KidMin 2015

Deeper Learning Track: S.E.R.V.E.

Dale Hudson
Session One SELECT
Overview: Everyone has a place to serve within the Body of Christ.
And as Childrens Ministry leaders, we are called to be placement
coaches who help others find their next step to grow through serving.
Discover the best practices for inviting and onboarding new
volunteers.

The success of your ministry depends on the strength of the

volunteer team you build.

Great players win games. Great teams win championships.

Michael Jordan
Its not what you can doits what you can empower others to
do.
As a childrens leader irony is that is just as much about
adults as it is children.
Must be able to build a team of volunteers
If had to be good at one thing in childrens ministry it would be
this
Can be great with kids but if cant build a team youre in trouble
(1=10)
There is no childrens ministry without volunteers

1. See the big picture.

See the big picture
How do you see your volunteers?
Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in
the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Matthew 28:19
You are called first and foremost to make disciplesnot volunteers.
A key component of being a disciple and growing in your faith is
serving. When we invite people to serve, we are helping them
become disciples.
Ephesians 4:11-16
Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the
prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. 12 Their
responsibility is to equip Gods people to do his work and build up the
church, the body of Christ. 13 This will continue until we all come to
such unity in our faith and knowledge of Gods Son that we will be
mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of
Christ.
14

Then we will no longer be immature like children. We wont be

tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching. We will not
be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they
sound like the truth. 15 Instead, we will speak the truth in love,
growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of
his body, the church. 16 He makes the whole body fit together
perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other
parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of
love.
You cant be a growing disciple without serving. Must realize that
serving is a vital part of spiritual growth.
Everyone is called to serve

For we are Gods handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do

good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
Ephesians 2:10 (NLT)
100% of believers are called to serve
Faith without works is dead
You are not bothering someone when you ask them to serve. You are
blessing someone when you ask them to serve.
Get right mindset not bothering them, you are blessing them
Helping them grow in their faith
Its important that they serve not just for the kids, but also so they can
grow in their faith.
Never more like Jesus than when you are serving came not to be
served, but to serve.
Everyone can be great, because everyone can serve.
Dr. ML King Jr.
Serving animates faith, serving grows faith
Dont just see getting them in a classroom to fill a spot. See helping
them become closer followers of Christ.
2. Why not what
Invite to the why not the what
People will line up to be a part of something bigger than themselves.
People wont line up to change a diaper, but they will line up to
change a life!
People wont line up to corral 3rd grade boys, but they will line up to
impact the next generation

People wont line up to stand at the door and say hi 100 times but
will line up when you tell them people decide in 8 minutes if going to
return.
The what comes after the why. Make sure inviting to the why.
3. 1-1.
Most effective way.
Thats how Jesus did it.

As Jesus went on from there, He saw a man named Matthew

sitting at the tax collectors booth. Follow Me, He told him, and
Matthew got up and followed Him. Matthew 9:9 (NLT)
Pray for divine appointments.
The Journey of 1000 miles begins with one step. The journey of
_______ volunteers begins with 1 volunteer.
Make a dream list of volunteers.
Hold yourself and your team responsible for asking people each
week. Dont depend primarily on big pushes, ministry fairs, stage
announcements twice a year. Its about asking people week in and
week out. 52 weeks a year.
We make excuses many times when we are simply not asking.
When was the last time you personally asked someone to join your
team?
4. Duck in water
-may be desperate but dont appear desperate

Titanic or Carnival Cruise Ship?

Titanic Signs
You place ads in the worship guide that uses the word need.
You guilt people into serving.
The only time you connect with parents is when you are asking
them to serve.
You ask the Pastor to beg for volunteers for you from the pulpit.
Carnival Cruise Ship Signs
People are joining your team because a friend who loves serving
invited them.
People are joining your team because they see an opportunity to
make an impact with their life.
There are lots of smiles and laughter.
Volunteers are forming small groups and meeting together for Bible
study and prayer during the week.
Volunteers go home energized and excited
People arent drawn to need but to vision and something
bigger than themselves.
5. 1 time = full time
Latch onto the momentum of the entire church when there is an ask
for volunteers for Christmas, Easter, Fall Festival, etc.
encourage your volunteers to come alongside them and encourage
them as they serve
follow up with them and ask them how they enjoyed the experience
ask to come back
6. Hot spots
Places like new members class, new converts, etc.
7. Students

Kids look up to teenagers! Thats whom they want to be like. They

can make a huge impact on kids! Some of best cm volunteers are
students.
Students are one of the greatest places to find childrens ministry
volunteers.
How to partner with student ministries:
Build a relationship with student ministry staff and
volunteers. Share with them the vision of students growing
through serving.
Go to them.
Be yourself. They want authentic relationships. Dont try to be
cool.
Share the vision.
Challenge students who are currently serving to share the
vision with their peers. Students usually come to serve in
groups.
Make sure they stay connected to student ministry.
Set clear expectations, structure, and guidelines.
Involve their parents.
Students want to serve and make a difference in the lives of kids.
Just waiting for you to give them the opportunity.
Call up not out
8. Parental involvement.
Partner with parents.
Encourage but dont require parents to get involved in their childs
experience at church.
Make sure its not the only time you connect with them.
9. Enlist senior adults.

