Monday, August 31, 2015

Science and the Bible






Scholars are currently recognizing that it was the Judaeo-Christian world view that led the west to invent science. No other part of the world could have done it because of their religious and or philosophical beliefs.

The Jewish/Christian Bible assumes that a rationally thinking Creator actually called the world and the universe into being. Since the world had an Intelligent Designer there must be an Intelligent Design.

Humans are created in the image of God (imago Dei) so we all have the ability to discover the Intelligent Design since we are also Intelligent. This belief led educated people, and they were few, to study nature including other humans.

Greeks separated Earth and humans from nature. They assumed that the sun, moon, comets, stars, etc were alive. Otherwise, how could they move around? They separate the spirit of humanity from their mortal bodies with the idea that only the spirit is perfect and the body is dirty.

Eastern Mystics thought the universe to mysterious and complex to be understood. Thus, mystical meditation was the road to dealing with life.

Almost every major early scientist in the 1300's onward were Christians. Many were clergy. Name a famous scientist and more than likely they will believe in God, creation and learning about nature leads us to learn about God.

My book, Healing release of the Holy Spirit focuses on how our world view impacts our approach to science and healing.



Sunday, August 30, 2015

Predicting and Preventing Divorces



My last few days have been so busy it has been difficult to post. I served as a Minister last night in a wonderful wedding so the topic of divorce is relevant. In every wedding preparation and service I discuss the biggest challenge we all face in marriage and the simple things that most often lead to a divorce. Here it is:'

The inability to deal effectively with differences large and small!

The last several posts I went over the Stages of Conflict from Contented to Complaining to Criticism to Contempt.  Few marriages survive CONTEMPT. Character attacks of one spouse for the other.

A marriage can be Volatile and filled with controversy, Complaints and even some Criticism but few survive those awful personal attacks that combine Blame and Shame!

Remove all B. S. from your life or see your relationships collapse.

Get our materials to see how to communicate with love, mercy and grace.




Tuesday, August 25, 2015

Contempt-The Final Kick!



Let me review.

1. Contented is when I am able to interact without the Fight/Flight Syndrome. Peace and Serenity have arrived.

2. Next comes a Complaint. I am a bit anxious and have some need for Fight or Fight but I have enough self-control to say simply what I need without attacking.

3. It is getting dangerous so I feel uptight and get defensive enough to Criticize the other person.

4. Contempt is attacking the person's character. This is where relationships break down and divorce happens either formally or informally.

Being Contemptuous means that I attack you as a person of worth. Whereas Criticism is placing Guilt on another person for failing in some action, Contempt is Shaming because it says "You have no Identity or Spiritual Inheritance. It is the extreme of evil and occurs regularly when we deny any group, race or age human rights. The Nazi Party, Stalin, The KKK and other such groups are examples of the worst in Contemptuous behavior.

It is tempting to treat political opponents or even sports fans with verbal Contempt. The result in the victim is fear, Extreme Fight/Flight Reaction and a rush of Adrenalin. It can result in Post Traumatic Stress Disorder with long term consequences.


How do you deal with the temptation to think or speak with Contempt? Can you resist the temptation?

Our materials teach people how to grow in the Fruit of the Spirit. Go to our web page and visit the store to choose one of our great E Books.

Monday, August 24, 2015

Criticize Don't Apologize!



In the prior posts you have learned the great results of so now I will share my life of creating TOXIC CONFLICT by developing you ability to Criticize.  People love to Criticize! I loved it so much that I was in a continual state of walking, talking Toxicity. Let me count the ways!

It paid off for me. I was suspended from high school, refused admittance into Community College and several other great things like this. I was a real winner.

When Social Media came to the earth, many of us saw a great opportunity to use the skills of offending to new heights. Not only could we use the largely anonymous Facebook and Twitter but many people posted ideas that we found horrible to consider.

Politics, religion, sexual perversion, baking cakes, drug addictions, dysfunctional families and best of all POLITICS!

Each and every post and news story produces the urge for me to attack not just the ideas expressed but also the stupidity of the author or politician. Am I the only one that has these temptations?

Criticism on social media is bad enough but it really causes problems when we take our bad habits home to our wife/ husband, parents, children, etc. The inability to resolve our differences of opinion without CRITICISM and Contempt causes most toxic marriages and then toxic divorces. Anger, Bitterness and Rage are all the rage!

The urge and habit to attacking the people we love to get what we want  works. That TV Channel selector I attacked my wife over is mine all mine because my family kicked me out.

