Recruiting Volunteers

I have heard many ideas on how to recruit volunteers, and tried everything from catchy inserts to booths at ministry fairs to pleading from the pulpit, and all have had marginal results. Why? They are impersonal. When Jesus wanted to recruit, what did he do? He walked up to people and asked them to follow him.

If you ask people in your church why they do not volunteer, many of them will say that it is because they have not been asked. So here is the method I have found to be the most productive at finding volunteers:

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Toliet Paper Dodge Ball

A great game where you divide the kids into two teams and play dodge ball, except that instead of using balls, you use rolls of toliet paper.  Regular dodge ball rules apply.

Water Armor

This is a great game where you divide the youth into two teams and have each team study Ephesians 6:10-18, describing spiritual armor. 

After reading the scripture, tell each team that they have a set time, I like to use 1 hour, to collect armor that will protect them from the water-ballon warefare that is to come.  Set a money amount that they can spend and then send them off to gather their armor, some suggestions are shower caps, umbrellas, etc.  Remind the youth that each member of the team must wear some type of armor.  You will need some adult drivers for this part. 

While the kids are out gathering their armor, fill the water ballons and divide them into two equall amounts, for each team.  Lots of water-ballons work better.  When the kids arrive back at the church or meeting place, seperate them into their teams and explain that they are going to see how their armor will protect them. 

Once all the water-ballons are gone, have each member of the teams take off their armor, the team with the driest members is the winner.

Creating a Youth Time Capsule

For this activity you will need a mailing tube for each youth member.  You can get the tubes at any office supply store or at the Post Office.  This project will enable the members understand that they can learn from the past and see how they have grown and matured.

During one meeting give each student one of the mailing tubes.  Have them take the tube home and fill it with things that are meaning to them but that they will not need for the next year.  For example, a note from a friend, a photography, a seashell, or they can create something that expresses the way they feel such as a poem, picture, short story, audio tape or video tape.

When the kids return the next week, have them share some of the things that they have put in their time capsule with the group or you can break them up into small groups and have them share.  Once everyone has had a chance to share, have them seal up the tubes and write their names on the outside of them.  Then collect the tubes and place them in a closet or unused area of the church.  Then schedule a date a year from then to open the time capsules and have the kids remember the times and events that were put into the capsule.

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