Recruiting New Volunteers

[Please don't tell anybody in my church that I use this strategy. :) ]

I have learned and used this principle over the last couple years. I have always struggled to 'sell' any volunteer opportunities that have a long time commitment. So I started doing something new a couple years ago and have had more success. The best way to recruit new volunteers is to not recruit new volunteers. :)

If I know of a potentially great youth volunteer I won't even mention volunteering. Even hinting at a time commitment is something I stay FAR away from. BUT I will ask if he/she can come and help do X at our Youth Ministry one time. Often the conversation might be, "Hey Jim, can you come and help set up some equipment on Wednesday night? My regular guy is away and I could use you to fill in." Jim is way more likely to say "yes" to this question compared to this one: "Hey Jim, I think you'd be a great youth leader. Would you consider joining our team?" That's way too big of a sell.

One night + easy service opportunity = Very easy sell.

Then, if I felt Jim had a great time and we enjoyed having him, I may ask him to come back again another time. After that I may go in for the "kill" (ask for longer commitment). But that ask is always after he has had a couple times to experience our ministry. Let the Youth Ministry sell itself by getting Jim there once.

The principle:
Never sell a commitment without a context.

Get your whole team doing this and watch your new potential volunteers come to you!

Have you struggled to sell a commitment?

Finally, a new Post!!!

Wow!!! It's been like 8 months since I've blogged... it's good I don't do this for a living or I'd be broke! ;) My family has been on quite the journey over the past 9 months and we are so thankful for where we have landed. In February I transitioned away from a North Point strategic partner church in Ventura County to a 113 year old "church plant in the making" in the San Gabriel Valley. This transition came with many challenges including transitioning away from an amazing church planting team, 2.5 month commute of 90 miles one way, moving away from great friends, moving our kids to a different school, being forced into short-selling our home (and trashing our credit!) and living in an extremely small apartment. It has not been the easiest year. On top of all that, this summer Shanna had a miscarriage in her 7th week of pregnancy. (Heaven will be that much sweeter because when we get there we'll get to meet our third child!)

BUT I sit here tonight with huge appreciation for God never leaving us or forsaking us this year. He has blessed us beyond what we deserve with new friends, an amazing staff team focused on transforming our community, a loving church family, an amazing house that we moved into this past week and the opportunity to live closer to our family.


This morning I had the privilege of preaching my first sermon at Christ First Baptist Covina. I am the worship leader at our modern service so I was out of my element without my guitar and more than a little nervous. The passage was Phil 2:3-8 and the topic was serving with humility. Humility is an interesting concept. Not something you'd think you should pursue. It's not very humble to stand before people and inform them that you are humble. BUT the bible does speak to our responsibility to pursue humility in the way we live.

James 4:10 "Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up."

We are given a specific description of how to pursue humility here:

Phil 2:3 "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves."

In what ways can you consider others better than yourselves?

"His Energy"

I've been camped in the book of Colossians lately. A verse I've been thinking a lot about is 1:29. "To this end I labor, struggling with all his energy, which so powerfully works in me."

All His energy.

What does that mean... what does that mean to you? I think it's a phrase that points out an important fact. It's a fact that some of us recognize and some not. When was the last time you sat in a quiet room with little to no ambient noise? What did you hear? If you're reading this, and I'm assuming alive, I know you heard at least two things. You heard your heart beating and your lungs breathing. Did you will that to happen? Nope. It's your creator who causes you lungs to fill with life giving oxygen and your heart to continually pump that oxygen rich blood through your body. That's "His energy"!

Be still and know that Christ is your energy. Start your day with that understanding. Take that first step out of bed and each following step acknowledging that God is with you and will never forsake you and longs to give you the desires of your heart as you serve Him. Knowing it's His energy I pray you'd have a heart for what God has a heart for... loving and serving those around you proactively and praying they end up asking you what the source of your energetic service originates.

Have any cussers @ your church?

Love this story: Story.

How would people react in your church if a first timer cussed?

Need a Moble Home? (Funny!)

Upcoming Shows

I am looking forward to the next couple months. I get the privilege of leading worship with a lot of very talented musicians at some awesome venues in Ventura County.

Here is what's ahead:

Weekly
I lead worship at the best church venue in the county every Sunday morning at www.riverparkcc.com.

December 11
Leading a worship set at "An EPIC Night of Worship" in Ventura, CA. There will be four other bands playing. Music starts at 6pm and I'm on at 9pm.

December 22, 23 & 24
Playing with the band and leading a couple Christmas songs at Camarillo Community Church's family Christmas event called "Gifts". Nick Vujicic will be speaking. Each show is expected to sell out with 1,000 people in attendance. I heard Nick speak this past spring at Catalyst West Coast. This guy is an incredible communicator and God has opened doors for him to speak to millions of people around the globe. Check out his website and learn more about him! Here is a 2 minute clip of him on 20/20.

Hope to see you at these events! If you need a great worship band for your next event email me at jameslaingmusic@gmail.com. Listen to a few songs I recorded a while back and check out my EPK (Electronic Press Kit).

Eph 4:16

"...according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love." Eph 4:16

Effectual: producing or capable of producing an intended effect; adequate.

Strongs Concordance:

Word: energeia

Pronounce: en-erg'-i-ah

Strongs Number: G1753

Orig: from 1756; efficiency ("energy"):--operation, strong, (effectual) working.

Are you producing an intended effect where you sit? If not you may be decreasing the body from building itself up in love. That's a sobering thought. We can read a lot from what we produce. We can choose to read into what we produce instead of reading what we produce. Every situation does have a context but we need to be self-aware as to whether we are painting our own context or really seeing the context at hand. Speaking the truth in love to ourselves is an opportunity to "grow up into him who is the Head, that is, Christ." (Eph 4:15)

Healthy community can help to diminish our own self deception. A community infused with trust, with invitations to evaluate on a macro level and personal level. This level of vulnerability is not easy but it's worth it. Imagine a whole community functioning on this level of vulnerability. Every part playing the role it was designed to play. Every part NOT playing the role it was NOT designed to play.

God calls all of us to speak the truth in love to ourselves and honestly evaluate what we produce in our personal, family and vocational roles.

Just a few thoughts God has brought to mind to kick off my week. Does your team communicate on this level? How can you contribute towards this level of health this week in your life, family and work?