Hi There
Often the most difficult part in volunteer ministry is to find an area that you are real comfortable in. That fulfils you. That area that makes you smile after you pack up and go home. It is only after 15 years that I know that I know that this is what I love doing. Events and worship ministry makes me tick. It stirs my senses; it makes me want to know more.
The road to get here was one full of adventure. Many people often tell me they are so frustrated in what they are doing in their local church. My answer is always, “Then why are you still doing it?”
I’ve been involved in the church as a
- Altar Boy
- Sunday schools teacher
- Prayer Group Leader
- Youth Leader
- Choir director
- Prison Ministry
- Worship Team
- Creative Team
- Guest Lounge assistant
- Home Cell Leader
- Special Events Co-ordinator
- Hospitality Team
This is has been a journey and might I say I learned so much, made so many mistakes but it all lead me to where I am today. At the moment I’m a worship leader at our local church at Rhema South Family Church in Johannesburg South Africa. A multi cultural church that sees over 4000 people come through our doors on a Sunday. I’m a full time Events Manager at Rhema South Family Church, but my role in Hospitality is that of a volunteer. It’s my reasonable service. I’m a VOLUNTEER AND I LOVE IT!!!
Using your skills to find your passion
I said before that we often encounter people in the ministry that always looks like it’s a burden serving. The hostess that just don’t have the patience for a crying baby during the church service, with the distressed mother that already feels so embarrassed trying to calm the baby down. In the beginning I use to laugh at all of it, but after a while I started asking myself questions as to why is it that way. Why is it that certain departments seem to flourish whilst others seem to struggle in certain areas?
My opinion is that we don’t all speak the same language in the church. Yes we have different departments, e.g.: car park, ushers, greeters, visitors lounge, Info centre, councillors, intercessors, worship team ect... the list goes on and on. What do I mean by same language? How great it will be if we all start speaking the same language at church! Picture yourself as a first time visitor at Change Bible Church. The moment you enter the car park you are greeted with a friendly smile, get directed to a parking bay. You then get out of your vehicle and the next thing you see is a smiling greeter waving your way directing you to the entrance of the church. You then get greeted in a friendly manner: “Good morning and welcome to Church”. On entering the building the smiling ushers or hostess greets you again with: “Good morning and welcome to Church, kindly take a seat towards the middle of the isle”. Pastor Musa gets to church and the security assistant meets him at the pastor’s entrance with: “Good morning Pastor Musa, welcome to Church”. Can you notice something here? Yes we speak the same language. It won’t be long and the whole church will receive each other the same way. We hereby create a culture called a “Kingdom Culture”
Here is a few way thing I believe may hinder us to all speak the same language.
1. Flaws in the church organisational structure
Allowing different departments to run of their own vision that does not align to the CHURCH Vision.
2. When one department becomes less important that the others.
3. When stats becomes the measurement of success and not the accomplishment of the vision.
Here is a few ways that will help us get to a place where we will be able to function as a whole person, an individual that will love what you do.
1. Ask yourself what makes you passionate.
Passion: an outburst of strong emotion or feeling / a strong or extravagant desire. The things that make you want to always go back.
You can have a positive passion and negative. Negative passion is the one of sexual lust. Make sure it’s directed in a positive way.
Energy flows from passion.
A God given passion is an area of intense interest, something that lies buried in every one of us. As a leadership team it’s our duty to build a nation of people that will lead to the lives of people being changes for the better.
- Have a one on one with every volunteer, sharing the church vision and most importantly, try and ascertain their passion. Build a relationship with every volunteer. This in turn will impact the people that come into contact with the volunteer. This is what creates a healthy church.
2. Connect your spiritual gift with an area of passion.
This is the key to ultimate effectiveness and fulfilment in serving. It’s also one of the keys to maintain energy in serving.
Nobody will have to fire you up and constantly motivate you to stay involved and serve.
3. Keep the Vision in front of you daily, read it to yourself every Sunday morning before you get ready for service ect.
This is what will keep you going. It will bring into remembrance why we do what we do, especially on the day when you just don’t feel like it. When the flesh is rebelling, when everything just seems not to be working with you to get to church.
4. Try something different
It amazing that some volunteers serve in a area that is totally contrary to what they do in their workplace. Warren Barrett , who is the CEO of Shandon Bizz, the company that is the brains behind SARS E-filing and many other major business solutions not just is South Africa but in many African countries, serves as a front vocal and prayer co-ordinator in the worship team. As a pastor your first motivation is to ask a person like him to join the church board as an advisor, or business person’s ministry head and to assist in creating multi million rand job opportunities for unemployed people in the church. He chose not to serve in a capacity like that in church. Yes he is good at it, but when he comes home he has had enough of computers and finds it rewarding to just sit back and practice his vocal arrangements and lead people in worship.
This e-mail highlights one reason why some people seek to serve outside of their area of professional expertise:
“During the week I do buy out deals in the marketplace. On Sundays I serve in a room full of three year olds. The simplicity of teaching lessons- and changing occasional diapers keeps me centred when I start to get a big head from cutting a 3 million deal at work. Serving children keeps my heart soft and my feet on solid ground.”
5. Try something familiar.
Darren is a skills trainer and motivational speaker, Glisson is a events manager, Kim is an ex retail executive, Quintin is a ex bouncer, Mathew is an police reservist. What do all of these people have in common? They are all part of the hospitality team at Rhema South. They take what would be normally seen as just a normal guest speaker visit to the local church, and transform it into a memorable event.
There are many untapped recourses in the world and in the church that is just waiting for us to discover it and them. We should be tenacious in offering our expertise.
You will probably be turned away at first because church leaders won’t understand what you are offering or how to use you. But keep working to help build understanding. Keep on moving. If you don’t find a serving opportunity in one area of ministry, seek one elsewhere. Don’t give up.
6. Have a common sense approach.
Ministry should flow from the gifts, interests and skills of the people God has brought to your congregation.
Look at the biblical mandate of the church and pray that God bring to them the balance of the gifts necessary to create a whole and healthy body. Have a unique flavour that is based on passion and life experiences of its members.
In closing. I would not presume to offer a template of how to shape and build your church. Every congregation needs to answer several key questions:
· Who has God brought to us?
· What are their unique contributions?
· How the Spirit of God does seem to be leading?
· What does common sense say?
Recources: The Volunteer Revolution – Bill Hybels@2004
