• Redeeming Church Conflicts

    Questions to Ask Re: Your Church

    TakeYourVitmainZ posted a great set of questions from Timmy Brister that we should all ask re: our churches: If our church would cease to exist in our city, would it be noticed and missed? If all the pastors were tragically killed in a car accident, would the church’s ministry cease or fall apart? If the only possible means of connecting with unbelievers were through the missionary living of our church members, how much would we grow? (I ask this because the early church did not have signs, websites, ads, marketing, etc.) What are the subcultures within the church?  Do they attract or detract from the centrality of the gospel and mission…

  • Hope in Suffering,  How to Love a Mentally Ill Addict,  Redeeming Church Conflicts,  Redemptive Relationships,  Relationships & Peacemaking,  Surviving a Childhood of Neglect and Abuse

    Sticking with People is Frustrating … You Will Suffer Pain if You are Committed to People

    What a contrast in articles! The first is what I would charitably characterize as a, well, not very gracious, thoughtful, or helpful article on why every woman should “ditch the guilt” dropping her little baby off with the “professionals” because staying home with young children can “drive you bonkers,” “give you a back problem and a brain ache,” and women “just need more.” (If you’re really interested, you can read it here, but I think there are far better articles “out there” that graciously and intelligently address this important wisdom issue. And I do think it is a wisdom issue—so discernment, humility, and love are required when we talk about…

  • Eulogy for a Bad Mother,  Hope in Suffering,  Relationships & Peacemaking

    Don’t Kid Yourself — Parents Die

      (A repost from 2013.) Thanks to my astoundingly generous sister, I have had an iPhone for one year now. She bought it for me mostly because it was the same cost as renting a GPS for me for one of my events that required me to drive—and she knows that I am the MOST spatially-confused human on the planet. I get lost in my own neighborhood, more or less navigating in a new, large city. Sixteen lanes of 75 mph traffic doesn’t bother me—I am a confident and competent driver—but trying to be “in my map” and figure out whether I’m supposed to turn left or right? Well. It’s…

    Comments Off on Don’t Kid Yourself — Parents Die
  • Child Protection / Abuse in the Church

    Church Youth Group: The second most likely place for childhood abuse (!!)

    Well. It’s the time again. Let’s talk about where your children are most likely to be sexually abused. Today I read an article from a pediatrician citing church youth group as the second most common place that her patients are sexually abused. (And she sees 1-2 children per week who have been sexually abused!!) This makes me sick. This makes me angry. And this make me long to try to encourage you all, once again, to (please oh please!) stop pretending that children are not at risk in your church. I have been writing on this topic for years. I have been encouraging you, pleading with you, to become better informed by reading excellent, excellent resources…

  • Redemptive Relationships

    Friend – Prayer Group FOLLOW-UP

    Nancy asked some great questions in a comment: “Where do you meet with this group? Just curious…homes? restaurants? and how long do the meetings last? Who takes care of the kids?” I wish I had thought to answer them in the first post! 🙂 Here are my responses: – We meet in a home—often the home of the mother with a newborn/young kids, but not always. The very, very first time my very, very first friend-prayer group met (ten years ago!), we met in a restaurant ONCE and then in a private home from then on: – We usually meet for around 90 minutes, but sometimes shorter, sometimes longer. Depends…

    Comments Off on Friend – Prayer Group FOLLOW-UP