Video Transcript: Training Volunteer Teams and Leaving a Legacy

Abby - All right. Well, we are excited about this one. We have talked about a lot  here in this chaplaincy class focused on the holidays and Christmas, and we've  made a few mentions about how important it is to raise up a team and raise up  

others. And this is the DNA of Christian leaders Institute, this is our mission. This is our brand. Is multiplication. So you are called to multiply as a chaplain.  

Henry - Yes, Jesus trained, equipped, empowered, and sent others.  

Abby - Chaplaincy is a baton pass. It's not something that is just a sole  performance, and the multiplication will plant more seeds that are going to  outlive what your service is is able to be so, you know, even seeing it, we talk  about in generational impact. You know, you might see someone who is  younger, who has an interest in chaplaincy. You know, what an opportunity to  encourage them and come take them under your wing and say, Hey, you can  shadow me while I do chaplaincy, see if this is a fit for you,  

Henry - leadership development is core to ministry sustainability, replication of  skills and values, ensure mission continuity. You know, I think that we are at the  beginning of a movement of Christmas chaplains, and you probably never even  heard this until you maybe signed up for this class.  

Henry - Father and daughter have a fascination with multiplication of how that's  how Jesus set up the church. 12 Disciples, 70, 120, 3,000 you know, see that  use in Timothy trust a reliable people who will share it with others, who will share with others. I mean, in a sense, why can't we multiply Christmas seasonal  chaplains? And I think it's like a spot that we as a church, often miss we do  Christmas celebrations, so we want to really encounter the newborn king. But  what about encountering multiplication at the Christmas season? 

Abby - Yeah, this is a time where multiplication can take place. So why  volunteers are vital? You know, volunteers are the backbone of seasonal  ministry. You are going to have people in your life, in your community, that are  doing X, Y, Z for maybe their job, but they have so many gifts, and they have just a little bit of time that they can volunteer to again, like it's saying, be the  backbone of this seasonal ministry.  

Henry - You know, if you see someone, for instance, who loves to pray for  people. I would say, talk to them. And the other night, I was at an event, and I  saw someone who just loved marriages and all that. Are you interested in being  wedding officiant, what? And send me the link. You know you see someone who  likes to pray and loves Christmas. Hey, do you know that I am a Christmas  chaplain? Oh, I've never heard of that before. What is that? Well, there's a 

program, it's a Christmas Chaplain class. There's a there's a Chris, there's a  chaplain foundation to it. And with these two classes, you can become ordained  through the Christian Leaders Alliance as a seasonal chaplain, very focused on  this right here, praying with others, visiting nursing homes, all of these things,  and now becomes this powerful multiplication tool that you have to multiply  yourself and to help them who you've multiplied to to multiply to others.  

Abby - Absolutely they can, if you raise up these vital volunteers, they're going  to extend the reach. They're going to bring gifts that you don't have to the table,  and they're going to embody Christ's love in in their ways that God's calling them to do. And so ministry grows strong when it's shared with many, not kept close  and hoarded to a few.  

Henry - Wow, by a few so the volunteer encouragement builds community  resilience. I mean, a whole community can be transformed by volunteers. Yeah,  diverse populations enrich Minister impact and reach. In other words, how about all you know? Different culture, touch points different economic 

Abby - I mean, again, the person, like, even just we're sitting here, and I would  be able to have a reach more with maybe a young mom, and you might be able  to have a reach more with somebody who is in your age category or, yeah. So I  think it's like, there's so many opportunities. And again, we obviously can  

minister to people across all ages, groups, sexes, all these things, but you have  a unique opportunity for who you are, what stage of life you're in, and again,  what gifts God has particularly given to you.  

Henry - It's so powerful  

Abby - chaplains and Team members. So again, this talking about that  practicing what you preach and what you're living, but model before you teach.  So let others observe you. I think chaplaincy, again, is such a great role where  you can just say, hey, just just come with me. You don't no expectations of what  you're going to be doing here. Just you're just supporting me and observing and  just seeing what I'm doing here. And then once they may be observed, then you  can give these small roles to start to engage them and affirm their gifts,  

Henry - debrief, tell stories, connect training to mission. So I mean, I think that's  where the Christian Leaders Institute and the Alliance tool comes in. When you  have the Christian Leaders Institute, where you have free training. Donation  supported free training. So if someone has no income, they just take the classes and check it 

Abby - out that way too. Yeah, right, absolutely. They could shadow you. And  then, if they're liking it, say, hey, we'll take this class, and then let's talk some  more. You know, such an opportunity to connect people in that way,  

Henry - well and also to you have the opportunity to help someone get a  ministry dream. They start at Christmas. Chaplin, next thing you know, they're a  wedding officiant, and next thing you know they're going to do ministry.  

Abby - Next thing you know they are they could be planted a church in their  community. And so encouragement really fosters that confidence in spiritual  growth that people need, and that both experiential learning as well as, again,  they could be taking these free courses, right, right? So create a culture of  reproduction. So again, there's always a temptation, I think, for anybody in  ministry to want to do everything yourself, or take care of this, or make sure  you're the one that needs to call this person, or you're the one that needs to do  this or that, but really encourage you to invite others in, invest in younger or less experienced ministers and empower their trial error and growth and celebrate  When others are shining.  

