SUSTAINABLE GRACE: CHRISTIAN SERVICE AND MINISTRY (1)

Terry Wimberley

Pastor for Connectional Communities

First Presbyterian Church, Aiken, SC

"Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.”

Mark: 16:15

“GO INTO ALL THE WORLD..”

• The “World” of the Christian begins in the church but ministry must extend beyond the church walls and church services.

• Ministry is Christian Service and ideally the world around us is served by what we do within and beyond the physical boundaries of the church building and property.

”PERSISTING” IN SERVICE”

• Church’s and non-profits who serve the community too frequently “use-people-up” to the point where some become alienated from Christian Ministry and community service.

• This phenomenon of becoming used up by churches and non profits is know as “volunteer” burnout.

PERSISTENCE AND PURPOSE

In 1964 Viktor Frankl (Auschwitz survivor) wrote about the meaning and purpose of life in Man’s Search for Meaning asserting that:

• Life has meaning under all circumstances, even the most miserable ones.

• Our main motivation for living is our will to find meaning in life.

• We have freedom to find meaning in what we do, and what we experience, or at least in the stance we take when faced with a situation of unchangeable suffering.

EXISTENTIAL VOIDS

• Since, according to Frankl, circumstance of our lives don’t necessarily dictate the purpose and meaning of our lived experiences, we have the freedom to pursue meaning and happiness within the context of what our lives and circumstances offer us.

• That some of us find the ability to pursue purpose in our lives and others don’t is a measure of what later writers would call and “Existential Void” – a lack of meaning in life.

PURPOSE OF LIFE INVENTORY

PURPOSEFUL LIFE

• The “PIL” didn’t address spiritual fulfillment or purpose.

• It is often assumed that ”religious” people are by definition fulfilled.

• This is in fact erroneous since spiritual life – while central to Christian living – is not inclusive of the entire life experience.

• One good question deriving from this discussion is “Does God desire that believers be “happy?”

GOD & HAPPINESS

• Isaiah 12:3 - With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.

• Psalm 37:4 - Take delight in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart.

• Psalm 126:2 - Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy.

• Luke 6:21 - Blessed are you who hunger now, for you will be satisfied. Blessed are you who weep now, for you will laugh.

GOD & PEACE

Likewise, does God wish us to be at Peace?

Colossians 3:5 – Let the Peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful!

1 Peter 5:7 – Cast all your anxiety on Him because he cares for you

Philippians 4:7 – And the peace of God which transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Jesus Christ

GOD & SUSTAINED GRACE

• So if God desires peace and happiness for us then what is God’s grace?

• God’s Grace is the love and mercy given to us by God because God desires us to have it not because we earned it.

• God sustains us by constantly pouring out his mercy and love upon us – regardless of what is going on within us or around us.

SUSTAINED GRACE AND CHURCH SERVICE

• When we serve on behalf of the Lord’s church we can count upon being sustained in our service even as we extend God’s grace, love and mercy to others as we serve.

• This begs the Question: “If God is continually loving us, gracing us with His presence and and extending his mercy and forgiveness to us, then how is it that we sometimes find ourselves “burned out” in our service?

CAUSES OF VOLUNTEER BURNOUT

• Typically linked to the volunteer’s choice to take on too much work in settings that fail to realistically manage and support their efforts.

• Also linked to feeling that work is unappreciated, unimportant or no longer fulfilling.

• Among nonprofit organizations managers sometimes balance their agency budgets by using volunteer labor in lieu of paid staff even when the tasks involved require paid staff.

CHURCH VOLUNTEER BURNOUT

Burnout among church volunteers is often attributed to:

• People being placed in the wrong serving role.

• People being left to serve too long in any given role.

• Volunteers were not set up for success.

• Volunteers felt isolated and unconnected.

• Time demands were excessive.

• Volunteers failed to monitor how much time they were serving.

• There was not enough “variety” in their volunteer experience.

