Can Your Ministry Use Virtual or Remote Staff?

By On · 4 Comments

The use of virtual staff is increasing as the world becomes more globalised and skills are becoming more universal. The use of virtual assistants is becoming extremely popular with online marketers and companies, but is this phenomenon something that is limited to the online world? Is virtual staff something that can make the jump to ministry and missions?

Are virtual staff something that you are using with your ministry?

YWAM Ships is one of the first YWAM ministries that I have seen actively seeking volunteer staff to work with their ministry “virtually”. They first posted their desire to do so on their Twitter account:

ywamships: Why not create a base where the back office roles are virtual. – interfacing as a team by video conferencing. #YWAM #YWAMSHIPS #Logistics

They have also put a post on their web-site asking for:

Virtual Volunteers

If you have skills that work well from home and you are unable to join us on site we could still use your help.  If you have “back office” skills such as data entry, graphics, web, IT/programing, registrar, admin and office type skills we could do with your help.

I think that this is a rather unique way that a ministry can look at filling a staffing need. The needs that they are specifically looking at fulfilling virtually are the kinds of needs that can often be done remotely and even part-time. Being part-time roles even opens up the possibility for YWAM Alumni or Associates to perform those roles, while still maintaining a full-time job elsewhere.

Advantages of Virtual Staff

With virtual staff there are many advantages that your ministry can experience:

  • No office space – With virtual staff you do not need to allocate physical office space
  • Not location dependant – Your staff can be literally anywhere in the world, even in a completely different time zone
  • Not time dependant – This is especially beneficial for a part-time role as the staff does not need to fill 40-hours a week
  • Wider pool of potential workers – Since you don’t require your staff to possibly relocate to your location you increase the number of potential volunteers and staff
  • more…

Challenges with Virtual Staff

In addition to all those advantages there are also many challenges working with virtual or remote staff.

I have been working on a remote basis with the YWAM International Communications Team for the last 2.5 years. In addition to the communications team in the United Kingdom I am tied in with a local YWAM Ministry here in Calgary. I must admit though that it is a huge challenge not working in the same location as the rest of my team.

Some of the challenges that I have personally experienced are:

  • Isolation – It is hard not being around and having a “personal” relationship with the people I work with in ministry. Although we are friends and have spent time together “in real life” not having that interaction each day is a challenge.
  • Bouncing ideas off others – Something that I miss is being able to turn around and ask someone for an opinion on something I’m working on or thinking about. For me to get an answer to a question to a member on my team normally takes a day or more via e-mail.
  • Lack of Focus – As much as I love the work that I do in YWAM it can be hard to stay focused on the work when there is no one else around me doing the same or even remotely similar work.
I realise that my personal experience probably differs from others, but I believe that many of these challenges are common to remote workers working in a ministry setting. The lack of fellowship with fellow team members can be quite a challenge…

Do We Need A Virtual YWAM Office Pool?

Here is a question for you, should YWAM have a virtual “office pool” of admin and communications people to fill these needs that are previlant and common at almost all YWAM locations?

I remember a few years ago when the “YWAM President’s Gatherings” started up one of the initiatives that they had talked about was the larger YWAM Centres “adopting” some of the smaller ones around the world. The goal of the larger bases adopting smaller ones was to assist them in growth and fulfilling the things that God has desired for them to do. The President’s gathering was for the largest 40 YWAM Centre leaders to attend. I wonder how many of those centres actually partnered with smaller centres to assist them?

Here is a question directed at YWAM Centre leaders, are you willing to allow your staff to work one day a week for another ministry location to assist them in their administrative or communication needs? Is YWAM one large organisation or tribe, or are we all trying to build our own little kingdoms?

My Response to Being a “Misinformed Redneck” About the Occupy Wall Street Movement

By On · 4 Comments

Today I was called a “misinformed redneck” when I stated that I disagree with some aspects of the Occupy movement. It was in the comments to the following photo:

My friend commented:

The point of this picture is that we who have two cars, a roof over our heads, free health care, food in the fridge, flat screen tv’s, computers, ipads etc. are a privelaged elite. We are in the top 3% of the world in terms of wealth. I’m not interested in listening to people complain about a mortgage when they’ve never gone hungry a day in their life or never had to choose which child to feed today. The citizens of the US and Canada are not entitled to a stress-free life.

My response to the photo was:

In the horn of Africa they are expecting about 750,000 to have died from the famine there by the end of the year. I seriously feel like slapping those guys down at Occupy Calgary and telling them to wake up!

After a bit more discussion on the topic one of the other commenters decided that I am a “Misinformed Redneck”. While the redneck part is quite possibly correct, I got a little irate at the full implication. Here was my response…

One of the things that the occupy people was proud of what that they don’t have solutions, but they know there is “something wrong”. They include people from the Arian Nations, to the Communists, (source) to everyone in between. I’ve some people say that if you support some of what they stand for, then you should stand with them! That’s rubbish.

