Recruiting Volunteers with “B.A.D. Asking”

by William Cowles

Labor Day is past. Vacations are over. Kids are back in school. Fall programming is in full swing at your church. Everything’s cool, right? Almost. Except, as usual, the demand for volunteers is outpacing the supply of volunteers!

This time of year, many ministry leaders find themselves behind the stress curve of not having enough volunteers going into the fall. Summer volunteer recruiting always is hampered by inconsistent attendance and a general “checking out” of the congregation. Then, as school kicks back into session, your pleas for help get slotted behind way too many other requests from athletic teams, school activities, social events, and increased work demands.

Even when all your communication tools are put into play – newsletters, bulletin boards, Websites, social media, worship announcements, email, phone calls – solicitations often are met with silence. No response. Nothing. That’s both hard and frustrating. Discouragement is often the biggest reward for the hapless recruiter.

Does it have to be this way, though? No. Can you capture people’s attention, interest, and involvement even now? Absolutely. It’s not too late to change your recruitment trajectory when you think about and use our “B.A.D. Asking” technique in your communication.

Here’s how it works. Consider these three ways to invite the services of a volunteer based on which result you want to achieve:

BEGGING – This comes from urgency because you haven’t had much luck recruiting enough people to staff your event, program, or mission activity. So you beg, hoping that people will feel sorry for you and step up. Your request has a tone of desperation – you’re pleading. For example:

"We’re short three greeters and two ushers for the 10AM service. Unless we get more volunteers to sign up by Friday, our regular volunteers will have to do double duty. If this is something you could do, even one Sunday a month, please volunteer now by calling Susan at ext. 43.”

Is this a good or a bad ask? Bad, of course. Begging doesn’t inspire and motivate people – it’s a downer. It’s a clear sign that things aren’t going well, and there’s no sign of God in the request. Nobody wants to jump on a losing bandwagon, especially when there’s no perceived positive, Christ-serving benefit to why they’re being asked. Use this technique, and you’ll be spending all your time sending out S.O.S signals:

ATTRACTING – This comes from opportunity – you’re offering people a chance to help others serve and give of themselves in a meaningful, Kingdom-building way. When you give people a simple, clear, complete invitation to participate in or contribute to something that has real value to others and self, they’ll go all in. For example:

“You can help put smiles on Sunday faces! Our church prides itself on providing levels of hospitality and help for others that make God smile! Each week our Greeters and Ushers serve God’s people with their warm welcome, guiding presence, and genuine care. You have those gifts, too, and you can share them with our friends and guests when you become a part of our Greeting and Ushering Ministry Team. Be a witness to Christ’s call for you by calling Susan at ext. 43.”

Is this a good or a bad ask? I hope it’s obvious – this is a positive, inviting way to engage people in the greater good of their service to God, to the community, and to the church. Tell people why they are needed and what good their service will accomplish, and they will respond to your ask. No begging required.

DEMANDING – This comes from authority – your ministries or projects are not being supported well and all of your begging and pleading hasn’t put one more name on the dotted line. You’ve resorted to visceral power – commanding and demanding. You may get some volunteer compliance once because of the power of intimidation, but probably not ever again. For example:

“Important Notice: Each Sunday School class is required to provide five Sunday morning volunteers – three to greet and two to usher – or we will have no one to greet visitors. You don’t have to have the same people each week. We will record their attendance, but your class leader must make sure the volunteer slots are filled each week. People are to be in their places 15 minutes before the service time to welcome people properly.”

Is this a good or a bad ask? Bad, of course. “Do it, or else,” was never good parenting, and it isn’t good church communication leadership, either. When you approach someone with an imperial demand, you’re likely to never see them again! And, who could blame them? Threats don’t work for the long-term. Power and control are not tools that encourage support, motivation, or long-term commitment.

So, shoot for the “A” in your “B.A.D. Asking” technique! Every time you need to solicit volunteers, ask yourself first, “Am I begging from desperate urgency; attracting from God-honoring opportunity; or demanding from ugly authority?”

Get ahead of the curve by providing attractive opportunities for people to become meaningful, God-honoring volunteers.