Crisis How-To

A minister goes through many crises, and some of them will be severe. The statistics provide abundant proof of this. I take the following approach. Respond in a professional way, remember courtesy, keep your head. Looking back, this is the best. Check everything for accuracy, check for balance, and where you are not sure, say so. At the end of any letters, I typically add something like this: "I write in good faith, and ask for grace if I should have committed any errors." And above all, take the shield of faith. OBSERVATION: These points might seem obvious, but they are easy to forget when one is in the middle of something. This does not imply that one never takes a firm stand, which in ministry is necessary at times.