The Best Mother's Day Gift a Wife can get

Joel Tetreau
This little note is dedicated to my many friends who participate in some form of ministry and blog-participation here at SI. I have a suggestion in light of Mother’s Day. Some of you are brilliant at communication except when it comes to your wife (which makes you an idiot, by the way). Take 31 days. Make a list of 31 items. Each day for 31 days in a row, look your wife in the eyes and tell her you love her and explain one thing that she “is” or “does” that makes her the most special person to you on the planet. Don’t tell her this idea comes from me.

Discussion

Parenting Superheroes

Susan R
I’ve been running into alot of SuperParents lately- those that make most of their kids’ decisions for them, protect them from consequences or rescue them from the full force of consequences. But isn’t it part of our ‘job description’ to protect our kids? At what point have we gone from protecting them to enabling them? My husband and I have been having many talks about this subject, as we are entering Round 2 of parenting in our family. There is a big gap between our first and second-born, so Seth is almost 22 and Noah just turned 13. The younger two are not far behind at 11 and 8 years old.

Discussion

Companions/Family Interactions

Susan R
How do you go about choosing companions for your children? Are ‘church’ kids their friends by default? Or do you purposefully try to find a variety of Christian friends for them to interact with? Do they ever fellowship with unsaved/unchurched kids, and if so, are they supervised in any way?

Discussion

"Nerves"

Barbara H.
I don’t know if this is the best forum for this topic, but I didn’t see another that it seemed to fit. And I am not sure how best to ask what I want to ask, but I’ll just plunge in and hope I don’t ramble too much.

Discussion

The Church and Higher Education: Conflict or Complement, Part 3

Stephen Davey

The following is part three of a transcribed speech Dr. Davey delivered at the annual Transnational Association of Christian Colleges and Schools (TRACS) Conference in November of 2009. It will appear at SI in three parts. Read Part 1 and Part 2.

How do leaders pursue synergy while at the same time respecting autonomy?

One word comes to mind—it is the word “humility.”

Paul would write to these believers in Romans 14:19, “So then, let us pursue the things which make for peace and the building up of one another.” That’s humility.

Paul would write to the Ephesians a description of a leader worth following. He writes, “I entreat you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called.” How’s that Paul? “With all humility and gentleness with patience showing forbearance to one another in love, being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”

How do you know if a leader is worthy of his position and calling to spiritual leadership? Here’s the profile—see if it matches your institution or church board: he’s humble, gentle, patient, and diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit.

“Are you serious?” You gather a group of perceived successful pastors and educational leaders together and you will have more pride per square inch than their constituencies combined. The problem is most often us!

Discussion