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From the inner cities to the plains of Mid-America, Volunteers are an important part of our society. Political campaigns, para-church organizations, and non-profits of every form and kind would not be able to function without a good volunteer base. It is safe to say that your church would not be able to function week-to-week without a strong group of volunteers.

As I have considered the state of volunteerism in our churches, I began to wonder if it is really accomplishing what we intend for it to accomplish? Allow me to explain. Every week, in most churches, a plea goes out from the pulpit asking for help. Usually, the help needed is in the area of children’s ministry. Here is the question that haunts me. Why? Why do we ask people in the church to volunteer? One of two reasons comes to mind.

1. We need help and want someone to fill a position, long-term or short-term.
2. We want to give people the opportunity to grow in their faith and experience the fullness of Christ through being a servant.

While I believe we would all admit that the second option is the best. The goal of every church should be to grow those who attend into fully devoted followers of Christ. Yet, is that really what happens?

Let me make a few assumptions. We all attest in the giftedness of believers. We all understand that the church is to help our people discover how God has created them to serve. We all believe that becoming a servant is crucial to the Christian life. But is serving the pinnacle of our calling as Christians?

When we ask people in the church to become volunteers, are we asking them to serve the church or serve God? I think this is an important distinction. You may think believe they are doing both at the same time, serving God by serving the church. I'm not sure this is true.

Often is the case that our volunteers are simply used to serve the church and help it's ministries function. That is not a bad thing, but is serving the church, the concept our people should have? Will it help us to create fully develop followers? It is a means, but not the end.

Let me explain before I am crucified or burned at the stake. Matt 28:18-19 calls us to go to the world. We are all called o be missionaries to a dying, sinful humanity. This calling isn’t just for those in the pulpit, but for every follower of Jesus Christ. "You also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ." 1 Peter 2:5

If that is the case, our calling, as leaders, is to call our people to become missionaries, not volunteers. You may think; "That is just splitting hairs." But is it? Our use of language can be profound. Helping Christ-followers understand that the high calling of the Christian life is to become missionaries in their culture encompasses volunteerism. (That doesn’t work the other way around. Being a “volunteer” doesn’t mean being a missionary)

Bottom line: Our use of language is important. We do need to call people to volunteer in the church, but within the framework of being a missionary in their community. Never ask for "help" rather call people to an opportunity. Calling Christ-followers missionaries has much more meaning than calling them volunteers. Any organization can have volunteers. The church has missionaries. It may be a small change, but I believe small changes can make big differences. A change of language can release our people to become more than mere volunteers, serving the church. Rather, they become missionaries, serving their community.