Gaining Respect to Share the Gospel

John Maxwell is one of the leading leadership experts in the world. I have followed his teachings for at least 15 years dating back to when he was senior pastor at Skyline Wesleyan Church in San Diego. He has returned to the local church as a teaching pastor at Christ Fellowship in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.

Preaching magazine did an interview with Maxwell in their July/August 2010 edition related to his newest book Everyone Communicates, Few Connect. During his period between churches in San Diego and Palm Beach, he had a leadership training ministry that bridged the gap between the church and corporate world.

He was asked by Preaching editor Michael Duduit about the difference between the two and he said, "In the corporate community, the key word ....is respect. When you get respect, it opens the door."

As you seek to witness to fellow workers, do you have their respect? This is what Maxwell further said, "Go to your work place, do your job with excellence, and gain respect. If you gain respect, you're going to be salt and light, and you're going to be an amazing influence. You're going to be able to break people into the Kingdom, but don't share Christ with them until you've got their respect, because it's a message that will land absolutely nowhere."