“Help, I’m burning out!”

You might be the one silently screaming those words—or perhaps the silent screamers are the volunteers on your ministry team. And when volunteers are burned out they’re quick to quit.

It’s up to you to provide enough “oxygen” to ignite the ministry passion in your team, but you also need to manage and organize the environment so there’s a low risk of anyone (including yourself) getting burned out.

Here are the top reasons volunteers burn out in ministry—and what you can do about them:

Lack of communication – Keep in touch often with emails, meeting minutes and phone calls. Make sure everyone is kept in the loop.

Not enough delegation – Get organized and get the right people doing each job. Have each person on your team invite a friend to help. Share the load!

Unclear vision – Make sure everyone on your team knows the purpose of the ministry and where you plan to go as it grows. Keep your vision statement simple, and talk about it often to fan the flames of enthusiasm.

Mixed-up priorities – You and your team members need to know it’s okay to put family or personal life before ministry. And remember that what one person feels is a higher priority might be different from the opinion of another. Respect each other.

Lack of encouragement – Words of affirmation are critically important. Say “thank-you” often. Celebrate successes. Write notes affirming the contributions and talents of your team. It’s hard to quit when you know you’re a highly valued team member.