Remember my last post when I used Mommie and daughter Joanie as examples? When Joanie wanted more space from her mother Mommie tended to get hurt, angry and criticize the daughter she loves so much. Her Complaints turned easily to Criticism and personal attacks. The result? Joanie wants even more distance! the ploy backfires.

Want to read more and become an expert? Pay a huge $4.00 for my E book on families. 



Saturday, August 22, 2015

If At First You Don't Offend, Push Harder on The Person!





Let me review some things. I am posting about the Cycle of Conflict in marriage, family and work relationships. In fact, in any relationship where people are emotionally close. If they are too close, there is a temptation to EASILY REACT to the person they care for most.

Mom dearly loves baby Joanie and wants her to be a perfect little girl that makes mommie proud.  When Joanie and Mommie are in agreement, they feel so close to each other emotionally. Mommie feels strongly that she is a good mother and that her little girl will always make her and the family proud. There seems to be perfect harmony in the home and they are CONTENTED.

However, Mommie feels so close to her little girl that the slightest disagreement seems to be a major emotional blow.  causing Mommie to REACT with fear and anger. If Joanie refuses to come an hug her, Mommie can feel a strong urge to COMPLAIN to Joanie in an attempt to get her to comply.

COMPLAINTS: Using an I Statement to communicate directly what we want.  


A COMPLAINT is a direct statement such as, "Joanie, darling, Mommie really needs a hug right now. Would you please stop watching those cartoons and give me a nice, warm hug?

This relationship is headed for Toxic Conflict. Does it seem to you to be in danger of a collapse and an emotional fight? Why or why not?

As Joanie gets older and develops her own ideas and friends, she is more and more likely to resist her mother's desire for a very close emotional relationship. If Mom does not change her behavior and continues to push her daughter to be very close, her COMPLAINTS can easily turn into CRITICISMS.

COMPLAINTS: Using an I Statement to communicate directly what we want.

CRITICISMS:  A vague blaming with "You" statements.  The focus is on the Person person not Person's behavior.       
 It is getting dangerously close to TOXIC territory.

My book on family interactions has a lot of teaching about these kinds of issues. If you want o be healthier, go to my web page. How To Be Me in My Family Tree!


Friday, August 21, 2015

Want Peace



Learning to resolve interpersonal differences makes marriage and family life fun, interesting and fulfilling.  By using “I Statements,” we take responsibility for our own thoughts and feelings.
Complaints can be very healthy:  We need to learn how to state our wants, needs, and desires directly so the people around us can understand exactly what we are saying. A good Complaint states openly what the person wants. For example: “I want to eat at home tonight. I am tired of eating out.” or “I want to eat at Bob Evans tonight. They have a special pot pie that I really like.”
This kind of a direct statement is easily understood and easily responded to by our family. “Okay, we can go to Bob Evans for the pot pie, but I want to eat at Panera next week.” Such statements may cause us to become a bit nervous about being selfish, but clear statements are much easier to deal with than hints that require us to read minds or a passive-aggressive response that erupts into a fight later.
Example:  Verbal comment: “Of course we can eat at the Greasy Spoon, dear.”
Internal self-talk: “That rat never does what I want. He always gets his way.”
The second way it seems humble but nearly always ends up in a fight for the internal discussion and self-talk is filled with Criticism and Contempt.
Criticism is blaming others
Contempt is shaming others

Remove all B.S. from your marriage and family life. Stop accusing others of being totally responsible for problems that have two or more people involved in them.  In a family, no one person is to blame, but all members must accept their part of the responsibility.

Want to know more? See my Ebook How to be Me in My Family Tree!

Complainers, Critics and Love





Successful relationships happen when we learn how to resolve Conflicts without chronically moving beyond healthy Complaints.  
Healthy Complaints actually keep a relationship clean and growing. 

However, when out of frustration and pain we start to Criticize or show Contempt, there is danger of a permanent break in the relationship. 
Healthy Complaints use “I Statements” to share my concerns.
Example: “I do not like the way we are interacting. We do not spend enough time together, especially on fun things.”

Unhealthy Criticism uses “You Statements” to attack others’ behaviors.
Example:  “You never come home and spend time with me.”

Unhealthy Contempt uses “You Statements” to attack others’ character
Example: “You don’t care anything about being a husband and never fulfill your commitment to the kids and me.”
Conflict is inevitable but Contempt is a Choice!


Want to learn more? Go to our web and get Hope and Change for Humpty Dumpty.

