My small deskside dictionary provides me with this defintion of encourage: to inspire with courage and hope. One of my biblical heroes is Barnabas, the Son of Encouragement. He didn't seek the spotlight, but he helped other people do more than they ever would without him. We don't know of any manuscripts that we are certain he wrote, but he encoraged one who wrote a lot of what constitutes our New Testament. He is not noted for having started any particular churches, but his support gave another young man the start he needed to eventually be an important disciple of the Apostle Paul and a compiler of the second gospel.
Encouragement is something we all need and can be easily given away. Encouragement, however, does bring risk, both for the giver and the recipient. Once offered, encouragement can produce an energy of its own, and the results may be beyond our human ability to control.
To inspire with courage and hope is to let a person see that what he or she may be at the present need not be the final result. That person can be more, go farther, and turn dreams into reality. Sometimes the person who encourages becomes the strong shoulders that allows the other to attain heights undreamed of. Sometimes the encourager can be forgotten in the heady rush of success and accomplishment.
Our churches need to be encouragers. The gospel is all about encouragement. The gospel is a message of encouragement. The gospel shows people what they are, what they can be, and what God has done to make the transformation possible. The gospel leads people to look beyond the limitations of this world and see what they can become both in this world and in eternity. That's real encouragement! Of course these people may leave our churches. They may follow the Spirit to a mission field in the inner city or overseas. If we encourage them, we may lose them.
The association also must be in the business of encouragement. Our member churches too easily can fall into the trap of self-criticism and limited dreams. The local congregation will look at its numerical attendance and financial resources. It will see the bigger church down the road, on television, or in the headlines, and fall into spiritual despair. "We're too small. We're too poor. We're too old." The Holy Spirit gnashes his teeth at such thinking!
The association must be in the business of encouragement. When we take our eyes off God, we will see only our own limitations. We will see only what we can do in our strength. We will see only what our dreams could be without any hope of reaching those dreams.
Associations must encourage each of their member churches to see their context through the eyes of God. The churches must see their resources through the eyes of God. The churches must see their potential through the eyes of God. The association must help each church see the open door that God has placed in front of every congregation (Rev. 3:8). No one can shut the door, but too many churches are willing to walk away from it. Yet if we encourage them, they may move beyond our own resources to help them. They may see themsleves no longer needing the support of the association. Let us dare to celebrate with them!
We as associational leaders must learn how to encourage our churches, their leaders, and their membership. It will be a lot easier if we can help them keep their focus upon God. He offers a lot of encouragement.
