Every church has those hero-martyrs that are proud of their burnout. Establishing a policy to rest and refuel is vital to the health of your ministry! The reality is that we and our volunteers need periods of rest and having volunteers take a rest from ministry has some significant benefits.

1. Self-Care—We’re often so consumed with plugging people into ministry that we overlook the self-care needed for sustained ministry. Giving people permission to take a rest sends the message that you care about them and that they’re important to the ministry. If you value the spiritual growth of your teachers you’ll make sure they take some time to be refreshed.

2. Personal Recognition—Stepping out of an active ministry role gives you the opportunity to recognize the service of the servant. We often overlook the continuous service of those who never want to step out of their position. While you need to have intentional systems to regularly recognize all workers, a break from service gives you a natural opportunity to celebrate their service.

3. Spiritual Growth—A rest in service will give your volunteers the opportunity to engage in continuing education, or spiritual enrichment. Suggest your teachers attend a new Bible study, journal through a book of the Bible, or participate in some other opportunity for personal and spiritual growth.

4. Ministry Reflection—Time out from service gives volunteers the chance to reflect on their service. Reflection asks: So what? Now what? In reflection, volunteers can see how God works through them to accomplish His purpose. It will also help them see if their service is a good match for their gifts and abilities.

5. Program Improvement—A break in service allows the opportunity to evaluate what can be done to improve the ministry position to increase productivity and satisfaction of the person serving. Are additional resources needed? Would he or she benefit from specific training topics? It’s a win-win for everyone involved and energizes the volunteer as they re-enter the position with the changes and improvements that have been made.

Discover how to keep your volunteers active and feeling appreciated! Download our free report, The Ultimate Resource for Volunteer Appreciation: Gift Ideas, Volunteer Recognition, and Encouragement in Christian Volunteer Programs from the volunteer experts at Church Volunteer Central.