I recently took up an exercise class at our local gym and, aside from being glad to escape with my heart still beating, I was struck afresh by some universal principles of motivation.

What I’d signed up for was a “Spinning” class, which is basically exercise bikes with a side order of sadism. Oh sure, it sounds pleasant enough, almost whimsical. But take it from me. It’s hell on wheels.

Picture me, if you will. Dripping with sweat, legs turned to jelly, heart yammering away, fighting back big, girly tears - and that was just ten minutes in. I had absolutely no idea how I could possibly survive the full 45 minutes.

But survive I did, and even signed myself up as a regular. All thanks to the motivation of the instructor.

Motivation is about bringing out the best from people, particularly when it’s a bit of a struggle. If we want to help our churches and small groups break through the pain barrier of cosy maintenance into effective outreach, then we need to get good at motivation.

Here are four keys I picked up :

The most profound thing about the class was that the instructor practised what he preached. He may have asked a lot of us, but he was quite obviously the hardest working guy in the room. No matter how resistant you felt, the sight of him pouring sweat, straining at the pedals, thrust you forward. When it comes to building bridges, praying for the lost and living radical, distinct lives in the world, we need to be the ones setting the example. Remember, you can’t lead what you don’t live.

2. Encouragement
Our instructor never stopped barking out encouragement. He was wearing one of those Britney Spear’s mikes, and he wasn’t shy about using it : Come on! Dig deep! You can do this! A little bit further! You’re doing good! A constant, positive barrage. He managed to celebrate what we were doing, whilst at the same time prodding us to do more - quite a feat. Make a big deal of people’s successes; talk up their stories; celebrate their commitment and effort. Find ways to encourage constantly, as well as prompting people onwards.

3. Explanation
It wasn’t just a lot of shouting. There was a good balance of instruction and explanation. Our instructor kept injecting tips and techniques to improve our performance. He knew what he was talking about, and he passed on some gems – showing, as well as telling. We need to teach people the basics of how to reach out. Use resources like the WinningWays Equipping Course, and training sessions from CGA, to instruct others. In my homegroup we take one session a term for outreach training, as well as peppering other evenings with tips and principles.

4. Environment
Finally, he hit us with a brilliantly choreographed wall of sound. The music blasting through the speakers helped create just the right atmosphere – sometimes fast, sometimes aggressive, sometimes playful. Let’s not underestimate the power of environment and atmosphere, particularly in prayer. Ruth’s session on ‘Creative Prayer’ is highly instructive on this front. Try to think of ways to use worship, Scripture and the creative to create an atmosphere that motivates to outreach. You’d be surprised at the difference it can make.