Recruiting a Winning Team

It’s announcement time on Sunday morning. You’ve created some crazy skit focused on recruiting volunteers.

“Anyone interested in investing in the lives of students can join us for an information meeting after service. Of course, coffee is provided!”

You wait and wait after service. No one comes.

Blanket requests for volunteers rarely yield results. How do you remedy the situation?

Here are our top five ways to recruit a winning team!

1) Don’t work alone.

There are many times in ministry where I have sought to do things as a team of one. It is within these times that I crash and burn. I need the Holy Spirit to lead, guide, and provide every step of the way! Like any other time in ministry….we need the Lord.

If He knows every step of the story that He is writing in our lives and ministry, why don’t we ask Him for help? Pray continually in the recruitment process.

2) Have a clear mission.

Have you ever seen a football team play without a goal or end zone? It would look ridiculous and they would not make any progress.

I can’t expect my team to work towards a common goal if they don’t know what they are working towards. In order for my team to work cohesively, we need to have a clear mission.

An example of a clear mission statement is, “Driven Student Ministry exists to glorify God by discipline one another to reach the next generation.”

This is clear. When planning the primary goal is to bring glory to our King. How will we accomplish that? Through the discipleship of the next generation.

What is your mission?

3) Recruiters have to put in work.

Sports recruiters are always on the hunt. We must be active in recruitment. Do you see a unique gifting in someone? Go to them. Be forward.

“I see that you have amazing organization skills. I could really use someone like you on our leadership team. We exist to……Would you be willing to use your gifting to invest in the next generation? This is what it would look like….”

Get up. Go to the Body. Be active in recruitment.

4) A great team trains together.

In 2014, I trained for my first (and only) half marathon. It took serious work. Daily effort…and pain. Training in ministry also takes time and work.

Amazing leaders and a winning team are not grown overnight. Be willing to meet with your team regularly. They need to become a living example of discipleship for your students to see. Take spiritual gifts assessments. Study the Word together. Pray with one another. Better yet, pray for your students verbally each week.

You must have a plan to train your leaders.

5) It’s ok to say “no.”

Maybe you did have a few people show up to your volunteer meeting, but oh no….”that” person walks in. You know who I am talking about. It’s like they repel students. When they sign up to serve, it’s ok to say “no thank you.” Pointing them to a ministry that better suits their skill set and personality is a great way to equip them for ministry without tearing them down.

Ministry is hard. Without a strong leadership team, it is even harder. It is worth the time, effort, and relationship building. When the body of Christ comes together to disciple one another for the work of ministry - students come to see Jesus. Building disciples of the Gospel of Jesus Christ never fails.

Build your team.