Firing volunteers is never easy and each situation carries its own unique challenges. As a worship pastor, I agree that “artists” can bring significant challenges. A book that has helped me immensely in understanding this fantastic group of people is by Rory Noland, called “The Heart of the Artist.” He does a great job in helping you understand the unique personality dynamics brought by creative and artistic people.

What is hard is the follow up...no one should be re-directed without the second half of the task being completed...Directing someone to new position.  No one should be “cut-off” and done with.  Its our responsibility to help people find the right spot

Peter… It’s because of people like you why I don’t volunteer to sing…

I know you all know this but it bears repeating.  Sometimes the best answer is to not be so desperate to get a volunteer you have to settle for someone who shouldn’t volunteer.  We seek to make volunteering special as well as the volunteer special too. 

Raise the bar and more poeple not less will volunteer and your firings will be less. 

When your expectations are clear, you are more able to let a volunteer fire them self which is always better.  long with a clear list of

Thanks, Kirk.

That’s true about the audition only thing. Only problem is, before I arrived a precedent had been established. I waited over two years before breaking it… and I broke some hearts in the process.

It was a necessary pain, I admit, but painful for all, including me, nonetheless.

Is it a win if nobody actually left the church over it?

I’ve been out of town.  Hope people are still reading.  This is favorite subject (not firing, but equipping – and firing is sometimes part of the picture).

I completely agree that an accurate ministry description is a good preventative tool.  As important as this is, a paper description will never substitute for a face-to-face interview before anyone joins a ministry team.  Hiring someone without ever talking to them is unimaginable in the business world, but I’m amazed at how often this happens in the church.  A ministry interview should be two-way and very relational.  A chance to explain the expectations, the overall ministry and how it fulfills the mission of the church, communicate vision and leadership style, plus learn the story and spiritual journey of the candidate. 

I also agree about evaluations, but I prefer to call them “reflection meetings.” These are intentional and scheduled times for volunteer and leader to reflect on a particular ministry season, what God has done in the ministry and the life of the volunteer, consider how He is leading, and of course, discuss concerns.  It is important that concerns serious enough to result in a “firing” not be brought up for the first time at this meeting.  Feedback should be happening throughout ministry, so if “firing” is the result, the reflection meeting becomes a time for the leader to say, “the concern we’ve been discussing needs to result in . . .”

I think worship ministry, is an exception . . . but I tend to promote the idea that we can’t (shouldn’t) try to exactly match gifts with particular jobs.  Very often, if we are flexible, the job will take on the gifting of a person who loves your community and has a serving heart.  Cliff (not real name) the usher was an example.  No hospitality gifts and completely introverted, he was one of the best ushers I ever had.  Once, short handed, I asked him to move from his less trafficked door.  He just couldn’t do it.  He told me, “These are my people!  Mr. Smith let’s off his sick wife and then parks, I have to tell him where she’s sitting.  The Jones family has been trying to sell their house and I need an update. Etc. etc. etc.” Cliff’s shepherding gifts influenced his ushering.

Because (IMO) most volunteer “firings” don’t come from a gift-mismatch, the reason is often some kind of attitude problem.  When this is the case, the person with the problem usually doesn’t see it (which of us sees our attitude problems until we step away . . . not me).  So in this case I suggest adding some strong admonishment about not being divisive as the person exits.  Gossip creates so much unnecessary collateral damage.  Having leadership back-up and support will add strength to this admonishment.

If your church is a member of Group’s Church Volunteer Central (you should be, it’s a great resource for volunteer leadership), here is a good article on the subject.

https://www.churchvolunteercentral.com/IdeaDepot/article.asp?ArticleID=637&CategoryID=26

Thanks Peter – for getting us talking about this important subject.

Wendi

I liked Camey’s response. (She was just funnin’ by the way, and even sent me a private email to make sure I knew that...) If you knew me, you might think she was serious… and correct, too…

The other thing that is a problem, specifically with very visible serving opportunities like leading worship, is the thought that is very prevalent that I must be up front in view of people for my singing to be valuable in God’s eyes. We don’t really say we believe that, but sometimes I wonder if we don’t actually believe that very thing! I tell folks that the entire congregation is the worship team, and everybody on stage is part of that team, just happens to be the people leading it.

