Research conducted by the Evangelical Alliance has suggested that many churches may be struggling with a lack of volunteers, particularly in youth ministry and in the field of tech support.
The research interviewed 300 church leaders and 1,000 regular church goers in an attempt to find out how both sides of the equation view the situation. In particular the research looked at how volunteering levels had changed since the pandemic.
The results were odd to say the least. Most church leaders reported a notable change in volunteering levels, with 40% noting a rise and 30% saying there’d been a drop off since the pandemic ended. By contrast, most individuals said they felt their own personal level of volunteering was broadly unchanged.
While it may appear that the research produced scattered results, there were some patterns to be found. Smaller churches generally found that volunteering levels had remained broadly the same, while medium sized churches (defined as 47-165 adults) were more likely to report a drop in volunteering.
Many churches have similar gaps in their ministry due to a shortage of volunteers. Two thirds of churches said they were struggling to find people to assist in children’s ministry, and half said they had shortages in youth ministry.
The research also found that 40% of churches had a shortage of volunteers in the tech/AV team, which the Evangelical Alliance noted is a “cause for concern” given the increasing importance of online services and outreach.
There are areas of strength however, over two thirds of churches are involved in providing food banks to the needy. Churches are also increasingly equipped to help the homeless and those struggling with addiction.
Calvin Birnie, a research associate at the Evangelical Alliance, said, “While some churches are experiencing shortages, we should be encouraged that more churches reported an increase in volunteering over the last five years than reported a decrease.
"Nevertheless, let’s be aware of the areas where volunteer shortages are causing particular challenges and let’s pray for a new and younger generation of Christians willing and able to take on these volunteering roles.”
