How does less frequent attendance impact volunteer recruitment? There are three mindsets church leaders may have as they recruit volunteers.
By Scott McConnell
Among churchgoers, “regular attendance” assumes more frequent church attendance than pastors think. Some churchgoers with high standards for regular church attendance may not think it’s attainable or desirable for themselves. Regardless, churchgoers’ definition of a regular church attendee describes a level more faithful than many leaders recruiting volunteers would expect.
According to a study from Lifeway Research, most pastors have a low threshold for considering someone a “regular churchgoer” or a “regular church attender.” Only 16% say a regular churchgoer attends once a week or more. Another 15% say those who attend three times a month are regular attenders. The majority of pastors consider someone a regular churchgoer when they come less than three times a month. This includes those who attend twice a month (30%), once a month (24%), and 10 times a year or less (11%).
Clearly, being a “regular” at church is subjective. Compared to someone who hates the thought of stepping foot in a church, all of these attend frequently.
How does a leader’s perspective of what it means to be a regular attendee impact volunteer recruitment at church? There are three mindsets leaders can have as they recruit volunteers to serve in the church.
Often, leaders move down one of these paths without pausing to think through the implications. By examining each approach, leaders can lead with intentionality in this important area of developing leaders.
1. Let’s create opportunities for people to serve less frequently, motivating more people to volunteer
This approach is motivated by the desire to move ahead now. It emphasizes both the attendance reality and the service needs. Churchgoers attending less often is not a new trend. But COVID appears to have awakened even more church members to the fact they can do other things on Sundays. So, this approach involves creating great ministry opportunities today that require people to serve.
This approach creatively builds opportunities for people to serve every other week or once a month. This means ministries that need volunteers every week require twice or four times as many volunteers to meet the need. But those who commit to serving 25 times a year are also good candidates to substitute a couple more times each year if someone else can’t make it.
Most churchgoers (59%) see regular church attendance as being once a week or more often. Only 16% of pastors agree. Share on XThis approach ignores the reality that churchgoers have a higher standard for regular church attendance than pastors do. It assumes most people have acquiesced to a once- or twice-a-month standard when they haven’t. While lower attendance may be their practice, most churchgoers (59%) see regular church attendance as being once a week or more often. Calling them to serve in a role that’s less than what they expect from others is lowering the bar.
Reducing the frequency of serving expectations can reinforce less frequent attendance (though this isn’t automatic). Seeing the same people every week builds relationships. If people are serving less often, relationships will suffer if they are not also in the community on their off weeks.
When done well, this approach is agile, and a church can start new innovations in ministry faster, as it’s easier to get volunteers. These volunteers are less likely to burn out. And it typically gets more people involved in serving than if these low-frequency options were not available.
2. Let’s move ahead with fewer people who are willing to serve every week
This approach is motivated by high standards. It emphasizes the benefits of individuals serving every week: better relationships, more trust, and steady momentum. This approach says we’re willing to have fewer ministries today to maintain this standard. Let’s not give up these benefits to move a little faster.
This approach calls for people to commit to serving every week. Since this is the only thing attendees see, they understand committing to serve is serious and don’t take it lightly.
This approach can put frequently attending leaders on a pedestal despite other flaws they may possess. Those serving can burn out because there’s no rhythm of rest. When the few do all the work, there’s a danger of pride among them and a lower desire among others to join them.
“When the few do all the work, there’s a danger of pride among them and a lower desire among others to join them.” — @smcconn Share on XWhen done well, this approach has no weak links. Those who are serving are faithfully investing in relationships as they serve each week.
3. Let’s develop people who, over time, will want to serve every week
This approach is motivated by what individuals bring to the church. It emphasizes the development of people over filling open volunteer slots. This is a hybrid of the above recruiting approaches, as it creates next steps people are willing to take but also creates space to refrain from some ministry opportunities until someone who is gifted and mature enough is ready to lead.
This approach calls for people to take next steps in their service within the local congregation. Some of those opportunities are commitments with less frequency or volunteering for stand-alone events. But at those opportunities, leaders are intentionally teaching them, giving them meaningful opportunities to do something, and watching to see what God is doing in and through them.
“Growth in biblical knowledge doesn’t necessarily lead to biblical action.” — @smcconn Share on XThis approach is not as agile as the less frequent approach. This approach takes much more work than those who only have the every-week standard. Often those who aspire to use this approach find the development steps take more work and take longer to see growth in individuals than they would want.
When done well, this approach emphasizes equipping people to do the work of ministry rather than lamenting that they’re not. It acknowledges growth in biblical knowledge doesn’t necessarily lead to biblical action. So, it creates opportunities to be faithful in a little that leads to opportunities to be faithful in more. It puts the timing of ministry expansion in God’s hands as He matures them.
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