Exhortation

[Coaching Lesson #4 from our Serving Leadership Development Program—Developing Trusting Relationships, Phase 2]

Exhortation is communicating emphatically, urging someone to do something. It involves inciting by argument or advice; urging strongly, encouraging, and giving a word of warning.

Exhorters are people who spur others on to higher levels of achievement. They encourage, challenge, confront, and correct, in a gentle and loving—yet firm—manner, that causes people to want to make changes and to do their best.

Case Study: Paul’s Letter to Timothy (2 Timothy 2:14-21)

Paul exhorts Timothy to fulfill his calling by being the leader that God has called him to be. He gives Timothy guidance and warns him of things he should avoid.

Effective leaders, like Paul, use a variety of ways to exhort their followers. In doing so, they help them to be better prepared for their own leadership responsibilities and face various challenges. We know that through Paul’s exhortation and the Holy Spirit’s influence, Timothy became a great leader in the early Church.

Is there someone you know who might be spurred on to do great things for our Lord as a result of your exhortation?

Discussion Questions:

1. How well do you “exhort” those who follow you?
2. There are times when confrontation is necessary to correct a follower who may have made a mistake and gotten off track. How comfortable are you in giving this type of exhortation?
3. What are some ways or methods that you can use to exhort those you lead to use their gifts and abilities to make a greater impact in the Kingdom?