Churches are doing loads of good work on homelessness but need more volunteers for youngsters’s work, tech

Research conducted by the Evangelical Alliance has suggested that many churches could also be battling a scarcity of volunteers, particularly in youth ministry and in the sphere of tech support.

The research interviewed 300 church leaders and 1,000 regular church goers in an try to learn how either side of the equation view the situation. In particular the research checked out how volunteering levels had modified for the reason that pandemic.

The results were odd to say the least. Most church leaders reported a notable change in volunteering levels, with 40% noting an increase and 30% saying there’d been a drop off for the reason that pandemic ended. By contrast, most people said they felt their very own personal level of volunteering was broadly unchanged.

While it could appear that the research produced scattered results, there have been some patterns to be found. Smaller churches generally found that volunteering levels had remained broadly the identical, while medium sized churches (defined as 47-165 adults) were more likely  to report a drop in volunteering.

Many churches have similar gaps of their ministry attributable to a shortage of volunteers. Two thirds of churches said they were struggling to search out people to help in children’s ministry, and half said they’d shortages in youth ministry.

The research also found that 40% of churches had a shortage of volunteers within 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 nonetheless, over two thirds of churches are involved in providing food banks to the needy. Churches are also increasingly equipped to assist the homeless and people battling addiction.

Calvin Birnie, a research associate on the Evangelical Alliance, said, “While some churches are experiencing shortages, we must always be encouraged that more churches reported a rise in volunteering during the last five years than reported a decrease.

“Nevertheless, let’s concentrate on the areas where volunteer shortages are causing particular challenges and let’s pray for a latest and younger generation of Christians willing and in a position to tackle these volunteering roles.”