by Dennis McCallum

Before considering how to motivate people, we have to settle two important questions. What is a motivated person? What is motivation in the Christian context? The answer we give to these questions will absolutely limit and channel our efforts to motivate others. My suggested definition of motivation is:

People are motivated when they are convinced of the correctness and the urgency of Christian goals to the extent that they are eager to act, and keep acting, to reach those goals regardless of what others do or think.

While the early stages of motivation may need to include emotional support from others to promote action, we cannot say that people are motivated in the true sense unless they carry on for their own reasons, with, or without support from others. Likewise, those who act without understanding why may be motivated in the world, but not in the biblical sense. Unless we work through people's understanding and consent, we may be manipulating rather than motivating.

• Instruction-

• They must understand what our goals are, and why we hold them.
• They should be able to articulate reasons for their direction
• They should understand and know Scripture that teaches specifically on goals they are pursuing.
• Therefore, a good discipler understands the theory of Christian growth and ministry at a deep level
• A good motivator tells them what is right, but also shows them how to get it for themselves
• Includes wisdom in application of biblical principles to their lives:
  • Preparation—Motivating others requires time reflecting about the person present state and needed change. In prayer, we ask God what the next steps should be in the person's life should be.
  • A good analogy is building a fire. You don't strike the match until you have gathered all the things you need—kindling, small sticks, larger wood.
• We often see people doing things they don't understand because of the personal magnetism of a leader. This is inadequate, and dangerous. Always try to make sure people understand what they are doing and why.

• Persuasion-

• Just because the Bible teaches something doesn't mean people will necessarily accept it.
• The skillful discipler is a persuader who is able to convince others using
  • Good arguments
  • Good antitheses
  • Good illustrations
  • Good demeanor
• Again, we should never see people doing things they don't want to because of social pressure or magnetic personalities

• Modeling:
• Some models are followed and some are not. Why?
• Why do some models create more excitement for their way of life than others?
• One reason is now much integrity people perceive in a model. Models with more perceived integrity will be followed more than others.
• Another issue is whether people perceive that a model's way of life leads to reward or to punishment. Studies show that people will not usually follow models they perceive as being punished for their way of life.
• Another issue is that people follow models who are passionate more than those who are unemotional about their way of life. Learn to put passion into your life, and you will become a more influential leader.
• Direct influence
• Visionizing—We spend time imagining with God how the other person could enjoy a better future—This involves thinking about the other when we are not with them and intercessory prayer.
• Scripture teaches that we may have to call people to move out on what they know is right. We cannot always assume people will take hints, or draw the right conclusions. Scripture and experience show that leaders need to sometimes make specific requests of people before they will act.
• Challenging people indirectly is evident in Christ and Paul's ministries. For instance, Paul would tell about his own life and values, or point out the good works of the churches in Macedonia (2 Cor. 8)
• Reading response When challenging or calling someone, the leader is sensitive enough to read how they are responding. Based on that response, the leader either withdraws or advances.
  • Returning to our analogy of building a fire, we see a fair comparison. A small fire that is sputtering should not have more fuel added. Only when we sense the fire is advancing do we add more sticks. Likewise, leaders learn to move toward responsiveness with more ideas for progressing, and to retreat from unresponsiveness.
• Exhorting When we encourage those who are moving along lines that will result in spiritual growth, it helps express the importance we place on these goals, and adds to the person's emotional strength to continue

• Scripture teaches we may need to reprove or rebuke in addition to instructing and calling
• Prepare for reproof by carefully thinking about each of the following:
  –Reasons why the person needs to have a change of heart
  –Measures the person can take to overcome a sin problem
  –Consequences that will result if the person fails to change
  –Benefits that will result if the person does change
  –Vision for what the person can be if they mature
• Choose a place and time—not in public, not where interruptions will occur
• Adjust for retiring or compliant vs. resistant personalities
  • Ironically, we may need more directiveness for retiring personalities, and less for resistant personalities

• Whether we are calling or rebuking someone, we should always do it with respect for the person's individuality, never with pestering or brow-beating

• When people continue to act but are no longer reinforced much, a crisis may result. The person faces the question of why they are living this way if no one appreciates it. This crisis may be very acute if most of their motivation has been based on human emotional support, if they have little understanding of why they do what they do, or little personal conviction
• At this point, we may need to enter into a counseling process to help the person understand his or her own feelings as they shift away from wrong to right motivational base. This period is really a weaning process, where people learn to live based on what God wants rather than for social reasons.

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