I’ve got a chance to squeeze in a few coffee runs recently to some volunteers in our ministry at their places of work. While I’m sure they appreciate the regular emails and a call every once in a while, I’m pretty sure nothing beats a hot beverage delivered to your door. Here’s what I’m loving about it:
You will be seen as a servant. Volunteers are often the servants of the ministry, even sometimes wrongly characterized as the grunts who do the menial stuff for the youth pastor. Youth workers get cast as somehow ‘above’ the typical tasks, and then can get easily caught in the tenatious trap of ego. Shatter this misconception of your heart and intentions and serve someone today. Demonstrate servanthood as often and in as many ways as possible, it will be a core value of your volunteers if they see it in you – and ultimately, it’ll end up part of your student body character.
You will be seen as a pastor. Our interaction with volunteers is too often a quick face-to-face after a service, an impersonal email, or as the mediator in a crisis of sorts – something has escalated beyond a volunteers ‘pay grade’ so to speak. Let’s not have the only interaction with our key adult leadership be when there is a problem – in fact, who knows would could come up over a 10-minute cup of coffee on their turn. Perhaps they will reveal a struggle in their personal life, a prayer request not appropriate for a surface interaction, or even a great suggestion for the student ministry.
You will be seen in a different context. Church, church, church. Enough already! Show them that you are a regular human and do have a life outside the Bible (note: ahem, make sure you do have a serious life inside the Bible). There’s great value in walking into their office instead of them always walking into yours. Picture their faces the next time you see them at church – I’m telling you, it’ll change everything.
Bring a volunteer coffee tomorrow and leave a comment about the experience!
JG
PS: Substitute “coffee” with whatever floats your boat – I would suggest Big Gulp, large pizza, pancakes, gefilte fish … you get the idea.
Josh Griffin has been in youth ministry for 15+ years and serves as the High School Pastor at Saddleback Church. [
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Geoff Stewart serves the Jr / Sr High School Pastor at Peace Portal Alliance Church in Surrey B.C.
This is where I really missed it when I was in youth ministry. I never really invested well in the one on one side of ministering to my volunteers. This is a good word!
I know you brought me a coffee last week but I would feel double appreciated if you brought me one this week too
Okay so I was running some errands at lunch and drove by one of my youth workers office. I decided to call him because I have only been at this church for 6 weeks and wasn’t sure if he would like a coffee or soda. I called him and asked him what his favorite soda was. He doesn’t drink soda. I asked him if he would like some coffee. He doesn’t drink coffee. He only drinks water and an occasional energy drink and he had just finished an energy drink, so I just stopped by and we had a nice chat.
So, to sum things up, strike one and I’ll try again tomorrow.
Great idea! And, hey, maybe they’ll return the favor! (Whoops… shouldn’t have said that outloud)