Picture this scenario: David, an elder in the church, walks into his pastor’s office, lips pressed in a thin line, raking his fingers through his hair. “What’s up?” Pastor Greg asks. “I just don’t get it! It’s like my son Josh has completely ignored everything I’ve taught him. He talks back to me; he doesn’t do his chores until I practically force him to; and this … [Read more...]
4 ways to prevent hurting people from giving up on God
God is like an elevator; He lets people down—at least that’s what many people I’ve met would say. In my work for Church Initiative, building curricula to help suffering people, I’ve interviewed a number of people who’ve lost loved ones, have been betrayed by lovers, misunderstood, misrepresented, and mistreated in dozens of ways. And I’ve noticed that quite a few of them have … [Read more...]
Why people resist biblical counsel and how to help them
If you’ve been in ministry for a while, I’m sure you’ve encountered hurting people who resist biblical counsel. They are quick to say something like, “Yeah, I know that, but ...” Assuming relevant Scripture is offered, why wouldn’t a Christian be eager to receive God’s Word? Here are some possible reasons. The person might have been misunderstood If you fail to get a … [Read more...]
How to help the spouse who stays in a marriage after an affair
Chris cheated on me In early 2002, my husband, Chris, our son, Noah, and I had the opportunity to move to Edmond, OK, so that my husband could join the staff of Life.Church. It was truly a dream come true. He was a worship leader and I led alongside him, and we had been doing so for nearly ten years. But a confession one devastating February morning brought about a crushed … [Read more...]
Helping people who’ve made their suffering worse
In the midst of pain, people are vulnerable and more susceptible to making choices that make their current suffering even worse. The problem is, they don’t realize this. They’re preoccupied with the immediate pain and finding relief. They are hurting, they react to the hurt, they make choices in an effort to relieve the hurt, and they can get stuck in the cycle of troubling … [Read more...]
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