What To Do When You Don’t Have Enough Volunteers?
You can’t run a full-scale digital ministry with half a team—or can you?
I get it! It’s tough to grow your media or digital ministry when you don’t have enough volunteers. It can be frustrating trying to manage live streams, graphics, video, photography, content creation, and social media posts with little to no help.
But here’s the reality: we often have to do ministry with just a few. The solution isn’t always more people. Sometimes, we need a smarter, simpler, and more intentional approach. Here are a few things to think about.
Simplify Your Process
What is absolutely necessary for your media and digital ministry to be effective? Often, we want to do everything that we see other ministries doing online, but when you don’t have the staff and volunteers, you have to contextualize your digital ministry.
What is feasible for you, your energy, the budget, and your congregation?
Do you need to be present on EVERY social media platform?
Is your time better spent in one digital space over another?
Also, look at what can be automated. Social media schedulers are an under-utilized tool in many churches. Tools like Buffer (for scheduling) and Canva (for templates) can save hours of decision fatigue. AI platforms like ChatGPT and Claude can help you brainstorm and write captions faster. Use them. They will bless you. 😉
Recruit From Unexpected Places
The help you need might already be sitting in your pews or logging in online. Half of my current volunteers are teenagers. They are energetic, helpful, and eager to learn. If there are any teenagers, retirees, or college students in your congregation, ask them. They may be eager to help. Share your ministry’s WHY with them. If they say no the first time, don’t be afraid to ask again later. One of my best volunteers said no at first. A few months later, I asked again—now he loves it and excels in his role.
Empower Volunteers With Manageable Roles
As my pastor often says, “many hands make light work.” No one can do everything, and no one should have to. Spread the work by giving people manageable, bite-sized roles they can own. Let one person run Instagram Stories, another edit clips for the livestream, someone else schedules posts for the week, and another make sure all of the equipment is turned on and running. Giving volunteers a specific role to play helps them take pride in what they’re doing. Train them well, celebrate small wins, and build their confidence over time.
Conclusion
This might sound strange, but the key is to think small. You can’t eat the elephant in one bite. By simplifying your process, recruiting from unexpected places, and empowering volunteers with manageable roles, you can reduce stress and grow your digital ministry with the team you already have.
What’s one area of your digital ministry you could simplify or delegate this week?
—
Did you enjoy this post? Leave a comment below. We want to hear from you.
