Church Life | Christian Ministry Training Blog

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.

What Can We Offer a God Who Owns It All?

Posted on June 20, 2011 by Ministry Tools Resource Center — 2 Comments ↓

Worship & Offering

Ascribe to the Lord the glory due His name. Bring an offering and come before Him. (1 Cor. 16:29)

Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise. (Heb. 13:15)

Truths Affecting What We Can Offer to God

Notice two important points in the opening words of Hebrews 13:15.

We come on the merits of Jesus. We only have something to give because He was sacrificed on our behalf. — “Through Jesus, therefore, …”

Based on all Jesus has done for us, it only makes sense that our worship is constant. — “continually offer”

In light of these truths, think through the implications about what we can we offer Him.

We can offer our money and material goods to Him. . . . Yet, He owns it anyway. (Col. 1:16)
We can offer our service. . . . Yet, apart from Christ we can do nothing. (Jn. 15:5)
We can offer our mouths to be His witnesses. . . . Yet, it is the power of God that saves. (Rom. 1:16)
We can offer our compliance to do things His way. . . . Yet, it is only in our best interest to do so as His ways are better than our ways. (Isa. 55:9)
We can offer our very lives to the Lord. . . . Yet, it is only our “reasonable service” (Rom. 12:1, KJV).

Let’s not pat ourselves on the back because we serve, witness, obey, and commit our lives to Him … even if we do so more than the next person. We can only offer any of the above to Him because of what He has already given us or done for us.

Let’s heed the words written to the Corinthian church:

What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not? (1 Cor. 4:7)

More: Implications for the Worship Leader & Individual Worshiper

Also check out this resource: Worship Ministry Manual

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.

Loving God the Top Priority in Your Church?

Posted on June 6, 2011 by Ministry Tools Resource Center — 4 Comments ↓

Priority to Love God Jesus said,

“‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment.” (Matt. 22:37-38)

If loving God with the whole of our being is the greatest commandment, then the greatest purpose we can have as a church is to love God and help others learn to love Him.

Ways to Show Love to God and Make Loving God Our Top Priority

1) Worship Him.

Let God know how much we adore Him.

2) Communicate with Him.

Let God know how much we trust Him.

3) Learn about Him.

Let God know how much we want to know Him.

4) Obey Him.

Let God know how much we revere Him.

5) Give Him our best.

Let God know how much we value Him.

6) Care about what matters to Him.

Let God know how much we identify with Him.

Consideration & Compassion Showcase His Love for People

Order the Steering the Church Toward God’s Purposes Leadership Guide which includes these points in the form of a brief assessment for leaders of how well they and the church they serve are evidencing love for God in these ways.

Do You Have a Worth-Giving Church?

Posted on June 2, 2011 by Ministry Tools Resource Center — 3 Comments ↓

Great is the LORD and most worthy of praise; his greatness no one can fathom. (Ps. 145:3)

God is worthy of all praise but He is also worthy of our best efforts, time, and resources. Do we, His church, get that? Do we truly realize how worthy He is of our all? Does our worth-giving go beyond some expressions of praise in a worship service?

Gauges to Help Determine If You Have a Worth-Giving Church

Serving: When Isaiah grasped who the Lord was, he realized his own unworthiness, and volunteered to serve — “Here am I Lord. Send me!” (Isa. 6:1-8)

How are recruitment efforts going in your church? Are people willing to invest even a degree of the same level of worth they give to jobs, relationships, and other activities in terms of time and stamina?

Equipping: The Apostle Paul told Timothy how the Word is used to make us “thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Tim. 3:16-17). God’s desire is to “equip you with everything good for doing his will” (Heb. 13:20-21).

How are training efforts going in your church? Are people willing to invest some of their time to learning how to serve or are they too busy and stressed out by other things?

Giving: Paul commended the Corinthian church for their generosity informing them that “This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of God’s people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God” (2 Cor. 9:11-12).

How are stewardship efforts going in your church? Are people giving as God has prospered them? Are people willing to invest their resources into the work of the Lord or is most of their money going toward the latest gadgets and technology, eating out, recreation, and the like?

For Church Leaders Who Want a Church That Gives God Their All

Perhaps as a ministry leader you understand how God deserves our best and view stewardship as important. You might be discouraged, however, and ready to give up if the above indicators are low or running on empty in your church. Rather than throw your hands up in despair, reflect on the following questions:

Are you thinking outside of the box, trying different means, getting more creative in how you approach people?
Though you can’t control other people’s responses, are you at least working with those who do want to give God their all?
Are you leading by example in personally being a worth-giver?
Most importantly, are you presenting to people a God is so great that they can’t even fathom His greatness, a God who is worthy of our all?

Gaining Favor Without Compromising Truth – How?

Posted on March 16, 2011 by Ministry Tools Resource Center — No Comments ↓

We can learn from the early church. Breaking down the words of Peter, one of the Early Church Apostles, in 1 Peter 3:15-16 helps us know what we need to pay attention to if we are going to likewise gain favor without compromising Truth.

But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.

How Can We Gain Favor Without Compromise Per 1 Peter 3:15-16?

If we break down the above verses, we can learn how to gain favor without compromising.

1) Proper Motivation (but in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord)

What is in our heart? Are we seeking to please people or the Lord?

2) Consistency (always be prepared)

Consistently study the Word to be ready to consistently share Truth. Being prepared to simply stand on a “soap box” about some issue is not what gains favor.

3) Inclusiveness (give an answer to everyone)

One of the quickest ways to lose favor is to demonstrate bias in who we are willing to associate with. We need to be willing to share with “everyone” who asks which sometimes might include those who make us uncomfortable.

4) Sensitivity (give an answer to everyone who asks)

Timing is not everything but it sure does help to keep pace with the Spirit’s work in people’s lives. Pushing what we have to say on people who are not ready is like throwing your pearls to the pigs. “If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and then turn and tear you to pieces” (Matt. 7:6).

5) Positive Focus (give the reason for the hope that you have)

This doesn’t mean that you never confront what’s wrong in this world (sin), but that you encase it in hope, not condemnation. Jesus came to bring the hope of salvation (Jn. 3:16-17). While people need to understand that they are sinners in need of a Savior, put your focus on the solution to people’s problems not the problem. That’s what people want to know.

6) Godly Attitudes (do this with gentleness and respect)

As the saying goes, the end does not justify the means. But notice, the “how-to” is not about technique but deals with attitude. This is “speaking the truth in love” (Eph. 4:15). “And the Lord’s servant must not quarrel; instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. Those who oppose him he must gently instruct, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth” (2 Tim. 2:24-25).

7) Accountability (keeping a clear conscience)

At the end of the day, you must give an answer to God. Did you reach out with His love to the people around you? Did you reach out without compromising truth?

Gaining favor without compromising truth doesn’t mean people will always agree with you. And, it doesn’t mean no one will ever speak out against you. However, when we follow all of the above principles, those who malign you will be the ones in shame — “keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.”

Let’s examine ourselves and ask God to bring us into alignment with 1 Peter 3:15-16 so those who speak ill of the church today are not justified in their accusations.