Will my child be welcomed? 

Will anyone know how to connect with them? 

Will this be a place where they truly belong? 

Too often, the answer feels uncertain. Not because the church doesn’t care, but because volunteers don’t feel equipped. When that happens, families feel unseen, leaders feel discouraged, and kids miss out on moments to encounter God’s love. 

We believe that every child is made in God’s image, so missing even one is missing too much.

An Invitation to Belong

What if church felt like a place where every child and family truly belonged?

Accessibility is about widening the door. Different kids connect in different ways: through words, music, art, movement, or even stillness. When we make space for those differences, we don’t just accommodate, we invite.

Because the truth is: a church that reflects the full beauty of God’s family is a church where every child, with every ability, has a place.

Introducing EveryChild

That’s why we created EveryChild—a sensory-friendly version of our Kids curriculum, designed specifically for children with different and special needs.

EveryChild was built with accessibility and sensory awareness from the ground up. It gives leaders the tools to help every child engage with God’s Word in ways that feel safe, welcoming, and life-giving.

This isn’t a side program or an afterthought. It’s a discipleship pathway because every child deserves the chance to know Jesus.

What’s Included

• Care Plan + Allergy Alerts for safe, personalized care
• Visual Schedule + Feelings Chart to build comfort and confidence
• Playdough Mats + Celebration Stickers for sensory-friendly fun
• Bible Story Image Cards + Pip & Bob video stories to bring Scripture to life
• ASL Memory Verses to promote inclusion and deeper learning
• Rest + Reset Visuals to create calm, supportive spaces
• Leader Guides with quick-reference tips for building confidence when working with neurodivergent children.

EveryChild equips your ministry with simple, practical resources that make a big difference:

A Fuller Reflection of God’s Kingdom

When churches embrace the needs of every child, everything changes: 

Families feel seen, supported, and safe.
Volunteers lead with confidence instead of hesitation.
Kids of all abilities encounter Jesus in ways that resonate with their hearts.

Learn how to bring EveryChild to your church and ministry today.

The post EveryChild: A Sensory-Friendly Church Curriculum from Amazing+ appeared first on Think Orange.

We know you want your teams to walk into Sunday confident, equipped, and ready.

Prepared Teams, Powerful Moments

What if every leader could preview the service before the weekend? What if they could rehearse transitions, learn the memory verse, and get familiar with worship motions ahead of time—so Sunday wasn’t the first time they saw it all come together?

Prepared teams create smoother services. Smoother services create fewer distractions. And fewer distractions make space for kids and teens to focus on what really matters: hearing and responding to the message of Jesus.

Meet: APlay View

APlay View is a simple way to equip your leaders by giving them access to upcoming service playlists. Once your playlist is built and published inside APlay, you can instantly push it to APlay View—a secure website where your volunteers can log in and see exactly what’s planned.

Every video. Every graphic. Every worship song, slide, and memory verse in the exact order you’ve created.

Your team can review it days in advance (or, let’s be honest, while pulling into the parking lot on Sunday morning). Either way, they’re ready.

How APlay View Works:

1. Build your playlist inside APlay.
   
2. Publish and push your playlist to APlay View.
   
3. Share the link with your volunteers and leaders.
   
4. Teams log in and preview the entire service flow. Anytime, anywhere.
   

Who It’s For:

• Children’s ministry leaders who want confident small group leaders and smooth large group experiences.
  
• Youth pastors who want their band, tech, and teaching teams aligned before students arrive.
  
• Volunteers who want to feel equipped instead of scrambling.
  
• Churches of any size that believe preparation makes space for God to move.
• Parents who want to review this week’s lessons and keep the conversation going with their kids at home.
  

More Confidence, Less Chaos

When leaders know what’s coming, they lead with confidence. Kids feel the difference. Volunteers aren’t scrambling; they’re present. Transitions aren’t awkward; they’re seamless. And the message isn’t competing with distractions; it’s amplified through clarity and focus.

That’s the power of APlay View.

It’s not just about sharing media—it’s about preparing your teams to lead kids and teens into life-changing encounters with Jesus.

Ready to prepare your volunteers with APlay View? Sign up for APlay today.

The post APlay View: The Ministry Preview Tool to Review, Rehearse, and Get Ready appeared first on Think Orange.

Even with a children’s ministry curriculum that supports you every week, recruiting volunteers is consistently one of the biggest challenges children’s ministry leaders face. But, with a little practice and the right strategy, anyone — even you can nail it!

My story with the associate pastor’s wife brings me to my first point:

1. No one is off limits

I mean this point kind of speaks for itself! Ask everyone! Are you serving anywhere? And let’s be honest… “Kids aren’t everyone’s JAM,” and that’s ok! You should be knowledgeable enough about other ministries in your church to point them in the right direction. Mark 10:45: For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many. If Jesus wasn’t off limits, neither is anyone else.

