304 The Role of Encouragement by Kingdom Site Ministries

MODULE 304 THE ROLE OF ENCOURAGEMENT IN LEADERSHIP Contact Person Dr. Mario Denton Crown Financial Ministries Marketplace Programme Director for Africa Africa Director for FCCI (The Fellowship for Companies for Christ International) CEO STRONG MESSAGE BUSINESS CONSULTANT

Let's keep the good marketplace vibes alive. Let's network. Tel (w) + 27(0) 82 88 29903. E-mail address: mario@crown.org.za Website: www.crown.org.za and click on marketplace E-mail address: marden@mweb.co.za website: www.strongmessage.co.za Skype: mario.denton

Table of Contents 1. The role of encouragement in Leadership 2. Meeting the needs of others 3. Words of encouragement 4. The way you live your life

The Role of Encouragement in Leadership The Role of Encouragement in Leadership is a four-part series describing the function of encouragement in the role of the Christian business leader.

Session 1

Title The Role of Encouragement in Leadership

Meeting the Needs of Others

Words of Encouragement

The Way You Live Your Life .

The Role of Encouragement in Leadership Hebrews 10:24 Acts 4:34 OVERVIEW: While leadership in our society is often described as a position or a place, it is NOT. Godly leadership is an attitude. Godly leadership is a sense of responsibility to make a difference in someone’s life - because of where you are. Theme Verse: “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.” Hebrews 10:24 The word “consider” in this text means “watching or observing” one another. It means that you are wrapped up in another’s life because you have a responsibility in that person’s life. What is that responsibility? It is to: • inspire them • spur them on • motivate them • hearten them • cheer them up • encourage them “Courage” comes from a Latin word for “heart”. The challenge is to get your eyes off yourself. There is nothing that anyone needs more in life than encouragement. As a boss or company owner, you are the person who is in the best position to enourage someone in your company.

In the book Encouraging the Heart thousands of employees were asked the question, “Do you need encouragement to do a good job?” Only 40% responded “Yes”. When the question was rephrased, “Would encouragement help you do a better job?”, 98% responded “Yes”. The question is this: “How do you encourage someone else?” Every time the people were around Joseph, they felt encouraged. So, they nicknamed him Barnabus – which means “son of encouragement”. The foundation of encouragement An encourager always puts other people ahead of himself. Conversely: • Self-centered people offer little encouragement to other people. • Empire builders use people rather than encourage them. • People wrapped up in what they do seldom see the needs of other people around them. • People enamored by who they are look for others to encourage them. Therefore, they don’t encourage. “Let no one seek his own but each one the other’s well being” I Corinthians 10:24 “The primary function of the leader is to give hope.” James Gardner Hope is Encouraging

PRACTICAL APPLICATION. 1. What do you believe is the primary role as CEO or owner of your business? ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------2. How important do you consider the role of “encourager” in your position? ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------3. If you believe that the role of “encourager” belongs to someone else in your organisation, who performs that function and why? ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

4. What methods have you used to encourage others: Your spouse, your employees, your children and others -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Meeting the Needs of Other Acts 4:32-37 Galatians 1:4 Ephesians 5:25 Galatians 2:20 James 1:17 I Corinthians 4:7 John 3:16 Acts 4:36 & 37:

OVERVIEW: Sharing with others is one of the greatest ways to encourage them. If we truly believe that all things belong to God, it isn’t hard to “give” some of what we “have” to others. If it is hard to “transfer wealth” to others, what does it say about what we believe about ownership? Review: There is nothing that anyone needs more in life than encouragement. How did Barnabus encourage others? ONE of the ways Barnabus encouraged others is shown in • He took that which was his and he gave it to someone else. • When you see a need, meet it – for no apparent reason. Reasons why we don’t give: 1. We don’t think about giving because we live in a society that says, “It’s mine!” 2. The name of the game today is accumulate! It is impossibe to accumulate if you are giving things away. 3. We always see others as having more than we have. “I’d give, but I don’t have that much”. • If you have food in the refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof over your head and a place to sleep, you are wealthier than 75% of the world. • If you have money in the bank and in your wallet and some spare change, you are among the top 8% of the world’s wealthiest people.

