All articles
Building Faith•7 min read

How to Help People Grow Without Controlling Them

They're about self-evaluation, looking at the stress in your life, trying to speak last in conversations, any number of episodes. If you just work on you and you figure out how to get better, the people around you begin to notice…

By Kris EmersonEmpowering The IndividualOriginally aired 2020Article adapted 2026
Key takeaways
If you see people in your church, if you see people in your family, in your life who just aren't doing their part, big speeches, policy changes, and sermons can definitely get them thinking, but won't get them moving.
Second Timothy chapter two, verse two says I'm supposed to be teaching faithful people, get them empowered individually, ready to act, so that they can go out and teach other people.
I am your host, Chris Emerson, and I'm here to encourage you with tips and strategies to help you build stronger relationships, deepen your faith, and just get the most out of your life.

Begin with what is true

They're about self-evaluation, looking at the stress in your life, trying to speak last in conversations, any number of episodes. If you just work on you and you figure out how to get better, the people around you begin to notice that, and usually they are attracted to that change.

We are directly considering things you can do, yes, for yourself, no doubt, but more to the point to get other people engaged.

See God more clearly

They come, quote, every time the doors are open, and about 50% of the people are kind of hit and miss. What's the best way to empower the individuals who are not interested in worship to be more interested in worship?

Let's have the eldership or church leaders get up and tell the whole church we have legislated that we want people to come.

Let faith shape the response

But the two-thirds of the people who we were really targeting with this project almost did not respond at all. Now let me just say, groups like that are good for encouraging people who are already active to grow in their activity.

But if you're trying to empower an individual to get started, it just doesn't work.

Live it today

But what it really takes is dad just sitting down in the bedroom with his son, talking to him about individual expectations, getting clear on what comes next, and receiving a personal eye-to-eye commitment on what will change as we move forward. If you see people in your church, if you see people in your family, in your life who just aren't doing their part, big speeches, policy changes, and sermons can definitely get them thinking, but won't get them moving.

You have to put out some individual effort, connect with them, figure out what they're going through, find out what their goals are, help them see what we are about, and try to create some accountability between the two of you based on healthy and growing interpersonal relationships.

Think about it

Take the idea with you.

  1. 01Where does the central idea of “How to Help People Grow Without Controlling Them” show up most clearly in my life right now?
  2. 02What does this episode call me to believe, stop, start, or handle differently?
  3. 03What is one specific action I can take today instead of merely agreeing with the idea?
From Excel Still More

Listen to the original episode

This article was adapted from Empowering The Individual. Continue with the podcast for the original teaching in Kris’s voice.

Listen to This Episode
Continue deeper

Explore books by Kris Emerson

Go beyond a single article with Christ-centered books and daily resources designed for Scripture, spiritual growth, and practical discipleship.

Browse the books