Supporting Those Who Serve Others

This session is by Joel Comiskey, world-wide cell church guru. Read on...

Research of 3000 Home Group Leaders in 20 Countries (Jim Egli) - Quality coaching of home group leaders was the most important factor in establishing a successful home group.
1. Make sure people are in relationship with Jesus. Spending daily quiet time with Jesus. This is the key discipline of the Christian life. “But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then you Father, who sees what is done will reward you.
2. Make sure people live a balanced life. Taking a day off. The need for a 24 hour rest period. Lev 23:7-8.
3. Make sure they are successful with those closest to them. Success is having those closest to you love and respect you the most – John Maxwell. Relationship with spouse and other close relationships.
4. Make sure they get support from those closest. Character does count. DL Moody – “character is what you are in the dark”.
5. Make sure leaders are allow to step out and fail with a cushion. Someone is there to help out. Risking for Jesus. Stumbling and learning is normal. Valuable lessons are learned in the process. He who makes no mistakes, makes no progress. God’s grace covers failure but it does not cover passivity. At least Peter got out of the boat. We’ve made misunderstood what makes a person usable. God can only use 100% righteous people and through Christ we are all made righteous. People grow more when they are in useful ministry. God uses people who are dependent. Turn stumbling blocks into stepping stones. We are made strong in our weaknesses. Give people the liberty to experiment. Let my people go. Read Roland Allan.
6. Make sure you are listening to people. Listen 352 times in the Bible, hear is 379 times. Most people do not listen in order to understand, but in order to answer – Steven Covey. Prov.18:13. Direct our attention to their needs. We talk much slower than we think. Listen to unspoken words. Look people in the eyes.
7. Make sure you serve them. Serve through encouragement. 1 Thess 5:12-13. Serve those with rough edges. Serve by being a friend.
8. Make sure you challenge people. Eph 4: 15-16. Confronting areas of weakness. Ask for permission.