Empowering Volunteers Q&A with Jon Birkmire

In this episode, Jon Birkmire explains how their NextGen ministry has thrived and developed by empowering volunteers to lead in high capacity leadership roles, allowing them to lead like staff. This is the fifth part of a six-session series from an online event called Volunteer Bootcamp, hosted by Ministry Boost. Jon Birkmire Connect with Jon […]

In this episode, Jon Birkmire explains how their NextGen ministry has thrived and developed by empowering volunteers to lead in high capacity leadership roles, allowing them to lead like staff. This is the fifth part of a six-session series from an online event called Volunteer Bootcamp, hosted by Ministry Boost.

Jon Birkmire

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Volunteer Bootcamp

Get access to the full Volunteer Bootcamp sessions and notes here.

Links Mentioned in this Episode

Volunteer Bootcamp Webinar

Model for Empowering Volunteers

Empowered Ministry Model

Volunteer Directors & Volunteer Coaches/Producers

Staff oversee ministry areas, but Volunteer Directors oversee the different experiences underneath the director's leadership

Volunteer Director = Manager
Volunteer Coach = Assistant Manager
Producers = Experiential Specialists
*These roles and language are “transferable” from different ministry areas
Each role needs specific job descriptions that reinforce empowerment
Look for high-capacity leaders to raise up to a new level of leadership

Ask the question, what are the things that are taking up a majority of your time that you are not good at?

A.D.A.P.T.

ASK – make the ask of the person you want to be on your team; give job description and onboard them
DOWNLOAD – give them all the information they need to succeed
APPRENTICE – strategy is as follows

I do → You watch → We talk
I do → You help → We talk
You do → I help → We talk
You do → I watch → We talk
You do → Someone else watches

PREPARE and TURN LOOSE

There is nothing worse than delegating ownership to someone and then you constantly follow them around; let them lead

Action Items

Create a new org chart
Write job descriptions
Empower 1 leader

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