Reputation vs Character

Reputation vs Character

Jeff’s reputation was being trashed by people in his own church. He was respected throughout the city for his outstanding Sunday school classes, which had drawn hundreds of people to his church. But then he got caught in the middle of a congregational battle over the...
Don’t Overlook Every Offense

Don’t Overlook Every Offense

A lot of leaders are being abruptly removed from their posts these days. Pastors, seminary presidents, ministry and business CEOs. In many cases, they were fired without warning. One day things seemed to be going along just fine, and then suddenly they were told that...
Are You Velcro or Teflon?

Are You Velcro or Teflon?

Kelly can be one of the best friends in the world. She’s thoughtful, caring, and always eager to encourage and serve others. The people in her Bible study and small group always look forward to seeing her, and her coworkers think she is one of the most pleasant people...
Penetrating Barriers with the Gospel

Penetrating Barriers with the Gospel

Megan had switched on a force field that put the Starship Enterprise to shame. It had been another one of our difficult days. Our then ten-year-old daughter was once again trying to control her younger brother. He resentfully pushed back, indicating he didn’t need a...
Three Steps to Building Relational Passports

Three Steps to Building Relational Passports

I have dozens of passports, and I need to renew them constantly. No, I’m not James Bond or Jason Bourne. I don’t fly from country to country using alternative identities to evade the NSA, CIA, or MI6. I just love people. I enjoy meeting, understanding, encouraging and...