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Stop, Start, Continue Danny Elkins
“Stop, Start, Continue” is an activity that my wife uses with her management team. During each management review session the team focuses on one team member and provides feedback for them. The team is to concentrate on three things about that member using the Stop, Start, Continue theme. For the first element – Stop – they tell that team member the things he should stop doing and could improve upon as a manager. For example, if the manager does not allow his employees to make decisions on their own he is not properly preparing his employees to be managers themselves. The management team then uses the same process for “Start” and for “Continue,” where they share his best practices. They give the subject of the review something he should start doing to make him a better manager and then lastly they provide feedback on something the manager does well and should continue doing. We, as Christians, could benefit from applying this same exercise ourselves. Paul said in Acts 6:4 that he would give himself continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word. We are also instructed in Hebrews 13:1 that we should “let brotherly love continue.” Parents are instructed to raise their children to continue in faith and love and sanctification (1 Timothy 2:15). Would your fellow Christians say you were practicing these commandments? Would they identify them as things you are currently doing well and should continue doing? Next, ask yourself what things you are not practicing as a Christian. These are the things you should start doing. Are you looking for ways to serve your fellow Christians? Have you asked God to help you love your neighbor just as you love yourself? We are commanded to love our neighbors, our enemies and even those who do harm to us (Matthew 5:43-44). If you answered, “No” to any of the questions above maybe you should use this as your “Start” activity. The most difficult of these three themes is “Stop.” We are told in John 6:43 that we should “Stop grumbling among ourselves.” In Romans 14:3 Paul said, “Let us stop passing judgment on one another.” We are also told to “stop thinking like children” in 1 Corinthians 14:20. Are you obeying these commandments? In order for us all to reach heaven we have to work together towards this common goal. Self-reflection is vital to our continuing to be faithful servants of God. We are told, “Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves” (2 Corinthians 13:5). I challenge each of you to use the “Stop, Start, Continue” activity to evaluate your own life. - Danny Elkins
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