Other ministries have similar challenges in terms of ego/humility… but with music and arts it is most visible.

Story: I have four worship teams here. I lead two of them currently, play with another where someone else leads, and I DON’T play on the fourth. I was going to play with them this month to help with a couple songs that their leader thought I might need their help on. But I couldn’t be at the first rehearsal. The leader of that team calls me today, very sheepishly asking if I minded NOT playing with them after all, because they had a sound and some arrangements they really liked and (he didn’t say this but I read between the lines) they were concerned maybe my style might mess it up a bit. He’s apologizing… I’m ELATED that they want me to stay away. They do a good job, and I want them to be their own team and all… I was JUMPING FOR JOY!

Leaders need to lead, followers need to follow, the rest of us need to get out of the way, except in those cases and instances where we need to either lead or follow…

Peter,

Thanks for sharing the story.

And for being you....

Craig,

EXCELLENT thought on that topic. I think it IS sometimes our own pride. As a “performing artist” who uses his gifts to lead worship in the church, and who does at least that part of my job pretty well, it is a CONSTANT battle… the fight with my ego that is. Plus, the temptation to base my value in God’s eyes on what I do on the stage.

Thanks for your thoughts.

Camey,

“Me” is all I can do, unfortunately.

Craig – I appreciate your thoughts.  Very interesting.  I’m not sure that I agree though, that the church should turn down spiritual gifts offered freely and humbly given in an attitude of servanthood.  Something seems off theologically to me, based on my understanding of Romans 12 and 1 Cor. 12.  If the HS assembled each faith community, then should not each person (who is offering their gift rightly) have the gift used by the community?  Now I’m not saying that the church should start up something new for every single person who says, “I’ve got this idea and want the church to launch it.” If a church became fully resourced with man-power to do all that God has called her to do, there is plenty of ministry outside church walls (actually, the church shouldn’t ever base their willingness to release people on how well they are filling their own ministry slots).

What do others of you think?

That said, I do think that sometimes actual firings are very reasonable in ministry.  In the church, because people are volunteers, we tend to think it isn’t right to tell them that they cannot serve anymore.  This has (sometimes) bred lazy, complacent, uncommitted volunteers (or worse).  When, after being fully trained and told about expectations, a Sunday school teacher continues to show up late and completely unprepared . . . she should be fired.  When a small group leader continues to gossip about the church leadership or other small group members, after being lovingly warned by his leader . . . he should be fired.  When a deacon wants the prestige of the title but continues to miss meetings and fails to fulfill the job responsibilities . . . he shouldn’t be a deacon.  I don’t see these situations as a permanent “firing,” but neither do I see them as simply redirecting.  That would be simply passing a problem from one department to another.  Rather, we have a responsibility to help the person take responsibility for losing their ministry and learn how to be a better, Romans 12:1 minister – presenting their “bodies” (their gifts) fully, as “living sacrifices.”

Wendi

I have found it necessary to redirect volunteers.  When I have made the job description clear, and when going into the position the volunteer is clear about what they need and what we expect them to do it makes redirecting less painful on my part and their part.  I think it is necessary to have support/communication in between “hiring and firing”.  I am all about “reviewals”, “relection meetings” or “evaluations”.  I have volunteers often come to the conclusion that the positon isn’t for them if the “evaluation’ is done well.  When ever a volunteer that isn’t doing their job well is redirected, it leaves the team healthier. I know there are people that don’t work well in my department can work great in other departments.  Its my job to help them get there.
Jenny

It’s really hard to fire people.  Just talk to them in a nice way and say thank you for all the help he/she has done.

Sometimes the best answer is to not be so desperate to get a volunteer you have to settle for someone who shouldn’t volunteer.  We seek to make volunteering special as well as the volunteer special too. We don’t really say we believe that, but sometimes I wonder if we don’t actually believe that very thing! I tell folks that the entire congregation is the worship team, and everybody on stage is part of that team, just happens to be the people leading that team.