The Gift of Well-Placed Shame

The Gift of Well-Placed Shame

Well-placed shame is not an easy gift to receive. But it is indeed a gift. Few things are more harmful than the misplaced, abusive shaming of others — or the weighty, unjust self-shaming some people experience. Yet, when rightly applied and humbly received, shame can...
Good, Bad Examples for Better Communication

Good, Bad Examples for Better Communication

Perusing the newspaper provided by my hotel in Bozeman, Montana, offered a couple of lessons in effective communication. One was a positive example while the other could be presented only as a “what not to do” illustration. With the continuing demise of daily...
Confessing a Ministry Failure

Confessing a Ministry Failure

It has taken decades for me to fully recognize and come to terms with a significant failure, especially in my earlier ministry life, that needs to be confessed. This awareness has come into clearer focus recently, when examining some of the fruit it has produced....
How COVID-19 Reshaped My Faith

How COVID-19 Reshaped My Faith

It’s been one year since the first cases of COVID-19 were reported in the United States. Since then, the world has undergone significant changes, myself included. Therefore, after one year of living through a global pandemic, I find it necessary to step into the...