FOUR STAGES OF BURNOUT

• Physical, mental and emotional exhaustion

• Shame and doubt

• Cynicism and callousness

• Failure, helplessness and crisis

SUSTAINABLE CHRISTIAN SERVICE

• In the life of the church, it’s not “service” alone that drives the church’s mission, it’s “sustainable service” that counts.

• By sustainable service I refer to the capacity of the church to maintain volunteer services over the long run.

• Achieving sustainable Christian service requires avoiding “burnout.”

WHO ARE SERVICE VOLUNTEERS?

• Volunteers — an unpaid workforce available to further the goals and to help meet an array of needs in resource-constrained organizations—represent one of the critical competitive advantages of the nonprofit sector.

• 80% of the nation’s nonprofit organizations use volunteers.

• 100% of the nation’s churches use volunteers!

FAILURE TO UNDERSTAND HOW TO MAXIMIZE

VOLUNTEER RESOURCES

• According to the RKG Center for Philanthropy and Community Service at the LBJ School of Public Affairs at the University of Texas (2009):

• “Few organizations possess the knowledge to strategically maximize this advantage.”

• Unfortunately, this includes churches.

FIVE VOLUNTEER MYTHS

1. Volunteers are free.

2. You can’t “invest” in volunteer efforts.

3. Volunteers want only what you want.

4. Meeting volunteers halfway is a recipe for disaster.

5. Volunteer work is best defined as that which paid staff want no part of.

MAXIMIZING VOLUNTEER ENGAGEMENT

Pastors and administrators wishing to maximize the effectiveness of volunteers must:• Maximize volunteer participation; • Manage diverse volunteer community interests and

resources; • Facilitate productive relations among staff, volunteers,

and clients; • Guard against volunteer-related risks & liabilities;

• Ensure voluntary service support organizational strategic goals.

ONE-WAY RELATIONSHIPS WITH VOLUNTEERS

• This model suggests that the needs and motives of just one party in the volunteer-nonprofit relationship are important: the needs of the organization to see a task completed.

LACK OF RECIPROCITY FOR VOLUNTEERS

• Too frequently those utilizing volunteers erroneously assume that these folks need no more satisfaction than realizing the organizational goals.

• What makes the matter worse yet is that many volunteers often never learn how their efforts actually support the work of nonprofits and churches.

REQUIRING RECIPROCITY

• Volunteers have the right to both expect and demand reciprocity in their relationships with organizations utilizing their services.

• Christian Volunteer have the right to that expectation because their biblical foundations teach: “Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others” (Philippians 2:4).This applies to volunteers and those who manage and employ their services.

POORLY CONCEIVED VOLUNTEER ENGAGEMENT

Poorly managed volunteer engagement:

• Over-simplifies volunteer utilization and

• Construes volunteer contributions as separate and of lesser value than other work of the organization.

PRODUCTIVE VOLUNTEER CHECKLIST (PART1)

• Respond to volunteer inquiries quickly.

• Screen potential volunteers for skills and genuine interest.

• Define and communicate roles and expectations clearly.

• Implement standard training for all volunteers.

PRODUCTIVE VOLUNTEER CHECKLIST (PART2)

• Match skills and interests of the volunteer with opportunities.

• Establish the value of the volunteer - making sure they have an important role in the organization that impacts the whole volunteer process

• Provide volunteers with opportunity to provide/receive feedback.

• Implement a good tracking tool to measure value.

PRODUCTIVE VOLUNTEER CHECKLIST (PART3)

• Provide support and assistance to volunteers at all times.

• Provide an opportunity for volunteers to connect with other volunteers and nonprofit leadership.

• Develop an ongoing recognition program.

• Develop strong relationships with partner programs

RECRUITING CHURCH VOLUNTEERS

• Start relationships.Your goal isn’t recruiting; it’s starting a relationship. Get to know members of your church. Ask great questions, and listen to their answers. Learn about their families, jobs, passions, and hobbies. Then, help them understand the roles your church has that fit their passions and giftings.

• Be passionate. Are you passionate about your ministry? People are attracted to leaders with passion and vision so if that naturally pours out of you, people will want to serve alongside you.

