This post was written by Crystal Mazzuca, an INCM Blog Team member.
“Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and the teachers. Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do His work and build up the church, the body of Christ.” Ephesians 4:11-12 NLT
As ministry leaders, we want to equip and empower our volunteers to be the most amazing, dynamic, and effective leaders that they can be.
But we would be remiss if we focused strictly on their ministry impact and neglected their spiritual growth, care, and development.
We have the amazing opportunity to invest in the spiritual growth of volunteers in a way that draws them closer to Christ.
As they grow in their walk with Jesus, we will see their impact on the church multiply and deepen.
And we can do this by intentionally making time for our volunteers to connect with Jesus.
Here are 4 questions we can ask that will help us keep volunteer spiritual growth at the forefront of our minds.
Am I enabling my volunteers to enjoy corporate worship?
When needs arise (and they always do!), it can be tempting to allow volunteers to serve non-stop.
As ministry leaders, we need to recognize the benefit and joy of attending corporate gatherings.
We must work tirelessly to enable and encourage them to go to church, while balancing the needs of the ministry.
Am I making room to have non-ministry-related conversations?
If ministry is all we talk to our volunteers about, we miss that Ephesians call to equip them for the work of the ministry.
They need more than just practical ideas and problem-solving.
They need us to challenge them spiritually, care for them holistically, and encourage them as our brothers and sisters in Christ – not just ministry workers.
Am I intentionally pouring into them spiritually?
This can take on a variety of looks.
Maybe it’s doing a YouVersion Bible plan together.
Maybe it’s writing or sharing a weekly devotional that we text or email.
Or maybe it’s planning a Sunday afternoon prayer experience.
You could even adapt this INCM Prayer Experience Guide for Kids to fit your adult context.
Whatever we do, it will bless our volunteers and encourage their spiritual growth.
Am I praying for and with my volunteers?
We are quick to pray for our ministries.
Let us be quicker to pray for our ministers!
We should make a habit to pray for our volunteers by name – lifting up their needs and praying for all the things that God lays on our hearts.
And then we should take it a step further and pray with them. Not for their ministry but simply for them.
Conclusion
As our volunteers see our devotion and passion for their faith and spiritual well-being, they will know that we care about them beyond just what they “give” on a Sunday morning.
They will be encouraged to seek Jesus above all else.
And they truly will be equipped to build up the church, the body of Christ.
About Crystal
Crystal has always loved working with kids. After earning her Master’s in Christian Education Administration, Crystal was hired as the full-time Director of Kids’ Ministry at her church. She’s thankful to have found a family of like-minded brothers and sisters who share a common passion for Kingdom growth through discipleship.
