Give People the Five Star Treatment

By Dale Galloway

Jesus, the wisest, most knowledgeable person on the art of human relationships, gave Christians the Golden Rule principle: “Treat others as you want to be treated” (see Luke 6:31).

If I want to build positive relationships with other people, then I need to put myself in their place and try to understand them. If I want people to like me I need to treat them as I would like to be treated if I were in their place. The following five values prove to be helpful steps toward living out the Golden Rule. They form a foundation for treating everyone as you want to be treated.

1. People Want to Feel They Are of Worth.

As our greatest example of this attitude, Jesus never met an unimportant person. He said, “…Inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me” (Matt. 25:40). The way we treat others is the way we are treating Jesus. We should treat others the same special way we would treat Jesus.

2. People Want to Be Listened To.

If you want people to like you, start practicing the biblical admonition: “Don’t ever forget that it is best to listen much, speak little, and not become angry” (James 1:19, TLB). In other words, when in a conversation, stop worrying about what to say next and start listening with an interested ear to what the other person says, and you will gain a friend.

3. People Want to Be Appreciated.

Mark Twain said he could live for three weeks on one compliment. Let’s face it: I like to be valued and so do you. Everyone relishes receiving appreciation. If you want to get along well with people, then give them the words of praise they crave. Do this, and the people will respond positively to you for it.

4. People Want to Be Built Up and Edified.

We live in a world of constant put-downs. If you become known as someone who builds people up and edifies them, you’ll stand head and shoulders above the crowd. Victor Hugo stated, “Man lives more by affirmation than by bread.”

5. People Want to Be Treated with Empathy.

God’s way is for us to weep with those who weep and laugh with those who laugh (Rom. 12:15).

Five More Steps to Help You Relate Well to Others

6. Be willing to change.

7. Think of yourself the way God thinks of you.

8. Treat yourself as a best friend, accepting yourself unconditionally.

9. Find freedom by owning up to your faults, admitting when you’re wrong.

10. Care enough for yourself to share yourself with others.

Things you might be interested in ......

FOR SUNDAY SCHOOL LEADERSHIP TRAINING: 'Great Expectations' live, free training event, July 11, 4:00-6:00pm, for every age group leader; for registration & information: http://www.lifeway.com/greatexpectations/

plus this will be available for viewing & downloading at any time following the event!

FOR STAFF LEADERSHIP: Transformational Church Book (Thom Rainer, Ed Stetzer) Now on Sale! $15.99 at the Lifeway Store - http://www.lifewaystores.com/lwstore/product.asp?isbn=5285106 or on Lifeway.com http://www.lifeway.com/product/005285106/ PLUS Transformational Church DVD Discussion Guide & CD Helps: $29.95 (Rainer, Stetzer, Raley, and Nation) http://www.lifeway.com/product/005255385/

FOR STAFF LEADERSHIP: Ministry Location Service, for finding new staff members or ministry opportunities - http://www.lifeway.com/jobboard

FOR YOUTH MINISTRY: Registration for 2011 Fuge Camps now open - http://www2.lifeway.com/fuge/

FOR DISCIPLESHIP: Stand Against the Wind by Erwin McManus, a small group study on character building - http://www.lifeway.com/product/005286793/

FOR WOMEN'S MINISTRY: Host a Beth Moore 'Living Proof' simulcast, September 10, 2010 - http://www.lifeway.com/event/?id=194&CID=women-eupdate-Simulcast-051110-feature

FOR WOMEN'S MINISTRY: "Faithful, Abundant, True" by Kay Arthur, Beth Moore, & Priscilla Shirer - http://www.lifeway.com/product/005189430/

What is Being Taught in Your Sunday School this Summer?

Below are the different study themes that LifeWay curriculum options are presenting to the different age levels for the summer.Match the course of study with the proper curriculum plan.

Course of Study	Answer		Curriculum Plan
A study of 1 & 2 Corinthians			Bible Studies for Life (for adults) & Life Focus (for students)
Landmines in the Path of the Believer (by C. Stanley) Fire & Rain (by R. Pritchard)			Explore the Bible
God’s School of Obedience			Bible Teaching for Kids (Preschool), August
Tough Talk about Tough Issues (sexual abuse, alcohol, violence, abortion)			YOU Unit 2 KNOWN, Unit 2 (for students)
Stepping Up to Serve			Bible Teaching for Kids (Preschool), July
God Loves Us; studies on Noah, Jacob, the Ten Commandments, Joshua & Caleb			YOU, Unit 3 KNOWN, Unit 3 (for students)
Choosing … to Love, to forgive, to be thankful, to follow Jesus			Bible Teaching for Kids (Grades 1-6), July
How to Pray			YOU, Unit 1 (for adults) KNOWN, Unit 1 (for students)
Showing Love: studies on Dorcas, the Antioch church, Paul & Barnabas, Aquila & Priscilla, Peter			Bible Teaching for Kids (Preschool), June
Good Choices: studies on Abram & Lot, Daniel, David & Jonathan, the Good Samaritan			MasterWork
Mission Possible: Telling Others about Jesus			Bible Teaching for Kids (Grades 1-6), June
A study of 1 & 2 Samuel			Bible Teaching for Kids (Grades 1-6), August

(Answers: 1. B, 2. J, 3. H, 4. D, 5. F, 6. I, 7. G, 8. K, 9. C, 10. E, 11. L, 12. A)

Things You May Want to Know About ......