• Know what you need. Identify the roles you have open and the qualities and skills needed to fill each role. Don’t just think about your current needs; think about future needs as well.

RECRUITING CHURCH VOLUNTEERS

• Cast vision about the role. Instead of stating your need, present the opportunity your volunteers have to make a difference. See the following examples and ask yourself which inspires you to action.Option 1: “We need two people to help out in our two-year old room.”Option 2: “Our preschool students learn God’s Word each and every weekend. Join our volunteer team and help our two-year-olds understand God’s unique love for them.”

• Don’t say “no” for them. Some leaders automatically discount attenders in their church because they think they won’t be interested in serving or don’t have the time. Ask them anyway. Many people would love to serve and are just waiting for you to ask.

• Ask your current volunteers to recruit for you. The best people to recruit more volunteers are your current volunteers. Encourage them to bring a friend to serve with, or host an event in which they can ask people to join their ministry team.

ENCOURAGING VOLUNTEERS

• Connect them with others. Help them meet other volunteers and develop relationships. Provide an opportunity for volunteers to get together before or after service, hosts volunteer events during the week, or provide a way for them to connect electronically.

• Say thank you often. Whether it’s face-to-face, in a text message, on social media, or in a handwritten note, thank your volunteer team.

• Pray for them. Give your team an opportunity to submit prayer requests weekly, and gather your staff to pray for them.

ENCOURAGING VOLUNTEERS

• See more in them than they see in themselves. Lead them to do more than they ever thought possible. Speak truth into their lives and encourage them to tackle something that scares them. As they continue to grow in their leadership, empower them to do more.

• Embrace friction. As your volunteer team grows, there will be friction and misunderstandings. You may be tempted to let things go so you can keep harmony on your team, but that’s not what’s best for your culture. Address issues directly but lovingly.

THE CHRISTIAN “FAITH” ORIENTATION TO SERVICE

Faith can be expressed in many ways – some more and less useful for service.

• Grace Motivated Service: Service predicated by the Grace of the Lord that has been bestowed upon the whole world regardless of their station or worthiness. This service is unconditionally free.

• Quid-Pro-Quo Service: Service that is conditionally linked to a public confession of faith in Christ or some requirement to participate in worship, prayer or the like. This service is not free but conditional.

• Social Justice Service: Service that is provided out a a commitment to social justice as articulated in the Bible.

A PRESCRIPTION FOR BURNOUT:THE SUFFERING SERVANT

“Behold, my servant shall act wisely; he shall be high and lifted up, and shall be exalted… . He was despised and rejected by men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide

their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.”

(Isaiah 52:13-53:3)

The Suffering Servant Role: In this role the Christian duty is to suffer on behalf of the Lord. Volunteers adopting this identity believe they are to be “used up” or “consumed with their service.

SUFFERING SERVANTS INVITE ABUSE

• Volunteers who adopt the suffering servant role tend to:

• Make themselves responsible for all outcomes, even those beyond their control.

• Believe their faith calls upon them to work themselves into exhaustion.

• Truly believe they are unworthy and only made worthy by sacrifice and suffering

• Tend to seek out and remain in abusive and exploitative relationships.

THE GRACE-FILLED SERVANT

“God raised us up from death when He raised up Christ Jesus. He has given us a place with Christ in the heavens. He did this to show us

through all the time to come the great riches of His loving-favor. He has shown us His kindness through Christ Jesus.” Ephesians 2:6-7

The Grace-Filled Servant understands that Jesus was the “Suffering Servant” and we are his recipients. Therefore as recipients of divine grace out task is to spread that grace around.

GIFTS OF THE GRACE-FILLED SERVANT

• A person who truly understands the goodness and the grace of God is a person who prays.

• Grace gives good things undeservedly. Grace meets needs. A person of God’s grace serves the rich and the poor, the powerful and the powerless, those of good reputation and bad reputation, the in-crowd and the outcast.

• A person of God’s grace forgives because he has been forgiven.

• A person of God’s grace displays humility – like his master.

• A grace filled servant is a ministry contributor not simply a consumer.