I see it as one of my biggest roles to encourage and strengthen our staff.
Almost every time we gather, I remind them they are part of something special. But no matter how often I say it, it doesn’t mean as much as when an outsider tells them.
We’ve been blessed to have Dr. Sam Chand, Chris Hodges, Perry Noble, Steven Furtick, Jentzen Franklin, Bill Hybels, and Christine Cainespeak to our staff. Each time one of these guests speaks, they say things very similar to what I often say, but when they say it, it means so much more!
To encourage and strengthen your staff with outside voices, try:
- Inviting the youth pastor from the other side of town to speak to your youth leaders.
- Calling another worship leader to lead your choir in worship.
- Asking a neighboring pastor to speak to your volunteers.
What we've learned:
Leverage the voice of ministry friends to lift those around you in a way that you can’t. The same is true even on a smaller scale: if you're a team leader, your encouragement may not be as hard-hitting as when a coworker from a completely different department drops in to tell your report that they're doing a great job. Look for opportunities to build a culture of appreciation and encouragement in and beyond your organization.
