[Brian Buhler]

Several things come to mind…

1. Relational equity with your team (or employees)… if you are not calling them your team you may lack a bit of relational equity already. Your team is critical to your success especially when crisis comes. Are your team members afraid of you? Do they look up to you? Do they feel safe to come to you when they have troubles? Two companies of equal talent will see the team that has good relationship equity among its members out perform the other. They will spend less time worrying about conflict or issues of bitterness or negative competition and more time on production and healthy growth. (think Transformational organizational culture)
2. Another thought occurred. what is our responsibility to those who lack relational equity? We who have an abundance of this equity in Christ can extend grace to those in times of crisis and lend our equity to help lift them up. Sam shared a video regarding the strength of community gathering around to lift an individual out of the pit of despair.
3. Finally, how do we help others develop that relational equity? Particularly in our new eCommunity… one idea is helping them plug into the Life Groups and introducing them to at least 5 other people… studies show 5 to 8 touch points are needed to retain people at a church and I’d say the same is true in our community. This should help raise our community relationship equity.

[Kenneth Snyder]

This is a good reminder. Christ sent out his disciples two by two, used the analogy of the vine to describe our relationship with Him and each other, and Paul even writes that we are a body. We are called to be interdependent, not independent. When times get tough, it’s good to remember that we can lean on Almighty God and each other.