5 Reasons Encouragement is a Non-Negotiable

If you read any leadership book, you are likely to be encouraged to encourage the people you lead. If you have served with an encouraging leader, you know the impact the encouragement makes on the morale of the team, the focus of the people, and the commitment to one other. Here are five reasons leaders must encourage:

1. Teams can drift.

Some have defined courage as sticking to one’s core beliefs or convictions. Thus, in this regard, to encourage is to prod people to continue sticking to their core beliefs and convictions. Leaders must encourage the team they lead to stay focused on the mission and to live their collective core convictions. Without encouragement, mission drift is inevitable.

2. Disunity can fester.

Because people are different, with unique personalities and perspectives, disagreements are certain when people work alongside one another. But disagreements don’t need to degenerate into disunity. A leader who encourages the team to unite around a larger agenda proactively fights against the disunity that can fester.

3. Distractions can overwhelm.

Many have pointed out that information is increasing at a relentless pace, and those we lead are bombarded with tons of messages and a plethora of information. Without encouragement, minds are easily distracted from what is most important. Leaders must encourage those they lead to remember the sacred why behind all the work and the essential aspects of the work.

4. Work gets discouraging

While work is a gift from God, it has been marred by the fall, just like everything else in creation. God told Adam that work would be painful (Genesis 3:17). Because work can be discouraging, morale will suffer without leaders who offer encouragement.

5. Hearts grow cold.

When leaders don’t encourage those they lead, hearts grow cold. The writer of the Book of Hebrews challenged Christians to “encourage each other daily, while it is still called today, so that none of you is hardened by sin’s deception.” Encouragement is the antidote for a hard heart.

How can leaders be more encouraging? By first being encouraged by Christ. An encourager has an encouraged heart. If being united with Christ encourages our hearts, we will encourage others.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Eric Geiger

Eric Geiger

Eric Geiger is the Senior Pastor of Mariners Church in Irvine, California. Before moving to Southern California, Eric served as senior vice-president for LifeWay Christian. Eric received his doctorate in leadership and church ministry from Southern Seminary. Eric has authored or co-authored several books including the best selling church leadership book, Simple Church. Eric is married to Kaye, and they have two daughters: Eden and Evie. During his free time, Eric enjoys dating his wife, taking his daughters to the beach, and playing basketball.

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— Abel Singbeh
 
comment_post_ID); ?> Thank you Ed for sharing your insights into the Church Growth Movement. I have my reservations with Church Growth models because it has done more damage than good in the Body of Christ. Over the years, western churches are more focused on results, formulas and processes with little or no emphasis on membership and church discipline. Pastors and vocational leaders are burnt out because they're overworked. I do believe that the Church Growth model is a catalyst to two destructive groups: The New Apostolic Reformation and the Emerging Church. Both groups overlap and have a very loose definition. They're both focus on contemporary worship, expansion of church brand (franchising), and mobilizing volunteering members as 'leaders' to grow their ministry. Little focus on biblical study, apologetics and genuine missional work with no agenda besides preaching of the gospel.
 
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comment_post_ID); ?> Thank you for sharing such a good article. It is a great lesson I learned from this article. I am one of the leaders in Emmanuel united church of Ethiopia (A denomination with more-than 780 local churches through out the country). I am preparing a presentation on succession planning for local church leaders. It will help me for preparation If you send me more resources and recommend me books to read on the topic. I hope we may collaborate in advancing leadership capacity of our church. God Bless You and Your Ministry.
 
— Argaw Alemu
 

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