Wisdom for Your Weekend is your regular installment of what we’ve been reading (and watching) around the web. Presented to you by Chris Pappalardo, with guidance from Pastor J.D., this is our attempt to reflect Proverbs 9:9: “Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be still wiser; teach a righteous man, and he will increase in learning.”
While we do not always agree with everything these authors post, we share these resources because we find them challenging and enriching. As we often say around the Summit, “Eat the fish and spit out the bones.”
Articles of the Week
1 in 10 Young Protestants Have Left a Church Over Abuse, Kate Shellnutt. “According to a new study sponsored by LifeWay Christian Resources, 10 percent of Protestant churchgoers under 35 have previously left a church because they felt sexual misconduct was not taken seriously. That’s twice as many as the 5 percent of all churchgoers who have done the same.”
The Greatest Gift You Can Give Someone, Chris Pappalardo. “When someone puts their phone away to look me in the eye, I feel valued. It is an honor to know that the person in front of me is getting emails, texts, social media notifications—and to know that they are ignoring this stream of information to pay attention to me. When I see that phone disappear, I hear a clear message: ‘I could be somewhere else right now, but I’m choosing to be with you.’ Isn’t that a message you long to send?”
Try to Kill Your Ideas; It Will Make Them Better, Ron Edmondson. “As a leader, I’ve learned I can often get excited about my own ideas. I can get other people excited about my ideas. I can pitch an impressive vision. I can talk a good game. But I’m also capable of being wrong. I’m capable of some really bad ideas. I’m even capable of justifying my personal idea as a ‘God-idea’ when in reality it was as random as the weather in Dallas can be at times. Just being honest.”
Ten Common Pastoral Care Challenges Pastors Face, Thom Rainer. “I recently conducted a social media survey where I asked pastors to share their most common pastoral care challenges. The volume of responses was huge, a very impressive number. But even more impressive were the stories of love and concern these pastors have for their congregations. They want to care for them. They want the best for them. They want to help ease their pains. So, for the most part, the challenges are not the members themselves, but the capacity to meet all the pastoral needs members have. Here are how the pastors expressed ten of their greatest pastoral care challenges.”
Waiting When God Seems Silent, Randy Alcorn. “The call to wait on God is an invitation to trust and hope. It entails believing that one day—even if today is not that day—He will make all things right. In times of waiting, as we seek God in prayer, we must learn to listen to Him as well as talk to Him—to shut out the clatter and quietly wait as He unfolds to us His person, purposes, promises, and plan. But what about when we wait and listen, and God still seems silent?”
On the Lighter Side
Crocs Released a Shoe with Its Own Fanny Pack, AJ Willingham. This article comes directly from Pastor J.D., presumably because he just finished buying his own pair.
