Church volunteers: an oxymoran

Following is my response to a provoking blog by Michele Van Loon on the Her.Meneutics.com (http://blog.christianitytoday.com/women/2010/07/church_volunteers_an_oxymoron.html):

Well put!  I served (volunteered) at my church for a majority of my life and found, that event though I walked my talked to His glory, I wasnt always found credible in the eyes of the paid staff.  Over and over again, in transitioning to a new ministry, I felt like I had to prove myself again to gain trust to accomplish the task.  I felt more than equipped to do the ministry God called me to do at the time.   I felt invigorated, passionate, excite...however my perception was I hadnt gained the confidence of my church colleagues (paid and unpaid) of the given staff people.  Fortunately God Blesses me with some of the same fellow believers (majority unpaid and the pastor's support) who walk along side me in different ministries, some done previously under the auspices of a volunteer.

I decided to get credentialed within the church (read undergraduate and masters degree) because as I get older I realized I didnt have the luxury of 2 to 5 years to prove myself in any given position of service each time.  I thought if I was credential in ministry that I could down on that 2 to 5 year acceptance period.  I'm not getting any younger.  I serve at my church (the same one which I previously volunteered) now as paid staff.  The transition the staff has from viewing me as an unpaid to paid (except for the pastor) has been difficult.  I serve in an average size church (250 attendees) and my salary is more benevolent than financially sustaining.  This career I have been called to is faith based in more ways than one.

I specialize in outreach events and in spiritual gifts, conducting such SG inventories as part of my job.  I try to help other believers find their perfect fit in the body.  I understand the consequences of burn out and guilting people into lay ministry positions.  I do not like the using the word "assimilate" found in such inventories in regards to assisting people in find a place of service in the church.  My current word of choice for such is to harmonize and even that doesnt quite describe a persons place in the body of the church.

I realize if God calls you to do something, you dont have necessarily be academically credentialed.  He will equip the called.  But the analogy made between blue (unpaid/volunteers) and white (paid/staff) workers in the church is very accurate in terms of how that person is treated.  With god's grace and mercy, my prayer is that the church body will realize the body of the church is not like the business organizations of the secular world.