Tuesday, August 18, 2015

How to Find a way to Minister



Some people try to figure out what a community or church needs and then set up a program to meet that need. That sounds good but depends on hiring people who are not necessarily called, passionate or gifted to serve the identified needs.

Here is the answer: Find passionate, interested, gifted people and TURN them LOOSE!

Find someone, anyone that will be a passionate person for the cause and support them. At College Hill Church we had a woman that was intensely passionate about serving the poor and outcast. Her name was Karen Lane and she was a tiger about serving the poor, handicapped, hungry, minority  population.

Karen was a diamond in the rough. Thus, she was not very Presbyterian in her approach to advocating a new ministry to these people. The Elders and Trustees were a careful group, as they are called to be with the Lord's ministry.  Karen, on the other hand, was passionate, somewhat abrasive, and confrontational.

Some of us with a more diplomatic bent were called in to assist Karen in the necessity of communicating more gently to the leaders. We did and she started a hugely successful ministry to her people! It was wonderful. She did what no paid staff could have done. It was marvelous to behold! CHPC took a risk with Karen and she made them look like a group of geniuses.

Jerry Kirk took a big risk with me. He led a doubtful group of Elders to hire me, a bearded, charismatic Baptist to join the staff.  Jerry was a genius at gathering strong horses around him and he turned us loose in a Presbyterian church of people used to always doing things "Decently and in order", Jerry thought outside the box. The staff of ten Ministers followed Jerry's model and discovered diamonds in the rough to be innovators and gadflies that impacted the region and the USA.

Are there some diamonds in the rough in your church that are passionate about serving? Can you help them focus and act on what God is calling them to do? Will you take a risk with God and let go of the desire to control everything?








Monday, August 17, 2015

Self-Control or Toxic Emotions




People are explosive and seem to enjoy it. We read daily about the behavior of people who show no self-control and explode over small things. Just this week two football players got into an argument over a small amount of money and one sucker punched the other and broke his jaw. The puncher was fired and the victim cannot play football for several weeks.

The irony in the story is this: Both are multi-millionaires! The amount of money was small and it resulted in a huge cost to both men. It was lost because they could not exercise self-control.

According to many Family Therapists our nation is in a period of Emotional Regression. This means, among other things that adults do not act like adults but OVER REACT to insignificant events with emotional outbursts of anger, fear, disgust, resentment, etc.

On college campuses administrators are anxiously writing books telling the students and faculty they cannot use terms that might cause a student to have a negative emotional reaction. They call it a "Trigger Event".  Colleges have traditionally been places of open discussion and dialogue that welcomed debates about controversial issues. But today the Federal Government is requiring schools to punish without due process anyone that even utters certain banned words.

Content: 

At peace with myself and others. I do not attempt to change what is someone else's responsibility. If the world or God has placed a load on your back, we call it a Monkey, then I will encourage you to carry it or throw it off. I will not attempt to Preach to you or grab your monkey away from you.

So, pray that I can be at peace and be content that you and the Lord can work it out. Ask the Holy Spirit to give me peace when I am disagreeing with people that are different from me. (That is about everybody I know!)

If you want to be contented, read Power Christian Thinking unless you really like anxiety and carrying the Monkeys God has given to others. That is your business!


Wednesday, August 12, 2015

What We Have Here is a Problem of Communication





It appears to me that the ability to communicate deep and emotionally important issues is getting worse every year. Each generation that comes appears to have trouble speaking clearly. As I listen to young people attempt to share their thoughts and feelings they increasingly fail to articulate who, what, where, when and why they had them. Instead, their sentences have a string of nonsense "filler words" such as "like" and "you know" and "whatever".

I find this to be frustrating. They are difficult to understand, leaving us both dissatisfied. My wife Karen and I take our younger three youngest grand kids out for  "Boot Camp".  It is a day of surprises, fun and learning, because each can communicate well.

They are ages 7, 10 and 13 but can articulate, enunciate and keep filler words to a minimum, but it takes some work on our part to help them stop following in the footsteps of the culture.

First, the children are not allowed  to use any digital devices at boot camp. We spend time communicating, listening and discussing ideas.

Second, when a child or adult has the floor we all must listen without changing topics or interrupting.

Third, we give each child a small amount of money to get a gift. If they exceed that amount it must be paid back that day to teach that borrowing has consequences.

Fourth, we attempt to read a story or two aloud and discuss its meaning and why we read it.