2. Don’t be afraid of ‘The NO’

So you’re afraid to ask because the answer might be no… “No” is ok! You are in kids ministry, and kids NEED consistency. You want volunteers that are going to be committed to the cause. You don’t want someone that’s just filling a hole or saying yes because they feel bad (which means they will eventually flake out on you right?) It’s ok to get a few (or A LOT) of no’s on a Sunday for those one or two yes’s!

3. Stick to your set ratios

I’ll probably get some mixed reviews on this one but here it goes! Set ratios and stick to them! If your set ratio for your 2-yr-old classroom is one adult to every five kids, when Sunday comes, if you only have two volunteers for your 2-yr-old classroom, ONLY take in ten 2-yr-olds. Use this as a recruiting tool! Have those conversations at your check-in stations, and ask people to serve and get on a rotational schedule. Parents and members will see that there is a need in your ministry for volunteers. If you are constantly just taking in kids and not sticking to your set ratios, people will assume that your ministry is doing fine. Meanwhile, volunteers get overwhelmed and often burned out. And, let’s be honest, burned-out volunteers won’t come back. Going over ration also creates an unsafe environment for the kids that are there. Bottom line: Ratios are put in place for safety and so that the volunteers can teach the lesson about Jesus these kids come to hear each week! They can’t do that if you aren’t enforcing the classroom ratios.

4. Lead with vision

Ok, brace yourself for this one. You can show emotions when you recruit. When I recruit, 80% of the time I cry. It just starts happening when I talk to potential (and current) volunteers about my ministry. I used to get really frustrated about it. I thought it made me look unprofessional and yada yada, but after serious prayer and reflection I realized that God was using my passion for this ministry to bring others to serve and teach kids about Jesus every week. So I’m not saying cry, but the passion you have for your ministry needs to be evident when you recruit.

5. When you’re not recruiting, you’re still recruiting

You work in the kids ministry. It should be fun! You, of all people, have an excuse to come in on Sundays dressed in a tutu or a superhero cape! If people see that it’s fun to serve in your ministry and with you, they will!

6. Don’t live paycheck to paycheck, Invest!

Now that you’ve got the volunteers on a rotation, you want to make them feel like part of a team because they are!  Be honest with the volunteers are your ministry! They deserve more than just a “Hey! Good morning!” each Sunday when you see them. That’s what I mean by living “paycheck to paycheck”—when you only do the bare minimum when it comes to volunteers. I know time gets away from us. Hey, it gets busy running a kids ministry! But, you’ve got to make time to invest! Save for your ministry’s future! It’s a 401K. Send your volunteers thank you cards once a month. Send them texts throughout the week letting them know that you are praying for them. Buy them breakfast! Go into their classrooms, not to evaluate but to hangout and help with craft time or rock babies and talk! They value time with you as a leader. Invest in them. For more help and strategies, check out our ultimate guide to building your volunteer strategy.

7. Where God guides, God provides.

So last, but certainly not least, is this tidbit of recruiting gold. You’ve got to trust in Him. The Big Guy. That’s right. I said it. All you control freaks out there that are just as serious as I am about making sure every classroom is covered every hour every Sunday… and if it’s not… you might just have a meltdown. Well, news flash. God called you here for a reason. He called you to lead this ministry! To lead and grow the next generation in Christ.

Luke 12: 24-26 says: Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or bam; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable are you than the birds! Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to your life? Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?

He guided you to where you are, He will provide for your needs. Trust In Him.

Want more? Dig deeper with our ultimate guide to building your volunteer strategy.

The post 7 Essentials for Recruting Children’s Ministry Volunteers appeared first on Think Orange.

Most of us are in the same boat. We love our volunteers and want to equip them and care for them. We just get caught up in all the other important things, and a whole month, semester, or ministry year goes by, and we realize we never had an in-depth conversation with over 50% of the people who served alongside us.

Here are a few tips to make sure that is not you at the end of this year.

Plan a Volunteer Day 

Plan a volunteer day at least twice a month, but preferably weekly.  Look at your schedule.  Most of us have one day that is overwhelmingly full of meetings–sometimes two.  We also have weekly tasks that we do on specific days.  If you haven’t taken time to lay out all of your tasks and what day you do them each week, start there.  When you create a word doc with bullet points under each day, you will start to see a pattern.

For example, it could look like this: Mondays are for follow-up from Sunday.  Tuesdays and Wednesdays are full of meetings with staff.  Thursdays are for writing your weekly email and curriculum prep for the coming Sunday.  Some days will look like they have less, but we know that one bullet point is equal to 5 on another day.  

Once you have laid out your schedule, see where you have blocks of time to meet with volunteers. You may not have the budget to take them out to lunch each week, so look for times to grab breakfast or coffee. Intentionally meet during times when your volunteer won’t expect a meal.  Maybe one week you block off Thursday mornings and the next it’s Thursday afternoon.

