Anyone who has worked in a faith community for long knows the critical role volunteers play for ministry programs and events to actually function. You also know volunteer recruitment can be one of the most challenging aspects of serving the church.
Preliminary data from a 2025 nationwide survey of churchgoers shows weekly church volunteering is on the rise to an estimated 24 percent compared to 15 percent in 2024. The breakdown of volunteering per age bracket varies greatly, however: Gen Z (21 percent), Millennials (19 percent), Boomers (9 percent), Gen X (11 percent), and Elders (12 percent).
People of all ages are managing packed schedules, stretched thin, and nearing burnout. So, how do you recruit volunteers in a way that’s not rooted in desperation or guilt but actively encourages people to get involved?
No matter your context, there are a few key assumptions you should make to recruit volunteers successfully. These assumptions are rooted theologically in the imago Dei — the reality that all people are created in God’s image with skills and gifts to offer the world.
God uniquely gifts every single person inside and outside your faith community. If you view potential volunteers through this lens, you’ll notice that everyone has something to offer the ministries of your church.
The people your faith community engages as volunteers should be invited to play an active, rather than a passive, role in ministry as they apply their unique gifts in service to the faith community’s mission.
People’s behavior is heavily influenced by what they believe to be possible. It’s critical to share up front what the ministry hopes to achieve, why it’s worthy of participation, and what tangible difference someone can make by volunteering.
Acknowledging the gifts that each person brings to a ministry allows those you are asking to serve to feel essential to the success of the ministry. This sets the stage to create buy-in from the start, leading to more engaged and committed volunteers throughout the life of the ministry.
People are hardwired with a longing to connect their God-given gifts and skills to a meaningful cause.
But too often, faith communities don’t ask people to serve at their true capacity level. This can lead to a lack of buy-in and boredom among volunteers. As you think about how and whom to recruit to volunteer, consider the following best practices.
There are people within your faith community who are passionate about the ministries and mission of your church, but their passions are specific. Perhaps they are passionate about the specific need a ministry is trying to address in the community, or they love whatever a program is going to have participants do. The passion these people offer as ministry volunteers is literally invaluable. Seek it out and capitalize on it!
Seek to identify people with expertise and life experiences that relate to a particular ministry. Invite volunteers to lean into the expertise they have from their professional and personal lives to serve the faith community. You can help volunteers uncover the overlap between their skills and experiences and the needs of a particular ministry.
Faith communities often make assumptions about people’s understanding of a ministry’s purpose and the expectations of volunteering. Avoid making any assumptions when it comes to your volunteers’ knowledge, capacity, or ability. State the expectations and time commitment up front. People are much more likely to continue volunteering if they’ve been equipped to be successful.
Creating realistic volunteer role descriptions, offering training, celebrating success, and asking for feedback from volunteers helps people avoid burnout. It also contributes to their growing passion for the ministry.
Volunteer recruitment doesn’t have to be an energy drain for ministry leaders. Learn how to apply these best practices in your faith community by registering for our FREE webinar, “Getting to ‘Yes”: Building Buy-in Among Volunteers.” We’ll help you explore how to implement new strategies in your context to more effectively recruit volunteers.
About the author: Meghan Hatcher is the Senior Director of Ministry Strategies at the Ministry Leadership Center. She has served diverse faith communities through pastoral leadership, youth ministry, new church development, community engagement, and ministry innovation. Meghan has a Bachelor of Journalism, a Master of Science in Sustainable Development and Applied Sociology, and a Master of Divinity.
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