In the past, I’ve written about negative people in the church (see, e.g., “11 Characteristics of Church Pessimists” and “11 More Characteristics”). I’ve written about them because they’re often the loudest people in the church, but I don’t want to miss the vast number of positive folks around us. See if your life illustrates these characteristics:
- You praise the work of others, even when it’s not your idea. You’re a team player. You’re quite willing to deflect praise to others.
- No matter how bad a church event might be, you always look for some area to affirm. You might have to look hard and long—and you don’t ignore the negative—but you search for the good.
- Your recollection of most previous pastors of your church begins with the positive. A ministry may have ended poorly, yet you still choose not to focus there. You’re not hung up on the past tense.
- When others point out, “We’ve tried it that way before,” you choose to say, “It’s a new day.” You don’t let yesterday’s failure become today’s “no.”
- You seldom use the word “but” when church leaders propose a new idea. It’s not that you don’t recognize potential issues; it’s simply that you’re willing to give things a shot first.
- You operate in faith. You seriously believe all things are possible with God—and you start with genuine God-given hope. Fear doesn’t have much room in your life.
- You don’t blame others for your own struggles and failures. You know yourself well, and you take responsibility for your actions.
- You don’t hang out with negative people. In fact, they drain you of your energy.
- You’re thankful for everything, including the tough times in life. The peace of God is evident in your life no matter what you face.
- You serve faithfully in your church without jockeying for position or power. You’re a servant leader who doesn’t worry about recognition.
- You take care of yourself physically and spiritually. You spend time with God daily and exercise regularly; you don’t separate those two arenas of life.
- Others really enjoy being around you. That’s because you bring joy into the room. In fact, we need more folks like you in our churches.
What would you add to this list?
