In my 30+ years of ministry leadership experience, I have discovered there is one skill that seems to make or break great leaders. The good news is, it is a skill we all can learn and improve. No one is born with expert ability in this skill.

Unfortunately, we have all experienced the consequences of some leader’s lack of ability in this skill. Some of those consequences include broken relationships, projects left undone or done incorrectly, missed opportunities, loss of productivity, and bad decisions.

The skill I’m talking about is communication. Communication skills are paramount if you want to succeed as a leader in any field. However, when it comes to ministry, I believe communication is at the core of how and why we do ministry. After all, Jesus is the WORD of God. Therefore, our words are important. And it’s not just the content, but the delivery. How you say something communicates as much–if not more–meaning than the words themselves.

Today’s world is full of too many unnecessary and unwanted words. We are literally bombarded with words through visual and auditory media all day, every day. This is another reason why the words we use in a ministry context should be carefully chosen, not only to help our words stand out in the confusion, but to bring the presence of the Prince of Peace to any situation.

Here are a few suggestions for analyzing your own communication skills:

1. THINK before you speak and ask yourself these questions before delivering information: It is True, Helpful, Inspiring, Necessary, and Kind?
2. How long does it take you to respond to others’ messages? When you are a leader, those you lead deserve your attention. When someone sends you an email, text, or voicemail, you must acknowledge it quickly–even if you don’t readily have an answer, at least show them respect by letting them know you received their inquiry. It may seem unnecessary to you, but the person on the other end had a reason for contacting you. Ignoring them only breeds frustration and disrespect.
3. When you are making announcements–verbally or in print, are you careful to include the who, what, when, why, where, and how? Telling someone about an event, but forgetting to tell them the date or time means wasted time for you because you’ll have to re-do the announcement. Save time by always checking for the 5Ws and H.
4. Manners still matter. Courteous remarks, verbalized–and written–words of gratitude, and listening without interrupting are becoming lost arts. Do your part to keep them from becoming extinct!

Business gurus of the online world are always emphasizing how important it is to connect with your audience. We have countless ways to get a message out these days, and while that may be helpful in some ways, it multiplies our responsibilities for responding to people in a personal and timely fashion. Choose your communication outlets carefully. Don’t overextend yourself. Use the online communication tools you can handle and don’t worry about the rest.

Especially in a ministry context, the human connection is so important. Jesus gave us the example of making the effort to be with us physically to demonstrate his love for us. Being physically–and mentally–present with someone is the ultimate communication gift you can give. The ultimate communication God ever delivered was sending Jesus to us to be one of us. Our goal in communication is to strive to make our words as helpful as our physical presence would be. With the Spirit’s help, we can do that.

If you want to improve your communication skills as a ministry leader, contact me to talk about ways I could coach you through some exercises to become a better speaker, writer, staff member, or Bible study leader. Click here to send me a note directly.

In this Advent season, my prayer is that you are experiencing the Hope, Love, Joy, and Peace that the Christ Child brought into our world. What are some ways others have communicated Christ’s love to you? Share those in the comments below.