Check out this verse from Deuteronomy:

“And what other great nation has statutes and ordinances as just as this whole law that I am about to share with you today?”  Dt. 4:8

This is a fairly loaded statement about culture in a small space. We often read the Old Testament, the Torah no less, and are amazed by the laws listed.

There are all kinds of penalties that seem rather harsh to us. Some rules seem oppressive. But in its day, the Mosaic Law was radical. It revealed a merciful and just God.

Obedience to this law taught the nations around Israel about the God of these alien people who appeared out of the desert.

God is always revealing himself in a particular time and place because that is how we are made. He meets us, in many ways, on our own terms so that we can truly get to know him.

I have quite a back log of material in my moleskine to post here, but it will have to wait until after Easter vacation. I hope to begin rewriting some chapters and to continue posting articles and books of interest to my "postmodernism and Christianity" project.  Of course publication is still on the horizon and moving ahead slowly. I’ll post an update soon once I get some solid deadlines in place. Hopefully then I can begin to post more material here from the book proper and start generating some conversation. ’til then, happy Easter.

This continues my selection of quotes from NT Wright’s, The Last Word. After addressing the interplay of scripture and culture, Wright moves on the relationship between scripture and politics. He comments:

"The older models for discovering who we all were and what we all ought to be doing  . . . have disappeared, leaving it painfully obvious that we had no idea what would happen next and thus had no game plan to cope with it (hence the Balkans, the Middle East and especially Israel/Palestine, famine, AIDS, and other disasters)" (11).

Wright goes on to describe a world gone wrong that we are unable to put right. And then of course comes the role of the Bible in all of this:

"What happens when we read the Bible within this world? We find that its narratives of exodus and conquest, of liberation and monarchy, of exile and return, and of the universal claims of Jesus-of, in fact, the Kingdom of God!-sett off multiple new resonances which we cannot and must not ignore. But two centuries of pretending that the Bible has nothing to say about politics (i.e., since the Enlightenment, when this became axiomatic) have left the church disabled-in a way which theologians from Irenaus in the second century to Richard Hooker in the sixteenth simply would not recognize-when it comes to serious, responsible contemporary readings that will address the urgent political issues of our day" (11-12).

I called a volunteer yesterday. After saying where I was calling from, she said, “Oh, I already sent in my money.” I wasn’t calling about that of course, I was calling to ask her to volunteer. Totally different department.

Yet in some ways, I feel like asking people to volunteer is more demanding than asking for their money. You are basically asking them to reprioritize their time and help your organization out. It’s thoughts like these that make me feel I am worse than a telemarketer.

So how do we counteract that impersonal, organizational feeling when we call people? How can they feel like their volunteering for more than a non-profit organization, but for people, a cause, etc.?

Relationships

There is nothing more powerful than building relationships when creating a team of volunteers. While it’s not a transaction, it is logical to assume that if you want them to care about your organization, your organization better care about them. Designating one person to build relationships with volunteers is a way to personalize the volunteer experience and helps customize your volunteer program to each individual.

Take time to find out about your volunteers and their habits, likes/dislikes, and activities. You may be able to focus their volunteer time more effectively once you find out how much they enjoy people or hate clerical work. It also helps to find out about specific preferences. For example, if you know one volunteer doesn’t like driving in snow, check the forecast before you call, have a sub lined up, and give him/her an easy out if the weather gets bad.  Also, if a volunteer has a sick spouse, call to check up on the situation, don’t let them think they are forgotten if they no longer can volunteer.
You can only find these things out if you invest the time in relationships.  This investment will prevent you from viewing volunteers as fuel to keep your non-profit “machine” going. They are an integral part of the whole, but have individual worth that you must value. Any time spent building up the value of relationships will make your volunteer program stronger and more satisfying for all parties involved.

One of the best ways that I have found volunteers is through the friends of other volunteers. The obvious starting point is to make sure that your volunteers have positive experiences, know their opinions are valued, and feel appreciated. The next step is to encourage them to bring their friends along.

Incentives are a fun way to get your volunteers thinking about who to invite. A coupon to your organizations gift shop or a participating store in town is always fun. I’m sure that a restaurant or store in your area would be willing to supply some 10-20% off coupons for a few volunteers at your organization. The publicity and extra traffic is a good trade off.

If you can offer incentives within your organization, that is all the better.

Of course one essential part of the incentive program is developing a simple spread sheet to keep track of who’s done what. You could lose a volunteer if he/she feels slighted by you. Be careful to stick to the guidelines you establish for the incentive program, and make sure that you deliver the goods as soon as possible. That will get people talking about the incentives and will hopefully encourage others to participate.

Knowing what your volunteers enjoy is a key part of appreciating them. It’s even worth adding a section to their profile in your database in order to keep track of such preferences as snacks, hobbies, etc.

For example, when volunteers come to help with a mailing, I always make sure to have cookies, crackers, and some kind of bread on hand (cranberry nut bread is #1 right now). I used to have muffins on hand, but these were rarely touched. In branching out a bit, I tried some other options and struck gold with ginger snap cookies and the aforementioned bread. Taking a little extra time to figure this out goes a long way in letting volunteers know they are appreciated and make the overall experience far more pleasant when they enjoy the snacks set before them, instead of having to feign enjoyment of dry crackers or who knows what else.

Another practice of appreciation is customizing the food and drinks on hand for your volunteers. If you know one volunteer enjoys herbal tea or earl grey, stop at the store and pick some up. If they are taking the time to help you, then you can at least provide them with a good cup of tea!

The beauty of appreciating volunteers through such tangible means is that it’s always appropriate. I have seen awkward and even tense situations resolved with a box of chocolate dropped off as a peace offering, or a generous amount of attentiveness. It’s hard to be put off when you’re being treated so kindly! So whatever the situation, appreciate, appreciate, appreciate. Going the extra mile to extend some common elements of hospitality will help communicate to volunteers how much they are valued by your organization.