In the past year and a half or so I’ve had conversations with two people who were strugging with issues at our church. They were both hurting and disillusioned. Although our church is a good church, Biblically sound and full of lots of good people, in both of these instances I encouraged them in their desire to find another church. “The Kingdom is big” I said.

I guess I thought that finding a new place that fit them better and offered healing would be a good thing.

The problem is, neither of these people – to my knowledge – is going to church anywhere now. I should have urged them (as others did) to stay at the church and work things out. I thought I was being the less legalistic one, the more gracious one. Boy was I wrong.

I really regret my advice now. I think it was used for evil, and not for good. And I’ll never give advice like that again.

I really, really need to begin practicing what I’m preaching and learn to take a compliment.

To those of you who took the time last night to kindly compliment me on how I played, I apologize for turning your compliments upside down and caveating them to death. Because when I do that, it suddenly becomes about me, when it’s really all about God.

I’ll work harder today on just saying “thanks”.