Encourage Others in Christ

When you encourage others in Christ – you increase their faith, their passion and their enthusiasm for the kingdom.

Here are some techniques on encouraging others:

1. Ask their advice. Even though you may feel you have the answers to a problem, ask for their help. This shows others that you value their opinion.

2. Sincerely compliment them. You can surely find something to praise someone about. Take the focus off yourself and throw the spotlight on them for a minute. Show appreciation through notes, cards, emails or recognition.

3. Be more willing to listen than to talk. Pay close attention, and show interest in what they are saying. Ask questions, re-state what they shared . . and just keep quiet for a few minutes!

4. Be interested in the person. Ask them about their kids by name. Really ask how things are going at work. Find what motivates them or what they are passionate about -- and then, ask questions and talk about it.

5. Become a good listener. Generally people do not know how to be good listeners. People usually only remember about half of the information they are told. Do you know why? Because often times we are preparing to say what we want to say instead of listening to what is being said.

You've heard about the person that doesn't really listen. It's like the wife that wanted to check to see if her husband was listening to her. One morning, standing in the middle of the kitchen while her husband was eating a bowl of oatmeal for breakfast and reading the paper, she said, "Honey, are you listening? Do you love me?" No response. She stepped closer and repeated the questions. Still no response . . . and by this time, she was getting angry. Finally, she stepped very close to him and almost shouting she said, "Honey, are you listening? Do you love me?"

Putting down the paper and looking straight up at her, the husband said, "For the third time . . . I heard you and I said, 'I love you!!!'"