Jonah: 2
Our friend from church – Jonah, age 5 – is having surgery in a few days (Thursday). Jonah simply accepts what his parents tell him; Jeremy and Amy, on the other hand, have struggled with difficult decisions throughout Jonah’s cancer. Jonah’s leg will be amputated this week. I keep thinking these young parents show more [...]
Intentional Interim Ministry
Each year, the Arkansas Baptist State Convention hosts a continuing education conference for Intentional Interim Ministers. Between counseling, grading papers, and preparing for sections of the conference I am to teach, there isn’t much time for blogging. See ya’ll next week.
How to Apologize
This article from Christianity Today caught my eye: Speaking Up for Asian Americans: How a Christian book’s racially insensitive content led to a demonstration of true reconciliation. An interview with the Rev. Soong-Chan Rah. When confronted with evidence we have offended others, human nature is to become defensive, to blame the other for misunderstanding, to [...]
Bullying
Three related articles: From the Journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics: Anger, Interpersonal Relationships, and Health-Related Quality of Life in Bullying Boys Who Are Treated With Outpatient Family Therapy: A Randomized, Prospective, Controlled Trial With 1 Year of Follow-up Ten to 30% of students engage in bullying behavior. Bullies stand out on account of [...]
Confidentiality
“Can I tell you something… just between us?” Most counselors know to be careful with the above request. Unfortunately, many ministers and lay leaders aren’t so careful. If you give people a blanket “yes”, you could be headed for trouble. The problem is you may quickly hear information you need to act upon; only you’ve [...]
Preaching Predators
This past weekend, 20/20 aired a special on Protestant “preaching predators” – ministers who sexually abuse children. I’ve written several times in the past about child sexual abuse and the church: Reporting Child Abuse Child Abuse Allegations and the Church Child Abuse Allegations and the Church: II Child Abuse and the Church Child Sexual Abuse [...]
The Problem with Porn
Rodney Olsen is the morning drive host for a Christian radio station in Perth, Western Australia. Below is an excerpt from his blog The Journey: I spent part of my morning looking at pornography with the President of the Baptist Union of Australia. Umm … maybe I should re-word that and say that I spent [...]
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
OCD is sometimes difficult to explain to parents. More than merely excessive hand washing or being germaphobic, OCD is an anxiety disorder that can take different forms. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, OCD can be described as: People with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) have persistent, upsetting thoughts (obsessions) and use rituals (compulsions) to [...]
Things I’ve Wanted to Say…
…(and in some cases did say) to my clients. To the addict: Let me get this straight; you don’t want to take aspirin – a FDA approved drug – for a headache because you “don’t like putting stuff in (your) body”. But, you have no problem taking a handful of who knows what that you [...]
Words and Virtue
“When words become the test of virtue, they also become the masks of vice. That is why sanctimony and ruthless self-interest are such powerful allies.” –Theodore Dalrymple