Start Small 

Plan to check in with just one volunteer each week.  Don’t start this month–plan ahead for next month before you schedule other things. I would even block off the time on my calendar so that when other staff try to schedule a meeting, they can see you are busy during that time.  

When deciding who to meet with, we often go to the people who have the most needs or are the loudest–the ones who always have a complaint or improvement they want to share. They may not be the ones you meet with first. I’m not saying to ignore them–you’ll have a whole other set of issues if you do that–but take time to look at your team.  Who do you not know well?  Who flies under the radar? These people will appreciate the offer to meet, but would never ask you for it because they know how busy you are. Meeting with these people will not only remind them how valuable they are, but they will also encourage you as well.

Invest Personally 

Don’t just meet with volunteers you want to challenge to the next level. Often, we schedule time with our few because we want to ask them to take on another role.  Don’t use this time consistently for that.  Like my kids, they will smell you coming, and if you only want to meet with them when you want something from them, they will start to avoid you and possibly the ministry you lead.  Meet with them just because.  

Just as Jesus had his 12 disciples and 3 disciples in His inner circle. You will have those people, too.  You will need to prioritize how to meet with them consistently.  If they are shepherding people, you want to make sure you are scheduling time with them to continue to pour into them.  

The way this looked for me was like this:

1st Thursday – Coaches/strategic leaders

2nd Thursday – A volunteer you see potential in

3rd Thursday – Coaches/strategic leaders

4th Thursday – A volunteer who you don’t know well or you don’t think will ever take on more than they currently are doing.

5th Thursday – Meet with a volunteer who encourages me

Schedule Ahead

I would schedule these out a month ahead of time. On Sunday mornings, I made it part of my morning to look for who I was going to connect with the following month.  One year, I kept a spreadsheet of all my volunteers and highlighted them when I met with them. Another year, I had their names on a magnetic board and put a star next to each as I met with them.  The point is that I wanted to be intentional.  If I saw that I was not going to be able to meet with everyone in my ministry that year, I would reach out to my strategic leaders to make sure they were connecting with the ones I was not.   

There will be leaders you don’t want to meet with. You know it will be a hard conversation.  My advice?  Sprinkle meetings with them in among the ones you are looking forward to. Don’t schedule them all together or you are going to want to quit your job. It’s a balance between investing in them, but also not burning out or only investing in the people who are the loudest. 

At the end of the year, you may not have checked in with everyone.  That’s okay–look at who you did meet with.  What did you learn–and not just to better your ministry, what did you learn that challenged or grew you personally? Even more importantly, how were you able to invest in them? Making time to meet with your teams as individuals is a big task, but it is important. Your volunteers aren’t just people helping you accomplish ministry to invest in the next generation, they are humans worth investing in. 

Need some help getting your conversations started?? Use these Volunteer Check-Ins to connect with those you lead and maximize your impact! 

The post The Ultimate Guide to Reconnecting with Your Volunteers appeared first on Think Orange.

That being said, it seems as though bivocational ministry and having a side hustle is on the rise. 

Due to global inflation, rises in the cost of living, and lower rates of giving and church engagement, churches are slashing budgets at the same time that personal budgets feel tighter than they have ever been. 

So, many ministry leaders find themselves in bivocational ministry for the first time or looking for a side-hustle to supplement their income. 

So, what are some best practices bivocational ministry leaders can engage in to lead sustainably? 

How can ministry leaders start a side-hustle while building trust with leadership? 

Leslie Mack, Charlie Conder, Shane Sanchez, and Heather McCreary sat down to have a conversation about what they are rethinking related to bivocational ministry and dove into those big questions. 

Here are a few of the big ideas and best practices that came out of that conversation. 

What are some best practices for bivocational ministry leaders?

1. Create boundaries.
   Rest is so important. In fact, rest is often an act of faith. Whether you need to create boundaries in order to rest, fulfill other job obligations, or prioritze family, creating priority-based boundaries will help you thrive and avoid burn-out. At the same time, without pre-set boundaries and schedules, you may find yourself saying yes to things that matter, but neglecting what matters most. 
   
   As a reminder, no matter what season of life you are in, you are worthy of having boundaries and a life outside of your work. That is true whether you are single or you are a parent. That is also true whether your boundary helps you do other vocational ministry jobs or work in the public sector. Doing good work matters, and you can do ministry wherever you are. 
2. Empower volunteers.
   Your ability to have boundaries will at least partly depend on how you empower volunteers and delegate tasks in your ministry. This may require extra work on the front end as often training someone to do a task can take as much time as executing a task yourself. However, if you are willing to invest in volunteers who can truly own aspects of your ministry, you will create more sustainability in the long run. This may not be easy and you will have to give up some control. However, when you empower volunteers you are not just building a ministry, you are investing in people.
3. Partner with senior leaders.
   You need to know what is expected of you. Your senior leaders need to know what is fair to expect. How you collaborate with and communicate your boundaries, schedules, and responsibilities to senior leadership will build a foundation of trust. Inevitably there will be moments when you can’t answer the email, can’t attend the meeting, or need to reschedule an event. If there is agreement about priorities and trust from the beginning, these situations will cause less friction.

