This post may contain affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission from purchased products at no additional cost to you. See my full disclosure here.
The biggest struggle most small churches have is volunteers; not enough volunteers, burning out volunteers, finding new volunteers, and keeping volunteers. There’s a lot of commiserating about the 80/20 rule, where 80% of the work is done by 20% of the people. But is that even true? Does it have to be?
Keep reading if you want to find out:
- Where the 80/20 rule came from and why it’s not a rule at all
- Why the 80/20 rule isn’t biblical
- That it’s immensely important, but not in the way you think it is
- How changing your beliefs about the rule is going to change your ministry
Debunking The 80/20 Rule
Many people in churches talk about the 80/20 rule. For some, being able to state this rule gets them off the hook for developing more volunteers. Because if 20% are serving, well then, that’s good, right? For others, the 80/20 rule is a way to commiserate with other churches in the same position, as if we’re all doing the best we can, and 20% is the best we can do.
I want to let you know the truth though. The 80/20 rule isn’t a rule. It isn’t biblical. It is immensely important, however, but not in the way you think. If you embrace the truth, it is going to transform the way you do ministry.
Is it true in your church that the same core group of people tend to step up, show up, and keep everything running? How many people teach Sunday school vs. how many come to Sunday school? How many arrive early to set up the summer BBQ vs. the people who come to eat and enjoy?
Before we dive in further, take a quick check-in with your emotions. If you do agree with the 80/20 rule, and if that’s the way your church seems to function, how does that make you feel? Does it make you feel bitter? Disappointed? Sad? Or maybe you’re a little proud that you are part of the 20% that’s committed? Let’s keep learning.
The 80/20 Rule Started With Peas
In case you ever wondered where this rule even came from, here’s the story. In 1906, a man named Pareto noticed that 80% of the peas he got from his garden came from 20% of his pea pods. He later realized that 80% of the wealth in Italy was owned by 20% of the people. It was simply relating input to output. In the 1940s, a management consultant, Durn, expanded the principle to business environments.
Before long, the principle that originated with peas was being applied to the percentage of sales that came from the percentage of salespeople, as well as the percentage of product that was purchased by the percentage of customers.
It is important to understand that this is NOT a rule. A rule is a law. It’s something that must be followed. It’s governance. That is not true for the 80/20 principle, whether you’re talking about business, carpet wear, or your church. How do I know this? Because I’ve seen different. I’ve spoken to people in churches who have a lot more people serving. I have been part of churches that break the 80/20 rule.
The 80/20 Rule Is Not Biblical
The Bible illustrates the Body of Christ a lot differently than the 80/20 rule. In 1 Corinthians, God paints a clear picture of His body and the church. The illustration is that we are all different body parts. A toe, a kidney, a lung, with Christ as the head. God didn’t have to use this illustration. He could have used the illustration of the church being like two people who are carrying the weight of a stretcher with broken, damaged people on it. But he didn’t. He specifically chose to use the analogy of a body with many parts that rely on and depend upon one another.
I don’t believe that God gave us the Bible to give us unrealistic ideas of things we could never achieve. The Bible isn’t fiction or fantasy. So why did God use the illustration of the body? Because He meant it when He said that every member is important and they all contribute!
The Body Of Christ Is Not 80/20
Here’s where the danger comes in. We have taken the 80/20 principle that takes place in our world of economics and business, and we’ve applied it to God’s purpose for us. When scripture says that this earth is not our home, we are aliens in this land. We are not like the world. We don’t get to take the Pareto principle about peas from 1906, apply it to the church, and excuse ourselves from functioning as Christ’s body.
But don’t throw out the 80/20 rule quite yet. Here’s why it’s important.
The 80/20 Rule Is An Indicator That Something’s Not Right
The 80/20 rule is insanely important, but not in the way most people think. You see, the 80/20 rule isn’t a rule at all. It is a symptom. It’s an indicator that something is not right. Symptoms compel us to:
- Look for solutions
- Try new things
- Take risks
So let’s loop back to your feelings about the 80/20 rule. Is it a bummer that your church is under the 80/20 rule? Do you kind of just throw your hands up? Does it make you sad? Do you cling to the idea that if you don’t do it, no one else will?