 Silent Generation (born 1925 - 1945 / currently 69 - 89)

First coined in the November 5, 1951 cover story of Time to
refer to the generation coming of age at the time
Born during the Great Depression and World War II - Children
of the Great Depression and World War II

Their Silent label refers to their conformist and civic instincts.

It also makes for a nice contrast with the noisy ways of the antiestablishment Boomers.

Baby Boomers (born 1946 - 1964 / currently 50 - 68)

Born during the demographic Post-World War II baby boom and
who grew up during the 1960s and 1970s.
Don't think that Baby Boomers have the "I've done my time and now
I'm resting" attitude. They currently have the highest volunteer rate of
any age group.
The Boomer wave signals one of the largest opportunities the
nonprofit sector has ever had to expand its pool of resources.
Americas Baby Boomers are an untapped resource of
extraordinary proportions. They are the largest, healthiest, besteducated generation in history and they can leave an
incredible legacy through service to others. Only the nonprofits
that retool their ability to engage citizens will reap that reward.
David Eisner, CEO of the Corporation for National and
Community Service

Analyze your current volunteer team. How many of them are

Boomers? How can you more effectively bring Boomers to your
team?
Look for Boomers who are only working part-time. Almost
half of Boomers who work part-time also volunteer.
Appeal to Boomer men. 29.4% of them volunteer which is
higher than any other age group of men.
The biggest single inducement for Boomers to volunteer is
being asked by someone with whom he/she has an
established relationship. They are more attracted to social
interaction than to duty or obligation. We have to go to where
they are and build relationships with them. This may look like
being involved in the womens and mens ministry in your
church, leading an adult Bible study, or hanging out after
service in the lobby of the adult auditorium.
Build a bridge to them.
Boomers are achievement-oriented, dedicated, and careerfocused. They welcome exciting, challenging projects and
strive to make a difference. Cast vision and challenge them to
step up and have a part in making the vision a reality. They will
respond.
Boomers want higher-skill assignments to keep them
engaged. Provide them professional development opportunities
just like you would for your staff. Give them opportunities to be
promoted in their leadership responsibilities as well.
Boomers grew up in an era of reform and believe they can
change the world. They questioned established authority
systems and challenged the status quo. Show that you value
them by asking for their input and feedback on how to improve
the ministry. When you are able to incorporate an idea, inform
them of the changes.
Ask for a minimum of a three-month commitment. Stats
show if they serve for at least three months, they are most
likely to continue serving year after year. In fact, when they
serve for at least three months, the retention rate goes up
to 79 percent.

In some cases, you will be partnering with them as the parent. The
latest census shows that over 2 1/2 million children are being raised
by their grandparents in the US. We have a lot of kids being brought
to church by their grandparents and I'm sure you do as well.
"The baby boomer generation gives our nation an
unprecedented opportunity to increase the breadth and the
scope of volunteering. If we use the right approach, this
population will continue their service and change the face of
volunteering in America."
Robert Grimm Jr., Director of the Corporation's Office of
Research and Policy Development
10. Volunteer multiplication.
Andrew, Simon Peters brother, was one of these men who
heard what John said and then followed Jesus. Andrew went to
find his brother, Simon, and told him, We have found the
Messiah (which means Christ.) Then Andrew brought Simon
to meet Jesus. Looking intently at Simon, Jesus said, Your
name is Simon, son of Johnbut you will be called Cephas
(which means Peter.) John 1:40-42 (NLT)
When you bring a new volunteer on the team its volunteer
addition. When your volunteers bring new volunteers on the
team its volunteer multiplication.
1 person bringing a new volunteer each month = 12 new
volunteers each year.
2 people each bringing a new volunteer each month = 24 new
volunteers each year.
3 people each bringing a new volunteer each month = 36 new
volunteers each year.
How to Multiply:
Emphasize it. (talk to them about it)
Pursue it. (ask them for names) Ill. of man this past weekend
Honor it. (honor those who bring others on the team)

No matter how good you are personally at adding team members,

your ministry will benefit more from others adding team members at
the same time.
11. Give families opportunities to serve together.
Encourage families to serve together when possible.
Greet together
Serve in caf together
Work in preschool together
Pass out bulletins together
Are separated most of week give them opportunities to serve
together and you will see families step up together
Great because kids see their parents modeling serving together.
12. More opportunities = more volunteers.
Not everyone is going to stand up and teach
Not everyone is going to sing
Entry Level Positions
Jesus went through all the towns and villages, teaching in
their synagogues, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom
and healing every disease and sickness. When he saw the
crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were
harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Then he
said to his disciples, The harvest is plentiful but the workers
are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out
workers into his harvest field.
Matthew 9:35-38 (NLT)