What are some best practices for starting a side-hustle? 

1. Consider your passions and skills.
   What tasks do you love doing? What tasks are you good at? What skills do you want to grow? These are some of the first questions you should ask yourself if you want a side-hustle, but you aren’t sure where to start. Many creative talents and hobbies can be parlayed into side-hustles to make extra income. At the same time, a side-hustle doesn’t have to be some creative or entrepreneurial venture, but it is wise to choose something you are decent at and don’t hate doing. You may not want to Uber if you hate driving or dog-sit if you hate dogs. 
   
   No matter what your side hustle is, consider how it can help you grow in skills that can be beneficial to your ministry or personal growth. When you are able to clarify how a side-hustle is benefiting not just your finances, but your character or professional capacity it can be more enjoyable.
2. Let go of shame.
   Whether you are starting a graphic design business, working a retail job, Ubering or learning a new trade, it’s important to let go of shame. Doing good and honorable work in order to meet your needs or financial goals is something you shouldn’t be ashamed of. In fact, your ability to grow a business or even just build trust will depend on how well you communicate about your side-hustle to your communicate.
3. Communicate with leadership.
   This practice largely depends on your team culture and the nature of your side hustle. If you are picking up hours Door Dashing outside of work hours it may not be necessary to communicate your plan. However, if you are becoming a ministry coach and advertising your services, leadership probably needs to find out from you instead of on your social media feed. Check your church’s policy on outside work and consider ramifications for communicating or not communicating. Often communication can help you build trust and avoid potential conflict. It may even help you have more conversations about growing your leadership capacity and income potential. Whether you plan to communicate or not, having a plan for answering any questions they may have (should they come up) is wise so you can be prepared.

While these are all practical steps you can take to either thrive as a bivocational leader all of these practices actually boil down to one thing:

Trust.

How we trust God will change how we practice rest. 
How we trust our volunteers will determine how we delegate and equip them to lead. 
How senior leaders trust staff will determine if they are willing to provide flexibility and opportunities to experiment or grow. 
How we trust our communities will determine how we communicate new ventures or passions.
How we trust God and ourselves will determine whether we are willing to try something new. 

Whether you are a bivocational leader, someone who wants to start a new side hustle, or someone leading bivocational staff, in what ways can you build trust or practice trust? You may be surprised by how it leads to growth. 

This blog is adapted from Episode 130 of the Rethinking Youth Ministry Podcast. We would love to know what you are rethinking related to bivocational ministry or youth ministry in general, so be sure to join the conversation by checking out our Facebook community or listening to the Rethinking Youth Ministry Podcast. 

The post Bivocational Ministry and the Rise of Side Hustles appeared first on Think Orange.

But in all that time, there’s one statement I don’t think I’ve heard anyone say, “We have so many volunteers I really hope no one else wants to serve!” 

The fact of the matter is that most student ministries are always looking for ways to recruit volunteers and retain the ones that we already have. 

Don’t Recruit Volunteers From The Stage

While the easiest thing to do is say that we need more stage time, or wish the senior leader would talk about the needs of kid and student ministry every week, the reality is that mass cattle calls don’t yield the best results of dedicated, consistent, and called leaders for our ministries. 

Yes, it helps reinforce your message — but it won’t solve your problem.

Since the cattle call from the stage isn’t the answer, we wanted to give you a few suggestions that might help with recruiting.

1. Meet New People

Start with the ministry leader. There have been seasons in ministry where I spent much of my time in rooms serving kids and students instead of meeting other students and adults that could serve kids and students. This was a huge mistake! 

Ensure that ministry leaders and key volunteers are available to meet new people each week by being present in heavy traffic areas before and after worship services. Make it a goal that when you’re in these areas you’re meeting a few new people each week and getting to informally engage with the few people you’ve met over the last month. 

After engaging them for several weeks, ask them to coffee, get to know them better, and listen for ways and opportunities to plug them into ministry. Sometimes you’ll be able to plug them into your ministry and sometimes you won’t. But it’s a genuine well-planted seed either way. 

2. Make the Ministry Visible

Help your team members make the ministry visible by giving them tools to invite their friends to serve with them. 

Empower people that are already serving to share their stories of impact with those they are in relationship with already and bring them along on the journey of being a small group leader, hall host, or storyteller. 

Like eating at a new restaurant or trying out a new store, people are more likely to participate in something that is already receiving great reviews from someone they know and trust.  

3. Rally a Recruiting Team

Establish a recruiting team. There are people in every congregation that love kid and student ministry but have a myriad of reasons why they can’t serve on Sundays. Some of these people might also be well connected within your congregation and have a niche for getting others involved. These are the people you want on your recruiting team. 

