A call to ministry

As leaders, we can motivate the church for a better ministry, and the motivational techniques we use should be ethical and compatible with the Word - Help people identify a need by exposing them to reality. We do that when we help a smoker visualize the effects of smoking, expose a careless driver to the human tragedy of an accident scene, or give Christian youth opportunities to see spiritual joy and genuine gratefulness among people in poverty as they construct a new school or church during a short-term mission trip. - Give people responsibility. Responsibility is a great teacher. Realizing the opportunity to contribute through their efforts, people tap their intel lectual potential and rise to new challenges. - Provide affirmation and recogni tion. People respond positively to assurance that they are investing their time and energy in a way that blesses others. Affirmation from the church assures them their lives mean something to God. - Demonstrate our own enthu siasm for ministry. Pastors specialize in exhortation. But providing an example of motiva tion for ministry through our actions has great influence and power.