There has never been a time when I have responded to someone saying "I'd like to volunteer in children's ministry" with "Sorry, we're full.  We have enough volunteers, thanks away." 

Anyone who has worked in any form of ministry, participated in ministry, watched ministry, watched their Facebook news feed, participated in any school, extra-circular group… etc—  knows that each area of the whole world of volunteerism, is in need of volunteers.  Lots of volunteers.  

With the end of 2014 near, I began looking ahead to 2015. I was contemplating the 'shortfall' of volunteers in a few different key areas of children’s ministry and the concerns list was growing.  How are we going to shuffle around people so that we have enough to cover all our key roles in 2015?  Who is willing to step out and try something new?  Who can I ask?  Is there anyone out there who isn’t already spread so thin in the ways they give of their time and resources?  

I took out my pen and large green sticky note pad out.  I began to scribble out names, trying to reformat the teams of volunteers to make it all work. 

32,000 to 300 

 

I scanned through the list - I began to be discouraged. There were tidbits of information that I knew about that would change the formation of each team - and soon. This person is moving, this one will graduate in the spring, this person has been having some health issues, this person has felt called to serve in another area and would like to be able to use their time that way.  Sigh.  “What am I supposed to do”?  I prayed silently in my office.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

All of sudden I felt this urge to email all the volunteers and find out where they were truthfully at. Who was hanging on because they felt they should? Who was actually moving on and afraid to tell me? Who still felt called to remain serving in children’s ministry?

 

I wrote the emails and sent them. I didn’t feel worried.  At least not for first few minutes the emails went out. However as I began to think about what I had just done, I began to try and ‘un-send’ those emails.  What had I done?  

Later that evening I opened my emails to face the pending chaos I had created for myself. The Holy Spirit directed my thoughts to Judges 7.  In Judges 7, there is a man who could relate to my anxiety of recruiting and then releasing people.  Gideon had 32,000 men with him, ready to fight a battle against the Midianites.  A message from the Lord came to Gideon.  “You have too many warriors with you. If I let all of you fight the Midianites, the Israelites will boast to me that they saved themselves by their own strength. Therefore, tell the people, ‘Whoever is timid or afraid may leave this mountain and go home.’” So 22,000 of them went home, leaving only 10,000 who were willing to fight.” (Judges 7:2&3)

32,000 down to 10,000. That’s quite the blow.  But still possible to win a battle.  I mean 10,000 men - that’s not bad for an army.  But then the second message comes “There are still too many! Bring them down to the spring, and I will test them to determine who will go with you and who will not.” (Judges 7:4)

The Lord told Gideon, “With these 300 men I will rescue you and give you victory over the Midianites. Send all the others home.” (Judges 7:7)

32,000 to 300! 

Are you kidding me?!?! Is that you Gideon, in my boat? Giving people a ‘get out of serving in children’s ministry free’ card?  Why oh why did I think that would be ok? Doesn’t God know that we need people to get the job done??  Why did I feel led to write those emails? How will I ever lead a successful ministry if we are perpetually short-staffed? Will I always be functioning in ministry with 300 instead of 32,000? 

I continue through Judges 7. God caused mass chaos in the enemy camp, the Israelites won by a landslide… with only 300 men.   This was a great encouragement to me - this ministry is God’s. He will build his church! He loves his bride. Children's ministy is for His glory, for His Kingdom and for His good. Who He brings in to serve, will be enough.  

 

 

Now- what was that?  You’d like to serve in children's ministry….