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How to Have a Ministry of Building People

40 Days of Prayer Study Kit

40 Days of Love

Life's Healing Choices

You can be a homebuilder, bodybuilder, reputation builder, or a retirement-nest-egg builder. None of those things will last, but there is something that’s going to last for eternity, something you can put your efforts into now that will last forever. You can be a people builder. The Bible encourages us to do just that in Romans 15:2, where it says, "Each of us should please our neighbors for their good, to build them up" (NIV). How do you build your people? The key is kindness - giving people what they need, not what they deserve. If you consider the way Jesus built people up, he did four things, and you can do these same four things as you encourage members of your congregation.

1. Give them a personal challenge.

Ephesians 4:1 says, "I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received" (NIV). Paul is saying, don’t waste your life – make it count. Be all that God made you to be. Challenge your members to live beyond themselves and to discover their strengths and abilities. God has given each of you some special abilities; be sure to use them to help each other, passing on to others God's many kinds of blessings. You can play a critical role in the lives of your members by helping them discover their strengths and abilities, and then challenging them to use them.

2. Give them complete confidence.

Romans 15:1 says, "We who are strong in the faith ought to help the weak in order to build them up in the faith" (GNT). We all need confidence. When you know that someone believes in you, it brings out your best. Jesus did this with Peter. Peter's name – "Petros" – meant pebble. But Jesus said, "Pebble, you're going to be a rock. I'm giving you a new name." When Jesus said that to Peter, the apostle was anything but a rock. He was Mr. Impulsive, Mr. Foot-in-Mouth. But Jesus didn't tell him what he was - He told him what he could be. He gave him confidence to live up to his potential. When you give encouragement, it needs to be genuine. So, give from the heart and with sincerity. Encouragement also needs to be regular – don’t be stingy with your encouragement. And encouragement needs to be specific. Don't say, "I enjoyed the meal.” Rather say, "I can tell you put a lot of effort into this meal and the seasoning you chose was perfect.” Don't say, "You did a good job.” Rather say, "I noticed you handled that angry member with tact and you maintained your cool under pressure.”

3. Give them honest counsel.

Proverbs 27:6a says, "Friend mean well, even when they hurts you" (GNT). Real friends will care enough to confront. Even when it's painful, they'll tell you the truth. They won’t let you waste your life in silence. I have found that correction is powerful – and it can be dangerous. Done the right way, it builds people up, but done the wrong way, it can scar a person for life. The difference between the right and the wrong way to correct is your attitude. If all you're doing is pointing out faults, then stop. The purpose has to be to correct, not to condemn. You need to ask, "What's my motive in this? Am I correcting them for my benefit or for their benefit?" A lot of times we want to correct people just because they're being jerks and they're hassling us. We think, "If they would stop being such a jerk, my life would be easier." That's the wrong motive. Follow Ephesians 4:15, which says, "Speak the truth in love." Love means giving people what they need rather than what they deserve. So affirm the person; correct the behavior.

4. Give them full credit.

I used to have a sign in my office: "God can do great things through the person who doesn't care who gets the credit." How quickly do you share the credit? It’s human nature to want to share the blame while keeping the credit. But God says the mark of maturity is to accept the blame and share the credit. Being a people builder requires unselfishness. I want to give you an objective, and that is to be a people builder for the rest of your life. Begin by writing down the name of one person you want to help build up, then stop and pray. Ask God to show you that person’s strengths. We always build on our strengths, not on our weaknesses. Imagine the impact you could have if you would commit yourself to being a people-builder; if you determined to bring out the best in everyone within your congregation. That's one of the purposes of the church: to help people grow and to become what God made them to be.