Henry - Inclusive leadership fosters and multiplying culture, delegation,  celebration, strengthen team ownership. You know, I can picture like as this  Chaplain thing potentially spreads that there's like of the multiplier chaplains  who are recruiting chaplains for Christmas and season. Then there is the  chaplains who just want to minister at nursing homes. And there's that team,  yes. And then there's chaplains, where the community ones. And then they get  together, let's say in July, go July, Christmas, and they get together and talk  about what they're what they're going to do as a chaplain group. And then I can  see Chaplain multiplication centers through our soul Center, where it's like,  what's your soul center? Oh, well, we just think about seasonal chaplains in the  soul center. That's it. That's how we do that. We are a seasonal Chaplain  multiplication organization in our community. It's sort of like we live in Grand  Haven where they have this once a year festival. So they actually have a  building called the Coast Guard building, where the whole year, the team there  focuses on that 10 day event. Okay, here we go. Now. We have a multiplying  chaplaincy, seasonal chaplaincy organization, part of the soul center. And what  is it? Yeah, we just worry about Christmas. Oh, really? Oh, yeah, you want to be  a Christmas chaplain, what is that? That's what we do. And we have training.  We even have a candlelight ceremony of ordination, where everybody comes  together when a new chaplain has finished their training. So now they're all  together, and we light a candle, we sing a few songs. It's July. Maybe we're  singing Christmas songs in July, because this is or it's August, September. You  know the you know the vision for how to create this opportunity for people, and it

becomes a gateway into more ministry and more impact. Absolutely, it's exciting, isn't it? It really is.  

Abby - I mean, again, when you create that culture of reproduction, as we went  through this slide, I mean, we just God is going to show up in ways that you  know are unbelievable, and so leaving a legacy that lasts, again, legacy. It's  about who you equip not just what you do right now, and real legacy is going to  be carried out in other people's hands, and sometimes that's hard to embrace.  But again, we see that model from Jesus. He's here for a fixed amount of time,  and his legacy has been carried on for 1000s of years now by the hands and  feet of those that I've been called by Christ to keep carrying on this mission.  

Henry - Yeah, just maybe that for this year you're new to this, and you're just  going to get ready to be a chaplain and try things out. But next year you're going to start an organization of reproduction and where you're going to visit, you  know, maybe. Be your cousin, or maybe a friend, maybe some other people in  the church, maybe you have a walking group, and you talk about, hey, let's do a  little study in February where we take our some classes in chaplaincy,  foundation chaplain, and then by, you know, June, we'll take the Christmas  chaplain and, you know, and then we'll have a little bit of a ordination service,  and maybe your pastor signs on and he says, you know, let's do it at the  ordination service at our church. And then the ordination service is really  important. That's public, because you're making the chaplaincy a thing, yes. So  it's not just, you know, like, people go like, well, you ordain us at Christian  Leaders Alliance. No, this is for you in your local area, as a multiplication of that  

Abby - absolutely you are cultivating chaplains. You don't need to be serving  alone. So look around. Invite those in pass that flame and the brightest lights are going to come for those that you are multiplying.  

Henry - A reproducing ministry reflects the biblical mandate for discipleship.  Legacy is secured through intentional leadership and succession, you know.  And again, this is probably a good time to say this. So my daughter becomes  president. This is while  

Abby - we're recording this. Yeah, it'll be next year. Yeah, in nine months, or  whatever. But it's so fun.  

Henry - You know, some people go like,  

Abby - really, as you say this, you've really lived this, that intentional legacy,  passing on mentorship, empowerment, giving me the opportunity to trial error, all

of that. You know, you've given me that space to be able to be developed as a  Christian Leader.  

Henry - And really, it's fun. It's fun to know that you are not alone, that we are  part of the body of Christ, generation after generation after generation for 1000s, 2000 years. And it's impacting the world. And that is, it is not about money, it's  not about position. And yeah, you're ordained as a chaplain, but you know what  that does? That just gives you the recognition,  

Abby - so people don't, right? So the door can be open for you to minister, and  

Henry - yes, in the laying of hands and or nation does have with it that gravity  that you are serving the Lord, and that's all beautiful, but at the end of the day,  it's about more people to reach and more impact. So, this has just been a  delightful class to do with you. It's one of those classes that I'll never forget to be able to do this reproduction class, ministry, chaplaincy, Christmas chaplaincy,  and we have no idea. I mean, we do this with no idea if anybody's gonna like it.  We do it because we have one passion together, and that passion is to proclaim  Christ and to reproduce the kingdom of God. So we hope that, as you consider  yourself now that you take your next step, and may God bless you. Could you  close this class?  

Abby - I would love to, Lord, I just thank you so much for what you are doing in  the life of whoever is watching this right now. God, you have placed a calling on  their heart. Lord, what an opportunity we're talking about here in these seasons.  

And we talked very particularly about Christmas, when we celebrate you  coming, being born on this earth, and then living a life that sets this model of  ministry and multiplication, and then dying for all of our sins. And so as we bring  your presence and your light into places that so desperately need it. Lord, just I  ask that who's watching this right now, you fill them anew with your spirit,  strengthen them, empower them, and bring them forward in this calling that  you've placed in their life. We pray this in Your precious name, Jesus, amen.  Amen.