Fifth, I try to come up with brain games and quizzes to make the kids think and discuss ideas. The terms "like, you know, whatever, etc" are not allowed.

Sixth, we give each child a sum of money every birthday that they, along wither their parents, invest in stocks. I want them to learn the value of saving and growth of money.

Seventh, we attempt to teach them how to resolve differences and arguments peacefully. It is not easy!

We want our grand kids to succeed in life, marriage and work. The ability to read, write and speak is essential to success.










How to Have a Miserable Marriage



I have posted the dangers of Reactivity several times, including how it can destroy marriages and family life.  I ask my friends on a regular basis to list the major cause of marriage breakdowns and I hear the usual suspects.

Money
Sex
Pornography
Kids
Work, etc.

I understand why we think about specific topics when we discuss conflict. In fact, marketers know it and the try to hook us by mentioning these issues. They want us to buy their ideas and products that focus on bad money management or  pornography and they link them to the destruction of marriages. However, they are wrong. It is not a specific issue that has the most impacts a marriage but the inability to discuss and resolve any differences in a calm and cool manner.

Reactivity is the major cause of marriage and family destruction. 

(Its  "An inability to communicate effectively".)

Shouting at each other and accusing each other of evil intentions makes communication difficult or impossible.

If I cannot remain calm and peaceful when discussing food preferences and where to go for dinner, how can I discuss sex, money and in-laws??

The truth is that "Bruised people bruise people!" If I am bruised and developed no skills of resolving differences I will carry that inability into my job, my marriage and my parenting. If I saw only yelling and personal attacks from my parents and siblings then I may do the same thing with my new wife.

Scripture says that "Death or Life are in the power of the tongue!"

Attacking and yelling is death!

Caring and listening is life!

Let nothing come out of your mouth that does not encourage and build others up.

Go to my web page and watch a video Charlie McMahan and I did on this topic. 


Sunday, August 9, 2015

Attacking Megan Kelly


His Reactivity led to the murders of many, many people.


I am frankly amazed at how many people attack the person asking questions rather than wondering why The Donald is so thin skinned. It seems that my colleagues in Family Therapy are correct in their analysis of our culture when the suggest that "The West is in a Regressive Period Emotionally".

This means, among other things, that masses of people are increasingly Reactive rather than Responsive to events. Thus, rather than coolly and calmly thinking about ways to Respond to a negative situation, we tend to "Over React" as though every event is a major crisis.  In my terms, if another person does something abrasive or rude at a level of 3.0 on a 10.0 point scale, we React as though our lives are threatened.  Examples are Road Rage, shootings over a minor insult and burning down half the city over a rumor.

Attacking Megan Kelly and looking for her past discretions so you can ruin her reputation is a severe Over Reaction. Cursing a person and threatening to fight them over noise at an outdoor concert is way Over Reacting!

Over Reacting indicates a serious inner dysfunction. People that get volatile over any slight or perception of an insult need inner healing. The admonition to "Turn the other cheek" is all about a Cool a Response not a Hot Reaction".

Megan, Brett and The gang may have asked pointed or even unfair questions but there is no excuse a candidate for President shows cool, calm leadership by name calling and threats. That is why I like a cool ambassador who will think carefully about war and peace, budgets and the economy, etc.

My book Power Christian Thinking can help angry and Reactive people cool it!


Power Christian Thinking

Why Does Trump Attack Others so Quickly?



Why would a rich, famous guy like Donald Trump attack everyone with whom he disagrees? Why does he resort to name calling, personal attacks, anger, bullying and whining if anyone, especially a female dares to ask a tough question or challenge his activities?

Because he is deeply afraid!

Fear begets a Fight/Flight Reaction. Fear as an emotion is healthy and given to us by the Creator as a safety factor. It is like the ejector seat in a jet airplane. When his aircraft is hit by enemy fire the pilot can hit the ejection button and, voila, he is away from danger.

The immediate, unthinking Fight/Flight reaction is built into our body and brain and kicks in immediately when we sense danger. In war soldiers can develop a "sixth sense" that alerts them of unseen dangers like an incoming rocket or a sniper they cannot see.

Historically God gave us the ability to run from a lion or climb a tree to get away. If we cannot get away we are able to summon almost super human strength to defend ourselves from  a lion's attack.

In contemporary society we rarely face such dangers but we may have the same panic driven fears when we sense our personhood is under attack. Extremely mature and peaceful people are secure in their identity and rarely REACT with a Fight/Flight Panic when questioned or challenged. However, an immature, insecure, person with a fragile ego panics in fear at the slightest indication of an attack.