I don’t disagree that something is wrong. Corporate influence in the Canadian government is too strong and unfortunately, even though I voted for them and would again, the current government is increasing the amount of influence private corporations have in government with the removal of public financing for parties based on number of votes. I was originally in favour of this move as it decreases government spending, but it allows greater influence of outside donors, and they are never bias, whether it’s the unions or it’s corporations. This was a bad move. (source)

I think that the occupy movement, as it has developed, is going about it the wrong. In the US it’s being co-opted by the democrats and Obama is doing his best to turn them into his foot soldiers. Obama is in bed with the corporations and will say anything he needs to in order to get re-elected, but he won’t change anything. This supposed “jobs bill” is a farce! If read in it’s entirety the majority of it has little to do with jobs for the people and will, as usual, benefit Obama’s major donors (source).

As for solutions for Africa…

How about we change our spending habits? In 2010 Christmas related spending in the US was $584.3 billion (source)! That is more than the GDP of 197 of the worlds countries (source). US AID to the Horn of Africa for 2011 is $650 million (source), or about 0.1% of the Christmas spending, can we see how messed up priorities are there?

In our household we are talking about where we want to donate money to this year for Christmas rather than spending it all on ourselves. Our kids are looking forward to it and our 9-year old son talks about it quite a bit. If people decided to make the choice to put their money where their mouth was it could make a big difference in the world, and to people like those starving in Africa…

When Extrinsic Motivation Demotivates

By On · Add Comment

When a Passion Becomes a Job

Recently I’ve actually started to do some paid freelance writing in the areas of social media, web-site development and marketing. These are areas that I am quite active in with my full-time volunteer role in Youth With A Mission. They are things that I am passionate about because I can see how they can be used to communicate what God is doing in and through the mission, and how people can get involved.

Writing about it though is hard…

Most times when I sit down to write it feels like I have permanent writers block. Articulating things in written form has never been something I’m strong at (just ask any of my high-school English teachers). I remember when I went to do a communication school in YWAM in 1999 one of my students laughed at the thought of me doing “communication” ministry.

Writing for this blog is relatively easy compared to the freelance writing that I do (even though I am approaching the 2-hour mark for this article). A lot of what I write about is similar, but getting the motivation for the freelance writing is much more difficult than for my own sites. I can still get it done, but it certainly takes a lot more effort do it…

Why is it harder?

When I write for this site I try to write from the heart, usually about something that I’ve been thinking about or mulling over for a while. Often it’s something I’m passionate about, like my using what you know in missions series and personal finance in missions, or topics that have come up in my YWAM work, like how to connect with potential missionaries. Sometimes, like this article, it has to do with experiences that are going on in my personal life.

Of course, my struggle to do paid writing could also be a sign of my own lack of maturity! Nah, that can’t be it…

How about you?

Are you motivated by passion or by external rewards?

How do you respond to external motivation?

Thankfulness at the YWAM Calgary Weekly Gathering

By On · Add Comment

Every week we get together as YWAM Calgary on Tuesday to enjoy a lunch together. It’s great time to get to know each other, hear what God is doing in each other’s lives and spend some time talking about, and learning more about God.

It’s a relaxing atmosphere with no set agenda other than some good food (hopefully, since it’s pot-luck you never really know) and good fellowship.

The gatherings are open to anyone connected with Youth With A Mission and happen every Tuesday from 12:00 – 2:00 in McKenzie Towne, South East Calgary.

Last week was my turn to share so I lead a bit of a talk about Thankfulness. We made this video talking about what we believe being thankful means, and then what we are thankful for…

If you are interested in joining us for our weekly meetings, or finding out what else Youth With A Mission Calgary is up to, you can do so at the YWAM Calgary web-site, www.ywamcalgary.ca.

What Are the Occupy Wall Street Protests About…

By On · Add Comment

This guy makes a good point about why the original Occupy Wall Street started and what the original people were protesting.

The fact that no one was prosecuted for the bank failures (in fact most bank CEOs got huge bonuses from the bailout money) and that both political parties are in the pockets of the banks and corporations (Ron Paul being one of the few exceptions) should frustrate Americans. There needs to be changes to the system (bring back Glass-Steagall so that a bank is a bank, not an investment engine?), but very little has changed, which again should frustrate Americans.

Since the protests started though they are looking much more left wing (socialist) in their leaning. They have been co-opted from their original intent and looks like the socialist uprisings we saw in the US in the early and mid 1940s. All we need is to see the unions start to strike and it could dramatically change the direction the government is taking in the US. (listen to this episode of the hardcore history show to hear more about “the Red Scare”).

Occupy Canada

Given that Canada has largely avoided the financial and banking crisis that is hitting the US though I am a bit confused about the Occupy Calgary protests that are happening today. Alberta has an unemployment rate of only 5.4% and plenty of opportunity.

Photo by freestylee