Paradox of Ministry

When it comes to identifying ministers and volunteer leaders for a Church, there exists a great irony and a great paradox. Often the very people who rush forward to volunteer or want to lead are not the people you want leading a ministry in your Church. On the other hand, the very people who are equipped and qualified to lead will not step forward, you will have to go out and find them. It is maddening, I know, but it is true. And unfortunately it is most especially true when you first start a ministry or new project and try to get the momentum going.

The first people who come to you, come out of neediness. If they were great leaders and great volunteers, they would already be serving somewhere else. I don’t intend to say to reject people just because they come forward, but be on your guard. The first people who rush in usually come out of a need to be needed. Or maybe they come out of guilt or to check something off the list or to get credit with the pastor or God. They usually don’t come to serve out of an overflow of grace in their lives.

On the other hand, the people we want volunteering in our ministry are usually busy people who could do hundreds of other things, but choose to give their time to the local Church. They choose to use their gifts and abilities for God’s glory. This is why we need to inspire people to serve and give them a vision for the importance of volunteer ministry. But often, you need to coax them into serving. You need to seek them out and convince them that it is worth their time especially when a ministry is just getting up and running and lacks momentum.

The people we want leading are reluctant to step forward. They know the burdens of leadership and that it will challenge them in new ways. I read I believe in Way of the Wild Heart that when Saint Augustine was ordained bishop of Hippo, he wept. He wept because he knew the weight of the responsibility. He knew the burden of leadership. These are the very people, we need leading. People who lead not out of neediness, but understand the importance of leadership.

I would add that once you get moving and get momentum, good people will start to seek you out and so will needy people. But the approach of the good people will look and feel different. And even at this time, the needy people will rush forward, while the good people you want on your team will subtly make themselves known.

Have you found this paradox to be true when you are looking to hire or looking for key volunteers?