In the third week of my internship, I was assigned to tear down chairs and tables after an event in our gym. Coming from a smaller church, I assumed I could handle it on my own—until I saw eight tables and 150 chairs that needed to be cleared. After three grueling hours, one thought kept running through my mind: I need to build a team.
Ministry is never meant to be done alone. Whether it’s kids or students, hospitality, or worship, every ministry depends on teams working together. Paul reminds us in Ephesians 4:11-12, “And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ.”
Our calling is not just to serve but to equip others. But how can we effectively recruit and prepare volunteers for ministry?
1. Cast a compelling vision.
It’s easy to recruit volunteers based on immediate needs, whether it’s setting up chairs or filling a nursery rotation. However, assigning tasks without a clear vision often leads to burnout and disengagement.
My pastor reminds our ministry leaders: Cast vision before recruiting volunteers. When people see how their service impacts the Kingdom, they don’t just fill a role, they embrace a calling. As a wise pastor once said, “Volunteers want to be part of something bigger than themselves. Cast the vision, and they will run with it.”
2. Anticipate objections.
When I ask other ministry leaders why they struggle to recruit volunteers, the most common response is their fear of rejection. Hearing “no” can be discouraging.
I went through a season where I felt timid about inviting people to serve, afraid they might turn me down. My campus pastor gave me a powerful reminder: “Don’t say their ‘no’ for them.” His words challenged me to stop assuming people’s responses and instead give them the opportunity to step into God’s calling for their lives.
Throughout his ministry, Jesus constantly faced rejection, yet he never let it deter him from his mission. Though he knew people would object to his message, Jesus pressed forward. In the same way, we should expect rejection, but we must not let the fear of it hold us back.
3. Lower the barrier to entry with clear next steps.
As a student pastor, I realized asking volunteers to commit two hours of their weekend—especially those who were married, in college, or parents—was a big ask. To make serving more accessible, I implemented a structured onboarding process that eased volunteers into their roles.
● Shadowing period (two weeks): Every new volunteer started with a trial run shadowing an experienced leader.
● Hands-on experience (two weeks): Next, they were paired with a seasoned leader and actively participated in leading a small group.
● Final conversation: After four weeks, I sat down with each volunteer for a one-hour conversation to hear their testimony and discern if they were a good fit for the ministry.
4. Make it personal and relational.
I’ve seen leaders wait in their offices, expecting volunteers to come to them, or rely on social media posts to fill ministry roles. But the most effective way to recruit volunteers isn’t through announcements, it’s through relationships.
As a student pastor, I didn’t have many responsibilities during the Sunday morning worship service, yet I made it a priority to be present for both services. Why? Because the atrium was the best place to meet people, build connections, and personally invite them to serve alongside me. In fact, half of my volunteers were recruited simply through those conversations.
As a student pastor, I was passionate about raising up the next generation of worship leaders. A Wheaton College freshman studying international relations, Daniel had an interest in worship. I drove to his campus, sat with him, and made a bold ask: Would he be willing to invest 5-10 hours a week to help build our student worship team?
Daniel started by shadowing for a few weeks, shared his testimony, and eventually joined as a committed volunteer. Over the next three years, we had hard conversations, shared countless meals, and walked through his personal and spiritual growth together. During that time, his team expanded to 30 student band members, he changed his major to Bible and Theology. We recently hired him as our Worship Arts Resident.
Investing in volunteers isn’t easy, and making the ask can feel intimidating. But when you see the fruit of that investment, it’s always worth it.
Daniel Kim is student pastor for Gospelife Church in Wheaton.