I was so encouraged by this chapter of the Peacemaker. It is so relevant to me personally at this time. I am very thankful for the timing in reading it this week. This chapter outlines a biblical model for negotiating cooperatively with others. The item that I found most helpful was the distinction the author makes between "interests" and "positions". It was very helpful for me to stop and distinguish between my own interests and positions, and also to realize that I often times fail to discover what another person's interests are in a negotiation. If I understood the difference properly, a position is what I communicate as my demands or expectations, and my interests are the motives and desires I have that brought me to that position. It's very encouraging to stop and think that in a case where two positions may be irreconcilable - the interests involved may not be.
Tuesday, April 20. 2010
The Peacemaker Chapter 10
The four promises of forgiveness, as explained in chapter 10 of The Peacemaker, are gold nuggets out of the Peacemaker materials. It repeatedly exposes to me how hard it is to forgive in the same way God has forgiven us. I'm thankful that the author recorded his wife's simplification of those promises in her resource The Young Peacemaker. I really appreciate that simple poem for reminding myself and teaching others what it means to forgive.
Good thought (I will not dwell on the offense)
Hurt you not (I will not bring up the offense to use against you)
Gossip Never (I will not talk of this offense to others)
Friends forever (I will not allow this offense to stand between us)*
If God forgives us in this way, how could we do less?
"For You have cast all my sins behind Your back." Isaiah 38:17
*Reprinted or adapted from The Peacemaker: A Biblical Guide to Resolving Personal Conflict, Ken Sande (Baker Books, 3d ed., 2003). Peacemaker® Ministries. www.Peacemaker.net.
Good thought (I will not dwell on the offense)
Hurt you not (I will not bring up the offense to use against you)
Gossip Never (I will not talk of this offense to others)
Friends forever (I will not allow this offense to stand between us)*
If God forgives us in this way, how could we do less?
"For You have cast all my sins behind Your back." Isaiah 38:17
*Reprinted or adapted from The Peacemaker: A Biblical Guide to Resolving Personal Conflict, Ken Sande (Baker Books, 3d ed., 2003). Peacemaker® Ministries. www.Peacemaker.net.
Tuesday, April 13. 2010
The Peacemaker Chapter 9
Hi leaders and blog readers,
I'm posting this weeks chapter from Louisville, Kentucky. I'm at a conference on the Gospel with my fellow pastor, and excited to be better equipped for ministry!
Chapter 9 of The Peacemaker starts to deal with the uncomfortable subject of, "What if the other person doesn't want to be reconciled?" I am so thankful for the clear guidance and instruction God gives in His word. The instruction regarding restoration, and even restorative discipline found in God's word can be particularly hard to understand when we haven't seen many 'successful' examples in real life. I pray God will give us the grace to demonstrate obedience to these concepts to our children (and theirs).
I was particularly struck by this statement on pg 194, "The intention in treating others as nonbelievers is not to injure them or punish them, but rather to help them see the seriousness of their sin and their need for repentance."* I believe this provides a winsome apologetic for why we must be faithful in obeying the Bible command, but it also is a great motive checker when the time comes to love a brother (or sister) this way.
*Reprinted or adapted from The Peacemaker: A Biblical Guide to Resolving Personal Conflict, Ken Sande (Baker Books, 3d ed., 2003). Peacemaker® Ministries. www.Peacemaker.net.
I'm posting this weeks chapter from Louisville, Kentucky. I'm at a conference on the Gospel with my fellow pastor, and excited to be better equipped for ministry!
Chapter 9 of The Peacemaker starts to deal with the uncomfortable subject of, "What if the other person doesn't want to be reconciled?" I am so thankful for the clear guidance and instruction God gives in His word. The instruction regarding restoration, and even restorative discipline found in God's word can be particularly hard to understand when we haven't seen many 'successful' examples in real life. I pray God will give us the grace to demonstrate obedience to these concepts to our children (and theirs).
I was particularly struck by this statement on pg 194, "The intention in treating others as nonbelievers is not to injure them or punish them, but rather to help them see the seriousness of their sin and their need for repentance."* I believe this provides a winsome apologetic for why we must be faithful in obeying the Bible command, but it also is a great motive checker when the time comes to love a brother (or sister) this way.
*Reprinted or adapted from The Peacemaker: A Biblical Guide to Resolving Personal Conflict, Ken Sande (Baker Books, 3d ed., 2003). Peacemaker® Ministries. www.Peacemaker.net.
Wednesday, April 07. 2010
The Peacemaker Chapter 8
Chapter Eight of Ken Sande's book The Peacemaker is titled "Speak the Truth in Love". I was challenged by the author's personal testimony of growth (and continuing need) to weave the gospel into conflict resolution. I felt he described a wonderful way of doing that on page 172. He was encouraging us to "Talk from Beside, Not from Above" and made the following suggestions, "Acknowledge your present, ongoing need for the Savior. Admit ways that you have wrestled with the same or other sins or weaknesses, and give hope by describing how God has forgiven you and is currently working in you to help you change."*
I know how encouraging it is to me when others approach me that way, but I find it so unnatural to start a difficult conversation that way. I want to grow (need to grow) so much in my personal appreciation for what Jesus did for me on the cross. I pray that by His grace the gospel will become an increasingly natural part of my speech, even (and especially) when trying to gently address a person's sin or resolve a dispute.
*Reprinted or adapted from The Peacemaker: A Biblical Guide to Resolving Personal Conflict, Ken Sande (Baker Books, 3d ed., 2003). Peacemaker® Ministries. www.Peacemaker.net.
I know how encouraging it is to me when others approach me that way, but I find it so unnatural to start a difficult conversation that way. I want to grow (need to grow) so much in my personal appreciation for what Jesus did for me on the cross. I pray that by His grace the gospel will become an increasingly natural part of my speech, even (and especially) when trying to gently address a person's sin or resolve a dispute.
*Reprinted or adapted from The Peacemaker: A Biblical Guide to Resolving Personal Conflict, Ken Sande (Baker Books, 3d ed., 2003). Peacemaker® Ministries. www.Peacemaker.net.
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