Encourage everyone to grow

This article is part four of a four-part series, based on the following: An effective ministry leader (1) builds Christ-centered community, (2) focuses everyone on the purpose, (3) ensures everyone understands what’s happening and why, and (4) encourages everyone to grow.

People want to grow—effective ministry leaders know this.

They know people want to use their God-given gifts. They know people want to serve even more effectively. They know people want to learn. And because leaders know this, they encourage personal and professional progress.

Why do effective ministry leaders do this?

Because they want people to minister more effectively—which tends to happen when people are growing. And because they don’t want people to be discouraged—which tends to happen when people are expected to do new things without getting the necessary training. (For example, people get discouraged when asked to use Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest to network, but aren’t shown how to do it.)

You may think to yourself: Seems like a good idea. I can see how encouraging this would help our team. But I don’t have the training or experience to do this. What can I do?

Good question. I recommend that you reflect on this topic and that you use your reflections with your ministry team. To get started, answer these questions:

1) What happens when you’re growing? I feel invigorated and hopeful. I work more effectively because I’m learning how, for example, to schedule better, to write better emails, or to use storytelling to capture others’ attention. I talk more about things I’m learning, like how to use free online resources to support my growth, how to develop workshops that fit with adult learning styles, and how to use social media for fundraising. I also share more resources that have helped me like Christianity Today’s Twitter account (@CTmagazine), Christian Schools International’s webinars on curriculum development, and Timothy Keller’s Prayer: Experiencing Awe and Intimacy with God.

What about you? What happens when you’re growing (and when you aren’t)?

2) What helps you grow? Three fundamental things that help me are being on a ministry team that values personal and professional development, setting three-year growth goals, and having access to free online resources, for example, the Malphurs Group’s Twitter account (@malphursgroup) and Keith Webb’s blog (keithwebb.com).

Other things that help me include mentoring someone and getting mentored and reflecting on what I’m learning by blogging. I thrive if I’m on a team that believes in me and believes that God is helping his people learn to serve him more effectively, but also believes that growing is more about motivation than information. If the team also realizes that people flourish as they take responsibility for defining, committing to, and achieving their goals, then I’m really helped.

At the ministry team level, six things that help me are:

1. having a team growth goal,
2. discussing an article that helps us achieve our growth goal,
3. celebrating the team’s growth,
4. having time in meetings to share the progress we are making individually and good resources we’ve found,
5. having documented expectations and guidelines regarding personal and professional development, and
6. being asked the following questions as part of an annual review: What progress have you made on your goals? What would help you even more?

What about you? What helps you grow?

Bottom line? Be an effective ministry leader. Plan for and foster growth.

What about you?

1. What’s one way you’ve grown?
2. What’s comfortable/uncomfortable about encouraging others to grow?
3. What happens when you’re growing?
4. What helps you grow?
5. What’s next?