Rally them together to relay vision and opportunities. Provide them with resources to start conversations within their spheres of influence and then allow them to work the relationships they have within the congregation. 

This expands the reach of the ministry beyond those who are serving on Sunday to those that are mingling with the other adults you need that are sitting in the congregation. 

4. Set Volunteers Up to Win

Develop a clear onboarding process that initiates relationship, takes safety seriously, and equips new volunteers to be successful. These three things say to your newest volunteer that you take them and the ministry seriously and you are setting them up to win. 

Nobody is interested in being a part of a ship that is sinking. Consider making interviews, volunteer applications, and background checks part of your onboarding process. Listen carefully during the discussion over coffee to the person’s personality and areas of passion. 

Connect them with a ministry veteran that will be a good personality match and that is already serving in the role that the new volunteer will be joining. Do everything you can to set them up to win and build new relationships while they are doing it. 

For the first four to six times that they serve, check in with them, find out how it is going, and be available to answer any questions that have come up. Provide them feedback and make sure they move from “the new volunteer” to being an expected and contributing member of the team. 

5. Focus on Retaining Over Recruiting

One of the biggest sinkers to recruiting ministry workers is not retaining the ones that God has sent. While instituting the above recruiting strategies will help get people in the door, the door will be constantly revolving if retaining strategies and techniques are not in place. 

Last Thing, Stop Trying To Do It All

Finally—recruiting and engaging volunteers is work! It takes time. It’s one reason I suggest you not try and do it all. A curriculum as comprehensive as Orange allows you to actually spend your time where it matters most. You’ll set a foundation that will not only allow you to recruit volunteers, but invest in them, train them, and keep them for the long haul.

Remember, you got this — and we’re cheering you on!

The post 5 Ways to Recruit Kids Ministry Volunteers (And One Way Not To) appeared first on Think Orange.

But building that kind of connection isn’t always easy, is it? Especially when we know that the connections we make outside of our typical small group time are just as important as the connections we make during small group. For a lot of us, we may not have the budget that we would want to be able to take a teen to breakfast or treat our whole small group to ice cream during an outing at a local park. If we’re really being honest, while we have time to dedicate to our small group during the typical meeting time, the rest of our week is taken up by work commitments, time spent with family, and life chores that never seem to end.

How To Connect With Your Small Group During The Week

So here are some budget-friendly (and time-friendly!) suggestions to help make meaningful connections with our small groups throughout the week. 

Create Spotify Playlists

You can learn a lot about a person just by listening to all of the different styles of music they connect with the most. Encourage your small group kids and teens to create a personalized Spotify playlist of all their favorite songs (though it’s probably a pretty good idea to set some ground rules about what is and is not appropriate to put on their playlist). Of course, if your small group is made up of younger kids, you may want to enlist parents to lend a helping hand. And don’t forget to make up a playlist of your own as well! Connection is a two-way street, and the kids and teens want to get to know you just as much as you want to get to know them.

Now, be warned – not all of the music will be good. There’s actually a pretty big chance that you will not like a single song they’ve picked for their lists. But man, those songs will tell you so much. As you listen, try to think beyond just the song and look for what may be hidden underneath. Is there a particular artist that they’ve included more than others? Can you see a connection between one song and another? Use these playlists to help give you a glimpse of a side to themselves that they may not show you on a typical Sunday.

Go Retro with Snail Mail

Sometimes I think we as adults have forgotten that amazing feeling you get when you receive a piece of mail meant especially for you. I’m not talking about a bill (boo), or a generic card where you know everyone received the same exact typed message, but something that was specifically handwritten with you in mind. That letter has the ability to say so much, even before someone reads a single word. It says that someone not only thought about you, but took the time to write words down, find an envelope (who even has envelopes anymore?), buy a stamp, and put it in the mailbox just so that they could say something special to you.

Of course, I’m not saying that you should send a personalized card or letter to every single one of your small group members each week! But, I also don’t want you to wait and only send those cards or letters after a big event like a baptism or church retreat. The power of a card or letter is at its peak when it comes on a random day for absolutely no reason at all. Start small and send one or two a week, or take a long weekend to write out a batch to send out as you see fit. These are also great for continuing connections with kids or teens you haven’t seen for a while. 

Show Up to What is Important to Them

Growing up, I was never the “sporty-ist” of kids. Sure, I was on a softball team for a few years, but a future major league player I was not. Instead, what I really loved was all things musical theatre. I loved to sing, did my best to try and dance, and finally made it as a background character in a community theatre production. Of course, I knew my family was going to come to my performance…they were my ride, after all. But I can’t tell you the joy I felt when I was performing on stage and looked out to see members of my church in the audience. I may have still stumbled through the dance numbers, but I don’t think I have ever been as happy on a stage as I was then.

