Verse to Remember: “Encourage one another and build each other up.” — I Thessalonians 5:11 (NIV)
[Read More] thoughts on weekly Session 4 of Rick Warren’s 40 Days of Community,

This was easily our best group session ever — and not because I led worship! 🙂 Either my prayers were heard — or our church did some leader training (I suspect both 🙂 — but the discussion was much more interactive and vulnerable than previous sessions.

I was moved by the balanced (even triploidal!) focus on patience, truthfulness, and forgiveness — which I could respectively map onto the character-oriented, reality-oriented, and community-oriented responses to wrong-doing. He warned us equally strongly against confronting in pride and anger, as well as NOT confronting due to cowardice or laziness. But he saved his sternest (yet still gentle) warning against unforgiveness — which I totally agree is the #1 killer of relationships (and churches).

Alas, it is much easier to admire his teaching than to apply it. I suspect my ‘homework’ this week will be working through the process of forgiveness (and confession) in my attitudes toward our group, and other relationships. Wish me luck.