Leading Volunteers: Lessons from the Military

We’re so excited to have Nikomas, who leads the Student Ministry team at Harvester Christian Church, write this blog post for us.

Before you dive into what he has to say, be sure to check out our newest middle school ministry resources.

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4 Lessons the Military Taught Me About Leading Volunteers

Last month, after a Middle School small group night, I had leader after leader approach me with “war stories” from the night. The stories ranged the gambit from “I couldn’t keep their attention!” to “Jonathan punched Billy in the face.”…and they just kept coming! I left the night feeling like I sent my volunteers into battle, and they came back wounded! I later told my wife, “I’d be surprised if any of them return next week!”

The next week came and they were all back, smiles on their faces, ready to go back into battle.

Before I go any further, I need to admit something: I’ve never been in the military! However, my credentials are impeccable: I was born on a military base, my dad, siblings and even my mother wore combat boots. I love war movies and I’m pretty awesome at Call of Duty. From this vast experience of cultural submersion, here are a few lessons I learned on leading volunteers into battle…and then getting them back the next week!

1. Soldiers will JOIN the battle…if the mission is worth it.
No sane person wants to join an army that is full of holes. They want to join an army that’s ready to win! The same is true for ministry. When you’re recruiting, don’t advertise your holes. Advertise your mission! Let people know they’re needed and that the task is going to be hard, but most of all let them know that it’ll be worth it! People are more than willing to sacrifice in battle if the mission is worth fighting for! Do you talk about “who” your ministry needs, or “why” your ministry needs them?

2. Soldiers will ENDURE the battle…if they’re part of a team.
It’s easy to wave the white flag when you feel alone in the trenches. If volunteers are going to endure, they need to be surrounded friends. And I’m talking about more than just an “assistant”. Make sure they feel like they’re part of a team. They shouldn’t feel like they’re just a small group leader. They should feel like they’re part of a team of small group leaders. Sometimes people endure the battle keep, not because the mission is worth it, but because you love the people you’re fighting next to. Do your volunteers love the people they serving with?

3. Soldiers will WIN the battle…so give them the glory.
The people in the trenches have the toughest job. Other than Jesus, they’re the real heroes of your ministry. When something goes well in your ministry, it’s not because you laid out a perfect plan, it’s because someone on the front lines succeeded in carrying out your plan. When your ministry experiences success, publically pass the glory on to your volunteers. They deserve it. The opposite should be true as well: When our ministries experience failure, we should take credit. It probably failed because we failed our volunteers (wrong person, wrong training, or wrong strategy). And if the failure wasn’t our fault, let’s take the credit anyway. Whose legacy is more important to you: yours or theirs?

4. Soldiers will NARRATE the battle…so give them a platform.
The biggest recruiting tool in your church is not a pulpit announcement; it’s your “war stories”. I’ve never been in the military, but every time I hear a heroic story from a battle-tested veteran I’m ready to sign up! Give your battle-tested volunteers a platform to tell their stories. Encourage them to tell stories to their best friends. Their stories are way more powerful recruitment tools than your “sales pitch” will ever be! Have volunteers’ stories spread beyond your staff?

What are some practical ways that you are making these lessons a reality in your ministry? 

Share your strategies below.

Also, if you haven’t already done so – be sure to check out our newest middle school ministry resources.

Nikomas leads the Student Ministry team at Harvester Christian Church (St. Louis, MO) where he serves as the Middle School Pastor. He loves youth ministry, his wife and two daughters, and St. Louis Cardinals baseball. Combining any of those loves together causes him to giggle like a girl. You can connect with him on twitter or facebook.