I was preparing some statistics this week for use in a video at our First Annual Volunteer Appreciation Night. These included things like the total number of volunteers serving at RVC, how many in each ministry area, how many guitar players, and so on. Our total number of volunteers, 340, is 34% of our average weekend attendance of about 1000. 34% is certainly above average, so that's good, but then there's still 66% who aren't experiencing a vital component of what church is about.
Part of my philosophy regarding volunteers in ministry is that the person who volunteers is always more important to us than what they do. And related to that, I want to encourage and motivate people to serve firstly because they need to, and secondly because we need them to -- this, I believe, is the proper priority of a healthy motive. It's a spiritual activity to serve and be used in ministry, and I want people to know that first hand, to experience it, and to grow because of it. The deeper things of the Christian life come through engaging our lives in God's work, in God's ministry. It blows me away that I get to be a part of what God is doing, and I want every Christian to know that joy.
The statistic that struck me the most was this: It takes approximately 150 volunteers to accomplish the ministry that happens just during our three weekend services. One hundred and fifty! If it weren't for these people, we could not deliver the ministry that 1000 people benefit from every weekend. We have great pastors and staff, but we are far too few. It's at the hands of a much larger team that most of the ministry gets done.
Wherever you attend church, I hope you're involved in what God is doing there by serving. Jesus served as a model for us, and God established His church, the "Body of Christ", to do His work. This is God's design. If you attend RVC and want to be put to work, see me!...I'll gladly help you! Just don't underestimate the value of any task in God's church. It is He who put ministry in your hands.
