This is a Guest Post by Amanda Sims
They are the people who make things happen. They’re trained, dedicated, passionate, and they’re sold out to the mission. They are volunteers in your ministry. These are people giving their time and talents to reach out with the Gospel.
But you’ve never met them.
In fact, you’ve never laid eyes on them. They’re volunteers in your online ministry. So how do you stay involved with them? How do you encourage them and express appreciation for all they give? After all, your relationship with them is digital but they are still real people and not just email addresses. If you can’t sit down with them for coffee and a chat, what CAN you do to connect with them on a personal level?
Read more after the jump…
It may seem obvious, but I’ve found that using social media helps quite a bit when it comes to engaging with ministry volunteers. Whether it be friending on Facebook or following on Twitter, it all allows for a level of interaction which lends itself nicely to relating to those who are serving in online communities.
Now, I’m not saying that the simple acts of friending or following make this happen. It requires intentional focus. I watch the status updates to see what’s going on in the lives of volunteers. This helps me know what to ask about and how to pray for them. I reply about the silly, sad or sensitive things they mention on Twitter. I look at pictures they post. I read and comment on blog posts. As much as possible, I invest time in getting to know them and their worlds.
Sometimes this lets me know what they like and gives me a hint as to what I can do to show appreciation in an offline way. A prayer volunteer loves M&Ms? They might find a pack in the mail. Someone wants to read the latest book by a particular author? It shows up on their doorstep. They want a sticker for their computer? An envelope arrives. It’s little things like this that can bridge the space between online and offline when it comes to volunteers.
True, there’s not always a budget for online volunteer appreciation. Sending a link to a funny video clip or a blog post they’d enjoy has the same personal touch. It’s about taking the time to know them as individuals and creatively expressing your interest in their lives and appreciation for their service.
This is really just scratching the surface. There are certainly multiple ways to skin this proverbial cat. What have you done to connect with volunteers in your online ministries? How have you shown them value?
[Image from Aphrodite]
Phillip Gibb says
Making an effort to identify what make the online volunteer tick; what he/she is interested in or passionate about, then do something about it – is huge. Just like you say; by taking an interest in what they say online. Getting that book to their door step as you mentioned (although that can be difficult across massive distances) or just doing something to help them in their online endeavors is great.
I don't volunteer online but I can say that it would make me feel greatly appreciated just to be given the thumbs up, esp publicly. But I guess that you gotta look out in 'over exalting' people.
dewde says
I think it is easy to overlook the fact that the online world is not a substitute for the real world. Thanks for this much needed reminder! I think your ideas here apply to both online and offline volunteers!
peace | dewde
human3rror says
she knocked it out. she's awesome.
austinklee says
In case anyone from my church is reading this: I really like Apple Computers…you have my address.
human3rror says
hahahah!
Matt Harrell says
One of the things that the leaders at the YMCA take advantage of using our software is text messaging. Particularly because many of their volunteers are young adults, they constantly remeber to send SMS announcmets to their volunteers with just a friendly "Thanks, you are the bomb!" sort of message. The key is, as you said, very intentional.
human3rror says
Definitely.
dewde says
That's good.
peace | dewde
bondChristian says
Thanks for those tips about bridging the gap between online and offline by sending small gifts. That's powerful. We should have done this stuff before the Internet, but it was too difficult. Now it's easier (because we can find out easily what others are interested in), but we can actually get away with doing it less (because we can stay connected online for the most part and slack off on the offline… if that makes any sense).
It's amazing how much we can do online. I love seeing all the opportunities that come up. But when it comes down to it, it still takes a lot of hard work. That's what makes the difference, and what people remember.
-Marshall Jones Jr.