UECF logoUnited Evangelical Christian Fellowship Church (UECF)130 Ferris Pl, Westfield, NJ
Chapter 26 of 40

Today’s Mission

Today’s Mission

smileyDay 24

A Matter of Time

Give, and it will be given to you.

Luke 6:38

I’ve learned a secret about writing: put in the time, and you’ll have a book. The reason most people who say they want to be writers don’t get their book written is not because they don’t have the ability. It’s almost always because they don’t put in the time.

This book is a cousin of “Write a Novel in Thirty Days,” giving you the steps to transform the volunteer culture around your youth ministry. Our experience is that those who put in the time have all the volunteers they need. Those who don’t put in the time complain about how unsupportive their churches are.

As you may know, I (Mark) have publically made a one hundred dollar bet with thousands of people. Here’s the challenge I’ve made: “If you will use the recruiting method I teach, spending at least two hours a day, five days a week for six months, and you don’t have all the volunteers you need at the end of that six months, I’ll pay you one hundred dollars.”

I’ve never once had to pay.

Though I think the process clearly works, I’m afraid the bigger reason I’ve never lost the bet is that most people just don’t put in the time. The hard part is not knowing what to do; it’s doing it. It’s a matter of time.

If we work the process, the process just works. Give the necessary time to this project, and the time you give will be given back to you in the form of partners who multiply your ministry by helping you carry the load.

Today’s Mission

  • Take one more step for each of the five leader documents, either working on the document yourself or providing support to the person responsible to complete the document in the next four days:
    1. youth leader directory
    2. major event calendar
    3. youth directory
    4. child protection and screening forms and policies
    5. job descriptions
  • Take a look at the structure document or organizational chart that you developed on day nineteen. Using the ranked list of your current volunteers, determine if anyone is in the “wrong seat on the bus.” Make one step today toward moving someone on your current team into a role that will be more life-giving for the volunteer and more impactful for your ministry.
  • Complete the items you’ve assigned yourself to accomplish on this day. If you haven’t scheduled specific items on this day, return to day twenty-three and complete step one.
  • Develop your potential helper list, drawing on the names of those who have said no to a specific partner role but who you think might be willing to serve in a one-time helper role some­time during the year.
  • Edit the helper role survey, which includes a sample list of helper roles, to personalize it for your church. It can be found in and at ministryarchitects.com/30-day-change-resources.
  • Continue your recruiting and follow-up work:
    1. With your master recruiting documents (your needs list and your ranked pool list) in front of you, check your email to see if anyone has responded to your invitation, and reply to those emails immediately.
    2. For those who have said yes, make sure their names are written in black ink on your master list.
    3. For those who have said maybe, send an email suggesting a meeting time and place for you to talk further about what you’re looking for.
    4. Hold any scheduled meetings with potential volunteers.
    5. For those who have said no,
      1. Move their names to the bottom of the pool list, under the section called “No.”
      2. Beside each name, write what role each person has said no to.
      3. Remove their names from the needs list.
      4. Place new names in the blanks left by those who have said no.
  • Send your standard invitation email to the people you have added to your master recruiting list.
  • Send a follow-up message to any potential volunteer who hasn’t responded to your last message in three days or more.

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