22 New Year’s Volunteer Resolutions

by | Dec 31, 2021 | Uncategorized

Nearly everyone makes resolutions for the New Year. Exercise more, lose weight, eat healthy, be a better person…you’ve probably been there. As pastors, it’s important to us to think about how we want to lead our volunteers better as we head into the New Year. So, I’ve put together 22 suggested New Year’s Resolutions for 2022. I’d encourage you to pick a couple of them and as God for the grace to help you make the change in order to lead your people better this coming year.

  1. I resolve to not do everything myself but rather to give ministry away to more volunteers.
  2. I resolve to stop using the phrase “JUST a volunteer.”
  3. I resolve to make a list of my volunteer leaders and pray for them regularly.
  4. I resolve to schedule a sermon series on how people can deploy their spiritual gifts.
  5. I resolve to regularly tell my volunteers inspirational stories of life-change.
  6. I resolve to show my volunteers respect by always being prepared when they show up.
  7. I resolve to avoid giving my high-capacity volunteers meaningless tasks.
  8. I resolve to celebrate key victories with my volunteer leaders.
  9. I resolve to not say “no” for a volunteer before I invite them to serve in a role.
  10. I resolve to recruit key positions face-to-face and not from the stage.
  11. I resolve to discover what aspect of ministry only I can do and give the rest away.
  12. I resolve to blur the lines between paid staff and high-capacity volunteers.
  13. I resolve to invite younger volunteer leaders to decision-making tables.
  14. I resolve to creatively invite my congregation to discover their calling.
  15. I resolve to spotlight volunteers to the rest of my congregation.
  16. I resolve to adjust our staff schedule to make it convenient for more volunteer leaders.
  17. I resolve to choose empowerment over micro-management.
  18. I resolve to create entry level roles for new volunteers to take a first step.
  19. I resolve to solve staffing needs with volunteers first before paid staff.
  20. I resolve to not guilt-trip people into serving.
  21. I resolve to create a clear onboarding process for key volunteer roles.
  22. I resolve to brag about volunteers to their face and in front of others.