Articles for tag: Honesty

February 24, 2016

By Jim Tune A word has been on my mind lately. I”ve been thinking about what it means for me personally, and as a preacher. The word: safety. I encountered the word in an excellent book, Crucial Conversations. “In order to speak honestly when honesty could easily offend others, we have to find a way to maintain safety,” the book says. “When it”s safe, you can say anything.” We often focus on the content of our conversations, but content isn”t usually what makes or breaks relationships. Safety is. Feeling safe allows us to talk about difficult things and to speak

July 29, 2015

Christian Standard

Culture & Public Square Politics & Government

Plausible Deniability

By Jim Tune In the United Kingdom, members of Parliament have long been allowed to bill taxpayers for the expense of maintaining a second home because they are required to spend time in both London and their home districts. The office responsible for deciding what was reasonable approved nearly every request. Consequently British members of Parliament (MPs) treated it like a big blank check. And because their expenses were hidden from the public, MPs thought they had it made, until a newspaper printed a leaked copy of those expense claims in 2009. Not surprisingly, the MPs had behaved abominably. Many

September 12, 2011

Christian Standard

Old Testament Theology & Bible

Lesson for Sept. 18, 2011: Teaching Values (Proverbs 10:1″“15:33)

This week”s treatment of the International Sunday School Lesson (for September 18) is written by Bruce Stoker, education minister with Memorial Church of Christ in Livonia, Michigan. ____________ Teaching Values (Proverbs 10:1–15:33) By Bruce Stoker As a Boy Scout, I learned orienteering skills for traveling through the wilderness safely and efficiently using a map and compass. We practiced our skills during many meetings and throughout our hometown, and eventually we decided we could handle a cross-country backpacking trip. So we plotted our destination, grabbed a topographical map and our compasses, and headed out for a weekend of hiking without trails.

November 7, 2007

Mark A. Taylor

Church Leadership Leadership Development

The Most Important Plan

A counselor once said confessing temptations early can prevent deeper failure. Mark A. Taylor reflects on fear, pride, and the need for trusted accountability that helps leaders grow in integrity.

June 17, 2007

Jeff Walling

Devotionals

Meeting Jesus in Baggage Claim

Paul’s honesty about his past reminds us that every believer carries baggage. This devotional calls the church to be the safest place to admit it—and to hand it to Christ in grace-filled confession.

April 18, 2007

Christian Standard

Church Leadership Leadership Development

What About Accountability?

When ministers fall, the question returns: where is accountability? This reflection explores how plans can fail, why a weekly confessor matters, and how honesty—one week at a time—keeps a vulnerable heart away from the edge.