The volunteers who serve in the parking lot are the first impression guests will have of a church. Whether these team members smile and greet them with a warm welcome or simply point them to a parking spot will reflect on the culture of the church. It isn’t easy to inspire people to serve in a not-so-glamourous ministry role.

Nasty weather conditions can take a toll on these outside volunteers. However, it can be a very fun and rewarding experience if done well. Here are several parking lot team recruitment ideas to help you build up your church’s team.

#1 - Explain why

You’ll need to answer why this team exists before you launch a big effort to add to the current team. Providing a clear vision for why this role is important and how these volunteers can contribute to the ministry of the church is a big deal.

This team performs several important functions:

• Provides the first impression for visitors.
• A key part of the hospitality ministry of the church.
• Helps prevent traffic issues before and after services.
• Contributes to the safety and security of the church campus.
• Directs visitors to their designated parking spaces.
• Assists the elderly or those who need help getting from their cars to the main entrance.
• Helps a new family with multiple kids shuttle children safely to the main entrance and on to the children’s check-in area.

These actions that this team performs are acts of hospitality and respect for those in need. A strong group that knows its purpose will tackle any challenge with excellence and will be intriguing to potential volunteers.

#2 - Retain volunteers

Before you try recruiting volunteers, make sure you aren't losing current team members unnecessarily. 

Have ministry leaders spend time with the group and ask if there's anything they need to help them serve more effectively or to make their job easier.

Take care of the people already serving before you try to add new members to the team.

The best recruiting strategy is for current volunteers to invite others to join them. If you take good care of your volunteers and make it an enjoyable experience, they’re more likely to recruit for you.

How to take care of current volunteers:

• Provide cold water during warmer months.
• Offer shaded areas whenever possible (portable tents are great for this).
• Supply hot coffee, hand warmers, and other gear during cold months.
• Include a weather forecast update in weekly emails to team members to make sure they know if a rainstorm or extreme weather is possible for Sunday morning.
• If you provide snacks for Sunday volunteers inside, make sure you also provide snacks for the team outside.

#3 - Highlight the current team

Shoot pictures and videos of the parking lot team on Sunday mornings. Share these (with permission) on social media, during a service, and on the church website. Use this media to thank the team, show how much fun it can be to serve in the parking lot, and encourage people to join the team.

#4 - Define the commitment

Many churches find that people hesitate to volunteer if they don't know the expectations or the commitment required for a particular role. Fix that issue in your recruitment process by creating a job description for each volunteer role.

This volunteer job description should include the following:

• A brief overview of the role.
• Specific expectations of someone in this role.
• Any attire requirements or guidelines.
• How often each volunteer would serve in this role (weekly, monthly, etc.).
• What commitment length the church requires for this role (six months, one year, or none).

#5 - Share the need

There could be several people in the congregation who’d be happy to serve on the parking lot team but don’t know if you need more people. Determine how many more volunteers you need for the parking lot team and start spreading the news to church members.

• Include an invitation to serve in any weekly email newsletter the church sends out.
• Shoot a fun video about the parking lot team and play it before or after services. Also, post the video on social media and include a link for people to sign up to serve.
• Ask small group leaders to invite people in their small groups to volunteer.
• Talk with the current parking lot team and ask them to invite people to serve with them.
• Put a blurb in the church bulletin about joining the parking lot team.
• Recruit teens from the youth group to serve in the parking lot. It’s a great way to get them started with volunteering.
• Ask church leaders to share during a worship service how first-time guests perceive the church based on their experience outside the front door.
• Have each ministry leader talk with their spheres of influence to encourage people to join the team.

The team who initially greets each guest and church member is an important part of your church's ministry. Invest the time and energy needed to take care of the current volunteers and to develop a robust recruiting effort.