Caring Enough to Confront by David Augsburger - E-Book
I’m posting this for the benefit of a family member to whom I recommended this book and who needs it ASAP, but I decided to post it publicly because the book has some good insights on communication, especially within conflict. I’m not sure that I agree with everything that I have read so far (I’ve only read up through the chapter on trust–chapter 5, I think), but it does have a lot to offer that is of value.
Anyway, here’s the link: David Augsburger - Caring Enough to Confront (e-book, PDF, ~7.5 MB)
P.S. According to the copyright information page, the publisher, Regal Books, is a ministry with the purpose of providing Christians with this type of information, so I am assuming they’re interested in getting this information out to everybody. As such, I don’t think they would have a problem with me posting it online, since my actions are in keeping with their purpose. However, Christians today can be kind of screwy and confused, so if they have a problem with this, I encourage them to email me at: mike@thegrateful.org.
Posted: September 10th, 2008 under Miscellaneous.
Tags: communication, conflict, confrontation, ebook
Comments
Comment from noone
Time October 16, 2008 at 12:17 pm
Screwy & confused? Thanks.
from a christian today.
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Comment from Mike
Time October 16, 2008 at 2:38 pm
@noone, to explain: There are many Christians today who would rather make a profit than lead one another on toward Christ. If they have something to offer, they write a book and sell it. Then, if somebody were to, say, post it online for free, they would stand on their human-given “right” (copyright, that is) to profit from their work by pursuing a lawsuit.
Such a thought process works in the world’s eyes, but in the mind of Christ, it is screwy and confused, if not downright evil (depending on the person and what God has taught them thus far in life). For Christians, we must live to offer everything God has given us to one another as freely as we have received it. If people are willing to support you, great, but do not hold it against those who cannot afford to buy every helpful book. Let them have it for free, even if it violates the world’s copyright laws and/or cuts into your profits. Furthermore, lawsuits are not at all okay for Christians, regardless of how badly we have been wronged. Something about loving your enemies, giving your tunic to the person who robs you of your cloak, and not resisting and evil person seems to imply this very clearly. There is a good passage in Hebrews that speaks of how Christians were being plundered by those around them precisely because they were faithful to this.
Christians today, by and large, think and act just like the world in almost every way–and, in the process, justify watering down everything Christ says. The only difference is that they hold to some moral standards that the world doesn’t necessarily hold to (even though many non-believers have strict moral codes themselves, and stand by them). But in every other way, they justify the world’s ways and follow them. We are not called to morality, but to living the life of Christ. There is a huge difference, and the Christian community around the world has largely forgotten this.
This is why I say that Christians today are screwy and confused.
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anonymous Reply:
October 17th, 2008 at 4:57 pm
And yet, you seem judge the hearts of so many people without knowing them. Some may be wrong or mislead but you will never change their hearts by calling them names. You’re not God- and he intimately knows their hearts. You don’t. Pray for them, love them despite their mistakes and lead by example- but don’t name call. Words just pierce, love changes.
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Mike Reply:
October 18th, 2008 at 12:35 pm
@anonymous, I don’t think it judgmental to note that Christians today are screwy and confused, if that is what you refer to as name-calling. I look at those words as adjectives which describe a general confusion of purpose and misplaced locus of thought in the majority of what is dominantly called Christianity today. Just as Christ could refer to the entire generation of people to whom He preached as an “unbelieving and perverse generation.” Some things can, in fact, be generally generalized. You are right, though, in that nothing excuses doing anything from an unloving spirit. I must keep watch, because it is very easy to let happen, and I know that it has happened in various posts I have written. It is a helpful reminder to look at each person as an individual, though. (Of course, this blog speaks to more of a mass audience–albeit a small mass audience, at this point–and so I do tend to speak about things I see as general trends.)
As for loving people despite their mistakes and leading by example, most of the people I am to speak to in this life will never meet me, let alone see my example, so I must use words. Words pierce, but they also teach. The trick is to learn to do it in obedience to Christ, according to the Holy Spirit–only then will hearts be changed. I admit that I am still learning how to do that. Pray for me, then. Thank you.
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