Give the Gift of Relationship
The holiday season often presents three challenging questions: First, “What meaningful gift can I give to the special people in my life this Christmas?” Second, “Is there a way that our family, church or business can improve its ability to deal with the relational challenges of the holidays … as well as those of everyday […]
32 Ways to Enjoy Highly Relational Holidays
If you’re like most people, the coming holiday season will be either the best time of the year or the worst time of the year … and it will probably depend largely on the condition of your relationships. To help you make this the best season ever, we’ve compiled thirty-two of our most popular blog […]
20 Ways to Prevent and Resolve Conflict in the Church
The COVID crisis, combined with heightened racial and political tension, has triggered unprecedented conflict throughout our nation, as well as in the local church. Churches are literally dividing over masks, racial policies and political positions. As a result, pastors are spending untold hours every week talking with frustrated parishioners, deflecting personal attacks and trying desperately […]
The Last Human Freedom
“The last of the human freedoms is to choose one’s attitude.” So wrote Viktor Frankl, an Austrian neurologist and psychiatrist who survived the Holocaust, living through the deprivation and horrors of both Auschwitz and Dachau. Consider the background for his writing about freedom. His wife, parents and brother were killed by the Nazis. His captors […]
Can You Read Faces?
Many years ago a trial attorney read a distressed look in my eyes and responded in a way that changed the course of my life. The ability to read the emotions in others’ faces and eyes is incredibly valuable in every part of daily life. If you keep reading, you’ll learn how you can access […]
To Mask or Not to Mask … That Is the Divisive Question
Masks are dividing churches all around the country. Some church members are willing to continue following government COVID-19 mandates to wear masks during worship services. But other members view masks as an intolerable interference in their worship of God and a dangerous precedent for increasing government overreach. These tensions are especially acute in states or […]
Reflecting Christ in a Chaotic World – Using the Upgraded RW Small Group Study
Have you ever seen a time like this? A time when relational tensions are threatening to divide so many families, churches and communities? The dangers are real and the darkness is foreboding. Which means this is may be a unique opportunity for Christians to shine so brightly that those around us will be drawn to […]
Four Amazing Church Discipline Cases
I’ve been involved in dozens of church discipline cases, both as an elder in my church and as a conciliator assisting other churches. Some of these cases were handled so badly that they resulted in multi-million dollar lawsuits. But some of them were handled so well that they resulted in amazing repentance, reconciliation and rejoicing […]
What You Can Do About Racial Tensions
As I watched the George Floyd memorial service this afternoon, I was grieved more than ever by his tragic death, the loss that his family is feeling, and by the fact that thousands of people continue to feel deep pain and fear because of the ongoing racial, social and cultural tensions in our land. These […]
Serving a Barista
She was working the early shift at a small Starbucks counter in Dulles Airport. The young barista had probably been up since 4 or 5 a.m., and she already looked worn out. After placing my order with the cashier I stood by the counter while the barista finished the coffee ordered just before me. Even […]