Earlier this week I wrote on my workaholic tendancies, and my inability to handle stress when my wife isn't around.... and ended up having a very serious conversation about how to work with volunteers in ministry. If you haven't read the comments in "Workaholic Jerk", check it out.
Volunteering is difficult. We strive at Christ Fellowship to say that we want our "volunteers" to attend a worship service one hour a week, and then volunteer/serve in some capacity one hour a week. Sounds great in principle. However, practice sometimes looks different.
Today I spent almost eight hours watching four or five volunteers rework the stage lighting infrastructure in the Palmetto Bay worship center. Several of the volunteers were high school/college kids working for a free meal. There also were a couple adults who took the day off from work. All of these volunteers will work another 3-6 hours this weekend to make the worship service happen.
When I left at 6pm to come home, there were two guys still programming the light board. As hard as I tried to kick them out, they would not leave. Crazy.
Ownership is a weird thing. Honestly, of all stage elements, I know the least about stage lighting. Two of our key volunteers, Keith and Brian, know far more than I do. Instead of me mandating and dictating the situation to them, I basically let them lead...not like I knew enough to do it myself... What's phenominal is that at the end of the day these guys are smiling from ear to ear, unable to tear themselves away from volunteering, from serving. Keith kept saying this weird line over and over again, (I'm not sure if he was kidding), "If I knew serving up here was so much fun, I would have quit my day job!"
Maybe there's a little pride in the situation. Knowing at the end of the day you are the mastermind that created the effects... And at the end of the day I'm okay with that. They own the situation. They are the lighting guys...
Now, not everyone is suited to take ownership. Some volunteers don't have the knowledge of technology, or the maturity to lead others, or are capable of seeing the big picture, or know how to relate to a staff supervisor. But if you can find those diamonds in the rough, those guys that willingly take off a day of work to hang some lights... well, you better respect them.
The problem that I've found with volunteers that take ownership is that they don't know how to let go. When volunteering gets in the way of family, it's time to stop volunteering. When work suffers, maybe you should reconsider. I've seen guys get so wrapped up in serving that they burn themselves out. I was one of these people. And I wish someone on staff would have told me back then, "uh Jeff, STOP!" Volunteering is an awesome thing, but it's not worth the other parts of your life suffering.
More than any other church setting I've volunteered/served on staff, CF has taught me to respect and appreciate volunteers. I've also learned that they are a church staffer's most valuable asset, and need to be protected above all else.
Keith T., Brian L., Eric C., Luke I. and whoever else stuck their head in to help today, thanks for your time once again. I greatly appreciate the sacrifices that you and all of CF Media volunteers do week in and week out. CF Media would not be where we are today if not for our volunteers, on Palmetto Bay and Homestead campuses. For that, I am eternally grateful.
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