God did not sit back and wait for people to volunteer.

He often went to extraordinary measures to call workers. God used a burning bush to get Moses’ attention. He used a storm and a big fish to emphasize to Jonah that he was serious about him going to Nineveh. It wasn’t until after Isaiah saw a vision of the Lord on His throne that he said, “Here am I. Send me!” Paul accepted the call of God in his life after hearing the Lord’s voice in a blinding light. Jesus met common, ordinary people where they were in calling the twelve disciples. Simon Peter and Andrew were “casting a net into the lake” when Jesus said, “Come, follow me” (Matthew 4:18-19). James and John “were in a boat with their father” (Matthew 4:21). Matthew was “sitting at the tax collector’s booth” (Matthew 9:9).

The end of the summer was always crunch time for me to fill all those empty slots where I still needed Church School teachers. People would turn the other way when they saw me walking toward them during coffee hour. They knew I was on a mission.

Until I began to gather a team to discern who might be called to the ministry of teaching.

List the qualities you are looking for – develop a position description (like this one for a Church School Teacher).

1. Develop a team.
2. Communicate.
3. Pray.
4. Invite.
5. Support them.

Invite your volunteers to ministry positions through a theology of call instead of one of recruitment. Download more of my thoughts and some ideas on this topic.