Barnabus understood: • What God was like and that his role was to be like God. • That everything he had belonged to God, therefore, it wasn’t hard to give. You need to see things like God sees things. God is a giver! The questions are these: 1. What do you have (not, what don’t you have)? 2. What will you do with what you have? Challenge – take something that is precious to you and give it to someone else. “For God so loved the world, He GAVE His only begotten Son”…….. John 3:16 PRACTICAL APPLICATION 1. Describe a time when you received an unexpected gift. How did it make you feel? What did you do in response to the gift? ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------2. Discuss with your group the amount of “stuff” you possess. Do you believe you have: a) just enough, b) too much or c) not enough. What changes are you willing to make in response to your selection?

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------3. According to the definitions given, are you among the wealthiest people in the world? Why do you think that is so or not so? ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------4. What could you give away this week that would encourage someone else? Are you willing to do so? Are you willing to be held accountable by your group to do so?

Words in Encouragement Acts 4: 36 & 37 Acts 9: 20 Acts 9:27 James 3: 8 & 9 Colossians 4:6 Romans 14:19 Colossians 3: 18 & 9 Romans 12:18 Ephesians 4:29 “Men have trained, or can train, every kind of animal or bird that lives and every kind of reptile and fish, but no human being can tame the tongue. It is always ready to pour out its deadly poison. Sometimes it praises our heavenly Father, and sometimes it breaks out into curses against men who are made like God.”(James 3:7-9) Do you realize that you have the power to encourage or discourage others by what you say? Review: There is nothing that anyone needs more in life than encouragement. “One of the highest duties is the duty of encouragement. It’s easy to laugh at men’s ideals. It’s easy to pour cold water on their enthusiasm. It’s easy to discourage others. The world is full of discouragers. We have a Christian duty to encourage one another. Many a time a word of praise or thanks or appreciation or cheer has kept a man or woman on their feet . Blessed is the man who speaks such a word.” William Barkely “If you are too busy to care for those who work for you, you’re too busy.” Dr. Henry Blackaby

Barnabus encourage others: ANOTHER ONE of the ways Barnabus encouraged others is shown in Acts 9:27: “…… he declared to them” You can encourage or discourage others by what you SAY. General Observations about Words: How can you bring encouragement to someone today? 1. Encouragement ought to be intentional. 2. Encouragement should never be withheld.

PRACTICAL APPLICATION. 1. Do you find that you are often “too busy” to take the time to encourage those who work for and with you? What plan might you put into action to spend some time daily encouraging others? ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------2. Is there someone in your life who you have always wished would take time to tell you something encouraging – perhaps a parent, grandparent or spouse? How do you feel about this? ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------3. From whom have you withheld encouragement? What is your reason for doing this? What do you believe would be the result if you began encouraging this person(s)?

The way your live your Life Acts 11:19-24 Romans 1:14 I Corinthians 9:19 Romans 12:15-16 Romans 12:18 Matthew 5:43-46 Romans 12:14 I Kings 12:7 I Corinthians 13 Ephesians 5:21 Romans 13:1-4 I Peter 2:13-15 OVERVIEW: The Bible places responsibility on all Christians to encourage one another. Furthermore, as Christians, we have a responsibility to encourage all people – not just other Christians – by the way we conduct our lives as we claim the name of Jesus Christ. Review: There is nothing that anyone needs more in life than encouragement. Behind every face is a drama….. God designed you to have three things: • A relationship with Him. • A relationship with nature. • A relationship with people.

The classifications of people to whom you have a responsibility: • People who are “around you”. Romans 1:14; I Corinthians 9:19 • People who are “for you”. Romans 12:15-16; Romans 12:18 • People who are “against you”. Matthew 5:43-46; Romans 12:14 • People who are “under you”. I Kings 12:7; I Corinthians 13; Ephesians 5:21 • People who are “over you”. Romans 13:1-4; I Peter 2:13-15

How did Barnabus encourage others? Ways Barnabus encouraged others may be found in Acts 11:19-24: 1. How he gave. 2. What he said. 3. He was a good man. Another way to encourage others is the way you live your life. This includes: • how you carry yourself • your values • your ambitions • your goals • your priorities • your lifestyle • how you treat other people • how you respond to other people When you profess your faith in Christ – You are an encouragement to fellow Christians. You encourage others when….. you chose to live and act like a Christian. • Character - moral or ethical characteristic that is attributed to a person as one who can be trusted. • Integrity - a oneness that says “what you are here, you are there”.

