Volunteers are really what make a church or ministry go. Seriously, churches would be completely ineffective without volunteers. Churches have a responsibility to develop great, top tier volunteers. Here are five things you can do as a volunteer in your worship/band/production team to take things to the next level.
1. Show up early
If you truly want to be a next level volunteer, on time is not early enough. Show up 15 or even 30 minutes early. This will do several things for you (and for those in leadership above you).
- You will be more likely to be prepared to accomplish your task.
- You will get some great one-on-one time with your leader (worship leader, productions pastor, etc). This is valuable, and if you want to grow as a volunteer, you should seek time with your leader.
- You will have an opportunity to take on more responsibility.
This last point is important. When volunteers in my worship ministry show up early, they often ask what they can do to help. This is such a blessing to me, and these are the people that I like to entrust with more and more responsibilities.
2. Show up prepared (in other words, practice)
There’s one thing that’s worse than showing up late, and that’s showing up unprepared. You not only waste the worship leaders’ time, you waste all the other volunteers’ time as well. I ask our volunteers to come to rehearsal having already learned the songs – rehearsal is not the time to learn the songs – it’s the time to put them all together and craft and amazing worship experience.
If the culture in your church or worship team is to show up unprepared (even if your worship leader permits this or even does it him/herself), you can start to change the culture.
3. Learn a new instrument or skill
I believe that musicians should constantly seek to improve their skill, and great musicians should branch out to other instruments. You will improve your skill on your current instrument, and it will allow your worship leader to schedule more efficiently as you become proficient in another instrument. This goes for production skills as well – if you run sound, learn Pro Presenter (or whatever software you use for image projection).
4. Mentor somebody
I believe great leaders (and volunteers) should replicate themselves. Find someone in your church with potential, and tech them everything you know. You will ultimately grow yourself, and you’ll raise up another generation of great leaders in the church.
5. Lead worship when you are not scheduled
I believe that lots of worship leading happens from within the congregation. When a person truly engages in worship from within the congregation, it inspires those around them to do so as well. You can be this person. When you are not on stage or serving, be plugged in and be present. Engage in authentic worship. Build a culture in your church.