Recent Articles

Trusting God When Results Take Time

“Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him; do not fret when people succeed in their ways.” (Psalm 37:7 NIV).Pastor, you may not hear the word fret much anymore. It’s an old word that simply means worry. And if there’s one thing ministry can stir up quickly, it’s worry.You worry when things are moving too fast and you’re trying to keep up. You worry when things feel painfully slow and you’re wondering why God hasn’t acted yet. You worry when you look around and it seems like other pastors, other churches, other ministries are succeeding while you’re still waiting.Waiting is hard—especially when you’re responsible for people. But choosing to wait patiently on God instead of fretting is a powerful act of faith. It’s a declaration about who God is. When you wait without worry, you’re saying, “God, I trust your timing more than my pressure.”That’s why Scripture says, “Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him; do not fret when people succeed in their ways” (Psalm 37:7 NIV). God knew comparison would be one of the greatest sources of anxiety for his leaders.One of the fastest ways to drain your joy in ministry is comparison. When you focus on another pastor’s platform, another church’s growth, or another leader’s results, you stop paying attention to what God is doing right in front of you. And comparison always leads to fretting.But God didn’t call you to someone else’s assignment. He didn’t ask you to carry someone else’s results. He asked you to be faithful where you are.Worry won’t help you do that. Worry is worthless. It can’t change yesterday’s sermon. It can’t control next Sunday’s attendance. It can’t speed up God’s process. It only steals today’s peace.That’s why Scripture gives such practical counsel: “Don’t fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers” (Philippians 4:6 MSG).Worry never changes anything—but prayer does.So as you step into this week, pastor, resist the urge to rush God or compare yourself to others. Be still. Wait patiently. Trust that God is at work even when progress feels slow.You don’t need to fret this season. You need to pray—and keep walking faithfully in the calling God has already placed on your life.

How to Cooperate as God Works in You

Pastor, you want to see fruit—in your life and in the people and ministry of your church. The Bible calls that “the fruit of the Spirit”—“love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control” (Galatians 5:22–23 NIV).These nine qualities describe the character of a mature disciple and the kind of leader you’re becoming.So how does God grow this fruit in you? He uses a process. Here are two facts you need to know if you want to cooperate with that process.1) Spiritual growth is a partnership.Paul writes, “Work out your salvation . . . for it is God who works in you” (Philippians 2:12–13 NIV).That’s not a contradiction—it’s a paradox. You don’t work for your salvation. You work out what God has already put in. In a physical workout you develop muscles you already have; in a spiritual workout you cultivate the new life God has already given you.God has a part in your growth, and you have a part. He provides the power—but you need to flip the switch. Your job is to cooperate with what he’s doing.2) Spiritual fruit ripens over time.There’s no such thing as instant spiritual maturity. It takes time for fruit to ripen—and when you try to rush fruit, you ruin the flavor. The same is true in ministry. You can accelerate activity, but you can’t microwave character. God grows fruit season by season.How to Cooperate with the Spirit’s Growth ProcessImmerse yourself in Scripture. Read, study, memorize, and meditate so God’s Word reshapes your thinking.Pray honestly. Talk with God about everything you’re facing. Invite the Spirit to search you and lead you.Surrender daily. Give the Holy Spirit free rein—no compartments and no conditions.Receive your circumstances. Trust that God is using both pleasant and painful seasons to form Christlike character.Respond like Jesus. Ask, “What would Christ’s love, patience, or gentleness look like right here?” Then do it.God wants to produce the fruit of the Spirit in your life and leadership. Will you cooperate with him in this life-changing process?