PRACTICAL APPLICATION. 1. Do you believe that the way you conduct your life has an effect on others? In what ways might it affect your employees, your suppliers, your customers? ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------2. Can you state your business/professional goals and ambitions? If others in your company were asked what your goals and ambitions are, would they match what you say? Why or why not? ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------3. Do you or have you ever distributed a confidential survey within your company to determine how your employees, suppliers and customers feel they are treated by you? If so, what was the result? If not, why not – is there a reason you might not want to know?

Dig deeper and learn more (Optional) This section includes various support material for further inspiration and encouragement and relates to the material covered in this section ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Name

304 A 304 B 304 C 304 D

Parenting Spiritual Vitamins Risk taking and encouragement Successful habits

Date of completion

Application and commitment

James 1:22-25 “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like.But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this,not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it-- he will be blessed in what he does.” (NIV) Series: The role of encouragement in Leadership Date Series Began: ________________________________________ Date Series Ended: ________________________________________ Participant’s Name: ________________________________________ One of the Biblical Truths (Principles) I learned from these sessions was: ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------I intend to apply this Truth (Principle) in my business by: --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------With the help of the Holy Spirit, I will begin applying this truth immediately. I ask and expect my Leadership Group friends to hold me accountable for this and to check with me periodically to determine if I am doing so. Please ask me:

_______________________

Participant

Date

Mr. Walt Wiley has spent his adult life talking. He speaks and/or teaches at conventions, conferences, churches, retreats, schools, banquets, locker rooms, whether to small groups or large groups. Walt is a native of the Philadelphia area and is a graduate of Asbury College and Northeastern Bible College. He has also done extensive graduate work at the International School of Theology in San Bernadino, California. Walt taught and coached at Northeastern Bible College for 14 years and also served for 15 years on the staff of Walk Thru the Bible Ministries.

Material adapted by Dr. Mario Denton . Mario is the International Field Continental Programme Director – Market-place for Crown Africa, the Africa Director for FCCI (The Fellowship for Companies for Christ International) and the CEO of Strong Message Business Consultancy. He is an international teacher and industrial psychologist and uses his strong academic and corporate background and his uniquely effective coaching to help people tap into their inner being; to utilise their strengths and expand their skills to make a difference in the workplace. He and his wife, Mariene, are based in Cape Town, South Africa, and are blessed with three grown sons. Copyright. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by an information storage and retrieval system without permission. Regarding permission to reprint material from this material, please write to Dr Mario Denton:

Unless otherwise noted, Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Crown Companies Legacy Leaders Providing mature business leaders an opportunity to continue to use their skills productively for the Glory of God. Do you desire to pass on the baton to business leaders to transform their business? Legacy leaders are business leaders who have a desire to continue to use their skills productively to mentor and coach and train the other business leaders as well as training the next generation of business leaders for the glory of God Crown Companies exists to equip and encourage business leaders to operate their business and conduct their personal lives according to Biblical principles Legacy leaders •

Are experienced in business

•

Understand and are committed to the vision of CROWN Companies

•

Have implemented biblical principles in his or her own personal life and business

•

Are mature in the Christian faith and are of proven character

•

Have a passion to see other business leaders succeed as determined by God’s standards

Legacy leaders may possess: •

The capability to be an encourager, coach, mentor and discipler.

