Developing a Volunteer Ministry Placement Strategy for New Song Bible Fellowship Church in Bowie, Maryland

Abstract

ABSTRACT

DEVELOPING A VOLUNTEER MINISTRY PLACEMENT

STRATEGY FOR NEW SONG BIBLE FELLOWSHIP

CHURCH IN BOWIE, MARYLAND

Barbara Jackson Davis, D.Ed.Min.

The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, 2014

Faculty Supervisor: Dr. T. Vaughn Walker

This research project focused on developing a recruitment and placement strategy for volunteers at New Song through the use of the PLACE Inventory Assessment tool.

Chapter 2 describes the biblical and theological support for why believers should serve. Four foundational scriptures were used to support the thesis that God has created believers to serve. Ephesians 2:10 emphasizes that believers are created for "good works" and therefore, they should serve. James 2:14-17 focuses on the fact that faith without "works" is dead. Therefore, if believers had faith they would have "works' and serve. First Corinthians 12:7-11 highlight that believers have been given spiritual gift(s) to perform a specific task (service). Mark 10: 42-45 states that the believer's identity is rooted in Christ. Therefore, the believers must serve because Christ was a servant.

Chapter 3 describes the theoretical foundation for volunteer administration. Volunteer administration is a set of complex human management processes, which entails reviewing the demographics and dynamics of the volunteer, the volunteer recruitment process, volunteer management, volunteer training, and the motivation of volunteers.

Chapter 4 discusses the research methodology used for the project. This project focused on new adult members and non-serving adult members at New Song. The project used the PLACE inventory assessment tool. This tool assessed personality type, spiritual gifts, abilities, passions, and life experiences that have shaped a believer for ministry work. A ministry placement coach was used to help each member who took the assessment to understand the results for placement in ministry.

Chapter 5 presents the results of the project. The results strongly suggested that members who took the PLACE assessments and had a ministry coaching session were highly likely to join a ministry.