In this episode, we share a conversation with some other ministry leaders from a Ministry Boost zoom call around a different focus for volunteer recruiting.
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Episode Extras
Why Most Volunteer Recruiting Fails
The traditional approach to recruiting volunteers focuses on filling empty slots. Ministry leaders stand on stage, send mass emails, and hope someone responds. This episode challenges that entire model. Instead of asking “how do I get more volunteers?” the better question is “how do I create an environment where people want to serve?”
This shift in focus — from recruiting tactics to volunteer culture — is at the heart of what Nick teaches in The Volunteer Playbook. When your culture is healthy, recruiting becomes easier because people are drawn in by the experience of your current team.
A Different Approach to Volunteer Recruiting
The ministry leaders in this conversation shared several key principles that shift the recruiting paradigm:
- Lead with relationship, not need. People do not want to be recruited to fill a gap. They want to be invited into something meaningful by someone who knows them. Personal invitations from team leads and current volunteers consistently outperform announcements from the stage.
- Focus on lead measures. Instead of tracking how many volunteers you have (a lag measure), track the activities that lead to growth — personal conversations, follow-up calls, orientation attendance. Two lead measures per week can transform your pipeline.
- Build a prospect list. Intentional recruiting starts with knowing who you are going to invite. Make a list of people in your congregation who are not currently serving and begin having conversations. Aim for a prospect list that is 10x your actual need.
- Create clear entry points. Make it easy for someone to say yes. A strong volunteer onboarding process with well-defined job descriptions removes the fear of the unknown and gives new volunteers confidence.
- Celebrate and retain. Every new volunteer you lose costs you more than one you never recruited. Invest in volunteer appreciation and build systems that keep your current team engaged while you grow.
How to Apply This in Your Ministry
Start this week with two simple actions: make a list of 20 people you could personally invite to serve, and have at least two face-to-face conversations about volunteering. Do not make an announcement. Do not send a mass email. Just talk to people. Track these conversations as your lead measures and watch what happens over the next 30 days.
If you want a complete system for building this kind of recruiting culture, check out the resources below and consider how your staff to volunteer ratios can inform your recruiting targets.
Related Resources
- How to Recruit Volunteers for Your Ministry
- The Volunteer Playbook — Nick's book on building volunteer culture
- Building a Volunteer Culture at Your Church
- Volunteer Onboarding for Churches
- 31 Volunteer Job Descriptions for Family Ministry
Action Items
- Get the Volunteer Bundle
- Do what I said – 2 lead measures this week
- Make a list of prospects
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