That dreaded volunteer issue. It happens because we are human and we love to connect. But sometimes, too much connecting (I know, I'm stepping on some toes here) at an inappropriate time or place can get in the way of the ministry.

And when handled the wrong way, ever hear these comments?
"But aren’t we supposed to be friendly at church?"

"What’s wrong with talking with my peeps, my family, my squad…when I’m serving?

Ya’ll (can you tell I’m from the South?!) have too many rules! I quit.

First, there is nothing wrong with talking with your people. But sometimes, it can interfere with the mission.

Let’s dig in and ask the question, WHY are we serving today?
To be seen?

To check off the list? “I served today.”

Or - To create a genuinely welcoming environment for ALL those coming through the doors?

Here is the reality: sometimes we can forget the WHY. And I get it! I LOVE talking with my friends! Most of the time, I only get to see them when I’m serving. Be careful to not make the wrong assumptions.

Sometimes. the talking is random and brief. That’s OK!
Sometimes, we assume it’s their people, but we could be wrong.

So, how do we handle the situation when a volunteer is always talking with friends and not able to focus on others or honor their serving role? Training!

Here are 3 Trainables:

1. Help them find The Right Fit for the right post.

This may be a simple fix of finding the right place for the volunteer to serve. Sometimes, people will serve in an area requiring a lot of flow, moving around, or handing out of things and what they want and need is a place to have conversations. Finding or creating serving roles that allow conversations may provide the best fit.

2. Help them understand The WHY!

Tell stories!!! Have stories in your back pocket!

”Hey, remember when Sally visited our church for the first time?

I was talking with, Vicky Volunteer, and she was telling me about her husband’s upcoming surgery. I truly cared about Vicky’s husband but I also noticed that a woman was hanging out at the information desk and seemed to be waiting.

So, I interrupted Vicky and motioned for her to hang on for a moment. I then quickly greeted this woman, introduced myself, and learned that her name was Sally.
Sally shared that it was her first time visiting and
was pretty overwhelmed with all the people. I was able to chat with her and connect her to a ministry.

3. Provide Specific HOW-TOs to get out of long-winded conversations.

This is a great example of when role play is an effective training tool.

Sometimes, when a volunteer is serving at the same location, their friends learn this and know where to find them for long, connecting conversations. Train for these situations and provide a couple of options for the volunteer.

If all else fails, leaders must have the conversation, one-on-one. Seeking first to understand and lean into what the volunteers are saying is the best way to earn trust and create an open and loving culture.

And at the end of the day, if the most loving thing was for that volunteer to spend time with someone, one-on-one, then this is where grace lives.