Now That You Know

    Describe a season of church conflict you've experienced
either as a minister or member. What did you learn from
the exper ience? If the conflict still colors how you operate
within the church, confess that to Jesus. Be honest with
your feelings, but don't allow Satan to feed your offense.
Seek out a wise pastor's wife who wi ll help you work
through these hard days.
    Children do not have the abil ity to separate people from
their actions. If someone is making their dad stressed or
their mom cry, they know nothing but to be angry. Many
preachers' kids say the way thei r parents were treated in
the church drove them from it as adults. Guard young children's
ears and hearts as much as possible. Make an effort
to rema in positive in front of teens.
    Guard your tongue! I can't stress enough the damage
that can be done w hen we speak fi rst and th ink later. If in
doubt, don't say it. If your heart is pounding in anger, t urn
and walk away. Tel l it to Jesus. He alone can calm your
heart.
    Laypeople: I don't know if you can fu lly comprehend the
good intentions your ministry family has toward you.
    And frankly, that stinks. (Hardy, har.)
    So how do we go about finding BFFs in the church? What should
you look for in a friend? What type of friend should you be? How
do you avoid being exclusive or reclusive to the detriment of your
church? Let's use examples from one of the most famous friendships
in Scripture that of David and Jonathan as a guide.