From the Well Spring “Avoiding Volunteer Burnout”
Early in my ministry, a new member was elected to oversee the church Christian Education program. She was excited about the church’s programs for young people. Upon joining, she jumped in with both feet into our Christian Education ministry.
Two years into her volunteer term, she re-signed, citing fatigue and burnout. It was a wake-up call to me and to church leadership. We learned the church needs to ensure volunteers are energized, healthier and stronger due to their ministry commitments, not the opposite.
Rev. Roy Oswald of the Alban Institute writes:
“Congregations do not have in place systems for monitoring whether a particular volunteer is overextended and becoming increasingly exhausted, cynical, angry and self-deprecating. As a result of burnout, we are losing some of our most committed lay leaders out the back door.”
Church volunteers who face weariness from their positions suffer in three main ways, Rev. Oswald says:
First, they can lose respect for fellow congregants, who they began to perceive as not taking their volunteer roles “seriously enough.”
Second, they can lose their ability to worship as they find themselves fielding too many Sunday morning questions, running down too many Sunday morning answers, and tending to upcoming church activities rather than readying themselves for an encounter with the Holy One.
And third, they can lose respect for their clergy and church staff and become disillusioned -- the reason being they have a new closer working relationship with church leaders and discover them to be much-more-human and not-quite-so-perfect as they originally thought.
The good news is there are ways to help people steer clear of church volunteer burn-out! Here are some questions to consider:
People don’t get burned out when they are doing what they love, what they are passionate about, what God is calling them to do. Are you volunteering in a ministry area that you are passionate about? Is there a place for you in the church to do what you love? And if not, what needs to happen to make it so?
People don’t get burned out when they are linked to brothers and sisters in Christ and encouraged by these others in ministry tasks. Are you supported by meaningful relationships in your volunteer capacity? Who can you build a mutually supportive relationship with to add the element of encouragement to your efforts?
People don’t get burned out when they rely on God. How often do you pray about your volunteerism, seeking strength and perseverance?
And people don’t get burned out when they take necessary Sabbath-time. Parker Palmer writes, “I have become clear about at least one thing: self-care is never a selfish act—it is simply good stewardship of the only gift I have, the gift of “myself” that I was put on earth to offer others.” Do you know when to step back? Do you know how to seek spiritual or social or physical renewal for yourself?
God does not have in mind for the church volunteer weariness and disillusionment. Instead, our God seeks meaningful ministry, joyful relationships and invigorating renewal for our lives!
In Christ,
Bob David