FOR STUDY LEADERSHIP: 4G: Building Great Groups for Great Growth Conference, July 23-25, Ridgecrest - http://www.lifeway.com/event/?id=361&cid=4GeUpdate201005

FOR CHURCH STAFF & LEADERSHIP: Transformational Church DVD study kit -http://www.lifeway.com/product/005255385/?cs=1

FOR SUNDAY SCHOOL LEADERSHIP Leadership meeting ideas using 'Great Expectations' -http://www.lifeway.com/myextra/extra_page/0,1140,D%253D5%25252F30%25252F2010%2526M%253D201124,00.html

FOR DISCIPLESHIP: When Life is Hard" 6 Sessions-James McDonald http://www.lifeway.com/e20/shop/?id=005271225

FOR DISCIPLESHIP TRAINING: Georgia DisciplEquip Conference, Pine Forest Baptist Church, Macon, September 24 - 25 - www.gabaptist.org

FOR SMALL GROUPS "Stand Against the Wind" 6 Sessions - from Erwin McManus http://www.lifeway.com/e8/shop/?id=005286793

FOR MARRIAGE ENRICHMENT Festivals of Marriage, October 15-17 & October 22-24, Ridgecrest - http://www.lifeway.com/event/?id=166&intcmp=LADFOME-update53709

The Ten C's of Asking Quality Questions

• Complete. Make sure participants have all the information they need to answer a question.
• Concise: Good questions cover only one idea at a time.
  
• Clear. Keep it understandable. Be sure questions are not over the heads of group members.
• Connected. Don’t ask a question that will lead your group on a tangent.
• Conversational. The aim is not just to ask questions and have the group answer them; it is to facilitate conversation among everyone.
• Contestable. The best discussion questions do not have one right answer. They are open-ended, which forces people to think.
• Challenging. Ask questions that make people stretch their minds. Silence after a question may mean people are really thinking about their answers.
• Creative. Get group members to look at an issue from a side they may not have thought of before. For example, tell a story containing an unresolved issue and ask participants to solve it. The only bad question is the one you use all the time.
• Controversial. Make a controversial statement and see how the group responds. Just remember to use this method sparingly and with discernment.
• Considerate. Do not embarrass or get too personal too soon. Particularly in new groups, questions that dig too deep may keep people from coming back next week.

^{· copied from Discipleship Journal’s 101 Best Small Group Ideas}

Things You May Want to Know About ....

for Special Days: Mother's Day & Graduate Recognition Resources http://www.lifeway.com/article/159819/

for Children's Ministry: How to Teach Children with ADHD -http://www.lifeway.com/article/166767/

for Young Adults: New Threads study, Abide - developing a spiritual rhythm in life, see the promotion video - http://threadsmedia.com/store/studies/abide/

for Women's Ministry: sign up for Beth Moore's September 18th's Living Proof Live simulcast: - http://www.lifeway.com/event/?id=194&CID=women=eupdate-simulcast-041310-feature

for Women's Ministry: Faithful, Abundant, True: Three Lives Going Deeper, a study by Beth Moore, Kay Arthur, & Priscilla Shirer - http://www.lifeway.com/e19/shop/?id=005189430

for Family Ministry: Using Magazines in Family Ministry - http://www.lifeway.com/article/170220/?CID=PastorsToday-emailCRD20100419-Magazines

for Family Ministry: Helping Children to Know How to Pray - http://www.lifeway.com/article/165448/

for Church Health: Transformational Church book and assessment tool - http://www.bhpublishinggroup.com/transformationalchurch/steps.asp

Tips on Becoming a Better Speaker

A book by John L. Dutton offers these suggestions to help a person become a speaker that people want to listen to:

· Prepare your talk around what your class or audience wants to hear, rather than what you want to say. Choose topics and discussions they want to study.

· Remember that people “think” in stories and illustrations as much as they do by analyzing data. Make your major points with stories or illustrations, followed by shorter statements of opinion or fact. In other words, use Bible stories to make Bible points.

· When you practice your presentation, create many of the conditions you will experience when you speak. Visualize the setting and your audience. Stand up, talk aloud, and use gestures. Spend half of your preparation time on this kind of practice. Limit the research and writing to the other half.

· Be natural when you make your presentation, not perfect. Never read a presentation – there’s nothing more boring. Learn your stories and illustrations well enough that you can tell them from memory. Make notes to remind you of when to tell the stories and what points to make from them.

· End with a bang, not a whimper. Save your best, most powerful story until last. Then deliver it with punch! Leave your class or audience wishing you had continued to speak. It makes them want to come back the next you have a presentation to make or a class to teach.

THINGS YOU MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN .....

Marriage Ministry: The Secret to the Marriage You Want - http://www.lifeway.com/e2/shop/?id=005189420

Adult Ministry: BOOMSTOCK: A Three Day Event for Babyboomers - http://www.lifeway.com/event/?id=373&intcmp=LAD2010Boomer-eupdate042010

Discipleship Ministry: Free webinar on the Growing Disciples series by Claude King (development process for disciples, from new Christian to maturity) -

https://admin.na5.acrobat.com/_a41466003/growingdisciples/growingdisciples

Discipleship Ministry: Georgia DisciplEquip Conference, Pine Forest Baptist Church, Macon, September 24 - 25 - www.gabaptist.org

Small Group Ministry: Crave: An Exploration of the Human Spirit by Erwin McManus (a study of cravings humans seek and the one that truly satisfies) - http://www.lifeway.com/e2/shop/?id=005271665

Sunday School Ministry: Great Expectations: Planting Seeds for Sunday School Growth (training for Sunday School leadership, free downloads available) - http://www.lifeway.com/article/170118/


Women's Ministry: Developing a Girls' Ministry webcourse - http://www.lifeway.com/e1/shop/?id=005120945