Summary: You are not being a burden to a volunteer by allowing them to spread their wings and discover who God made them to be. Be a multiplier. Build the church for the longest term win. Stop robbing people from an opportunity to lay up treasure in heaven and start sharing opportunities to serve.
Many leaders short circuit the blessing of ministry multiplication when they believe the following lie: “I do not want to burden volunteers.” You are not being a burden to a volunteer by allowing them to spread their wings and discover who God made them to be. You are not a burden to them; you are being a blessing to them.
You are also a blessing to the long term health of the church. The plan of the church is to have leaders with enough humility and insight to see the fullest use of the gifts of others IS the way the church grows. The healthiest future church is a church with leaders who build the body. Think with me for a moment of the ripple effect if one leader poured into three, who, in turn, poured into three other leaders who poured into more. A multiplying church is the healthiest church of tomorrow.
Not only are you a blessing to that volunteer leader and a blessing to the big picture church, you are a blessing to yourself. Sure it is double the work to duplicate yourself. But there are several things that personally benefit you. First, you will have more margin in the long run. Second, and most important, you will grow exponentially yourself through the process.
Be a leader. Be a multiplier. Build the church for the longest term win. Stop robbing people from an opportunity to lay up treasure in heaven and start sharing opportunities to serve.