Last week, we introduced a new series that will delve into our Worker Realization Model. But before we can get into those steps, we need to spend a little bit of time investigating and understanding volunteer motivation. We all want to inspire our teams, cultivate vision, and hit our targets with excellence, but it is nearly impossible to do that if we can’t get people on our team in the first place. The first step to recruiting volunteers is tapping into what motivates them. So, why do people volunteer? This is the million-dollar question. Research shows there are two main approaches to understanding why people are willing to sacrifice their time and commit their energy to a cause as a volunteer: the sociological approach and the psychological approach. Or, to put it simply, volunteers are motivated by external and internal needs. Understanding motivation is crucial to developing a thriving network of volunteers. Today, we are going to take a deeper look at the sociological approach. Let’s get into it.   

The Sociological Approach

Quite often, people volunteer because they belong to a community where serving is more than an obligation, it is a celebrated part of the culture. Maybe they were raised in a family in which serving was not a question, but a commitment that the whole family participated in together. What they believe about serving dictates their willingness to volunteer. [bctt tweet="What people believe about serving dictates their willingness to volunteer." username="dukematlock"] The sociological approach is all about culture, beliefs, and values. People will only give of themselves and their time if they believe that what they are doing is important. If you want your people to serve, they have to believe that they are doing something of eternal value. It all comes down to the culture of your church. A church community with a culture of serving can take a greeter from simply holding a door to showing the love of Christ with hospitality and understanding. A nursery worker goes from being a baby sitter to a minister of the Gospel. Ushers go from simply passing an offering plate to providing opportunities for the community to worship God with their giving. Volunteers do not serve begrudgingly or pessimistically, but with the understanding that volunteering is a way to connect and engage with other believers by serving the greater community. In a serving church culture, volunteers are more than bodies in the room, they are edifying the community of believers. This approach is about beliefs and values, but not just those of the individual. What the community values and believes about volunteering is important; if the majority of your people think it is obligatory or unnecessary, the culture will suffer. If your congregation believes in the value of serving one another, that attitude will be adopted by everyone who walks through your doors. Culture is contagious. [bctt tweet="Culture is contagious." username="dukematlock"] At its core, every church is a community. The very reason the church was established by Christ was to love, serve, and do life with other believers. As pastors and church leaders, it is our responsibility to set the tone and create the culture of the communities we serve. You can create the kind of community that values service and volunteering; all you have to do is commit yourself to cultivating the culture you wish to see.  

Coaching Questions

As we journey through this series together, set aside some time each week to reflect. Work through these coaching questions and start building the culture you want to see.  
  1. Does your church, department, and team have a culture of service? What does that look like for you?
 
  1. Pay special attention to the way you and your ministry leaders talk about their departments and responsibilities. Do they sound defeated or energized?
 
  1. What can you do to cultivate the kind of belief system that will instill the value of servant leadership in your people?
   

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