This is SHAME based Reactivity!

The fear of being known.

The fear of being discovered.

The fear of being vulnerable.

Want to help yourself or others get peace? Get my books, especially Power Christian Thinking. 




Saturday, August 8, 2015

Vulnerability and Fame



Why do so many people seek fame,fortune and beauty but find it empty afterward?

Whey do so few people who get plastic surgery still feel miserable?

Why do people like some politicians and Facebook posters attack others that disagree with them rather than come up with a cogent, rational response?

I think the answer is rather simple: Reactive people have a weak sense of identity that is the result of SHAME.

Guilt is the sense that I have broken God's Laws or Human Laws and that I deserve some punishment.

Shame is the belief that I am NOTHING. That I have no Identity and no Inheritance or future rewards. As a result, every real or perceived failure fits that Belief and reinforces my SHAME.

Shame filled people cannot stand anyone to disagree with them or point out a failure. They anxiously attempt to cover up and hide their weaknesses. They do everything possible to act like a Big Man On Campus or Big Woman On Campus.

No matter what they do it is not enough and as a result they fight, complain, attack and defend themselves. Some of the richest and most powerful people in the world still act like insecure teenagers trying to prove their masculinity, but deep inside there is no real sense of person hood.

Get my book, Healing Release of the Holy Spirit to learn more.


Wednesday, August 5, 2015

Equality from the Perspective of God



                                    A Russian Family Wiped Out

Are we worse than the USSR in America?  Not even Stalin, as evil as he killed and dismembered babies and sold their organs like steaks. 

Berdyayev, a great Russian philosopher,  said that both socialism and religion emphasize equality. Religion achieves the equality ideal by promoting creation plus contact with God, the highest plane of human existence. (imago Dei)

Socialism, on the other hand, aims to demand equality by destroying all the higher aspects of the personality.  These include, love, kindness, mutual commitment, family life, sanctity of life, intellectual and financial achievement, motivation, self-esteem, etc. All are to be banished, rooted out with a viciousness usually reserved for mad dogs.

The Soviet Union was the first state to promote the elimination religion. They intentionally confiscated church property, ridiculed religion, harassed believers and propagated atheism in schools, government, science and universities. The persecution of religion was determined by state interest so few groups were completely outlawed, but anyone accused of having faith was blackballed and scapegoated.

"Stalin's Constitution was the best ever written," said one friend, "but no one even attempted to live by it lest they be hounded to death."  



Wherever Christian values reign there is the best great hope for equality, dignity, healthy living and opportunity. Here in America we have lived prosperously because of the Judaeo-Christian values we borrowed and built into the legal system. 

there have been glaring errors and tragic missteps over the history of America, but we know that they were wrong because they are contrary to the values we espouse. 

There are events and legal procedures today as well as serious abuses of power that need to be corrected. they will take time, energy and wisdom. We have made bad decisions before but there is a self-correction impetus built into our structure. 

I pray that is rises and puts evil away again. 



Tuesday, August 4, 2015

Care for Pets and People



People versus animals!

Why do we spend so time and money on animals?

Why has the death of Cecil in Zimbabwe brought about so much more outrage and grief than the discovery that Planned Parenthood is killing babies so they can harvest and see their organs and tissues?

  Why do foundations offer tons of money to groups that protect animals but refuse to support the starving people in those same regions of Africa?

Why are people so upset with killing animals like Cecil and not very concerned about the people killed by animals in the same places?

If you are interested in supporting and protecting human beings as well as their pets, go to our web and support us or get some of our materials.



Monday, August 3, 2015

Let Me Carry That Monkey For You!



A fellow I know, we will call him Mr. Wonderful, was so effective and so efficient that he was appreciated by his bosses and his colleagues. I anyone on his street or at work had a problem, he would swoop in and take care of it for them.

One day, he received a big promotion as a Supervisor of a team of ten workers. The first week he rushed around asking every one of his people how he could assist them. It was not long before they saw that he could do their tasks better than they so they started coming to him with their challenges so he could do the work for them.

One day in May when the sun was shining and the weather cool he promised his kids to go to King's Island in the afternoon. He was very excited about it because he worked so many hours he was rarely home.

Shortly after arriving at work, Joe Plumber came by and said, Mr. Wonderful we have a Monkey. The machine on three is not working well and I think you need to fix it." Mr. Wonderful jumped up and said, "Don't worry Joe, I will get right on it." He felt a sudden weight come over him and it felt slightly heavy but nothing he could not carry.

