Between Lindsay accidentally calling exhortation "extortion" and me intentionally calling it "coercion," our church might as well join the mafia.
A couple weeks ago Bill asked a bunch of new people to consider joining the choir for a special service. At the next practice, I was the only new person (because saying no to Bill is a physical impossibility for me). As soon as I went home, I messaged several people I knew, and at the next practice six of them were there to sing.
Several months ago when we were planning our Fellowship Weekend, I went around to everyone in the youth group and practically forced them to sign up. We had higher numbers than ever before.
What I'm saying is, I've got powers of persuasion. And I really like using them. It kind of feels like a superpower.
But really, it's cool to finally realize what one of my spiritual gifts is. That whole concept seemed so vague and ultra-spiritual for most of my life, but now I see exhortation in my every day life. I see how God can use it, and I see how I'm good at it, and I see how I could become better.
My favorite way God has used my exhortation is the continuing mission trips to Senegal. God used my life and my obedience to bring Fatick to my church's awareness, and two years later, teams are still visiting that tiny city in West Africa bi-annually.
I want that to be my job. Going to new places, then telling others about them so they can start and/or continue ministries there. That's me, coercing people into serving God.
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