"Thanks for thinking of me. That really makes me feel good."
The reason the comment caught me off guard is simple: There is a part of me that believes I'm burdening people by asking them to serve. In my head, I know that isn't true. I think back to when a youth pastor asked me in college to help out in my church's high school ministry. I was thrilled to be asked, and I ended up having the time of my life (thus beginning my journey in youth ministry). I think about the literally hundreds of volunteers I've worked with in my career so far. The vast majority of them were glad to have been asked to serve.
And still, I approach asking people to serve more like I'm asking for an onerous favor than giving an invitation to join me in an incredible adventure. I'm not really sure why this is. After all, if I couldn't do youth ministry as my job, I'd most certainly be a volunteer. in addition, almost every time someone invites me to volunteer--whether in my own church or in my community--I'm flattered, whether or not I'm able to say "yes." Why wouldn't I believe that when I invite others to serve, they feel the same way?
I'm not sure if I'm the only one who feels this way, but I realized through that interaction, I need to change my attitude about asking others to serve with me and building teams. Here are a few things that we need to keep in mind when asking others to volunteer on a ministry team.
Serving is fun.
Sure, you're not offering this person an all-expenses paid trip to the Bahamas, but you are inviting them to take part in something really cool: giving of themselves to serve others in the name of Jesus. Whether you're asking someone to be a small group leader or to help with an event, they will be blessed when they serve. Be confident that you are asking them to do something that will positively impact their life and their relationship with Jesus.
Serving on your team is a privilege.
It's okay to let people know (if it's true) that not everyone who asks to serve in a certain slot gets a green light to do so. I'm not suggesting that you create a caste system in you church that treats certain kinds of volunteers like royalty and others like they are expendable. That's a great way to create division in your church. But it's okay to communicate that there is a certain bar for being a small group leader or a Bible study teacher. Don't ever feel so desperate for people to serve that you allow people to take on roles that they really are not equipped or gifted for.
We were meant to serve.
By asking people to serve, you are giving them an opportunity to live out how God has created and gifted them to serve (Ephesians 2:10). If God has led someone to serve with you, you'll be helping that person to understand more fully how they fit into God's plan and what God might have in store for them in the future. That's a beautiful gift to give.
