A Checklist for Retention Does our church have...

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Retaining Volunteer Ministers
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• It costs five times as much to get a new
  customer as to keep one.

-Ken Wessner, ServiceMaster
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• When a church has to plead with its people for
  help
• it no longer has volunteers but a manipulated
  work force.

--Myron Rush, The New Leader
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Know Why People Quit...

• No job description
• No clear chain of command
• No training, direction or supervision
• No evaluation or feed back

• Asked to do too much
• Lack of affirmation and lack of appreciation
• Manipulated with guilt
• Lack of tools and no fun

--John Maxwell
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A Checklist for RetentionDoes our church have...

• Proper Recruitment

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A Checklist for RecruitmentDoes our church
have...

• An Atmosphere that Encourages Service
• A Staffable Program
• A Vehicle for Coordinating Service
• A Proper Approach with Contacts
• Early Preparation for Service

• Ongoing Intercessory Prayer

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Become a Person of D.E.P.T.H.

• Desires
• Experiences
• Personality
• Talents
• Holy Spirit

Direction of Ministry
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A Checklist for RetentionDoes our church have...

• Proper Recruitment

• Meaningful Service

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Operating in the area of your spiritual
gift will leave you feeling energetic rather
than exhausted. There will always be
difficulties and frustrations but the overall
feeling with a good ministry fit is one of being
replenished rather than drained.
--Stacy Rinehart, Do the Right Thing
Discipleship Journal (Sept/Oct 1991)
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A Checklist for RetentionDoes our church have...

• Proper Recruitment
• Meaningful Service

• Realistic Tenures

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• Appointment to Service Form
• My Commitment to Serve in Christs Church
• As a teacher, I will
• Follow the leading of the Holy Spirit in my
  daily life
• Maintain the spiritual disciplines of prayer
  and study of the Bible.
• Participate in congregational worship and
  fellowship.
• Cultivate caring relationships with
  non-believers.
• Serve faithfully according to the
  responsibilities in my position description.
• I understand that my commitment is for the period
  of September through May.
• Name _____________________________________________
  _ Date ___________
• Program Leader ___________________________________
  __ Date __________
• Please sign two copies, then return one copy to
  your program leader,
• and keep one copy for your own record of
  commitment.

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A Checklist for RetentionDoes our church have...

• Proper Recruitment
• Meaningful Service
• Realistic Tenures

• Available Substitutes

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Possible Sources for Substitute Teachers

• People who have shown an interest in education,
  but have declined a regular teaching assignment
• Professional school teachers
• Former teachers
• Responsible youth and children

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A Checklist for RetentionDoes our church have...

• Proper Recruitment
• Meaningful Service
• Realistic Tenures
• Available Substitutes

• Ministry Teams

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Each disciple was linked with a companion with
who to work as a team in their journeys. This
buddy system provided sharpening,
encouragement, and increased overall
effectiveness in what would prove to be a
demanding season of ministry.
--Matt Friedeman, The Master Plan of Teaching
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People decide to join a church because their
needs are being met.People decide to stayin a
church becausethey have meaningfulrelationships.

--Win Arn
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A Checklist for RetentionDoes our church have...

• Proper Recruitment
• Meaningful Service
• Realistic Tenures
• Available Substitutes
• Team Teaching

• Relevant Training

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Developmental Sequence for Leadership
I MODEL -- I do it.
I MENTOR -- I do it and you watch me.
I MONITOR -- You do it and I watch you.
I MOTIVATE -- You do it.
WE MULTIPLY --You do it and train someone else.
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Whats Most Important on the Job?

• appreciation for good work
• possibility for promotion
• feeling in on things
• job security
• help with personal problems
• good wages
• interacting and challenging work
• loyalty of management to workers
• tactful discipline
• good working conditions

--North American Survey
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Whats Most Important on the Job?

• appreciation for good work
• possibility for promotion
• feeling in on things
• job security
• help with personal problems
• good wages
• interacting and challenging work
• loyalty of management to workers
• tactful discipline
• good working conditions

2
3
4
5
1
--North American Survey
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A Checklist for RetentionDoes our church have...

• Proper Recruitment
• Meaningful Service
• Realistic Tenures
• Available Substitute
• Team Teaching
• Relevant Training
• Regular Communication

• Helpful Advocates

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A Checklist for RetentionDoes our church have...

• Proper Recruitment
• Meaningful Service
• Realistic Tenures
• Available Substitute
• Team Teaching
• Relevant Training
• Regular Communication
• Helpful Advocates

• Frequent Encouragement

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Additional Ways to Support and Recognize
Volunteers

• Taking volunteer out for coffee to thank them for
  a particular job
• Pay for volunteer to attend a training conference
• Give them weekly call How are you doing?
• Put on a surprise thank you party.
• Work volunteers story in sermon illustrations.
• Provide substitutes for all leaders and teachers.
• Invite each volunteer out to lunch once a year.
• Organize class members in buying a surprise gift
• Write brief sketches about different persons in
  ministry in your church and place them in the
  newsletter as a witness to Gods love.
• Utilize a team approach in ministry.
• Schedule fellowship times outside of actual
  service time.

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Ways to Support and Recognize Volunteers (contd)

• Know and address all volunteers by first name.
• Pay an informal social call on the volunteer and
  family.
• Ask outgoing volunteers to consult from time to
  time about outgoing matters.
• A genuine touch of care -- a pat on the back.
• Have students write notes of thanks to their
  leaders.
• Positive communication from the pulpit.
• Allow ownership for the program.
• Keep abreast of volunteers personal life
• Make flexible schedules.
• Allow a period of orientation and training.

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Ways to Support and Recognize Volunteers (contd)

• Write a song/poem expressing appreciation.
• Make sure they are not overworked.
• Have prayer partners.
• Present flowers to volunteers on Shared Ministry
  Sunday
• Provide special mementos of memorable moments in
  volunteers service.
• Ask their needs.
• Give them a small budget.
• Do an entire newsletter yearly on just
  volunteers.
• Volunteer night out with free child care,
  tickets to plays or concerts.

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Ways to Support and Recognize Volunteers (contd)

• Provide choice parking places.
• Gift certificates to restaurants.
• Volunteer Sunday with carnations to identify
  staff.
• Pray for volunteers during the worship service.
• Encourage congregation to express gratitude to
  volunteers.
• Treat them as experts on their class.
• Testimony time of how volunteer ministered to
  them.
• Find a boat they can borrow to go water skiing.
• Provide a cabin where they can get away.
• Xerox articles from magazines or cut out news
  clippings that pertain specifically to the
  volunteers task.

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Ways to Support and Recognize Volunteers (contd)

• Quickly respond to their requests and concerns.
• Compliment them to other church members.
• Give them a cordial evaluation.
• Have volunteer make a turnover jacket for
  oncoming replacement.
• Provide a pictorial history of volunteer in
  action.
• Annual recognition banquet.
• Affirmative touch.
• Respond to their concerns.
• Be inclusive - no cliques.
• Send fruit baskets at Christmas, a turkey at
  Thanksgiving.
• Give a gift to their children.
• Have them over to your home for a meal.
• Give a book to the library in their honor.

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And what you have heard from me through many
witnesses
entrust to faithful people who will be able to
teach others as well. II Timothy 22