I want to suggest that there is a fix. That not only is there a reason behind the pain and dysfunction (actually, 4 main reasons), but there’s also a solution.
4 Church Issues That Contribute To The 80/20 Rule
Most churches following the pattern of the 80/20 principle have one or more of these underlying issues:
1. You’re Trying To Do Too Many Good Things
God didn’t call us to program the church; He called us to be the church.
Now, programs are great if they are sustainable and if they lead to good relationships. However, small churches are often doing things that aren’t sustainable, burning out our volunteers.
I believe God has already given you all the people you need to do exactly what He wants you to do. God will meet our needs according to His glorious riches. The problem is, we try to do MORE. So often, small churches are trying to offer all the programs that large churches offer. We attempt to do things that we can’t sustain with the amount of people in our church.
The bottom line is if you have a culture of burning people out, of being short-handed, if volunteering is equal to stress, you won’t have long-term volunteers.
You might have a few martyrs who will do anything, neglecting their health, their family, and their priorities, all while getting burnt out in the process. But healthy volunteers? No.
2. You’re Doing The Wrong Things
The second reason you may be falling into the 80/20 principle is that you’re doing the wrong thing. Maybe you’ve decided to limit your focus so you’re not doing too many things, but the people in your ministry area don’t have the same desires or vision as you do. If no one wants to follow you, you might need to cast the vision better, or maybe open your eyes to clearly see the objections and find a new vision that is shared.
I believe God puts desires in the hearts of His people. I believe your church already has a common passion. Consider these questions:
- Who’s in your church?
- What do they love?
- What do they value?
- What skills do they have and what could you develop?
You may uncover a shared vision you hadn’t considered before.
3. Instead Of Asking & Developing New People, You Keep Asking The 20%
Understandably, you want volunteers who are already proven. The ones who are mature and ready to serve. These volunteers are capable and low maintenance. But this leads us to the third underlying issue: If you want to increase the 20% number, start looking for the unlikely and the overlooked instead.
If you want to develop volunteers like Jesus, take the slow route. Start developing relationships, not with the objective of getting a volunteer, but with the goal of cultivating strong relationships. Develop them, train them, appreciate them, and invest in them. Every human wants to feel significant, make a difference, and be loved. So, love them, and teach them about their significance.
If you do this, you’ll start seeing that 80/20 rule morph into something brand new.
4. No One Wants To Work With You
The last common reason you may be falling into the 80/20 volunteer situation, and this is a tough one to hear, but is it possible no one wants to work with you right now? I don’t mean ever, but just right now. It could be that you need to grow a little in your skills.
Maybe people sign up but don’t stick, or maybe they seem to avoid you.
This is a tough one to diagnose because if you are this person, you probably don’t know it and you probably don’t think this is you. However, if the other 3 reasons aren’t resonating with your situation, I suggest you take a look at this one.
Here are two main things a leader needs to do really well in a small church:
- Loving
- Leading
Maybe you love people and they know you care, but your leadership skills aren’t great. Or maybe the reverse is true: Your leadership skills are stellar, but your “love” needs some work. Sometimes this shows up when you’re frustrated that people aren’t committed enough or you are burnt out from doing it all yourself. If you’re looking for servants instead of friends, keep this in mind: Volunteers don’t exist to do ministry, they are your ministry.
As a leader, teacher, volunteer, staff member, or pastor, if you’re experiencing the 80/20 rule, I want to invite you to take a step back. Because what if I’m right and it’s not a rule? What if it’s a symptom of something that’s fixable? What if there is hope for no more burnout, exhaustion, or frustration at the lack of commitment?
I believe it’s not only possible, but it’s God’s deep desire for us.
Which of these 4 reasons might be contributing to your 80/20 symptom?
- Too many good things
- Doing the wrong things
- Asking the 20% over the unlikely and overlooked
- You need to grow in some leadership skills of loving and leading
Once you figure out the cause, it is a whole lot easier to work toward change.
Read More
Increase Volunteer Commitment, Longevity, and Passion
Or better yet, join The Small Church Academy for ongoing training, support, and certification in small church ministry.