•

The ability to provide wise business counsel to other business leaders

•

The time and or resources to come alongside other business leaders

Teach us to number our days that we may present to you a heart of wisdom.” Psalm 90: 1 Legacy leaders serve in a wide variety of capacities, including: •

Mentoring individual business leaders

•

Working with groups of business leaders

•

Serving as a ambassador for CROWN Companies your church and community

•

Traveling abroad to assist in business leaders in other countries

Do you want to make a difference in the lives of others for eternity? How can you serve the Lord as a legacy leader and begin sharing all that the Lord has entrusted to you? 1. Pray now where the Lord will use you in the lives of other business leaders to impact the Kingdom of God for His glory 2. Contact Crown Companies at mario@crown.org.za or the Crown companies office at

3. Visit our website at www.crown.org.za for more information, tools and resources and become a member to enjoy the support, counsel, fellowship of other members and extensive material that are available

Crown Companies: Reclaim the workplace for Christ Is the vision of your church also to bring the people of your community into a life -transforming encounter with the Kingdom of God? The workplace is a key battle ground for achieving the above vision. Mature and equipped believers should live their faith in the workplace. But many need help in understanding what that means as well as support in carrying it out If you want to live your faith in the workplace, we helping to make it more effective of God’s Kingdom on earth, then we at Crown Companies want to come alongside you with support and equipping you.

Our mission and intention is to develop flexible training programmes and processes to assist you in this regard Imagine a workplace where ….. •

There were biblically-based, explicitly defined values

•

Ethics and integrity are paramount

•

Love and servant leadership governed relationships

•

Pursuit of excellence was the norm

•

Collaboration was sought but obedience and commitment to final decisions wee followed

•

Selfish ambition was nonexistent

•

Accountability was enforced – in a supportive manner

START WITH A WORKPLACE MINISTRY IN YOUR CHURCH Equip your workplace leaders to become ministers Helping them to become sensitive to the lost Help the workplace leaders of your church get a vision for joining God in the workplace ministry

Crown Companies: Become the business leaders God intended you to be Sometimes it is a matter of survival but you have to become the business leaders God intended you to be. The purpose of Crown Companies is to help business leaders: •

Draw closer to God

•

Establish a committed and vibrant relationship with the Lord

•

Develop deep, meaningful relationships with like-minded peers

•

Learn what it means to run a company for Christ

•

Help other workplace leaders to do the same

This is accomplished through •

Monthly leadership groups

•

Workplace conference

•

Materials and resources and Training on our website

Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: Love your neighbour as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these. Mark 12:30-31 Search the untold riches of the Bible to find scriptural perspective for operating a company as a steward of Christ with like-minded peers and colleagues. Join a small group facilitated discussions relevant to •

Sales and marketing strategies

•

Effective time management

•

Cash flow and profit

•

Planning goals and implementation

•

Motivating people

•

Problems solving

For my thought are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts Isaiah 55: 8-9 START WITH A SMALL GROUP DISCUSSION IN YOU AREA Do you need someone to pray with you – someone who understands the pressures of running a company, someone who cares?

Do you desire to integrate your Christian faith into the daily operations of the business God has entrusted you? For more information on a small group in you area contact Dr Mario Denton at mario@crown.org.za And I say unto you, “ Ask , and it shall be given to you; seek and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. ‘. Luke 11: 9-10

Crown Companies: Every believer a minister in the workplace Common dilemmas in the workplace •

Isolation: Feeling the pressure of being responsible for many people

•

Need encouragement but rarely received it

•

Need people that they can honestly communicate

Equipping the workplace

You have an opportunity to make a difference in the workplace God has called you. Meet monthly with other business leaders to receive instruction and training from other top business speakers on how to integrate your Christian life into your business Form a small group of leaders who serve one another in a well-informed, support group where burning issues like the following can be discussed •

Develop a strategic plan tailored for each member’s business

•

Developing an action plan for ministry

•

Developing your company’s mission and vision

•

Product and service excellence

•

Giving back to the Lord

•

Long term financial planning

•

Building a high performance team

•

Hiring smart

•

Sharing your faith in the workplace

•

Problem solving

•

Customer service

START WITH A LIFE-CHAINGING SMALL GROUP DISCUSSION IN YOU AREA Do you desire to integrate your Christian faith into the daily operations of the business God has entrusted you? For more information on a small group in you area contact Dr Mario Denton at mario@crown.org.za