Preschool ministry in the local church is probably the most influential mission field in the world. You’ve heard the statistics. This is a really big deal. Understanding this is key, especially when you’re recruiting. Who wouldn’t want to be a part of something like that? But what if there is something else to consider?

Sure, your preschool ministry is a fun, safe, engaging place for little ones to learn about Jesus while parents engage in their adult worship experience. However, what about the life-changing ministry that happens with each adult in the room as well? If you’ve been working in ministry long, you likely have a list a mile long of adults and teenagers who have been impacted for life BECAUSE of their time serving kids. When recruiting, don’t let this idea simply be an afterthought.

Recruiting volunteer leaders to your ministry becomes so much easier when you’re inviting them to a vision and mission that will benefit and bless them as well as influence the next generation! Forget ratios. Stop it. Ratios are important, but you are not looking for helpers to keep your adult to child ratios reasonable. You are providing opportunities to participate in a

  • FUN
  • LIFE-CHANGING
  • ETERNALLY SIGNIFICANT

ministry that requires an hour of their Sunday each week. SIGN ME UP!

Once I changed MY thinking, the ASK ACTUALLY became ENJOYABLE. But where do you start and who do you ask?

Here are five things that will help you improve your recruitment ask:

START WITH PRAYER

Duh, right? It can be easily overlooked in the “job” of leader recruitment though, so it’s worth making note of. There are people you need to invite that you don’t know to ask. Invite the Holy Spirit to direct your opportunities.

HAVE SOMETHING TO INVITE THEM TO

Don’t have an official new volunteer process? Get one. Prioritize this now. Make a list and walk people through it.

Step one should always be about vision, whether it’s an invitation to come observe a service or to attend a ministry vision orientation. We created the later that is a standing 15-minute orientation on the last Sunday of each month. Better than having a captive audience to brag about kids ministry at our church and the numerous different opportunities to participate, is that this orientation is something that any of our leaders, volunteers, or coaches can easily invite someone to attend!

JUST ASK

You. Not your Pastor, YOU. I promise you will cast a more compelling vision for what happens in kids ministry. Once you understand and believe deeply that ministry is to be given away and by doing so, blessing will go out in all directions, you’ll want to ask as many people to get involved as possible. Enthusiasm will ooze from you! Start tapping on shoulders, and don’t be afraid of a NO. The fear of rejection handicaps us – we don’t ask because we are anticipating a “no.” Whatever you do, don’t say “no” for someone by not asking!

Most people are simply waiting to be asked. Think about this for a second. Your best volunteer you don’t yet have is waiting for you to ask them. JUST ASK!

SET A WEEKLY GOAL

Each Sunday, my goal is to invite 5 parents to come just hear more about the ministry by attending our New Volunteer Orientation at the end of the month. We also challenge our current leaders to invite a friend each month. We’ve even equipped them with postcard invitations to help make the approach and ask feel more natural.

NO ONE IS OFF LIMITS

As you build a relationship with potential new leaders, you’ll be able to best discern what role would be the right for them. Not everyone is small group leader material, but there are so many other opportunities to participate in ministry to support that role! Leading groups is definitely frontline ministry work, but there is an army behind every SGL, and each of those roles is just as important. Whether prepping small group materials, setting up rooms or tearing them down, greeting new families, etc, there really is something for everyone. If you have a compelling vision that communicates the eternal value of every role, people will want to participate and be blessed by doing so.

This really shouldn’t be as hard as we make it. Ministry to kids is compelling. It’s fun. It’s exciting. It’s life-changing. Who wouldn’t want to be a part of that?