Dealing with volunteer scheduling can consume a lot of time and energy. Perhaps it would be beneficial to get someone to help you with contacting people. Maybe you could delegate sending out reminders so people won’t forget their agreed upon dates. You may even be able to automate some of it. With all your other responsibilities, help with scheduling would take off some pressure.
While it may be good to delegate some of this work, we most, however, need a Helper with a capital H — our parakletos, the Holy Spirit (Jn. 14:16, 26; 15:26).
The Greek word, parakletos, suggests that the Spirit is someone who is called to our side to help us. In addition to Helper, this word has also been translated as Comforter, Advocate, Consoler, Intercessor, and Counselor.
Sure, the Spirit may not make the contacts or send out reminders but He will be by our side when most needed like when stress levels start peaking, when the idiosyncrasies of people wear on us, when chaos and confusion from last minute cancellations, or no shows, looms, etc.
The Holy Spirit’s Help with Scheduling
Volunteer scheduling is about more than the mechanics and organization involved in setting up and maintaining a smooth-flowing plan to make sure all ministry needs are continually covered with volunteers. It’s not just about filling spots but also relating with the people being scheduled in considerate and respectful ways. It’s not just about moving into action but also reacting in Christ-like ways when the schedule starts to unravel.
When all we do as church leaders is about ministry, even scheduling is as much about our heart as it is about the actual task. For that, we truly need the Holy Spirit’s help. If we’re going to “serve one another humbly in love” rather than “bite and devour each other”, we must “walk by the Spirit” rather than our fleshly impulses (Gal. 5:13-17).
We need the qualities the Spirit will produce within us to keep our attitudes and reactions in check during what can be a sometimes complex and daunting task.
- Love so we care more about the people than the task
- Joy so circumstances don’t dictate our attitudes
- Peace so stress doesn’t rule how we react or relate
- Patience so we bear with the idiosyncrasies of people
- Kindness so we speak the truth, when needed, in love
- Goodness so we don’t assume the worst but are sensitive toward people’s needs
- Faithfulness so we persevere in doing what we do as unto the Lord
- Gentleness so we react with grace rather than anger or frustration
- Self-Control so we don’t procrastinate or rush the process
As the Spirit bears this fruit within us, we’re in a position to approach scheduling as a tool to live out God’s purposes and design for the Body with His heart. These qualities will work within us the right priorities, motives, and attitudes. We will not just act well but react well. We will not simply care about the end result in having time slots filled but will guard the process of getting there as we serve people and not merely check something off of our “to do” list.
For More, Go To: Resources about the Holy Spirit
All Posts about Scheduling:
- Considerate Scheduling
- Purposeful Scheduling
- Scheduling Leave Room for the Great Commission?
- Christ-like Scheduling is Flexible
- Scheduling Woes
- Gospel-Centered Scheduling
- Prayer-Based Scheduling Needed
- Prayer-Based Scheduling Makes a Difference
- Even Scheduling Needs God’s Power
- Spiritual Gifts for Scheduling
- God’s Grace in Scheduling
- Need Help with Scheduling?
- Scheduling in the Name of the Lord?
- Frustrated by the Task of Scheduling?
- Scripture Thoroughly Equips Us, Even for Scheduling
- Scheduling Have You Down?
- Good Stewardship in Scheduling