Hot
Topic Archive
May
2005
Print version
Lessons
from the Pulpit:
What
volunteerism can learn from the modern day church
movement
By
Andy Fryar
For
many years I’ve been one of those voices critical
of the volunteer management practices of the traditional
church movement in Australia .
Quite
frankly in many mainstream denominations, membership
of a local church has often come with the unspoken
requirement of needing to fulfil a variety of volunteer
roles in order to become a ‘fully fledged’
and active parishioner. In itself this is not such
a bad thing – after all, serving others is a
key tenet of most religions. However, the difficulty
I’ve had has been that these ‘expectations
to perform’ volunteer activities are almost
a version of ‘mandatory volunteering’
we never dare speak of – with the added catch
that little or no thought is often ever given to offering
any practical support or training to the church volunteers
themselves.
Am
I being cynical? Well yes maybe - and of course I
am generalising too. There are many Australian churches
that do and always have given appropriate consideration
to the role that volunteers play in their ranks –
particularly those churches performing social outreach
programs. However I stand by the observation that
many traditional church bodies still have a long way
to go in the support of their volunteer team members.
With
this in mind, I was pleased to read reports recently
about the continued growth of the modern day church
movement in Australia and the ways it has had to adapt
to societal changes in order to continue to attract
new members and more importantly, stay relevant to
a new generation.
The
parallels with the volunteer movement were not lost
on me.
Like
many of the more established churches, many ‘traditional’
volunteer groups are also struggling to attract new
volunteer team members. They are often seen as increasingly
irrelevant or at least, a less attractive option,
in an environment which is much more competitive and
fast paced.
Consider
the following statistics from the National Church
Life Survey (NCLS)* :
* Overall church attendance in Australia declined
7 per cent in the past five years.
* The decline was most prevalent in the more ‘traditional’
denominations. Catholic Mass attendance had dropped
13 per cent, the Uniting Church 7 per cent and Anglicans
2 per cent
* These figures worsened as congregations aged. In
many Anglican churches, three out of five people are
now older than 70.
Notice
any similarities with traditional volunteer groups?
Now
here’s the interesting point. The modern day
church movement (primarily Pentecostal and evangelical
denominations) have made, and continue to make, the
changes required to meet the needs of those looking
for fulfilment in the 21 st century.
An
article in ‘The Age’ newspaper recently
reported that:
* Assemblies of God attendance had risen 20 per cent,
the Apostolic Church by 20 per cent and Christian
City Churches by 42 per cent.
* Pentecostals were the religious phenomenon of the
20th century, growing from zero to nearly 500 million,
or a quarter of the world's Christians.
So
what is it that the Pentecostal and Evangelical churches
are doing that is different to those mainstream denominations
that are declining in both attendance and the number
of younger people they attract? And more importantly,
what can the volunteerism movement learn from the
lessons that have been applied?
A
quick look at the website of Australia ’s largest
church, the Hillsong church in Sydney , gives some
clues. The site itself is high tech, attractive, inviting,
informative and easy to navigate. More importantly,
it clearly demonstrates Hillsong’s commitment
to involving the broader community in its activities.
Pictures on the site show (mainly younger) people
enjoying themselves and for a pleasant change, indigenous
Australians are well represented amongst the images.
A
quick scan of their services (which attract 17,500
per week) show a vast array of worship options and
ways to get involved that are sure to suit people
of all age groups and with a variety of interests.
Services are also offered specifically in Spanish,
Chinese and Filipino. There is a clear demonstration,
even from their website alone, of a climate that has
been created to meet the needs of a changing world.
The site also features a very nice page where interested
persons can sign up to become a volunteer (Note: It
is offered as an option and not an automatically assumed
role)
Mark
Connor, the Senior Pastor at Melbourne’s largest
church, ‘CityLife’, offered further clues
to the success of the modern church in the Age article
mentioned above;
As well as the winning worship style, he (Connor)
also mentions energy and vision and a theological
shift from church growth (winning numbers) to church
health (keeping them). And leadership. "A healthy
leader is the key to a healthy church because you
reproduce after your kind. If I have an angry style,
make rash decisions, am harsh with the staff, other
things may be right but we won't grow”.
