Tip #552: Appreciate
December 3, 2007 – 1:19 pm
Investment is an important ministry principle. As youth ministers, we spend a lot of things, and most of them don’t have a thing to do with the church budget - the most fruitful are time and giftedness. But, by far, the biggest commodity in ministry is time; it’s your most valuable resource after your own relationship with Christ. Time even drives up the value of giftedness, so time is where we’ll focus.
In the busiest of seasons, no matter when in the calendar that falls for your particular ministry context, is when the investment of time in the others who make the ministry appreciate in Kingdom value will have the biggest return. The co-laborers in the ministry feel the busy-ness of certain seasons in the same way you do, yet they continue to invest their own time above and beyond career and home responsibilities. It is exactly then that an infusion of appreciation, recognition that their own personal investment has exponential value, will produce dividends for your team, your students, and most of all for God.
Some ways to appreciate your leadership team: handwritten notes; a fun event just for them; a call to say ‘I saw you talking with Susie, thanks for being there to listen to her.” What are some ways you appreciate your individual team members? Leave a comment to help others build their investment!
