Thursday, February 15, 2007
Handling Volunteers - Not!
It's written by a very young man, so I suppose it can be forgiven, but I find this MMI post completely and totally offensive:
Let's start with the humanistic aspect. Since when is any person a "commodity." I thought we fought a civil war over that? Sheesh, that kind of language can get a fella into a bunch of trouble. I am sure all those volunteers he seeks to applaud will take kindly to the notion that they are a commodity to be cared for instead of people to be , oh I don't know, loved.
Ah, and then there is the motivational aspect. Leadership 101 - people like to feel a sense of ownership over that to which they give their time and resources. This reads like only real professionals can do ministry, everyone else is just a resource; therefore, to be managed and used as convenient. How about the attitude of service, where the pros are they to aid the ministry of the body, you know, the church - all those lowly volunteers out there.
Which leads me to the theology. WE ARE ALL FREAKING MINISTERS! There are not real, paid ministers and amatuerish volunteers. My father once told me the only difference between staff and volunteer was the paycheck.
OK, calm down, finish the rant....
I think I have made the point. Again, this is a young man and as young people we all say and do very stupid things. I hope someone at this guy's church is moving alongside him and helping him develop just a tad bit of humility.
But I am also fearful that this is increasingly reflective of how us mere pewsitters are viewed by the sainted staff. Just don't view me that way, and especially not in my presence. It's likely to get really ugly, really fast.
Related Tags: ministry, professionl, volunteer, church, theology
I've seen the phrase "volunteers are gold" used around the church scene before (mainly from Brad Powell at Northridge Community Church) and I believe it is one of the truest statements I've ever heard. Volunteers are the most valuable commodities in ministry. Without them, nothing would get done in our churches. But I'm sure that most of us would agree that we could do a better job at making our volunteers feel valuable..."Valuable commodities"!?!?!?!? To be made to feel "valuable"?!?!?!?!?!?!?! What a crock of elitist, patronizing CRAP! This just sucks theologically, motivationally, and humanistically.
Let's start with the humanistic aspect. Since when is any person a "commodity." I thought we fought a civil war over that? Sheesh, that kind of language can get a fella into a bunch of trouble. I am sure all those volunteers he seeks to applaud will take kindly to the notion that they are a commodity to be cared for instead of people to be , oh I don't know, loved.
Ah, and then there is the motivational aspect. Leadership 101 - people like to feel a sense of ownership over that to which they give their time and resources. This reads like only real professionals can do ministry, everyone else is just a resource; therefore, to be managed and used as convenient. How about the attitude of service, where the pros are they to aid the ministry of the body, you know, the church - all those lowly volunteers out there.
Which leads me to the theology. WE ARE ALL FREAKING MINISTERS! There are not real, paid ministers and amatuerish volunteers. My father once told me the only difference between staff and volunteer was the paycheck.
OK, calm down, finish the rant....
I think I have made the point. Again, this is a young man and as young people we all say and do very stupid things. I hope someone at this guy's church is moving alongside him and helping him develop just a tad bit of humility.
But I am also fearful that this is increasingly reflective of how us mere pewsitters are viewed by the sainted staff. Just don't view me that way, and especially not in my presence. It's likely to get really ugly, really fast.
Related Tags: ministry, professionl, volunteer, church, theology
