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3 Ways to Thank Your Volunteers This Christmas

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I’m sure you’ll be saying “Merry Christmas” often in the next few weeks, but there are two other words that may be even more important: Thank you. Pastor, you’re likely in the midst of one of the most volunteer-intensive months of the year. You have countless projects, events, and activities to prepare for this season. Plus, you have one of your largest services of the year coming up in three weeks. It’s a busy time for you and your volunteers—so please remember to thank them. It’s not just courtesy; it’s a critical part of ministry in the holiday season. Paul describes what should be a regular practice in the church in 1 Thessalonians 5:11: “Encourage each other and give each other strength, just as you are doing now” (NCV). Your appreciation of others boosts their value. You give people strength when you thank them. William James once wrote, “The deepest principle of human nature is the craving to be appreciated.” Paul gives us a great example of how to express gratitude to church members in his New Testament letters. He clearly understood the importance of expressing gratitude to the people who supported his ministry. For example, he specifically thanked people for:

Their faithfulness (Philippians 1:3-5). The volunteers in your congregation have many different things they could be doing with their time during the holiday season. They don’t have to be serving at your church. When they do serve, let them know you see their faithfulness to God and to your church.
Their uniqueness (Colossians 3:15). Your volunteers serve in a myriad of different ways at your church. Each of your volunteers brings a unique SHAPE to their ministry. Thank them for their uniqueness. Let them know that your ministry during the holiday season happens because they’re living out the fresh and original way God designed them. When Paul wrote to the church of Colossae in chapter 3, he noted the church’s diversity wasn’t a weakness that should divide it but a strength that should unite it. The diversity of the gifts serving your church this Christmas season demonstrates this supernatural strength.
Their effort (1 Thessalonians 1:2-3). Never get caught up just appreciating results. Show people you’re grateful for the effort they demonstrated, even if the execution wasn’t perfect. If you only show appreciation for results, you’ll eventually lose volunteers.

How to Say Thank You

It’s not just what you say; it’s also how you say it that matters when you’re expressing appreciation for your volunteers this Christmas. Keep these three principles in mind as you say thanks.

Be real. Your gratitude needs to be sincere and heartfelt. Don’t do it for any ulterior motive, and don’t use it as an excuse to get them to volunteer again. Be genuinely grateful for your volunteers’ sacrifice. They will detect any extra reason you might have for saying thanks—and they may be less likely to give their time again.
Be specific. Don’t beat around the bush. Verbalize exactly what you appreciate about the person’s service. This means making your appreciation personal whenever possible. You may have too many volunteers to personally thank each one, but make your gratitude as personal as possible. One of the best ways to do this is to catch people in their acts of service. When you see someone serving, don’t just walk past them. Tell them how much you appreciate what they’re doing, and tell them exactly what you appreciate them for.
Be consistent. Most of your volunteers aren’t just serving during Christmas. Make your gratitude a habit. Let the Christmas season be a time when you make a new commitment to consistently show how much you appreciate your volunteers. Paul writes, “We ought always to give thanks to God for you” (2 Thessalonians 2:13 ESV). Continual appreciation for your volunteers will change the atmosphere in your church.

Let’s be honest—you never know how many opportunities you’ll have to say thanks. It’s a sobering truth for your personal life, as you ponder all of the people in your life who may never get the chance to hear you say, “Thank you.” But it’s also true of your ministry. You never know what could happen to the volunteers who are serving with you this Christmas. Don’t take them for granted. Some of the most important people in your church will never hear their name mentioned in a worship service. Often, their service will never make it into a book or even their obituary someday. Pastor, for many of them, none of that matters either. They’d simply love to hear their pastor say, “Thank you.” Embrace the attitude of gratitude this holiday season and beyond.

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Remember Your Gospel Mission

“The most important thing is that I complete my mission, the work that the Lord Jesus gave me—to tell people the Good News about God’s grace.” Acts 20:24 (NCV)Pastor, God gave you a mission. With meetings to lead, decisions to make, and another sermon to prepare, it’s easy for that mission to get crowded out of your week.Nothing matters more than this mission.The most important work in your ministry isn’t to keep every program running, finish every task, or satisfy every expectation. Those responsibilities matter, but they must serve the mission Jesus gave you: telling people the Good News of God’s grace.Paul said, “The most important thing is that I complete my mission, the work that the Lord Jesus gave me—to tell people the Good News about God’s grace” (Acts 20:24 NCV).Jesus died on the cross to bring grace to you and to give you a mission. Part of your mission is to tell other people about the Good News of God’s grace. You came to faith in Christ because someone told you about Jesus. Now who are you going to tell?Jesus died for every single person in your community and around the world. Many people go through life without knowing what he did for them. Some live near your church. Some are people you see every week. They need to hear about his grace.Because God cares about every single person on the planet, we must too. Because God showed grace to us when he saved us, we must tell other people about the amazing grace of God. They can have a relationship with God and an eternal home in heaven.This week, ask God to help you share that Good News with one person.It’s our mission!

