…called dinner.  Just can’t call it a day without that, right?

Some parents save for a college fund… we save for the counseling they’ll need for their abusive childhood.

Own it.

Volunteers are the life-line to your ministry.

So you’ve got to communicate with them.

There’s a fine balance to communication. I would argue that few ministry leaders err on the side of over communication. The majority of us err on the side of under communication… or no communication at all!

Everyone wants to feel equipped. Everyone wants to feel prepared.

Especially when working with kids.

So communicating with your volunteers can go a long way toward making this happen.

How often should you communicate?

That can depend on you and your ministry. We communicate with different volunteer teams at different frequencies.

But the bottom line is… people want to be ‘in the know’. So do your best to keep them there.

If I’m completely honest… when it comes to communication on my team, I’m the weakest link! But I have an amazing team member passionate about leading and equipping volunteers. I’ve learned loads from watching how she operates.

Ideas to keep your peeps in the loop:

• Make sure they know what they’re walking into each weekend
• Provide an outline of upcoming series, units, and/or curriculum changes
• Let them be the first to hear ‘the inside scoop’

There are multiple benefits to great communication. But the greatest intangible… great communication expresses great value.

Make sure your volunteers know they are valued… keep them up to speed.

Disposition #3: Rally people around vision… not around you.

In ministry, volunteers are critical. But how many times do you see volunteers rotate out of the ministry within months following a staff member’s departure? It happens all the time… but why?

Because the volunteers were rallied around a person and not a vision. The vision of your ministry should outlive and outgrow you. If it doesn’t… it’s not from God.

Take a close look at the volunteers surrounding you. Are they sold out to you? Or are they sold out to the vision of your ministry?

There are significant benefits to centering your volunteer team around a vision.

• Vision Accountability

If your volunteer team is there because of you, they’re likely to support you regardless of the decision.  That isn’t always healthy.  In fact, when you’re in an unhealthy place your ability to make the best decisions regarding your ministry are diminished.  Volunteers rallied around the vision will hold you accountable to that vision.

• Ministry Stability

Again, we have no guarantee for tomorrow.  We don’t know what will happen.  God may call you out.  If that happens, what happens to your volunteer team?  Will they eventually drop off?  Or are they so bought into the vision, they wouldn’t entertain the thought of leaving unless God called them away also.

Lead your volunteers to embrace the vision God gave you… not you.  When they chase that which only God can accomplish through them, you’ll transform your ministry.

Disposition #2:  Know your HotSpots and your NotSpots

We’ve all got ‘em. 

Those experiences that are amazing.  The volunteer team that clicks.  The vibe is electric.  The one you wish you could duplicate throughout your ministry.

That’s a HotSpot.

Then we’ve got the other.

Those experiences that are flat.  The volunteer team that doesn’t connect… the ones that do little more than take up space.  There is nothing electric about the space.  It’s just there.

That’s a NotSpot.

Every ministry has them.  

What’s the difference?  They’re in the same environment, executing the same curriculum… yet one team is dynamic while the other is stagnant.  Out of 6 volunteer teams, I may have 3 teams that are on fire, while the other 3 I’m checking for a pulse.

It’s the beauty of working with people.

So what do you do?

Know your HotSpots and pour some gas on ‘em.

Know your NotSpots and get on your knees for ‘em.

I have no idea how many of these I might hit. I guess we’ll see.

There are certain dispositions relevant to a Children’s Ministry Pastor/Director. Embrace these and you’ll find a new level of success within your ministry.

Disposition #1: The toughest drive of the week is the drive to church.

The enemy wants to do all he can to keep families from attending church. If he can’t keep them from attending, he’s going to do whatever he can to put them in a sour mood when arrive.

He’ll do anything to make them resistant to a life-changing message.

He plays dirty.

I remind myself of this every weekend as I prepare for worship experiences. I ask these questions:

• Is the environment ready?

Music does wonders towards setting an upbeat tone. And cleanliness is a HUGE factor. Is there debris flying around outside? Is there gunk on your baseboards? Chipped paint or counter tops? Your space speaks volumes to how prepared you are for your families. If the space looks as if you don’t care, what will that communicate about your content?

• Is the family/kids check-in process smooth?

Again… the toughest drive of the week. Families will run late. Kids will be cranky. Parents will be stressed. Don’t make them stand in line. They’ve had enough drama. Somehow, someway… make your check in system so smooth it takes no more than 30 seconds to get your kids a name tag. From there it shouldn’t take more than a few minutes for the parent to kiss their kid and boot them through the door (in a loving motherly fashion, of course ). Your families may enter the kids space cranky… but you can set the tone so they enter the worship experience relaxed and ready for a life-changing message.

Consider these questions as you prep for this weekend.

What can you do to ensure that the toughest drive leads to the best two-hours of their week?

What a heart stopper.

I’ve always said, I know enough about computers to be dangerous.

Attempted an upgrade and completely lost my entire blog.

For those that visited between 8am and 1pm today, you probably found a generic, uninhabited blog.

BlueHost restored my stuff (yeah BH!) and I’m back up and running.

Sorry for the trouble, folks.