Twas a Twee bit chilly as 8 men prowled west, bound and down in search of
Fitness, Fellowship and Faith.
AO: #westbound-and-down
Q: @Michael Bolton
PAX: @Michael Bolton @Bandit @hokeypokey @FLO @Otto @Cousin Eddie @Nick
@Skyline for the main THANG
@hokeypokey @FLO @Nick @Betty Crocker @HBC for varying degree of Enos
Total: 10
FNG: 0
Warm-up:
Sat in the Suby (butt warmers full blast) waiting for the thick layers of
permafrost to melt away.
The Thang:
Winner’s Circle Loops – the air was brisk, the dad jokes flowed like wine
and the danger farts instinctively flocked like the salmon of Capistrano.
(Sampling of Dad Jokes; What has 2 butts and kills people? An Assassin –
@Nick. What Instrument says Baa Baa? A TuBa – @FLO)
COT: Aggressor, Avoider or Advocator
From the YouVersion reading plan; Challenging Conversations:
“Most Christians are better at avoiding an issue than they are at
confronting one. But if we think about it, does avoiding challenging
conversations contribute to the unity of the church? It does not. In
looking within my own heart, I also found a reluctance to have difficult
conversations with others, and I had to move through that.
I began gathering the top reasons why Christians avoid addressing
controversial topics with people they don’t see eye to eye with. What I
found is that their avoidance typically boils down to these three excuses:
ignorance, defensiveness, and discomfort. These three excuses further break
down into two types of characters with different approaches to
conversations: the aggressor, who speaks down to people and dominates the
conversation, and the avoider, who is reluctant to do or say anything.
But the aggressor and the avoider are not exemplary characters and don’t
align with Christian living. Instead, I would like you to picture yourself
taking on an entirely different character and approach.
Instead of dodging or attacking people, see yourself engaging with and
loving people and being willing to have challenging conversations with
them. I want you to envision becoming an advocator of God’s truth.
To stop responding with aggression or avoidance, you will need to learn how
to become an advocator of God’s truth. You will need to become a conversant
Christian who speaks the truth in love and is skilled at navigating the
cultural milieu with boldness and discernment.
This will require a great deal of spiritual discipline on your part,
especially if you are accustomed to being an aggressor or an avoider. But
in time, you will start experiencing a greater love for God, and the
respect you learn to carry for others will make your relationships far more
productive and cherished than if you remained ignorant, prideful, or
uncomfortable.
To become an advocator, you will need to gain knowledge regarding the
controversial issues we’ll introduce this week and learn how to use the
three tactics that will help you handle any challenging conversation:
relate (personalize the conversation), investigate (analyze the
conversation), and translate (harmonize the conversation).
It is my heartfelt prayer that this journey of becoming an advocator of
God’s truth not only transforms your thinking but also inspires you to
advance the kingdom of God through more conversations with people inside
and outside the church.
*Do you tend to be more of an aggressor or avoider when challenging
conversations emerge? Are you willing to ask God to help move you in the
direction of becoming an advocator?* ”
If you are an Aggressor or an Avoider, what can you do to become “an
advocator of God’s truth.”?
Announcements:
@Lizards Thicket Oyster Roast Feb 6
Some preliminary discussions were had over Coffeeteria regarding a possible
Last Man Standing event in the near future. Stay tuned.
TAP’s:
YHC MIL and M
@JoePa.. and family juggling life and home repairs.
SYITG,
*MichaelBolton*