I'm so excited about the three bands that are coming to our KidMin Conference this October 7-10 in Chicago! Not just because they're extremely talented and make great music, but mostly because of their hearts!

Let me tell you about their hearts. Early on, we had a band coming that didn't work out. So we started searching for a replacement. When we contacted bands, we were a little shocked by their sticker price. So we said nope to those bands.

Then we contacted the manager for Leeland and explained to him that the most amazing people who minister to children and families will be at our conference. And that we want them to experience Jesus in meaningful ways.

He checked with Leeland and came back to tell us that they wanted to come. And not only that, they wanted to bring Building 429 and Royal Taylor since they were all starting their tour together. They were so excited about ministering to children's ministers and family ministers that big money wasn't an issue for them. They wanted to serve and minister!

Their humility...hearts for God...and hearts for kidmins were the exact fit for our conference. We've said from the beginning that this conference is about you...it's about conversation and connection...it's about everything but "the show." We're thrilled that these three bands are joining us in that endeavor!

It seems like a no-brainer, but statistics show the #1reason people volunteer is because someone asked them!  Here are 3 quick steps for inviting someone into ministry.  It’s kind of like having a party—and your prospective volunteers are the VIPs.

Step 1 – The Guest List: Make a list of people with the right qualities.  Need someone friendly?  Organized?  Tech-savvy?  Use this as a primary filter.

Step 2 – The Invitation: When it comes to inviting people, get personal.  Either face-to-face or in a brief note. In your note, share how they will make a difference and briefly describe why you enjoy serving in your position.  Positive, high-energy statements are contagious!  End your note with a personal invitation to meet up and discuss the possibilities.

Step 3 – The Party – A Face to Face Meeting: Follow up to arrange a time to meet.  Share what God’s doing in your ministry, and how your “guest” could benefit from getting involved.  If they’re not ready to commit, invite them to observe.  There’s nothing like seeing God at work!

 Learn more best practices on inviting at www.churchvolunteercentral.com.

I taught my son how to drive a stick-shift last night. It was frustrating when I sat on my side of the car and told him how. Once I said, "let me show you," I realized I'd been teaching him wrong. Actually driving the car reminded me of how to do it. Within seconds after we traded spots, he got it!

So the lesson learned? We can't equip others to do what we're not equipped to do. So even before we equip our volunteers, we need to get in touch with what's current, what works and doesn't, and how to do things ourselves...then pass that on.

I can't encourage you enough to keep learning...and then help your volunteers keep learning. Training meetings impossible to get volunteers to? Then reinvent your training with posts on facebook, tweets, quick emails or links sent, or send them to a site to watch a quick video.

So many volunteers quit their positions because they feel ineffective. But yours can feel equipped and sense the blessing from God of "well done, good and faithful servant" when you help them enjoy the ride!

One of the most common reasons volunteers share for quitting is that they didn’t have a clear understanding of what was expected of them. It's frustrating for volunteers to answer God's call and then feel confused, overwhelmed, or under-utilized in service.

So make it a goal to develop job (ministry) descriptions that include the following elements: title, goal of the position, who they're accountable to, a brief summary describing the role,  approximate time required per week, the duration of service (a year?), and finally the benefits the volunteer will receive for doing the ministry.

If that feels overwhelming, check out www.churchvolunteercentral.com. Members of Church Volunteer Central can view and customize over 500 ministry descriptions as a benefit of their membership.  

One of the most amazing tips I've learned about leading volunteers actually came from my experience of recruiting volunteers.

Tip #2: Plug People Into Relationships

People will leave a task before they'll leave a relationship. So it's important to always have at least two people assigned to serve together on a given task.

Here's how this worked for me. We had a large group/small group ministry. So we needed people to do things behind the scenes to make our ministry shine. For example, we had a Supply Team that gathered supplies for the small group leaders and put them in boxes each week.

I'm sure one person could've done this all by herself each week, but instead I recruited four different women who became the best of friends. Each week they would gather to sort through the supplies. While they worked, they laughed, shared needs, and got to know one another.

Their longevity in our ministry was directly tied to their friendship with one another. Let's be honest, it's easy to leave a thing, but when you partner people with each other, they become friends. And saying goodbye to a friend is always tougher.

I know...it doubles your recruiting work on the front end if you have to get twice as many people. But just imagine how much easier it'll be when you don't have to fill holes because people are committed to serving with their friends.