Most churches don’t have the resources necessary to field a full creative team. We all know that volunteers are the lifeblood of most of our ministries. So how do we promote creativity with our volunteers?
- Permission volunteers to use their gifts. – Volunteers often don’t even think that churches would need or want their input. Giving volunteers permission to use the gifts God has given them will open up a new world for them, and for you as well.
- Invite them into the process. – Ask a volunteer to do something. You will be surprised how people want to get involved and what they will own when they’re asked. “All calls” won’t work. You never get the volunteers you want and you usually get the ones you don’t want when you do an “all call.” Tapping people on the shoulder, especially artists, makes a huge impact.
- Be creative where you find them. – Don’t just look in the pews. Sure, artists are there but, they’re also at coffee shops, the gym, local colleges, museums, etc. When you see someone doing something creative, start a conversation and see what happens.
- Ask questions. – Volunteers don’t have a ton of context to our world so asking them questions is a great way to mine for data. The more questions we ask, the more we can learn.
- Allow them to critique what we do. – Ask them what you should stop doing and what you should start doing! Permission volunteers to speak freely. You will be surprised at the creative conversations that start when you seek critiques from people who care.
- Provide training. – People want to be involved and sometimes a little training is all that is keeping them from being their creative best.
- Value them and their input. – Let volunteers know how much they mean to you. Lunch, a card, a text…show them and tell them what they mean to you.
Without our amazing volunteers we would not be able to do what we do every week. It is amazing to watch someone come in and do what they do because they love it and they buy into vision. I may be bias but I think we have the best volunteers in the world and we are so thankful for everything they contribute to our creative culture.
What do you do to get the best out of your creative volunteers?
Thank you so much for this Brewster. This is right where I’m at. It’s me and 38 volunteers. I’ve adapted Fellowship Creative’s model for Creative Nights we do 3-4 times a year. Got one tonight, actually. These nights are designed to “unite & equip a creative community”. We eat together, worship together, have fun, learn, and leave with something practical we can implement right away. We also feed them and their kids, plus have something creative for kids to do in a separate area. These nights have been a huge success in helping us build a culture of creativity among volunteer creatives.
Thanks, as always, for pouring into other creative leaders. This is the fuel I needed today. Love ya bro,
Dustin Pead