If Your Adult Volunteers Were an MLB Pitching Staff

I’m a huge baseball fan. I can hardly wait every year till Spring Training rolls around. Though my favorite team is not the best… in fact almost the worst team in baseball, I still enjoy listening to, watching, and talking about baseball.

In baseball all the positions are important, but there is one that generally has a predominate role and responsibility for the game. Win or lose, the win or loss is always given to a pitcher. Pitchers have the ball the majority of the time. Pitchers control the pace of the game. Pitchers are very important.

In thinking about this, a weird analogy came to mind. How are our adult ministry volunteers like MLB pitchers? Here is my thought.

Starting Rotation:

You have some volunteers who are always there. Maybe they teach a small group every week. Maybe they rotate teaching Sunday school. These are the guys you can count on to take the ball every time their turn comes around.

Long Reliever:

A long reliever is a pitcher who is able to step in when something doesn’t go well for a starter, or who can make a spot start when needed. In your ministry these are your volunteers who cannot make a commitment on a weekly or monthly basis, but will come in and do what you need for a period of time when one of your starters is out.

Situational Specialist:

There are a handful of pitchers who are good at one thing. They may be called on to come in for a specific situation, to turn a hitter around, or to get out of a specific jam. They may not play every day, but they know what they do well and so do you. We  have volunteers who we call on to come in for specific situations. These adults may be the first ones I call when I need a special meal prepared or event planned.

Middle Reliever:

The middle reliever just keeps the game going. They keep plugging away, getting outs, passing the innings on till the closer can come in to finish it off. In your ministry these guys will do whatever you need them to do. This might involve food, driving for events, chaperoning or any variety of tasks. They are not on the front lines starting, but they help the team get the win.

Closer:

The closer has one job. They know their role, the know how to do it, and they need little direction to do so. In ministry there are many opportunities for a closer. There are many events and ministries we do that I know little about. Our liturgical dance group is great, but I know nothing about it. We have one volunteer who has a passion for that. It’s her deal. She knows how to do it, and she needs little direction to do so.

So what types of volunteers do you have? Do they fit into these roles? What is another way to look at it?

photo UC Irvine Atheletics Flickr