Author: Brad Hambrick

Learning Relational Wisdom in Conflict Using James 3:17-18

Learning Relational Wisdom in Conflict Using James 3:17-18

Posted by | Feb 10, 2025 | |

Let’s be honest, relational wisdom is most needed when it is most difficult to express. This is, at least in part, because relational wisdom is most needed when the topic of the conflict seems more important to us than the person with whom we are having conflict. In this article, I want to provide a tool to help cultivate relational wisdom—the awareness and ability to respond constructively in divisive contexts. Continue Reading →

Read More
Building a Culture of Care in Your Church: Where? When? and How?

Building a Culture of Care in Your Church: Where? When? and How?

Posted by | Nov 20, 2024 | |

Where does the vast majority of care happen in a local church? It happens in the weekly rhythms of natural relationships: small groups, ministry teams, conversations between parents whose children are the same age, and relationships that emerge from various men’s or women’s discipleship contexts. Most of the care provided in a church does not happen in conversations that resemble counseling: set appointment times, intake forms, meetings in an office, or well-defined helper and helpee roles. Continue Reading →

Read More
Acknowledging Levels of Offense in Destructive Relationships

Acknowledging Levels of Offense in Destructive Relationships

Posted by | Jul 24, 2024 | |

In Christian circles, we are fond of saying, “The ground is level at the foot of the cross.” This is true. No one needs a double dose of Jesus’ blood to cover their sin. However, it would be a false conclusion to infer that this means all our sins are equally destructive or should have the same temporal consequences. We can be equally sinful and not equally destructive. Continue Reading →

Read More
Friendships with Non-Christians: Being Intentional Without Being Weird

Friendships with Non-Christians: Being Intentional Without Being Weird

Posted by | May 1, 2024 | |

Repeat after me: “My non-Christian friends are not projects.” Too often, the good Christian desire to be evangelistic can make friendships with non-Christians awkward. We should want to be evangelistic, and it is right to care about the souls of our non-Christian friends. But our non-Christian friends shouldn’t feel like we are their friends just to convert them. Continue Reading →

Read More
Partiality: Not a Victimless Sin

Partiality: Not a Victimless Sin

Posted by | Feb 2, 2024 | |

When we think about partiality, our minds may go back to our middle school days and “the cool kids” everyone was willing to please. We remember all the advantages that came to them for being the socially elite. While that is a valid example, if it’s our primary reference for applying this passage, we will likely miss James’ primary point. Continue Reading →

Read More

Categories

Archives