greeting / parking / seating? [Question submitted in a...
Q: Do you have any best practices for investing in and coaching leaders who have limited availability during the week? [Question submitted during a recent Confab gathering] A: Because many church leaders are volunteers, it...
We’ve talked before about the importance of the volunteer huddle. Whether you hold yours prior to the service or once the service is underway (and that article includes an argument for the latter), a regular...
In a recent post I addressed how we can help our volunteers to be more proactive in watching for first-time guests. The guest’s body language, arrival times, and spoken-out-loud questions can signal opportunities for deeper...
Leaders have certain responsibilities towards those whom we lead: we’re responsible for training. We’re responsible for coaching. We’re responsible for correcting. But to our volunteers, one of the most felt responsibilities is how we care...
Q: Our team wants to create a standard “handbook” that ministries would use for their leaders, coaches, and volunteers. What have you used (or seen) that’s been helpful? [Mallory Mueller, Clovis AM Connections Coordinator The...
My friend Beth Coble from Lifepointe Church tipped me off to this passage from Every Moment Holy, Vol. III. It’s an excellent reminder that before we simply show up, we need to invite the work...
Summertime is down time. Sometimes those of us in leadership act like we don’t believe that (raises hand), but that doesn’t make it less true. While it is true that hospitality can’t take a vacation,...
Q: We expect that our volunteers will actually show up. So how do I transition someone off of my team after they consistently stop showing up? [from a recent One-Day Workshop] A: If there is...
Q: Where should “serving” fit into a church’s overall discipleship strategy? Is it reasonable to set up serving as a goal for all members and then accept abysmal failure without acknowledging that a main tenant...