Preach to Build People Up

Pastor, people need to hear the truth. They also need to see the life God is calling them to live. I want my preaching to build people and help them believe they can take the next step.The Bible says, “Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ” (Ephesians 4:15 NIV).Speaking the truth in love means telling people what they need to hear for their growth and caring about them as we say it. Kindness gives people what they need, not what they deserve. In preaching, that means challenging people and correcting them with their growth in mind.Give people a personal challengePaul writes, “I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received” (Ephesians 4:1 NIV). He is challenging believers to make their lives count. We all need a cause or purpose that calls forth the best in us. Preach toward a cause bigger than self-interest. Call people to use their strengths to serve others and make their lives count. Challenge the best in them, then give them a clear next step.Give people confidenceWhen somebody believes in you, it brings out the best in you. Jesus gave Simon a new name and told him what he could become. Simon was impulsive, but Jesus saw his potential.People need encouragement. Our words can reinforce labels they already carry, or point them toward what God can develop in them. Help them see their potential and take a next faithful step.Give people honest counselThere is no progress without learning, and no learning without feedback. Proverbs says, “People learn from one another, just as iron sharpens iron” (Proverbs 27:17 GNT). People need someone who cares enough to tell them the truth, even when it hurts. When correction is needed, name it plainly.Aim to help a person change without condemning them. Affirm the person and correct the behavior. Speak the truth in love. That kind of correction can build people up.As you prepare this week, think of one person who needs a challenge, encouragement, or honest correction. Ask how your words can help that person grow. Build people up with kindness. Speak the truth in love.

Leave Some Room to Listen

“Find a quiet, secluded place so you won’t be tempted to role-play before God. Just be there as simply and honestly as you can manage. The focus will shift from you to God, and you will begin to sense his grace.” Matthew 6:6 (MSG)Pastor, by Monday morning, you may already be thinking about next Sunday’s sermon. Your phone already has messages waiting, and someone needs you to make a decision. Finding a few quiet minutes can feel like one more task you’re behind on.But look at Jesus’ invitation above. He asks you to come honestly, without playing a part. You don’t have to arrive with a lesson prepared or something helpful to say. You can tell God what’s really going on with you.You spend much of your week helping other people know him. He wants time with you, too.That can be easy to forget when every open moment fills with sound. You listen to a podcast in the car. You check your phone between appointments. Even when you’re alone, someone else’s words keep coming.There’s nothing wrong with listening and learning. But leave some room to listen to God. The sermon you’re studying won’t take the place of bringing your own heart to him.You may not have a quiet office or an uninterrupted morning. Could you close the door for a few minutes before returning calls? Or take a short walk and leave your phone behind?The point is to meet with God. Tell him what you’re carrying. Give your attention to his Word. Let there be a little silence without rushing to fill it.Before you open the next message today, take a few quiet minutes with him. You have people to care for this week, and your Father welcomes you into his care.

What Jesus Does When You Fail

"The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness." Lamentations 3:22-23 (ESV)Maybe you blew it last week, Pastor. A decision that hurt someone. A harsh word in a meeting. A weakness you swore you'd beaten, back again. And now it's Monday, and Sunday is already coming.Failure is isolating. When you're in the middle of a failure, you feel ashamed and just want to be alone. That's doubly true when you lead a church. You're supposed to be the person who’s whole.But Jesus is with you always, even in your greatest failure. To help you through your failures, he is doing three things:Jesus prays for you. Even before Peter had failed, Jesus told him, "I have prayed for you, that your faith will not fail" (Luke 22:32 NASB).Even at this very moment, Jesus is interceding—praying—for you. The Bible says, "He is able, once and forever, to save those who come to God through him. He lives forever to intercede with God on their behalf" (Hebrews 7:25 NLT).Jesus believes in you. In fact, he expects you to heal and recover. That's why, before Peter’s big failure, Jesus told him, "When you have repented and turned to me again . . ." (Luke 22:32 NLT). Jesus knew Peter would sin and fail and eventually come back to him.And Jesus knows the same about you. We all fail, and we fail repeatedly. Your biggest weaknesses are often habitual. The same one, again and again. But God isn't only there for the big, one-time failure. He's there for the mistakes you make over and over.Jesus shows you mercy. Jesus is more willing to show mercy than you are willing to ask for it. When you're down, he doesn't beat you up or add to your guilt. He saves you.In John 21, not long after Peter denied him, Jesus found Peter back in his fishing boat. Empty nets. A failed night. At dawn Jesus called from the shore and told Peter and the other fishermen where to cast. "So they did, and they couldn't haul in the net because there were so many fish in it" (John 21:6 NLT).That catch was Jesus' answer to Peter's failure. He is ready to do the same for you. He can do more in five minutes than you can do in 50 years of planning.And God's mercy toward you is not dependent on your performance. His mercies never come to an end. They are new every morning—including this Monday morning.You may be ready to give up on yourself, Pastor. Jesus isn't. He is praying for you, believes in you, and will always show you mercy. He has never been more faithful to you than he is today.

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