The Church Volunteer Problem No One Wants to Admit
Do you have enough volunteers at your church?
Very few pastors would answer “yes.” VERY few.
Volunteer needs are an ever-present thorn in a pastor’s side. And post-pandemic? That thorn feels more like a samurai sword.
People are less likely to commit—and even less likely to keep that commitment—than they were in the past. Add sporadic attendance to the mix, and you’ve got a recipe for constant volunteer pressure.
We’ve all tried the usual fixes:
- Sharper recruiting tactics
- Extra donuts and free t-shirts
- More compelling “vision moments” during services
- Better volunteer stories
And yet, our volunteer needs just keep growing.
Perhaps the issue isn’t that we need a better sales pitch for volunteering, but rather a better structure.
The Paradigm Shift That Changes Everything
I’m working with a church that’s turning the volunteer conversation upside down. When they first explained their approach, it pushed against everything I’d learned about ministry.
My own paradigm has always been:
- Relational: Keep the same volunteers in children’s and student ministry to build long-term relationships.
- Long-term: Commitments of one year or more—three years for middle school small group leaders, four years for high school.
One of my closest friends volunteers with the same group of kids from their three-year-old preschool experience through high school!
This relational and long-term approach sounds great on paper… until I stopped and really considered what we were asking.
If the average person attends church 1.4 times a month (based on my time at Woodstock City Church), that’s maybe two hours a month in the building. And then we turn around and ask them to:
- Arrive earlier
- Stay later
- Be at church almost every Sunday
- Possibly skip attending the service altogether to serve
That’s asking someone to jump from 2 hours a month… to 16.
No wonder we’re struggling to fill volunteer slots.
A Better Way: One Month On, Two Months Off
Here’s what the church I mentioned does instead:
Volunteers serve one month on, then take two months off.
When I asked the lead pastor how it worked—relationally, practically, and spiritually—he couldn’t have been more enthusiastic. Their numbers tell the story:
- 98% volunteer retention
- Easier onboarding for new volunteers
- More opportunities for people to serve
- Burnout virtually eliminated
But What About Relationships?
If you’ve lived in my old paradigm, your first objection is probably:
“But what about building relationships with kids and students?”
Fair question. But if a family only attends 1.4 times a month, what relationship is realistically being formed anyway? We may be sacrificing volunteer health for a level of relational consistency that’s not actually there.
One more realization I’ve had while working with this church. Many churches rotate some positions, like guest services, ushers, or hospitality, on a “A” and “B” team schedule. We did that at Woodstock City Church. But serving every other week can still feel relentless.
Every other month—or every third month—feels like an actual break.
Action Step for Your Church’s Volunteer Health
Don’t let an outdated volunteer paradigm work against your actual attendance patterns.
Consider piloting a short-term rotation in one ministry area.
You may find:
- Recruiting gets easier
- Retention climbs
- More people grow in their faith through serving—without burning out
Quotes to Share
- “Maybe the issue isn’t a better pitch—it’s a better structure.”
- “Every other month feels like a break. Every other week doesn’t.”
- “You can’t build a healthy ministry on an unhealthy volunteer model.”
Here is another article you may enjoy:
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Leading Through The Pressure With You,
Dr. Gavin Adams
