Posts Tagged ‘relationships’
Know Your Audience
It won’t matter what we have to say if the person we speak to is deaf. This is also true if we are speaking a foreign language. If we want our message to be understood and embraced, we must know our audience. This is most important when it comes to evangelism. Saint Paul was an…
Read MoreTake No Offense
We’ve all said it. We’ve all had that moment when we needed to tell someone the truth, but we knew it would hurt to hear the truth. So, we soften it with a simple warning. “No offense, but…” Let’s face it, with the wrong heart, hearing these words are always an offense. We take offense…
Read MoreConflict Resolution in the Church
Nobody is perfect but Christ, but that does not mean the Church doesn’t know the truth. Before His Passion Christ promised the Holy Spirit would come to the Church and guide the Church into the whole truth. If we don’t agree with someone it is the Church that resolves our conflict. Although the Church should…
Read MoreHold Nothing Against Them
As Christians we are taught not to judge. More than not to judge, we are taught to forgive. The two issues are more related than you might imagine. I hear people all the time say, “I can forgive them because God will ‘take care’ of them.” That is not the example of the Saints. When…
Read More2026 Daily Lenten Journey Day 39 – We’re in this Together
He isn’t fasting. She isn’t saying her prayers. They never come to Church. These are the sayings of those who forget an important truth of Christ. Instead of judging others we need to remember we are in this together. Great Lent seems to bring the worst out in Orthodox Pharisees. I’ve written many times against…
Read More2026 Daily Lenten Journey Day 37 – Your Life is Your Evangelism
The other day I was asked by the Church doesn’t evangelize ‘like’ the Protestants in America. I was told that since we have the truth of Christ, we should be more vocal and more intentional with our outreach. We should have a plan. I don’t agree with the premise. Take a moment and read today’s…
Read More2026 Daily Lenten Journey Day 3
One of the most common conversations I have with people is how much, or how little, God is willing to help us. Expressions like ‘God placed me,’ or ‘God chose for me,’ reflect the idea that God is actively reaching down and manipulating people. I don’t see it. What strikes me in today’s reading is…
Read MoreInward Beauty
Morning routines are a part of everyone’s day. We awake with ‘just enough time’ to be ready for our day. We bathe and feed our bodies before spending time making ourselves presentable for our coworkers and friends. If we have time, we may even say our prayers. No surprise. The way we present ourselves is…
Read MoreDoes Your Life Convert Others?
We’ve all heard about the recent trend of people converting to Orthodox Christianity. Seekers, many of whom are frustrated with their own Christian past, begin to watch videos, and read books and blogs about Orthodoxy. What happens when they show up at your parish? Will the seekers find a church filled with faithful followers of…
Read MoreKeep Holy Company
We embark on a new year today while celebrating the Feast of Great Saint of the Church, and also the Feast of the Circumcision of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Both the readings for today and the life of such a great saint inspire me, and I pray you for the New Year. At…
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