So many of our small group kids and teens have hobbies and skills they’d love to share with you. Some may have a baseball tournament you can attend, others a local musical they’ve won a part in, or a local art show where they’ve submitted some of their work. But showing up isn’t limited to just attending things that they DO. What about going to the movies with kids in your group who are really into a certain superhero franchise? Or walking around (and maybe even pushing the cart) in a garden center with teens who have jumped on the houseplant craze. Take the time to find out the kinds of activities or hobbies your small group kids and teens are interested in, and then do your best to show up whenever and however you can.

Connect with Their Families

What’s the real secret to finding ways to connect with our kids and teens outside of our small group time? Connecting with their families. In a world where the news cycle gives us an endless stream of negative and downright terrifying stories, it’s natural for parents and families to want to hold their kids and teens as close as possible, and maybe be a bit distrustful of adults who want to spend time with them. Instead of competing with families for influence over kids and teens, it makes so much more sense to partner with them instead. To show parents and families that we want to be teammates when it comes to connecting with their kids, and to help be another voice in their child’s life.

With families all being so different, there probably isn’t a one-size-fits-all way to connect. Some parents would appreciate a phone call introduction, while others would be happy to keep it over text. If direct communication never works out quite the way you hoped, you could also send out a monthly newsletter to all your parents, letting them know all the ways you’re working to connect with their kids. It’s also a great place to ask if there are any potential upcoming events that they would love to see you attend. If one method doesn’t work, don’t give up, just keep trying more to see what could stick. The only wrong move here would be to not reach out at all!

I hope those were some fun, simple suggestions that can help get you started! Just keep in mind that relationships are built over time. One playlist may not make you the top influencer in a child or teen’s life, but it can be one big step towards helping them see you as an adult who not only loves them but who wants to know them too. 

The post 4 Budget-Friendly Ways to Invest in Your Small Group Outside of Programming appeared first on Think Orange.

This was certainly the case with the Quillins. Years ago, as a small group leader for their 5th-grade son, Preston, I’d catch their faces from time to time, as they dropped him off and picked him up on Sunday mornings. Some weeks, they’d wave Preston to the door, and quickly shoot me a smile that communicated, “Hey, I’m thankful for you, but I’m not interested in chatting.” Other weeks, they would reluctantly allow me to stop them when I had encouraging words to share about their son. They’d engage in minimal conversation. They were cordial, but guarded. Committed to coming, but cautious about anything more.

Their toes were dipped into the water as far as they planned to go.

Until that summer I went out on a limb and asked them to volunteer at VBS.

Reluctantly, Mr. Quillin said, “Yes.” But only if he could serve with Preston, who had, by that point, moved on to middle school. And as any VBS coordinator in dire need of volunteers, an emphatic, “Absolutely!” was my response.

Naturally, I handed them the more enticing responsibility for a father and son: Recreation. And they totally crushed it.

As an officer in the US Navy, Mr. Quillin had rules and regimens down pat, so a room full of rambunctious kids did not ruffle his feathers one bit. And Preston supplemented the structure with his cool, easygoing disposition. They were a power duo, to say the least.

I knew from Day 1 of seeing them in action, this was an opportunity I simply couldn’t pass up. I vowed to do everything in my power, not only to make VBS an enjoyable experience for them but to help them see the impact they had the potential to make if they continued past the summer.

That week, I seized every chance I had to toss words their way that validated the amazing job they were doing. Shouting a quick, “These kids love you!! Keep up the good work!” from across the room while I made my rounds was enough to etch a proud grin across Mr. Quillin’s face. I was certain my door had swung wide open.

But let’s be honest. VBS is a lot! So when the week was said and done, I gave them a bit of space afterward to recover before diving in for the big ask.

Later that summer, I carefully crafted my proposal. This time, I was going all in. I planned to recruit Mr. and Mrs. Quillin for the long-term commitment of co-leading a group. Not only did I see the potential they had to make an impact together, but I was about to have a bit of skin in the game. I was hoping they’d take on a group of 5th graders in the fall; one of which would be my own son, Oliver.

Sure, it would tug at their heartstrings a bit, knowing I had led their son as a 5th grader not so long ago, and now they had the opportunity to do the same for me. But in addition to my own personal ploy, I was confident this group was the right fit for the Quillins.

You can probably guess what happened. They said, “Yes.”

Isn’t that the best feeling, though? When you hear, “Yes!” rather than, “No!” To check something off your list. To fill a spot. To take one step closer to having every group covered. Ah, the immediate gratification is priceless. And while that is, indeed, a practical goal, I’m certain that if you keep steering with a long-game approach, you may find that you’ll have fewer Yes’s to strive for each year. The investment you make on the front end will pay off in the long run, because they will not want to step away from the impact you’ve helped them make.

As you consider recruiting volunteers in the months ahead, here are some things to remember:

Start with a small ask. 

For the Quillins, this was leading recreation at VBS. But not everyone may be able to commit an entire week of their summer. It’s great to have special events or Sunday morning subbing opportunities in your back pocket to use for the people you know have potential to eventually lead in a bigger way.

