Street to the Seat

Finishing up our “Wired” series. This weekend we have”Wired to Desire“. This might be an idea for you as you consider getting persons engaged in serving others in your church and community.

As an update… after last weeks numbers came in we had 1,026 persons step up. That is up from the 850 number I gave you early on. With this past weekends “Wired to Inspire” sermon by Todd and Shaun I am sure we’ll have hundreds more coming forward.

The million dollar question,

“What do I do with this list of names you gave me from the Ministry Fair?”

If you are asking this question it tells me that you might not have been as prepared as you thought you were. But since you have found yourself at this point, here are a couple of suggestions.

This is NOT an exhaustive list, just a few things that came to mind as I was thinking through some things our team are working on.

Tips for follow-up:

1. Email thank you - within 24 hours of the time they sign up you should have an email sent to them just saying thanks for their availability. Make it short and sweet. Give them basic information and let them know you’ll be following up with them in the next couple of days.

2. Phone call with 48 hours - have you and your “ministry partner” leaders on the phone within 48 hours saying thank you to ever persons for taking a step of faith and trying a ministry. Let them know of the upcoming training dates and times as well as reminding them they are only agreeing to try the ministry out. This isn’t a permanent position, but a “test drive”.

3. Letter in the mail ASAP - give them basis ministry description, roles availability, training dates, and contact information for their questions.

4. Training Manuals - have a training manual ready for every ministry position. Make it simple. Someone needs to be able to pick up the manual and have a basic understand of what it is you are asking them to do, how it fits the vision, and how often you are asking them to serve.

5. Next Steps - provide a next step strategy for those who are new to the church. I recommend at simple process like 101-501. We call it “Get In The Game” at Christ Fellowship. This is a great opportunity to get persons on board with the mission and vision of the church. It is imperative that persons get involved in your basic steps to assimilation as they are beginning to serve.

I’m sure we could think of another 5 - 7 things that would be great next steps as well.

What are some things that you are thinking of that might be helpful tips to our learning community?

Continuing our thoughts on our 4 core concepts of STS in preparation for Easter let’s touch briefly on how to prepare our members to make a contribution.

You might recall my post on “3 basic steps for volunteers where I unpacked Enlist, Train, and Place. Here is a good time to put it into practice. You are 7 weeks out from Easter weekend. What have you done or are you doing to be prepared with your volunteer teams to meet the needs of your guests.

Things to consider:

Enlist: This coming week prepare a communication piece that will go out through all your communication channels (NEXT WEEKEND - February 9th & 10th) requesting persons to step up and serve others on Easter weekend. Give them options to choose from on where they can serve. Remember, leverage every communication channel. (I.e - personal asks, newsletters, bulletins, the platform, emails, small groups, sunday schools, blogs, websites, etc…) Use this as an opportunity to gather their information, provide them with choices of places to serve, and training schedule times/dates.

Places to serve: (examples; traffic, greeters, ushers, Information/Welcome Centers, Campus Hosts, Ministry tables/booths, coffee table/barista, bookstore/resource table, hospitality area, guest services, security, first aid, baptism, communion, new believers, prayer team, campus cleaning, data entry, etc…)

Train: Set a training date now for 2 weekends prior to Easter (March 8/9) for persons to be on site to participate in a 1 - 2 hour training session (provide food/drink) where you will walk them through everything they need in preparation to serve Easter weekend. Use this time to introduce new volunteers to the team, instruct them on the basics of what you are asking them to do. Give them any print material they need. Provide them with their team leaders contact information. Do not leave anything thing to doubt. Walk them around the campus so they are familiar with the facilities. Show them where they will be and what they will be doing. Provide them with an “on the job training” time that same weekend. When they have the time to walk alongside of someone for a weekend, it lessens the pressure of the big weekend coming up.

Place: Now for the most part you should already know where they are going to be placed based on the registrations you received through your communication pieces. In this case, make sure they know where on Easter weekend they are to check in (Volunteer Central), when they need to check in and pick up their name tag and any other supplies they will need, and where do they return their supplies once they’ve finished.

Additional Thoughts:

• be clear about your expectations for them during training.
  • what exactly are you asking me to do
  • how long will I have to serve (30 minutes, 1 hour, or longer)
  • who is my contact if I have questions
  • what happens in an emergency
  • where is check-in
  • what time is check-in
  • what do I do when my time is over
  • what am I to wear
• Other things to consider
  • is this a one time gig or are you expecting me to do this from now on.
    • make sure they know this is only a one time gig; HOWEVER, if they like it and you feel like it might be a long-term fit…well then…how about that…
  • track all your volunteers
  • send them reminders
  • send them thank you cards
  • check on them after the event to get their take on what went right and what could be improved
  • see if they have interests in being a part of the team…if they are a good fit
  • continue to give them props for being involved.

Remember, for some this will be the first time they have ever served so make it one they’ll enjoy.

Any thoughts?

With only days away before the one of two of the biggest weekends for the Christian church let me encourage us all to remember this is a time for serving others.

Since one of our core concepts at Street to the Seat is helping pastors and lay leaders make a, “CONTRIBUTION” we want you to understand your S.H.A.P.E. as you serve others. Contact us if you need help in this specific area.

The reason this comes to mind is that during the holiday season pastors and staff have a tendency to use our “titles” to get things done or not do things. It can feel to our membership like we are using the weight of our titles to push them around. And we never want that to be the case. That wouldn’t be leadership or shepherding. That would be dictatorship…not good!

I was reminded of this in my Bible reading this morning in Luke 22. Just after the passover meal a disturbance broke out among those with Jesus.

“24 Also a dispute arose among them as to which of them was considered to be greatest. 25 Jesus said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who exercise authority over them call themselves Benefactors. 26 But you are not to be like that. Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves. 27 For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who is at the table? But I am among you as one who serves. 28 You are those who have stood by me in my trials. 29 And I confer on you a kingdom, just as my Father conferred one on me, 30 so that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.”

Don’t let your busyness this year limit you from serving others. Leave your title at the door and “show up… palms up“.

Let’s focus our time/energy this coming weekend on complete and total service to others.