Tell God How You’re Feeling

“[God] has made my skin and flesh grow old. He has broken my bones. He has besieged and surrounded me with anguish and distress. He has buried me in a dark place, like those long dead. . . . And though I cry and shout, he has shut out my prayers.” Lamentations 3:4–6, 8 (NLT)If you’ve been in ministry long enough, you know what it feels like to be poured out and still feel empty. The sermon is preached. The hospital visits are made. The hard conversations are had. And yet, sometimes, instead of joy or peace, all that remains is silence—and sadness.Maybe it’s a critical email after a long Sunday. Maybe it’s watching your church shrink despite your best efforts. Maybe it’s conflict in your leadership team, or the quiet ache of seeing people walk away from the faith. And in those moments, you wonder, Where is God in this?Jeremiah knew that feeling well. In Lamentations, he’s not giving a neat theological answer—he’s groaning. He says, “[God] has made my skin and flesh grow old. He has broken my bones. . . . And though I cry and shout, he has shut out my prayers” (Lamentations 3:4, 8 NLT).Sound familiar?It might surprise you that such raw emotion is in the Bible—but it’s there for a reason. Jeremiah didn’t bottle it up or try to sound strong. He didn’t pretend everything was okay. He poured it all out before God.Pastor, you don’t have to stuff your emotions either.God isn’t intimidated by your questions. He doesn’t flinch when you’re angry, exhausted, or confused. You’re not less spiritual for being honest—you’re actually stepping into a kind of worship that leads to healing.If you try to keep all that pain inside, it will find its way out—maybe through anxiety, resentment, even burnout. But when you give it to God—every ounce of frustration, fear, and fatigue—you start to find space to breathe again.God doesn't need you to be strong for him. He already knows your heart. So tell him the truth. Not the polished version. The real one.He can handle it.And more importantly, he’s not going anywhere.

Why Christians Need More than Classrooms

Many churches define spiritual maturity in terms of biblical knowledge: quoting verses, knowing theology, and explaining doctrine. But that view is incomplete.The Christian life isn’t just something to study—it’s something to live. True spiritual maturity comes through a variety of experiences that touch your mind, heart, hands, and relationships. God uses all five purposes of the church—worship, fellowship, discipleship, ministry, and evangelism—to grow you into maturity.1. Don’t Settle for a "Classroom Church"Churches that focus solely on information-transfer are what I call "classroom churches." These churches emphasize teaching doctrine and filling your mind with truth. But they often neglect your emotional, relational, and experiential growth.While we absolutely need sound doctrine, study alone doesn’t produce mature Christians. As Gene Getz once said, "Bible study by itself will not produce spirituality. In fact, it will produce carnality if it isn’t applied and practiced."James 1:22 says, "Do not deceive yourselves by just listening to his word; instead, put it into practice!" (GNT).2. Spiritual Growth Requires All Five PurposesMature believers don’t just study the Christian life—they experience it. That means engaging in worship, participating in ministry, building fellowship, living out evangelism, and growing through discipleship.Deuteronomy 11:2 tells us, "Remember today what you have learned about the LORD through your experiences with him" (GNT).Even painful experiences have value. Proverbs 20:30 says, "Sometimes it takes a painful experience to make us change our ways" (GNT). Some lessons are only learned through experience.When churches downplay experience out of fear of emotionalism or false doctrine, they rob people of part of how God designed us to grow. God gave you emotions for a reason. If you strip experience out of the Christian life, all you’re left with is a cold creed to memorize—not a vibrant life to live.3. A Balanced Strategy Builds Mature DisciplesGenuine spiritual maturity includes:A heart that worships and praises GodLoving, accountable relationships with other believersActive ministry using your gifts and talentsSharing your faith with those who don’t yet know ChristWhen churches focus only on Bible study, people fool themselves into thinking they’re growing because they’re taking notes and filling binders. But they never apply what they’re learning. Impression without expression leads to depression.That’s why a church strategy must intentionally include all five purposes. You need environments that stretch people to serve, share, love, grow, and worship.4. Learning Is Meant to Be LivedIf Christianity were merely a philosophy, studying it might be enough. But Christianity is a relationship (John 14:20-21) and a life (John 10:10).Jesus didn’t say, "I came so that you might study." The Bible uses verbs like love, give, and serve far more often than study. The last thing many believers need is another Bible study. They need a place to serve, someone to reach, a small group to belong to, and a reason to praise.Don’t get me wrong. I deeply value Bible study. I even wrote a textbook on the subject that's now in multiple languages. But it’s only one part of a mature life in Christ.If you want your church to grow deeper, don’t just fill minds; develop whole lives. People need more than sermons and studies. They need spiritual experiences that shape their hearts, stretch their faith, and lead them to live out what they believe.

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