As Mr. Wonderful was walking to the machine Henry ran us and said, Mr. Wonderful, we have a Monkey crisis! the Copy Machine is jammed and we can't get the report out. You must come and fix it immediately." Mr. Wonderful agreed to un-jam the machine and felt the Monkey slide from Henry to his back, adding a bit of weight to his back.

Just as Henry stopped talking, Mary Jane and Martha spoke up with great anxiety and said, "Oh, Mr. Wonderful, you must come down to the lunch room and take care of a Monkey. There is a big fight between the cook and the dish washer". Mr. Wonderful hastily agreed to stop the fight but as he started to the Kitchen he felt another weight fall on his back and a bit o panic start in the pit of his stomach.

Joe saw Mr. Wonderful start to detour away form the Third Floor and said, "You are not going to neglect my Monkey are you? You promised to take care of it!" But before Mr. Wonderful could respond he received and urgent call from his boss who said, "Hey Mr. Wonderful, I am going to King's Island with my kids and I want the report I assigned you in 30 minutes before I leave. It is a huge Monkey I need to give to the Board of Trustees tomorrow!"

How can Mr. Wonderful get all those Monkeys off his back?

Hope and Change for Humpty Dumpty. Read it as an EBook.




Sunday, August 2, 2015

I will Take Your Load, Gladly!



I have always been a sucker for a sad story. Offer a sad excuse for failing to do your job and I would usually pick it up for you. Yep, I was a compulsive load carrier! I needed to be needed as much as the person in pain needed his/her drug no matter if it was food, alcohol, an abusive marriage, some  money for food, etc. Everyone could depend on me for great advice.I had answers for one and all.

I sinned early and often by misunderstanding the Golden Rule and Paul's admonition to allow others carry their own loads. But I meant well despite the fact that the Bible and good psychological research agree that doing things FOR others is harmful to them.

Have you ever met a person that knew how to "guilt and Shame" others into carrying their loads? Think of Tom Sawyer who famously got his friends to actually pay him to do his work! They painted the fence which he had been assigned to paint, as was paid by the other boys.


Tomorrow, more examples from real life!

Get my books on living healthy Christian lives.




Loads are Lead and Stone



The passage that calls us to "Bear one another's Burdens" also tells us to "Allow and Encourage every person to 'Carry his/her own loads'".

Burden-Baros: A situation a person cannot handle alone. My car runs into a ditch and I cannot get it out by myself. You come along and refuse to help me "Bear my burden" by pushing with me to move the car. You violate the "Law of Christ's love".

Load-Phortion: A situation that is my responsibility to carry.  For example, If I do not want to do my math homework and ask you to do it for me, I am shirking my responsibility. If you do my homework for me, you have violated the Bible. It says we must treat people with the Golden Rule rather than the Lead Rule. That means we encourage people to "Carry their own loads (Do their own homework). Why does Paul say that it is important to carry our own load? "So we will feel good about ourselves".

Burn out comes from carrying loads for other people.  By carrying Loads we get worn out and burned out. It is not good for us or for them.

It treats them with Disrespect and a lack of Dignity. It communicates that a person is helpless and hopeless! That they are less capable than I am. It reinforces dependency and lack of initiative. It causes low self-esteem!

Tomorrow-Loads are Monkeys on my back!





Saturday, August 1, 2015

Why Do Christians Get so Burned-out?



The continuing tragedy of wonderful Christian leaders, Pastors and Missionaries falling apart continues to haunt  our churches and ministry organizations. Burn-out and Crashing and burning are terrible for the victims, their families and worse for the Kingdom! It communicates the opposite of peace, freedom and power.

For the last 20 years or so I have offered free care, counsel and prayer for any Christian leaders that have collapsed, crashed or near to it. An ounce or prevention is worth a pound of cure.

What is the cause of such crises? It is not simply one thing but one pattern of behavior seems to underlie many of the situations I have seen personally. In a word it is Performance Orientation or Driven to Perform for God rather than act out of joy and fullness of the Spirit!

Almost every Pious Christian I know operates out of a constant inner voice that screams "You Should Do More for God!!!!" No matter how much they do the Voice of Should shouts and drives us on!

Do more!
Pray more!
Give more!
Preach better!
Save more sinners!
Start a new revival!

The Performance Voice is Never Satisfied! It is the fuel that feeds the fire. See my book, Hope and Change...