Sanctity of Human Life

Blessing Volunteers

Sanctity of Human Life Dept.

When I was a director, the Lord repeatedly showed me that a large part of my responsibility, as well as opportunity, was to disciple, mentor and minister to the volunteers whom the Lord sent our way. Yes, work with the clients, work with the board and other supervisory agency, but don't forget those all-important volunteers. The quality of their walk with the Lord, their sense of responsibility and level of competence make all the difference in the world. They enhance the quality of your center's work, and the impact it does or doesn't have for the Kingdom. How to bless a volunteer:

Listen to them. Listen to their struggles, their needs, their victories!
Communicate with them. They can't read your mind! Have an "open door policy."
Equip them. Offer in-service trainings, additional resources, conferences.
Encourage them. Truthfully remind them of how important their involvement is and how it will have eternal consequences.
Pray for and with them. I tried to remember in my personal quiet time to pray each day for the specific needs of the volunteers scheduled to come in that day.
Evaluate them. Sit down with them once a year and review their performance, just as you would with paid staff. This elevates the importance of what they do in their own minds, so they don't think of themselves as "just a volunteer."

Scripture tells us that it's more blessed to give than to receive, but that doesn't necessarily mean that blessings can't arrive both ways! Your volunteers are a blessing to you personally as well as your clients. But sometimes the Lord uses your center to be a huge blessing to the volunteer too.