Are you one of the many people who shows up at church week after week to listen and learn without ever stepping up and helping out?
According to an article on Christianity Today, the number one reason why people don’t help out at church is because they feel useless, or don’t know what they can do to help out.
Just because your church seems to be running smoothly from the pew on Sunday mornings doesn’t mean that they couldn’t use a little additional help behind the scenes. Don’t wait for someone to ask you–most people are really bad about asking for help, and besides, they don’t know what unique talents you have unless you tell them!
Instead, get proactive and creative. It doesn’t matter if you’re young, old, busy, poor, or just don’t feel very talented–your church needs YOU! Just because one role may not be a good fit for you at this stage of your life doesn’t mean that you are off the hook for helping at all. Here are 74 ways you can help serve your church.
- Welcome people as they come in and help them find where they need to go
- Volunteer in the church nursery
- Provide a ride for people who can’t drive (children, elderly, disabled, etc)
- Host a “Mom’s Night Out” with childcare
- Stick around to clean up after service or special events
- Mentor younger church members, couples or families
- Visit people in the hospital
- Run copies for Sunday school teachers, class leaders
- Give financially
- Help set up for special events
- Stuff envelopes in the church office
- Call and invite new visitors to return
- Run a committee
- Teach an adult class
- Sing in the worship band or play an instrument
- Send cards to people who have recently had a baby or other exciting life event
- Send cards to those in the hospital, battling illness or who have lost a loved one
- Hold an umbrella for people coming in/leaving on rainy days
- Cook the Wednesday night meal
- Take communion/audio tapes to people who can’t make it in
- Help finalize details for special events
- Run the sound system
- Fix broken items around the church
- Help out with the teen ministry
- Paint and decorate outdated classrooms
- Shovel snow in the winter
- Join the choir
- Do yardwork/housework for church members who need help
- Drive children/teens to off-campus church activities/events
- Pray for the pastor, church members, missionaries and those in your community
- Type up the weekly bulletin
- Retrieve parents of crying children from service
- Offer medical assistance when someone has a medical emergency
- Volunteer in the food pantry
- Record videos to use during service or in the youth group
- Answer the phone
- Teach Sunday School
- Run errands for supplies
- Keep an eye on the church parking lot for security purposes
- Invite other families over for lunch after church
- Donate candy, pencils, Bibles, food and other supplies
- Offer wedding planning
- Update the church’s website
- Run the church’s social media accounts
- Take pictures of special events
- Gather everyone’s information for the church directory
- Give announcements
- Update the church sign
- Organize the church library
- Offer counseling to hurting church members
- Compliment others regularly
- Write an article for the church website or bulletin
- Introduce people to each other
- Organize a fundraiser
- Coordinate a special service project opportunity
- Act in skits, the Christmas musical, and/or youth group lessons
- Be the first to participate, to encourage others to participate too
- Help organize vacation Bible school
- Knit blankets for new babies (either for the nursery or to take home)
- Restock pews with offering envelopes and pencils
- Bring small toys to give to children in the service
- Tend to a church garden
- Participate in Angel Tree during the holidays
- Make posters/signs for upcoming events
- Be responsible for advertising church events in your community
- Direct traffic after service lets out
- Start and maintain a “Jobs” or “Opportunities” bulletin board
- Open your home for youth group events
- Help late-comers find seats
- Decorate for Christmas
- Set up a clothes donation box (particularly winter gear) for those in need
- Open your home to those without one
- Sit near the front or back of church to minister to those who need someone to talk to