Use your words.

Everyone loves being the recipient of praise and gratitude. So when you do have people that agree to those short-term volunteer opportunities, be sure to pour words of encouragement and affirmation upon them every chance you get. Point out something helpful you saw them do, and let them know how big of a difference it made. Thank them more than once! And always be sure to send a note in the mail after the event is over.

Give it some time. Then ask again.

No one likes to be nagged. It may end up backfiring if you’re too hasty with another ask immediately following that first moment they chose to say, “Yes.” Give them some space before pulling out the recruitment tactics again. Find the sweet spot: just enough time to recover and reminisce fondly on the experience. But not so much time that they’ve long forgotten how much they loved it.

Find the right fit.

Just because there happens to be an opening for a role doesn’t mean it’s the right one for everyone. If you have an older gentleman who thrives on thought-provoking discussions, you might regret it if you ask him to lead a rowdy group of kindergartners. On the flip side, that woman who teaches preschool full-time may feel tossed to the wolves if you sign her up with high schoolers. Based on what you know about the person, look for a role that feels most fitting for who they are. Try your best to set them up for success, even if that means patiently waiting for the right role to become available.

Tell them what they bring to the table.

When you’ve discovered a match that makes sense, be sure to let your potential volunteer in on why you asked them, and not someone else. Point out specific qualities they possess that you believe will equip them for the role you’re recruiting them for. Telling them why they’re awesome will empower them to want to keep being awesome.

Connect them to their community.

Onboarding a new person on a team of volunteers is vital. As best as you can, immediately connect them to the other people who they will be serving alongside. The more they feel like they’re part of a team and the deeper connection they develop with the people they see week after week, the more likely it is that they’ll keep wanting to come back. They may be doing you a huge favor by volunteering. But the community they receive in return will feel like an even greater payoff.

Now, it would be silly of me to send you off on your recruitment journey without letting you in on the last chapter of the Quillins’ story. So check this out…

That fall following the VBS experience, Mr. and Mrs. Quillin began leading my son’s 5th grade group. It was a perfect match. But little did they know, 6 months later, the world would shut down. This happened to be the infamous year of the pandemic. So when it would have been perfectly justified for these new leaders to see their way out, instead, they chose to dig in even deeper. 

Remember those toes barely dipped into the water? At this point, they were shoulder-deep. But they were sailing better than I ever dreamed they would.

During those long months of shelter-in-place restrictions, the Quillins met weekly over Zoom with their group of kids. My son would look forward to signing on each Sunday evening where he connected with his friends and felt seen by adults who cared about him. They’d play virtual games with each other. They would read the Bible together. They’d laugh and ask questions and talk about hard things. And most importantly, they created a safe, predictable place during a time when kids needed it more than ever before. 

Their investment in the lives of those kids that year was life-changing. My son–now 14 years old–has a solid foundation as he’s about to enter high school this fall. Much of that has to do with Mr. and Mrs. Quillin.

Our family has since moved away from that church, due to a relocation with my husband’s job. Just the other day, I received a graduation announcement in the mail for Preston Quillin. I sent his mom a text to check in. She and Mr. Quillin are still serving on Sundays, leading a group of 5th graders. Mr. Quillin also helps on Wednesday nights. Preston is leading 2nd graders. And I don’t see this changing any time soon. They are all in, and I suspect they always will be.

Trust me. Playing the long game is so worth it.

The post Summer Strategy: How Investing in the Long Game Transforms Volunteer Recruitment appeared first on Think Orange.

Teams don’t have Volunteers. They Have Teammates! 

Teammates are closer than volunteers! Teams create environments of belonging that make it easier to recognize when someone is not doing well. Using “teammate” instead of “volunteer” reinforces that we are all in this together. It connects us all to the emotional and physical nature of Next Gen ministry and links us all together to celebrate when we meet the common goals. Being a team, instead of a leader with volunteers, evens the playing field and helps people move forward together.

Celebrate Wins Relentlessly

When we move forward together, there will be challenges to solve, and tackling that head-on, with the people in the trenches, will help your teammates feel valued. But we don’t just want to tackle challenges; we want to celebrate wins! It’s easier to motivate people to stay in the game when we call out what is going right more often than discussing areas that need growth. When we celebrate wins that emphasize vision and faith growth, we are reiterating why we do what we do so that no one gets lost in tasks that can become routine. Celebrating team wins builds cohesion. Celebrating personal wins reminds everyone that, while we are in this together, our individual lives matter, too. It allows everyone to be a part of a team while knowing they are still seen individually.

Prioritize The Person, Not The Volunteer

To avoid burnout, people should know that you see them as more than a route to an end. Your teammates need to know that you see them as individuals and recognize they have individual needs beyond Sunday morning. Their families, health, and personal goals all need to matter. And as much as we value our teammates showing up predictably, life can often be unpredictable. When we as leaders plan for unpredictability, that shows our teammates we care about them as much as they care about the ministry. We need to celebrate their vacations. Ensure they don’t feel guilty for needing to be out when sick. And before they hit burnout, recognize when it is time for them to take a break.

