We Need Encouragers in the Church!

Most of us in the Church are familiar with shepherds (pastors)—those leaders who walk among God’s people. They are present in the heart of our congregations. Like a good shepherd, they know and lead their sheep. They protect, correct, guide, and nurture (cf. Acts 20:28; 1 Pet. 5:2–4). A good shepherd is hands-on—both guarding against what harms and promoting what leads to Christlikeness (cf. John 10:11–14). They don’t just teach the truth—they walk with us as we learn to live it.

But there’s another kind of leader Scripture describes—one sometimes we overlook: Those with the gift of encouragement, or exhortation (Romans 12:8).

Unlike the shepherd, the exhorter isn’t always walking in the center of the flock. They often stand near the edge—eyes fixed on Christ’s mission. They are the coach, the cheerleader, the scout—the one who sees where the Church is called to go and calls others to follow (cf. Acts 13:15; 1 Thess. 2:11–12).

They say:
“Church, Christ is calling us. Let’s move.”
“Let’s live out our witness—boldly, joyfully, sacrificially.”
“Don’t settle for quiet belief. Step forward in faith.”

They don’t just comfort; they summon.
They don’t just reassure; they ignite.

And we desperately need their spirit given voice in the Church today.

Imagine this kind of exhorter in the early church. A group of believers waits in chains beneath the Roman Colosseum. Despair would be understandable. Hope for escape might seem reasonable. But the exhorter would rise and say:

“Brothers and sisters, trust in the work of Jesus.
Go on singing praise, praying in faith, and loving graciously.
With whatever life remains, let us live well—trusting Christ our Savior.”

This isn’t insanity or blind optimism. It’s Spirit-empowered leadership—calling fellow Christians to live with conviction, courage, and clarity in the way of Jesus.

One of the clearest historical examples is Ignatius of Antioch, a bishop in the early second century. Arrested for his faith, he was transported under Roman guard to be executed. On the way, he wrote letters to the churches—not pleading for release, but urging unity, sound doctrine, and bold faith. He even begged Christians in Rome not to interfere with his martyrdom.

He wrote:
“I am the wheat of God, and let me be ground by the teeth of the wild beasts, that I may be found the pure bread of Christ.”
— Ignatius, Letter to the Romans, c. 107 AD

That’s exhortation.

That’s what Barnabas did when he “encouraged them all to remain true to the Lord with devoted hearts” (Acts 11:23–24).
That’s what Paul meant when he said, “I urge you to walk worthy of the calling you have received” (Eph. 4:1).
That’s what Hebrews teaches: “Exhort one another daily” (Heb. 3:13).

We are used to—and deeply need—shepherds who walk with the church and lead with conviction. I thank God for them.

But the Church also needs encouragers.

We need men and women with eyes on Jesus, urgency, and full of faith—
Who don’t just walk beside the flock but call it forward to act in faith.
Who stir us up to “love and good works” (Heb. 10:24),
Who remind us that “our labor is not in vain” (1 Cor. 15:58),
Who point us toward “the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 3:13–14).

So if you have this gift: don’t bury it.
Speak up.
Lead boldly.
Call the Church to live for the kingdom of God—
Not just ethically, but missionally.
Not just as believers, but as witnesses.

We need your voice to call us to live for Jesus.
We need encouragers in the Church.