Before
moving on, there is one final quote I’d like
to take from ‘The Age’ article which refers
to the newest emerging trend, where church really
is beginning to operate outside of the traditional
‘square;
“Another
group that seems to be growing are the so-called emerging
churches, beloved of the Sydney Anglicans, whose members
meet in cafes, pubs, workplaces or anywhere, on any
day at any time, to service particular groups. According
to Ross Langmead, lecturer in missions at (the Baptist)
Whitley College , these churches are informal, avoid
jargon and take the message into society rather than
inviting society to church”.
So
what do all these lessons teach us about volunteerism?
Well plenty. If we take time to consider the changes
that these church groups have made in order to make
themselves more relevant to a generation used to living
life at a faster pace, who are more informed and who
are highly analytical about the use of their time,
we can clearly see where good volunteer management
practices may also take our volunteer programs.
To
finish, I wanted to again refer to the ‘National
Church Life Survey’, whose website features
a list of ‘ the 12 core qualities of healthy
churches’ – indicators that the NCLS have
determined, as a result of their research, must be
present for a church to be functioning to its maximum
potential.
Below
I’ve listed the 12 qualities and parallelled
them with good volunteer management practices for
you all to consider
| CORE
QUALITITES IN CHURCHES |
COMPARISONS
WITH VOLUNTEERISM |
Quality
# 1 ~ An Alive Faith
At
the heart of vital and effective churches is
an alive, growing faith. Churches need faith
nurturing activities, community experiences
and opportunities for service that lead people
forward in their faith.
|
Volunteer
programs similarly must seek out and find the
reasons people volunteer in the first place and
seek to emphasize these as a benefit of volunteering.
More often than not these will be tied closely
to the mission of your organisation |
Quality
# 2 ~ Vital Worship
Worship
services are central to a churches life together
and important to Christian growth. They are
also a major factor in drawing people into church
life or turning them away. Churches need to
offer their rich heritage of worship practice
in ways that can engage people of diverse ages,
cultures and lifestyles.
|
We
must never lose sight of the social benefits that
voluntary activities bring to many volunteers.
We too need to be developing ways that engage
people of all ages, cultures and lifestyles. |
Quality
# 3 ~ Sense of belonging
Growth
in faith and belonging to a Christian community
are intimately connected. Churches should function
as spiritual families where members experience
friendship, share life, struggles and hopes
and contribute their gifts .
|
Likewise,
volunteer programs fulfil this role for many
who are involved. We must never overlook the
feelings of connectedness that volunteers gain
from their involvement and we must be vigilant
in looking for ways to enhance this experience
for all volunteers.
|
Quality
# 4 ~ Concern for the fringe
Newcomers
to parishes and congregations need to be welcomed
with warmth and receive ongoing hospitality
that shows their presence is valued.
|
Volunteer
programs must develop ways to support and encourage
new volunteers as they enter into the program.
|
Quality
# 5 ~ Care for young people
Children,
youth and young adults need space and a safe
environment in which to explore and discover
their own faith and identity. Churches can provide
this, helping them feel that they belong and
that, as their needs and interests change, there
are opportunities for them to contribute and
shape what is happening.
|
Statistics
indicate that young people are volunteering
for a wide range of reasons – and not
simply to gain practical experience for the
workforce as many people think! Consider the
ways that you communicate with and attract young
people to your program, and ensure that they
too have a say in your program and how it operates
|
Quality
# 6 ~ A focus beyond ourselves
Churches
need to be missional, focused beyond themselves
and their own needs, connecting with the wider
community around them through corporate church
initiatives and informally through the everyday
lives of all attendees.
