Over the years I have served on many different boards. Occasionally, I’ll serve alongside another board member who dominates the conversation, expressing opinions on almost every subject. Unfortunately, center-of-attention kinds of people don’t usually ask many questions or seek understanding. Instead, they tend to only offer uninformed opinions. This means that their input often overlooks important facts. They haven’t taken ...
As we watch the presidential debates, the destructive power of an impulsive statement or speaking the wrong words becomes more evident. The more you are in the public eye, the more words matter. Likewise, for business leaders who are often required to speak at team gatherings or public events, the choice of words can quickly destroy morale or people’s image ...
Recently, the Christian Post reported an online feud between a comedian, D.L. Hughley, and Thaddeus Matthews, known popularly as the “Cussing Pastor.” The bizarre story reveals that Pastor Matthews called Hughley’s YouTube show. Pastor Matthews then publicly cussed out Hughley, ironically, because the comedian had accused Pastor Matthews of cursing in his sermons. In James 3:9 we read, “With (our ...
A study by Mecham Western and Wood estimates that 40 million people regularly view pornography and 70% of pornography use is during work. Many claim that pornography use has negligible impact. These researchers learned, however, that pornography use results in increased lying, sexual harassment, and dehumanizing others. In addition, a decline in business ethics. Unfortunately, according to a past Barna ...
Sociologists Michael Emerson and Glenn Bracey conducted a study surveying Christians of all races. They highlighted Bible passages that might impact different races, with a conclusion of how the passage might be applied. They were surprised to discover that most Black, Asian, and Hispanic Christians affirmed their conclusions, but only 1/3 of white Christians concurred. I have not yet ...
Recently, a group of friends and I were reflecting on our junior high school years. Rick shared how grateful he was that he met up with our friend group back then. Before meeting our group, Rick primarily talked with Mike, one of the wildest kids in our class. Had Rick continued hanging out with Mike’s group, Rick’s life might have ...
Unfortunately, Grifters love to use the church as their playground. If you’re not familiar with the word, Grifters are con men or women who are adept at reading people and exploiting their weaknesses. Since there are a growing number of scandals of megachurch pastors who have been arrested or thrown out of their church for fraud or sexual impropriety, I ...
Many people believe it’s fine to lie to the Internal Revenue Service about their taxes and still maintain integrity. When I was a commercial lender, I was meeting with a small business owner who, while handing over his tax returns as part of his loan application, said, “I sure hope you aren’t making your loan decision based on those numbers. ...
According to a recent Christian Post article, one of Chick-fil-a’s independent franchise owners was arrested for allegedly having sex with a 15-year-old girl. Chick-fil-a has assured the public that this franchise owner will no longer be present in the restaurant. Chick-fil-a has one of the most rigorous hiring processes and diligence in selecting great people. But regardless of how well ...
In this series, we’re talking about guarding ourselves from Grifters. Years ago, some colleagues invited me to a conference of a controversial ministry. I prayed fervently that the Holy Spirit would reveal to me what was pleasing to God and what wasn’t. That night, the keynote speaker prophesied some disturbing proclamations. I felt a grieving from the Holy Spirit and ...
Equipping Others to Do Work Differently
