Do you know what the top reason is for why volunteers leave? According to Sue Barge of Volunteer Central, the number one reason is…

 

Are you ready?

 

It stopped being fun.

 

Interesting! I expected something a little more spiritual but the more I think about it, the more it makes sense. “It just stopped being fun.”

 

Are your volunteers having fun? Are you having fun? Do you still enjoy being part of your church?

 

I know. I know. Serving God is serious but shouldn’t it… couldn’t it be fun too?

 

For example: There is the joy of seeing new people strengthen their walk with Jesus? There is the fun, watching children learn and grow in their faith? When is the last time you walked out of church filled with the joy of knowing you are God’s precious child?

 

I have discovered a lot to be excited about in every church on our district.

 
Here is a question: How can you help to make church fun for your volunteers, for you?

 
Unfortunately, we tend to dwell on the negatives. Would you like an example? Suppose your son or daughter brought home a report card that had – One A, Four B’s and one F. What grade would you focus on? Confession is good for the soul.

 
Here is a challenge for you.

 

Look around your church this week and find the bright spots. What are they? Share what you find with someone else. Those bright spots can make a difference in whether your experience at church is fun or not so fun.

 

I read about Kate Wilkinson who was a member of the Church of England and actively involved in the Keswick Deeper Life Movement. During her time there, she wrote a hymn that asks: “What does it mean to have the mind of Christ, the ‘Word of God, the ‘peace of God, the ‘love of Jesus, the strength of Jesus and the beauty of Jesus in your life?”

 

Here is the hymn:

“May the mind of Christ, my Savior, live in me from day to day, by His love and power controlling all I do and say.”

 

“May the Word of God dwell richly in my heart from hour to hour, so that all may see I triumph only thru His power.”

 

“May the peace of God, my Father, rule my life in everything that I may be calm to comfort sick and sorrowing.”

 

“May the love of Jesus fill me, as the water fill the sea; Him exalting, self-abasing, this is victory.”

 

“May I run the race before me, strong and brave to face the foe, looking only unto Jesus as I onward go.”

 

“May His beauty rest upon me as I seek the last to win, and may they forget the channel, seeing only Him.”

 

If we could memorize those words, I believe we would find more joy in our walk with the Lord and I have a strong feeling we would have a lot more fun volunteering in church.

 
 Joni E. Tada writes about a group of inmates who rebuild wheel chairs to send overseas to needy children.

 

“Why are you doing this?” she asked one inmate.

 

“Because somebody needs help,” he replied. “It’s good to do something that will help somebody.” 

 

Ephesians 4:28: “He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need.”

 
 In a lonely prison there are inmates who turn down minimum wage jobs in the prison work program to restore wheelchairs for disabled children. They are finding new meaning to their lives, “doing something useful” so that they “have something to share with those in need.”

 

You know what? I’ll bet they are having fun?

 

Are you?