|
The
mission of volunteer organisations is often
lost on volunteers in the undertaking of daily
duties. Consider ways to bring volunteers back
to the core business of the organization and
demonstrate clearly how the activities volunteers
undertake impact directly on that mission
|
Quality
# 7 ~ Serving the wider community
Outward
focus needs to have a dimension of service grounded
in Jesus' exhortation that we "love our
neighbour as ourselves". The many forms
of outreach and care provided by individuals
and church groups in turn may transform the
church community and its life of faith.
|
Never
let your volunteers lose sight of the fact that
they are working for the benefits of the broader
community – whether that be for an environmental
cause, assisting youth or homelessness, healthcare
or a myriad of other community services
|
Quality
# 8 ~ Discussing faith and inviting others
Churches
need to be assisting attendees to feel comfortable
talking about issues of faith with others in
their everyday lives. They will also be encouraging
them to invite others to church to hear the
'good news' and experience the reality of Christian
community .
|
Word-of-mouth
remains the number one source of recruiting
new volunteers yet how many of us encourage
– or even go so far as to assist –
our existing volunteers to talk to others about
their volunteer work and other available opportunities
we might have?
|
Quality
# 9 ~ Integrating newcomers
Newcomers
not involved with another congregation or parish
need to be drawn into the life of the church
and helped to find their place in the life of
the faith community
|
Cultural
divide remains one of the biggest obstacles
to the successful integration of new volunteers
into existing programs. Think of ways that your
‘old timers’ can be involved in
the successful integration and orientation of
new team members
|
Quality
# 10 ~ Vision for the future
Vital
churches spend time discerning a clear vision
for the future to which all can contribute and
own. This vision inspires and guides the growth
of the community of faith.
|
Volunteer
programs must do this too. Planning and vision
are key factors in growing successful and responsive
volunteer programs. If you haven’t done
so for a while, why not encourage your Board
of Management to hold a planning day and review
their direction and vision for your organisation
and volunteer program – and don’t
forget to involve volunteers!
|
Quality
# 11 ~ Openness to new possibilities
Discerning
their vision for the future may lead churches
into unchartered waters. Churches need to be
willing to take new initiatives and risks for
the sake of making connections between the gospel
and the contemporary world.
|
We
must never rest on our laurels for too long.
Volunteer programs need to be informed about
latest research and trends, and willing to be
creative in the ways they address the needs
of emerging volunteer groups
|
Quality
# 12 ~ Empowering leadership
A
church that is moving forward is likely to have
skilled leaders who inspire people to action
while, at the same time, empower all to grow
their gifts and skills and to use them for the
Kingdom. A priest, minister, pastor or senior
leader will be working in harmony with a range
of others both employed and volunteer; they
will be growing in their own faith and modeling
an outward focus in their priorities.
|
Sadly,
many volunteer program managers have fallen
into the trap of being ‘administrators
of paperwork’ rather than inspirational
leaders, empowering volunteers to take on new
and challenging roles. Volunteer Managers must
be willing to delegate the roles that make a
difference and not just the jobs they don’t
enjoy! Never forget the pivotal and important
role that a VPM makes in the life of any volunteer
program
|
Without
turning this Hot Topic into a full blown article –
let me just encourage you all to consider these examples
and the implications they may have for you and your
volunteer management environment.
http://www.ncls.org.au
The
Age online, “The Hallelujah chorus”, December
24, 2004 by Barney Zwartz
http://www.hillsong.com
http://www.ncls.org.au
Now
let’s hear what you think?
It's
not too late to...
Respond
to this month's Hot Topic
(Be
sure to add your name, title and organisation to your
message)
Should
this link not open your regular email browser, simply
send your reply to response@ozvpm.com
Read
other people's responses
Print
version
The
contents of this Hot Topic are copyright © 2003
- 04 OzVPM.
You may reproduce this Hot Topic in part or in full
on the condition that the author, source and website
address (www.ozvpm.com)
are quoted. OzVPM copyright
policy
Visit
this month’s ‘Hot
Topic’ on the Energize web site.
|
