Berean Video Ministry HRD Preliminary Plan

This plan describes the things I anticipate doing to train (and support) the volunteers in the Berean Video Ministry. The following points are arranged in a rough order of importance, based on the feedback from current Video Ministry volunteers and suggestions from other church volunteer resources.

1. Revise and complete the “Worship Center Quick-Guide” instruction manual currently in draft stage. (This will provide volunteers with the written documentation they need to support their use of the equipment.)
2. Consult with pastors and get advance proof-reading and “flow” of the worship music; get “in the loop” with schedule of special visiting pastors, etc. to find out if they know of any behavior that the video team would not anticipate. (This will reduce the need to react to surprises during the service, and the frustration and tension caused by that need to react.)
3. Rearrange equipment into a neater order; tie up cables to provide a less cluttered working environment; label equipment to match and clarify descriptions provided in the instruction manual. (This will improve the working conditions of the volunteers and reduce the frustration of those who are distracted by disorganization.)
4. Develop some “team-building meetings” and see if they are helpful and well received. (This follows the recommendations of one team member and the “Volunteer Development” guide from Building Church Leaders, which suggest meetings to hear suggestions and needs from the volunteers and build a team-oriented environment where the volunteers know one another and realize they have others available to help them.)
5. Establish the above training and development process for existing volunteers with the goal that the Berean Video Ministry will do another outreach for additional volunteers. Therefore, we have to get the current volunteers up and running fully incorporated into the team so they can help train the next volunteers. (This provides a drive or direction or “vision” for the ministry that is not tied to particular technical goals, but is more flexible and rooted in the knowledge that the ministry will undoubtedly need to grow and change in ways we cannot anticipate at this point.)
6. Repeat the whole process. (This acknowledges the fact that training and development are continuous efforts of improvement, not one-time tasks to check off a list as “complete”.)

Relevant Resources:

www.BuildingChurchLeaders.com

www.ChurchMedia.net

Submitted by Eric M. Larson, 4/30/2002