Fellowship - Unity | Christian Ministry Training Blog

Encouragement Needed: Who

Posted on January 21, 2013 by Ministry Tools Resource Center — No Comments ↓

In a previous post we considered why we need encouragement, concluding that we need help to maintain the qualities that enable us to live as lights in this dark world seen in 1 Thessalonians 5:1-10. Verse eleven answers the question of “who?”

“Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.”

Who Needs Encouragement

The Apostle Paul wrote these words to the Thessalonian church which experienced hardships but nonetheless became a model to churches elsewhere (1 Thess. 1:6-7). He also wrote of his own suffering because of opposition against him. Throughout his epistle, Paul pointed the Thessalonians to the future hope of the coming of the Lord.

Though an evangelist and church leader, the Apostle Paul wrote of his own need for encouragement. No matter how we serve, or who we are, we all need encouragement. As Jesus reminded us, we will face trouble in this world. Notice His words of encouragement as He went on to say, “But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (Jn. 16:33). Since we all live in in a world filled with trouble, we all benefit when encouraged by the hope we have in the One who overcomes.

In telling them to “encourage one another”, Paul reinforced the need everyone has for encouragement. The Greek word for “one another”, allelon, suggests a reciprocal effort. No one should have to face the hardships of life alone.

We Still Need to Encourage One Another Today

Though written to a specific church, these words still apply to us today because . . .

We still live in a dark and broken world filled with troubles that challenge us in our walk with God.

We continue to look forward to that day when the Lord will come and make everything right.

As followers of Jesus Christ, no matter who we are, where we live, or how we serve, we all need encouragement to brightly reflect the light of the Lord in our sphere of influence, in all we say and do, till Jesus comes again.

Putting Yourself in Someone Else’s Shoes – How?

Posted on July 6, 2011 by Ministry Tools Resource Center — No Comments ↓

In a previous post we looked at why we should empathize with others, concluding that it is both biblical and pragmatic to do so.

Knowing we should do something doesn’t mean we will do it.

How to Better Empathize with Others

We need to intentionally take the following measures to be more empathetic, to truly mourn with those who mourn and rejoice with those who rejoice (Rom. 12:15).

Praying

Ask God to build within you a heart of love and compassion that cares about other people’s feelings and opinions.
Ask God for wisdom and discernment. Don’t rely on your own instincts about people.

Observing

Actually look at people in their eyes.
Take note of people’s facial expressions, gestures, and overall demeanor … not just their words.
Pay attention to what is happening in their lives.

Listening

Let the other person talk and pay careful attention to what is being said.
Do not be quick to jump in with advice or to share your experience.
Work at developing your listening skills.

Asking

Guard against assuming that you know what a person is thinking or feeling.
Use clarifying questions when talking with someone to make sure you truly understand.

Putting Yourself in Someone Else’s Shoes – Why?

Posted on June 29, 2011 by Ministry Tools Resource Center

Recently I put up a two page document on Role Playing as a Bible Teaching Method in the MinTools.com store. Having students role play a situation helps them develop problem solving skills but also empathy. They must “put themselves in someone else’s shoes.”

Exercising empathy would help with much church conflict.

When we look at a situation from only our own perspective or experience base, we risk assigning wrong motives or misinterpreting the feelings, actions, or reactions of others.

When we seek to put ourselves in their shoes, we gain an understanding that often helps us be more patient and supportive of others.

Scriptural Basis for Empathy:

The word “empathy” is not used in the Bible but verses do point to our need for it as we relate to one another.

God Himself empathizes with the people He created.

As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him; for he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust. (Ps. 103:13-14)

O LORD, you have searched me and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways. (Ps. 139:1-3)

Jesus modeled empathy when he lived on this earth among people and continues to empathize. Many verses point to His compassion which is an essential part of empathy, leading Him to do something about what He perceived.

When he saw the crowds, he had compassion on them … (Matt. 9:36)

When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them and healed their sick. (Matt. 14:14)

When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who had come along with her also weeping, he was deeply moved in spirit and troubled. … Jesus wept. (Jn. 11:33, 35)

For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich. (2 Cor. 8:9)

For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are–yet was without sin. (Heb. 4:15)

Empathy is a part of walking in love as God loves.

Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us … (Eph. 5:1-2)

So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets. (Matt. 7:12)

Love your neighbor as yourself. (Matt. 22:39)

Body Life demands we empathize with one another.

Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. (Rom. 12:15)

… so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. (1 Cor. 12:25-26)

Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. (Gal. 6:2)

Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. (Eph. 4:32)

being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. (Phil. 2:2-4)

Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble. (1 Pet. 3:8)

Effectively reaching out to others requires us to put ourselves in their shoes.

