How to Choose, Train, and Keep Women’s Ministry Volunteers

Shortly into my first position as a women’s ministry director, I oversaw our church’s annual women’s retreat. Read: I planned, organized, and promoted the retreat; I handled registration, set up, and emceed; I communicated with the speaker, the worship team, the retreat center, the tech people, and the last-minute photographer (because I forgot about that); I answered a million questions, managed the budget, conducted the feedback survey, and wrote the thank you notes.

The retreat’s execution was surprisingly good by God’s grace, but the process totally missed the mark—and just about killed me. No one knocked on my door to volunteer, and I didn’t ask for help.

I quickly learned three truths about volunteers: most volunteers don’t volunteer, most volunteers don’t know how to do what you need them to do, and most volunteers don’t stick around long. But we need them. Committed, prepared, unpaid workers are necessary for our women’s ministries. So how do we find “volunteers” (even when no one has volunteered)? How do we train them for their assigned roles? And how do we keep them involved?

Choose Volunteers

Ministry volunteers are God’s workers and ultimately chosen by him, but he commissions us to discern his will and invite them to serve. Scripture records many examples of God choosing volunteers. He appointed leaders, prophets, kings, judges, priests, and disciples, and his choices hold great lessons for us. We mustn’t miss the fact that, first and foremost, God knows his people well—their gifts, abilities, stories, wounds, and weaknesses. He sees hearts and prioritizes character over appearance, while being fully aware no one is righteous, not even one (Rom. 3:10).

As we’re trying to fill our ministry needs, we need to simultaneously do two things. First, we pray earnestly about God’s choice for each role, asking him to give us glimpses of the hearts he sees so completely: Lord, show me your picks—the upright ones, the humble hearts who know and love you, who trust you and depend on you. Don’t let me overlook the women you want to use.

Second, we spend time getting to know the women in our church. We need to listen to their stories and sorrows, find out about their interests and experiences, and discover their gifts and motivations. Please don’t send out a survey. Talk to them. I know it’s not efficient. It’s personal—and it’s worth it.

In Scripture, we never see God fill slots. God doesn’t say, “I need a king. Who wants to be king?” Or “We’re short three priests. Are there any volunteers?” Or perhaps, “I need one more disciple . . . I’ll post about it on Facebook.”

No. God chooses. He appoints. And he bases his selections on his knowledge of his people—their character, their gifts from him, and the potential he knows is there. Do you need teachers? Look for women who love the Word and are being changed by it. Do you need greeters? Seek out welcoming, attentive women. How about help with registration? Out there somewhere is a spreadsheet lover. (And when I found her for my retreat team, it was a game-changer.)

Do you need teachers? Look for women who love the Word and are being changed by it.

That’s not to say we can never ask for volunteers, but I encourage you to pursue gifting and godliness, not just availability. God has gifted every believer and placed each one in his body for the growth and good of the whole. For all the work he wants done, he has prepared people to do it. We just need to find them and invite them to get involved.

Train Volunteers

Once we’ve found women to serve (after our “Hallelujahs!”), we must train them. A closer look at the biblical narratives reveals the vast inexperience of God’s chosen ones. They were right, just not ready. They needed leading, guiding, correcting, and teaching. So do our volunteers. Please don’t assume everyone will do a great job on the first attempt—and don’t sideline those who fail to. (I’ve seen this happen, and it’s wounding.) Imitating Jesus, we prioritize the person over the task.

Plan ahead and build in training times. Make sure a new volunteer has a role model of both character and skills—either you or another woman you respect. Explain the expectations, clearly and practically. Don’t assume she knows how to make the coffee or who Sarah is that she needs to give a receipt to. Provide training and resources commensurate with the responsibility. For example, teachers and group leaders will need more preparation than greeters. And be sure to let her know who to go to with questions.

After she serves, provide feedback that’s honest, kind, and always for the purpose of helping her grow and improve. Don’t skip this piece. One of God’s most gracious gifts to us is his correction for the purpose of our growth. Share lots of positives and include one gracious suggestion that would help her develop in her ministry. Then provide her with a second opportunity.

Keep Volunteers

As volunteers experience this level of commitment to their growth, they’ll be far more motivated to keep serving. We often lose volunteers because they came, filled a slot, did a task, and went home. But ministry is about people. It’s personal. It’s relational. Your volunteers are your sisters.

Take the time to know them, and be sure to thank them. Let them know you love them, not just what they produce or accomplish, and that should they step out of serving for a time, you’ll still love them (and so will God). Share with them what God is teaching you and encourage them to do the same. Be transparent about your weaknesses, benefit from their strengths, and lean into his grace together.

We often lose volunteers because they came, filled a slot, did a task, and went home. But ministry is about people. Your volunteers are your sisters.

Teach them by example to work hard and rest well. Practice having unhurried conversations about their lives outside of ministry. Make sure, following the conclusion of an event or program, that you schedule time to celebrate what God did and how they served. And don’t assume that because they decorated the tables beautifully this time, they’ll want to have that role forever. Help women find their sweet spot where serving and growing to know and love God with their sisters is filling them, not just a slot.

Choosing volunteers, training them to serve, and keeping them involved is a time-consuming responsibility. It might mean you’ll end up with fewer ministry programs, but Lord willing, it’ll mean having more women involved in ministry. It’ll almost certainly mean you’ll do less for the next women’s retreat because a helpful team will use their many gifts, freeing you to use yours.

As women’s ministry directors, we’re not meant to execute every task ourselves. We have the privilege of helping our sisters walk in the good works God prepared for them (Eph. 2:10)—and he’s glorified as we do.

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