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How do you get the adults to show up?
I'm in an weird situation at my new job. The kids will show up for anything, but it's like pulling teeth to get any adults to show up for meetings! I'm sure it comes from the mindset the previous youth pastor left behind, but it drives me insane when I set a date for a meeting 3 weeks out, put it in the bulletin every Sunday, put it in the newsletter, and nobody shows up. To me it feels like I'm not being taken seriously. I've already been warned that when it comes time to get VBS stuff prepared I may be on my own unless I take drastic measures (I'm considering making an announcement or sending out a letter saying that unless we have some help we'll just cancel stuff like VBS) Have you dealt with this problem before? What should I do?
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- 1 year ago
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I like the previous comment about forming a volunteer team, or teams depending on the functions. Rather than have a meeting for those interested, though, I would target specific people and ask them personally to be involved. Let them know up front the challenges they'll face, but also the joys and benefits of such a ministry. In my experience, people respond much better to a personal invitation than they do to an open-ended call. Also, I find people are much better to work with when you lay out clear expectations for when they should be there and what they should do. If you simply say, "Attention: I need help with _____." You probably won't find much help. |
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Relationships are your key to finding quality volunteers. If you don't have relationships you are investing in then the adults in your church will take on a feeling of being used. Relationships break down that barrier... Take some people out to lunch, invite them over for dessert, get to know them and if they are a good fit for your ministry.... Cast vision. Let them know how God can work in and through them with their willingness to serve. People don't want to show up to meetings without seeing the benefit... Start with relationships and you'll gain volunteers. I think your first mistake is trying to lead out of position instead of relationships. I know this is very cliche but people don't care how much you know until they know how much you care. In other words, you can keep calling meetings all you want, but until you win over the hearts of people by letting them know you value them instead of their help... they will not come. Focus on developing people instead of just plugging them in to execute a program... relational ministry works. Good advice, relationships are key. I've only been working here 2 months though, I just feel like they should show me the tiniest bit of respect by coming to the first volunteer meeting. Just come to one meeting. If it sucks and I'm a moron, I can see why you wouldn't want to come to another, but at some point we've got to go over some important planning stuff and maybe even some training. I really want to, but I can't even seem to get them all together to explain my vision for the ministry. |
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I say make that announcement to cancel if you don't get help. A lot of us have other things to do than worry about all the programs as well. Have you let the SP know your struggles? A good one will pull his cart along side you. YouthMinistry 3.0 shows why you're having this problem. In the 70's, the church started programs and "busy stuff" like lock-ins, choir, mission trips, etc. Now, kids don't respond to stuff like that anymore, they want to go deep in the Word and wide in Mission. They love to serve, but the adults grew up in the fast food "serve me now" 60's. Quick fixes. For youth today there is no quick fix. It takes time and that scares some adults IMO. The good thing is this church doesn't have loads of extra programs. I actually enjoy VBS, not because I feel like the kids are growing in their faith by doing some crafts, but because the kids invite friends and it becomes more of an outreach where we can begin to build relationships so hopefully the kids keep coming back. (By the way I do youth and children, during VBS the youth go out and do missions work in the community). SP knows, but he's like yeah that's how the people in this church are. |
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Here's a response, but it's tentative as I don't know your situation. Yeah definitely feel that buddy, had similar stuff with some of our guys not showing up and not letting us know...and it hurts! And with the whole "it's the way the church is". There's no real group of volunteers. The SP gave me a list of people who have helped in the past though. I put a little paragraph in the bulletin and newsletter saying "Hey if you've helped with youth in the past or if you'd like to join our team be at this meeting" and 1 person showed up. I don't understand how if I call a meeting of people named Sean, and you know thats your name, and you don't show up AND don't call/email to say you can't come, I feel like you don't really respect me. |