Remember those in prison as if you were their fellow prisoners, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering. (Heb. 13:3)

I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some. (1 Cor. 9:22) … We must conclude that Paul did not literally become all things in every situation but that he identified with them which requires empathy.

An upcoming post will look at how to empathize.

Loving People a Priority in Your Church?

Posted on June 8, 2011 by Ministry Tools Resource Center — 4 Comments ↓

After Jesus identified love for God as the first and greatest commandment, He said:

“And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.'” (Matt. 22:39)

In addition to loving God and helping others learn to love Him, the second greatest purpose we can have as a church is to love people as He loves.

Ways to Show People Love and Make Loving People a Priority

1) Share the good news with them.

2) Build a relationship with them.

3) Value them and the contribution they can make to the kingdom of God.

4) Encourage and help them in their walk with God in practical ways.

You’ll find the above points in the Steering the Church Toward God’s Purposes Leadership Guide in the form of a brief assessment for leaders of how well they and the Body they serve evidence love for people.

The Church as a Community

Posted on January 12, 2011 by Ministry Tools Resource Center — 3 Comments ↓

Community:
a group of people connected by something in common

What the Bible Teaches About the Church as a Community

The cause for community:

The Work of Christ on the Cross (Eph. 2:13-22)
God’s Design for the Church – Interdependency among Body members (Rom. 12:4-8; 1 Cor. 12)

The culture for community:

A Body that values one another, understanding of how we need each other (1 Cor. 12:15-24)
A Body that relates to one another with a deep caring, concern resulting in connectedness rather than letting differences divide (1 Cor. 12:25-26)

The criteria for community:

Unity of heart based on who we are in Christ, not other criteria (Eph. 4:1-6)
Seeking after the common good, not looking out for our own interests (Phil. 2:1-4)

The challenge for community:

To not allow the ways of the world to creep into our churches (comparing, competing, entitlement) but to constantly submit to the transforming work of God by presenting ourselves to Him …. “as living sacrifices” denotes an ongoing work (Rom. 12:1-2)
To not become satisfied with status quo but to realize we are constantly in process … always seeking God’s help to love more and more (Eph. 4:3; Phil. 1:9; Heb. 10:24-25)
To not relegate this responsibility to ministry leaders … everyone must work at guarding, maintaining, and propelling community (Eph. 4:13-16)

For example:

Teachers either block or promote community in their classes by the way they structure the teaching-learning process.

As individual members of the Body, we must bring ourselves into accountability not only to leadership but to one another.

How Inclusive Are We?

Posted on November 29, 2010 by Ministry Tools Resource Center — 4 Comments ↓

Inclusive Church - Join Us

We like to think of our churches as inclusive, warm, loving, friendly places to be but not everyone feels that way. Not everyone feels like they belong in some churches.

Do we really accept and include people who are different from us as we would anyone else?

If a person who is single is in a group of married people, will they feel included?

If a person with a disability or special need of some sort is in a class, will they feel included?

If a person who is homeless walks into your worship service, will they feel included?

If a person with a different skin color or race visits, will they feel included?

It’s fairly easy to be warm, friendly, and accepting of those who are like us, but what about those who aren’t of the same race, marital, physical, mental, or economic status as us?

An Inclusive Church Follows Jesus’ Instruction

In Matthew 5:47 Jesus said, “And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that?” In the broad sense, we could say that brothers could be people united by some kind of common bond … those who are the “same” as us. In the very next verse, Jesus goes on to say “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” Just prior to this, in verse 45, Jesus defined the perfect ways of the Father.

… that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.

He was talking about extending grace to those with moral differences. If we can’t extend ourselves to people with marital, physical, mental, economic, or racial differences, how will we be that way with “sinners”? Yet, if we are to emulate the Father, we must be gracious to ALL people.

Struggle to accept and include others in your circle?

Matthew 5:48 tells us how. We are to be perfect as the Father is perfect. The word “perfect” does not mean sinless, although our Father in heaven is indeed sinless. The original Greek word signifies something that is complete or mature, of full age. So, basically Jesus is saying, “Grow up!” The more we live in the fullness of who HE is, the more we will love people no matter how different they are from us. Sure, there might be some awkwardness at first because you don’t understand where they are coming from, but as you fulfill Jesus’ greatest commandments to love Him and to love people, you will extend yourself anyway. You might not always say or do the right things, but at least you will try rather than ignore them. You will take time to get to know and understand them. You will truly WANT TO BE inclusive.

If you struggle extending yourself to any of the people listed above, scroll back up and click on the links for resources that could help you better understand these differences. It’s a starting point.