I was going to call these “Evangelism Tips” but you’d probably roll your eyes. The truth is that the way we live our lives is our #1 Evangelism Tool in terms of showing people what the love of Jesus looks like. But that sounds a bit pious, so we’ll go with Life Tips.
This week, I hope to remind myself of things that will make 2018 a good year for me and for the people around me. Maybe they’ll speak to you too.
#1 – Life Tip for a New Year: Treat our colleagues well.
Whether you are the manager of a tomato farm in Immokalee, Florida or a member of a church or denominational staff, treating people fairly is a Biblical assumption. Treating people generously is Christ-like.
In real life terms, this translates into keeping our people safe (whether that means well-lit parking lots or protecting them from verbal, etc. abuse) and keeping our people happy.
Many congregations “cannot afford” to give their church staffs raises or bonuses or even Christmas gifts. Yes, things are tight all around, but a happy, healthy staff leads to a happy, healthy congregation. We can start by saying “please” and “thank you” after a busy season or a retreat or a big funeral.
Most congregations can find the money and/or the time to treat their staffs to a meal or a gift card or a hand-written note of appreciation. This is also true for schools, retail businesses, banks, hospitals, and every kind of office. (I’m looking at you HR and Personnel Departments – if you have them. If not, this is on you, Boss/Owner.)
If we cannot trust and stand up for our people, we need new people. (Or it could be that we need a new supervisor.) If I wouldn’t take a proverbial bullet for my colleagues, I’m in the wrong field or I need to talk to those colleagues about the problem. Strong teams stick together, appreciate each other, hold each other accountable, and trust each other.
This is a great season to plan to be better colleagues. It’s not only the right thing to do, but organizations that treat their people well are more successful organizations. [Note: Good Colleagues are not the same as Best Friends, but that’s for another post.]
Have a great first Tuesday of the year.
A Church for Starving Artists 