Encourage Breaks Before Burnout Hits

We love teammates who serve year after year for decade after decade. It makes it easier for us during recruitment. It provides stability for families. It builds healthy relationships. But in reality, life will no doubt present seasons when your teammates need to take a break for their well-being. If we encourage them to take a break at the first sign of needing a break, it is more likely that they won’t burn out and will return sooner, happier, and healthier.

Anyone can burn out, but it is less likely when we treat our volunteers, who should be viewed more as teammates, as people more than workers towards a goal. We need to see the people we serve with each week as part of a team that influences the faith of kids and students. Teammates look out for each other, bring out the best in each other, aim towards common goals, and celebrate the wins. When we do that, it is easier to stoke the fire in each other so that we win together and all avoid burnout.

Not sure where to begin when it comes to recruiting and retaining great volunteers? Read our guide to elevating volunteer strategy here!

The post Avoiding Volunteer Burnout appeared first on Think Orange.

1. A coffee mug. If your house is like mine, opening a certain cabinet means risking injury from an avalanche of unused and unwanted merch mugs. A cool mug every once in a while is awesome, but if you’ve done one in the last five years, there’s a good chance your volunteers don’t want another one. What if, instead of a promo mug, this year you gave each volunteer some ethically sourced coffee, a group barista class, or a gift card to a local coffee shop?

2. A water bottle. It’s no secret that certain water bottles reign supreme each year. 2023 was the year of the Stanley. 2022 was all about the Hydroflask. The problem is that with the rise in popularity, most folks choose their own water bottles based on specific needs -like water intake goals and the size of the cup holder in their car. Not to mention, they can be a bit pricey. Maybe this year,, you keep your crew fueled with some encouragement by writing them a thank you note, giving them a short devotional (like this one), parent encouragement cards for the parents who are volunteers, or small group icebreaker cards to fuel better conversations.

3. Church-branded t-shirts. Okay, this one is controversial. I can’t pretend like I don’t love a good t-shirt, but after a four-year commitment to serving in our high school ministry, I found myself with ministry swag taking up 50% (yes, seriously. HALF) of my dresser drawers! The reality is a t-shirt with a logo is great for a short time but quickly becomes a less-than-favorite. There are a few exceptions, though, right? The t-shirts that we wear for years to come, the ones we cherish season after season, are often the ones associated with specific messages that are meaningful. That’s why we’re so excited about the See You Tomorrow T-Shirt that reminds every volunteer to keep faith alive tomorrow (and all the tomorrows after that). If you do make your own ministry shirts, consider designing them around core and inspiring messages from your ministry instead of leveraging logos and the branding of your ministry.

4. A notebook. Blank journals are amazing, but sometimes it can be tempting to let them sit on the shelf until we have something important to write in there. Am I the only one with a shelf full of empty journals? That’s why I love a gift that tells me what to do. Maybe this year, give your leaders the gift of growth with a copy of Lead Small (or the Art of Group Talk) to go with that notebook and ask them to note their thoughts and ideas along the way.

5. Candy Canes and hot cocoa. We get it. Candy canes are delicious, and hot cocoa packets often feel like the BEST option for a gift on a budget. These days, when all of our budgets are a little tighter than they used to be, it can be tough to find gifts that don’t feel…well…cliché. 

As someone who has led a small group of 33 girls, I know it’s hard to find gifts that don’t break the bank. Here are a few options in case your volunteers are a little candy-caned out this time of year.

1. Plan a fun night out. Give families a map with the best Christmas light displays marked for a fun outing.

2. Send them some ear candy. Make a Spotify playlist of GREAT Christmas music and share it with a QR code.

3. Make it personal. Ask students or their parents to write notes of encouragement to your leaders and place all of those notes (in tiny font) into a DIY- Christmas ornament for the leader.

4. Give them a break. Create a “no-guilt day-off coupon” where they can take a week off from your program to rest (as long as they tell you in advance!)

5. Help them win with parents. Give your volunteers gifts for the families in their group so they don’t have to pay out of pocket. Here are some great options:

• • Phase cards or guides
  • Encouragement cards
  • Prayer cards
  • Advent boxes

My personal favorite is to give every leader a glass Christmas ornament from the dollar store with a personal note from me rolled up inside. When holiday stress gets to them, they are to smash the ornament and enjoy the note of encouragement as well as the sheer bliss of shattering something for fun. It’s like a mini-rage room but on a budget. 

And if none of these ideas sound quite right, use the code HOLIDAY23 at Orange Store for 20% off our best resources for volunteers and parents! Happy gifting!

The post 5 Gifts Your Volunteers Don’t Want appeared first on Think Orange.