From my years of recruiting volunteers in ministry, I have seen it all. Tried it all. This short perspective is about all the wrong ways to bring someone into service. Unfortunately, the wrong ways do work. But at what price? And just as unfortunate, the wrong ways seems to outnumber the right ways. There is no shortage of creatively wrong ways. Here is a quick list.

Group Pressure:  The Clapper

Remember those situations at parties when the crowd wants you to do something but you don't want to do it? What if they want you to sing and you say "no"? They clap. And what if you turn down the clap invitation? They clap again. And if you refuse one more time, they will clap even louder and chant you name. Eventually, you will succumb to this group pressure. I remember when I was young, I was asked to take a leadership position in the youth group. I politely said "no, thanks." But they insisted by clapping. Eventually, I was clapped into office! Group pressures come to us in a variety of ways. Are you a clapper?

Individual Pressures

Just as common as group pressure, there is the individual pressure. There are no spectators chanting your name, but the pressure is still the same. In fact, the following tactics might appear different but they are really all the same as they all rely on external pressures. Here is a quick list.

The bully
He stomps into the room unannounced and speaks. He gives his recruit no room to think. He is confident he will get his man...or woman...or his own little girl! He is the church bully. Like many bullies, he is insecure, but tries not to show it. He relies heavily on his heavy breathing. Are you a bully?

The Beggar
He's not a bully. He's a beggar. He's the exact opposite as he falls to his knees to beg the person to serve. No need for a megaphone, his tears, and his drama speak just as loud. Are you are beggar?

The Prosecuter
He has damaging evidence against his recruit. And he is present it to prove that the recruit is guilty of not serving enough. Either with a stern look or with a smile, the person is declared guilty as charged. Are you a prosecutor?





Buffalo Bill
There's Pastor Bill...Buffalo Bill...standing on a hilltop. He needs some horses...I mean, people...to work with him on his ranch. So he grabs his lasso and goes to the top of the hill. He looks down below onto the grassy plain and sees his congregation of horses unsuspectingly grazing. With sudden determination he gallops downhill with his lasso swinging....and the horses scatter in fear. Some are too fast and feisty. They quickly get away. But others are too slow. They are quickly lassoed and tied and pulled back to the ranch. This is about a fast pastor and a slow volunteer. His lasso is random and very quick and will tied up whoever. It is indiscrimate. Whoever is slow is caught. Do you have a lasso by your side?

Mind Tricks

I supposed the ones above could be classified as tricks to the mind. But the ones above are more of a technique that involves situations, the mind of course, and your emotions. The following is more specifically about the tricks to the mind to get you to serve.

Jedi Mind Tricks
Obi One Kenobi needs something to be done. But he must first the volunteer believe the work is worth all the time and sacrifice. And so he makes a proposal. Words are powerful and the weak-mined has no chance against a master Jedi. Eventually, the volunteer will think what the master wants him to think. Are you Obi One Kenobi?

The Easy Button (downplay)
The work is made to sound very very easy. It's no big deal. It's not a lot of work. No stress. In fact, it's sooo easy a caveman could do it! Reality is, the work is time-consuming, energy draining, spiritually demanding, emotionally exhausting, and may require skills that the volunteer does not have. But if the truth is revealed, the toughest caveman will probably crawl back into his cave. And so, the work is downplayed and made to sound very very easy. Do you own an easy button?

Rainbow Sprinkles (overplay)
The work is made to sound too good to be true. It's like adding rainbow sprinkles to plain old vanilla. Who wants to eat boring old vanilla when he can instantly jazz it up with lots of sprinkles?! Who wants to go about church life the same old boring way when he can instantly jazzed up with a ministry opportunity?! Who wants to sit at a boring old worship when one's spiritual life can be instantly supercharged by the chance of teaching perfect-cute-little angels in Sunday School?! So, the Sunday School (among other things) is made to look like a slice of heaven on earth...a place of inspiration, joy, and great revival for the kids and volunteer. It sounds too good to be true, but you insist that it is. The serving opportunity is overplayed. Have you ever rainbow-sprinkled someone into service?

Clapping, bullying, begging, prosecuting, Bufallo Billing, Obi One Kenobi-ing, easy buttoning, rainbow sprinkling, and so many more creatively wrong ways for getting someone to serve....yes, it does work. But at what price? Yes, the work can get done. But at what cost? Yes, the ministry can even grow. But is God pleased? Yes, the position is filled. But what about the heart?

coming soon...

This short perspective is part of an ongoing mini-series on recruiting.
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