One of the Worst Recruiting Strategies

I have a few pet peeves about recruiting for Children’s Ministry but one that ranks up at the top of the list is when leaders say they need to “fill holes”.  Every time I hear that, I get chills up spine.  Think about it.  What message do you think that philosophy sends about a ministry to a prospective volunteer?  I don’t serve, I just filled a hole.

I believe that the way in which a volunteer is recruited is directly related to the way that they serve.  If someone is recruited by a leader who shares the vision and mission of a ministry, that volunteer’s potential is unlimited.  They will have a vested interest in the ministry and are more likely to serve longer and take on more leadership roles.  If someone is recruited to “fill a hole”, they will likely not even know or care about where the ministry is going and are likely to serve a much shorter time.

Let’s show potential volunteers how passionate we are about what we do and recruit them as a ministry partner, not a “hole-filler”.