Why Many Churches See Fewer Background Checks in December — And What It Means for 2026 Planning

December and January

Every year, many (but not all) churches across the U.S. experience the same trend:
background checks slow down in December.

At first glance, it seems counterintuitive. With Christmas services, children’s programs, live nativity events, and seasonal outreach, December appears to be one of the most volunteer-heavy months of the year.

But after supporting ministries nationwide for nearly 20 years, SecureSearch has seen consistent patterns: while some churches stay busy onboarding, many or most see a noticeable dip in screening volume in December — and understanding this rhythm helps ministries plan stronger for the year ahead.

1. Most Christmas Volunteers Are Recruited Before December

For many churches, December is not a recruitment month — it’s an execution month.

By the time Advent arrives, most churches have:

  • Filled volunteer roles

  • Completed rehearsals

  • Finalized schedules

  • Assigned childcare, youth, worship, and hospitality teams

Because Christmas events carry enormous visibility and responsibility, churches prefer to complete background checks before Thanksgiving. This reduces the risk of flagged results or last-minute reassignments during the busiest season of the year.

2. Training & Onboarding Often Pause in December

Many ministries pause volunteer onboarding during the holidays because:

  • Midweek programs take a break

  • Youth and children’s ministry programming is limited

  • Staff are traveling

  • Office hours are reduced

  • No one schedules orientation sessions during Christmas week

This is why January is consistently one of the highest-volume onboarding months of the year.

3. But Some Churches Begin Ramping Up Right After Christmas

While many churches slow down in December, others immediately shift into preparation mode for the New Year and major early-year events.

This includes:

  • Night to Shine

  • Winter retreats

  • January volunteer campaigns

  • New ministry launches

  • Start-of-year children’s and youth programs

  • New small group cycles

These churches often begin onboarding and screening during the last week of December, knowing January ministry programming will start strong.

So while December is slow for many churches, it’s a planning and pre-launch period for others.

4. Staff Bandwidth Drops as Year-End Responsibilities Increase

December is one of the most demanding months for church staff due to:

  • End-of-year giving

  • Budget planning

  • Multiple Christmas services

  • Seasonal outreach

  • Reduced staffing due to vacations

With so much happening at once, administrative tasks like new volunteer onboarding naturally slow down for many ministries.

5. Attendance Fluctuates — So Churches Often Rely on Existing Volunteers

Holiday travel means December attendance is unpredictable.
Because of this, many churches prefer to rely on their existing, already-screened volunteer base, rather than onboard new volunteers during a hectic month.

The goal is stability during Christmas — not expansion.

6. Many Churches Reset Volunteer Cycles in January

While not universal, many ministries operate on a January–December volunteer cycle.

January becomes the ideal moment for:

  • New volunteer applications

  • Background checks

  • Safeguard from Abuse annual training refreshers

  • Updating safety policies

  • GCR Form evaluations to ensure 7-year criminal coverage

  • Reassigning ministry roles

This makes December quieter and January extremely active for many church partners.

Understanding this seasonal pattern helps ministries operate proactively instead of reactively. Best practices include:

✔ Complete Christmas-related background checks by Thanksgiving

This avoids crunch-time issues and ensures volunteers are cleared.

✔ Use late December for planning and policy review

Perfect time to refine your screening policy, volunteer expectations, and onboarding workflow.

✔ Prepare for a strong January surge — or start right after Christmas

Depending on your ministry rhythm, both approaches work well.

✔ Pair background checks with annual Safeguard from Abuse training

A consistent January refresher strengthens safety culture all year long.

Final Thought: December Isn’t Slow — It’s Strategic

Many churches see a December dip in screening, while others use the post-Christmas window to get a head start on the New Year. In either case, understanding these seasonal rhythms leads to better planning, safer ministries, and smoother onboarding.

To explore how SecureSearch can strengthen your volunteer screening strategy for 2026, visit:
👉 www.SecureSearchPro.com
👉 www.SafeguardFromAbuse.com