{"id":746190,"date":"2021-05-28T02:00:50","date_gmt":"2021-05-28T07:00:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/churchanswers.com\/?p=746190"},"modified":"2021-05-27T14:29:23","modified_gmt":"2021-05-27T19:29:23","slug":"how-to-help-a-volunteer-step-away-gracefully","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/churchanswers.com\/blog\/how-to-help-a-volunteer-step-away-gracefully\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Help a Volunteer Step Away Gracefully"},"content":{"rendered":"

\u201cDo you have a minute?\u201d<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

It\u2019s a question that strikes fear in the heart of many a leader. Rarely does that question lead to \u201c\u2026 I have an extra bag of Dove dark chocolates, and I\u2019d like you to sit here and eat them while I play this cello softly in the background. Oh, and here\u2019s a puppy.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

No, <\/span>\u201cDo you have a minute?\u201d<\/span><\/i> more often leads to a volunteer with an issue that\u2019s a really big deal to them, and it\u2019s about to be one for you. Whether it\u2019s a team conflict, a spiritual crisis, or an objection to the way you handled a situation on the team, <\/span>the answer to \u201cDo you have a minute?\u201d should always be <\/b>yes.<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n

Sometimes, \u201cDo you have a minute?\u201d is the lead-in to a volunteer telling you it\u2019s time for them to take a break or step away from serving altogether. So <\/span>what do you do when that long-serving and ever-faithful volunteer tells you that they\u2019re exhausted and need some time away?<\/b> I think there are at least five things:<\/span><\/p>\n

1. Listen to them.<\/b><\/p>\n

\u201cDo you have a minute?\u201d may mean you have a minute <\/span>right then<\/span><\/i>, or it may mean that you need to carve out several minutes in the very near future. Either way, <\/span>take the time to honor them with your time.<\/b> Let them unpack their story. Ask good questions on what led them to this point. Gently challenge them at points where they may not be believing truth about themselves or their situation.<\/span><\/p>\n

This is not the time to beg, bribe, or berate them. <\/span>If you\u2019re dealing with a faithful volunteer, let their track record speak for itself. <\/span>If they say they\u2019re tired, believe them.<\/b> In that moment, put on your shepherding hat and suppress any panic you may be feeling about the gap on your team.<\/span><\/p>\n

2. Affirm them.<\/b><\/p>\n

After you\u2019ve listened, take some time to talk. But <\/span>keep the conversation about them, not you.<\/b> Point out specific contributions they\u2019ve made to the team and how God has used them. Remind them of the positive changes they\u2019ve made to your culture. Encourage their need for a break, and don\u2019t make them feel like they\u2019ve let you, the church, or the kingdom of God down by being human. <\/span>Remind them again of the gospel,<\/b> that Jesus did everything necessary for their salvation, and their work \u2013 or lack of it \u2013 doesn\u2019t add or take away anything from God\u2019s love for them.<\/span><\/p>\n

3. Plan with them.<\/b><\/p>\n

In the \u201cdo you have a minute?\u201d moment \u2013 or a designated time soon after \u2013 it\u2019s time to talk logistics. Whenever a volunteer steps down, there will be gaps. If that volunteer is a leader, this conversation is even more crucial. Discuss how their team will be affected. Talk about timeline: are they stepping away immediately or transitioning next month? Talk about publicity: who needs to know when? Who already knows this is coming? Talk about their replacement: is there someone they\u2019ve been investing in who would be a natural fit?<\/span><\/p>\n

Asking your volunteer to define \u201cwhat\u2019s next?\u201d honors their history on the team<\/b>, their leadership of the team, and their hope for the future of the team.<\/span><\/p>\n

4. Celebrate them.<\/b><\/p>\n

I mentioned this in a recent post<\/span><\/a>, but not all volunteers are comfortable standing in the spotlight, even if it\u2019s to honor their years of service. How you celebrate them \u2013 publicly or privately \u2013 will depend on their personality. But <\/span>celebrate them<\/span><\/i>. <\/span>Don\u2019t let them slip away without appropriately recognizing their service over the years.<\/b> Whether it\u2019s a handwritten note, a framed photo signed by their former team, or an overnight getaway for them and their spouse, find a way to say <\/span>thank you<\/span><\/i>.<\/span><\/p>\n

5. Check in with them.<\/b><\/p>\n

This post assumes that we\u2019re on the same page about Christ-followers retiring from service: <\/span>they don\u2019t<\/span><\/i>. <\/span>We never graduate from the call to use our spiritual gifts to serve others.<\/b> Having said that, I believe that there are seasons when it\u2019s healthy and necessary for a volunteer to step back or redirect their passions.<\/span><\/p>\n

But that\u2019s why this step is crucial. Talk to your volunteer about not only what\u2019s next for their team (#3 above), but what\u2019s next for them. Do they plan on returning? Returning in a different role? Redirecting their skill set to another role? You should both set a mutually-agreed-upon date on the calendar when you\u2019ll check in to see how they\u2019re doing and how they\u2019ve processed the \u201cWhat\u2019s next?\u201d question. Again: <\/span>this is more about you serving as shepherd and not about you filling a hole on your roster.<\/b><\/p>\n

\u201cDo you have a minute?\u201d <\/span><\/i>is an opportunity to either build or erode trust with a volunteer. <\/span>Handle that opportunity poorly, and you may lose them for life.<\/b> Steward it well, and you might find that the volunteer comes back stronger and more bought into the mission of the team.<\/span><\/p>\n

This post originally appeared on <\/span><\/i>dfranks.com<\/span><\/i><\/a>.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"\u201cDo you have a minute?\u201d It\u2019s a question that strikes fear in the heart of many a leader. Rarely does that question lead to \u201c\u2026 I have an extra bag of Dove dark chocolates, and I\u2019d like you to sit here and eat them while I play this cello softly in the background. Oh, and…","protected":false},"author":8242,"featured_media":746191,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"publish_to_discourse":"0","publish_post_category":"1","wpdc_auto_publish_overridden":"","wpdc_topic_tags":"","wpdc_pin_topic":"","wpdc_pin_until":"","discourse_post_id":"","discourse_permalink":"","wpdc_publishing_response":"","wpdc_publishing_error":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1,195,175,177,178,196],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-746190","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-church-answers","category-conflict-and-people-problems","category-grow","category-lead","category-membership-and-assimilation","category-staff-and-organizational-issues"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nHow to Help a Volunteer Step Away Gracefully | Church Answers<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"\u201cDo you have a minute?\u201dIt\u2019s a question that strikes fear in the heart of many a leader. 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