Confession
Reconciling Two Stubborn Scientists

Reconciling Two Stubborn Scientists

How would you feel if God enabled you to use simple relational skills you learned at church to solve a million dollar problem for your employer? That’s exactly what a woman named Diane did when she stepped in to resolve an employee conflict that had stumped her...

A Wave of Confessions Saves a Church

A Wave of Confessions Saves a Church

At last he had his chance. Clutching his prepared statement in his hand, Mark sat down in the front pew, ready to get even with the elders (all names have been changed). Six months earlier they had refused to support his promotion to senior pastor. They had stood...

No Excuses

No Excuses

I failed a friend. Badly. No, not just badly … very badly. It took me a while to face it. When I finally realized what I’d done, embarrassment kept me from going to talk with him right away. So now I was doubly wrong. Failed to support him, and failed to admit it even...

Confession Killers

Confession Killers

If you want to diminish the value of a confession, use one of these three phrases. “I’m sorry if I’ve done something to upset you.” When you use "if" in a confession, what people often hear is, “I don’t know that I’ve done anything wrong, but since you’re obviously...

Reconcile Before It’s Too Late

Reconcile Before It’s Too Late

The woman on the phone was crying so hard I could barely understand her. "You warned me," she said over and over. "But I didn't listen, and now it's too late." "To late for what?" I asked when she paused to take a breath. "When did I warn you? Why is it too late?"...

Public Confession Is Counterintuitive

Public Confession Is Counterintuitive

Whenever we’ve done something wrong, our natural instinct is to conceal, deny or minimize our guilt. This dynamic began with Adam and Eve and is painfully evident in the current race for the White House. Sadly, it is also displayed in many churches, where both pastors...

How to Test a Confession

How to Test a Confession

There is a simple way to test the sincerity of a confession … whether yours or someone else’s. How detailed is your plan for repentance? “For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret (turning from sin, growing in Christ-like character,...

A Better Way to Handle Abuse

A Better Way to Handle Abuse

Sexual abuse in the church does not have to end in broken lives, agonizing lawsuits, and divided congregations. When people follow God’s ways and words, these terrible incidents can result in healing, justice, and healthier churches. When victims of abuse first come...

Face to Face and No Excuses

Face to Face and No Excuses

Someone on my team had blown it. Not ethically or morally. He had simply taken too long to complete some significant tasks, which put one of our clients in an awkward position in a mediation case. Our staff member's attempts to apologize to the client seemed to fall...