Hall of Shame

I’ve managed to visit two sports Halls of Fame in my time. In the early 70s, a friend and I found our way to Cooperstown, New York, to check out the Major League Baseball Hall of Fame. Loads of fun seeing images and stories of the greats—many of whom I saw while growing up in Minnesota as a boy. Including those “darn” Yankees like Mantle, Maris, Yogi Berra, and Whitey Ford.

Later, while living in Pittsburgh, I had media passes to attend three Hall of Fame NFL games in Canton, Ohio. Of course, that ticket comes with a visit to the museum. Today, they spread this event out over a few days. In one of the years I attended, my Vikings hero Bud Grant was inducted. I was moved.

Of the major sports, I’ve not been to see the tributes to basketball, hockey, or golf greats. The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame is in Springfield, Massachusetts. The Hockey Hall of Fame is located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The World Golf Hall of Fame is in St. Augustine, Florida.

There are other Halls of Fame, of course. I’ve been to the Country Music Hall of Fame and museum in Nashville, Tennessee. The Rock N’ Roll Hall of Fame is in Cleveland, Ohio. Missed that one along with a plethora of others.

But now…Indiana can take pride in its own special display. It’s the Mascot Hall of Fame in Whiting! The Chicago Tribune describes it as “a decidedly irreverent monument to sports mascots,” adding that it has been a bright spot for the community located about 25 minutes south of downtown Chicago.

Perhaps it’s obvious that along with displaying the costumes that have graced the sidelines of sports stadiums, this is as much a tribute to the talents of those who wear those costumes. The Trib notes, “There is an exhibit that asks you to strap on 40-pound sandbags (to approximate the weight of a costume), then dance and monitor your heart rate. It’s not easy being fuchsia, or having a baseball for a head, while entertaining thousands.” I guess not. Especially in very warm and humid locations.

Whiting feels blessed to have landed the Mascot Hall of Fame. The city had hired a consultant to capitalize on their undeveloped waterfront. A couple of historical museum ideas surfaced. Then they connected with Dave Raymond who, for several years, served as the Phillie Phanatic mascot for the Philadelphia baseball team. Now a marketing executive, Dave put Whiting on the path to their mascot tribute. It is something the city believes complements their other special event—Pierogi Fest. About a quarter million people feast on that each July.

So I’ve been thinking. Maybe some community will develop the Hall of Shame! We could have busts of several presidents who couldn’t keep their pants on. Add governors of various states (including Illinois) skilled in manipulation and abuse of power. Throw in some Hollywood legends or business tycoons taken down for harassment, embezzlement, and other crimes.

In fairness, the Hall of Shame would not be complete without well known church leaders. Some have bilked mass sums of money from trusting souls. Some have used their bully pulpit to be, well, bullies—as we’ve recently read about in Chicago. A number of Catholic and Protestant church leaders are now also having their sexual sins exposed. You could fill entire halls in the museum with these folks.

It would be quite the place to visit.

The only trouble is, there might be a spot for all of us in the Hall of Shame. As the Bible clearly explains, “As it is written: ‘There is no one righteous, not even one;'" (Romans 3:10, NIV). Later in Romans we read, “For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God's glorious standard.” (Romans 3:23, NLT)

Yes, there do seem to be certain standout performers in messing with sin. Most of the rest of us fall in the hidden category. And all of us need repentance and forgiveness.

There would be no charge to visit the Hall of Shame. But most assuredly there has been a price to pay.

That’s The Way WE Work. Click on the link to the right to connect via Facebook.

Join in each weekday at 4 PM Central for Mark’s encouraging Facebook Live message on the workplace.

For more information:

https://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/ct-spt-mascot-hall-of-fame-whiting-20190208-story.html

Don't Let the Old Man In

So... it’s rough growing into your 60s if you work in radio. Especially if you are air talent. Trust me. I know. Two times within five years, I was given my walking papers.

My departures did not come because my talent diminished. Nor did it happen because of laziness or a lack of commitment. There were no performance issues cited. Just…we need to make a change. And, goodbye.

Unlike being in your 30s, 40s, or even 50s, the opportunities for real radio work seem to be sliding away. Slip slidin’ away, as Paul Simon might say. Of course, my age is not the only factor. Radio as a medium has its own share of challenges. Especially AM radio.

I have been blessed to have other talents. Organizing and developing two leadership events—one in Pittsburgh and one in Chicago—has given me a degree of credibility with game changers. I have received recognition for my writing and creative abilities. I helped move a men’s ministry that had flatlined to a point of raving success. There are two books to my credit. And…I have had success in sales as well.

Here’s the thing. None of those talents have weakened with my age. In fact, experience has given me insight and wisdom in my fields of capability that I did not have in my younger years.

You’d think that those of us with a sustained gray matter would easily reveal that our gray matters! As aging seniors, we can still make a difference. There are contributions yet to be made. But the world does not necessarily see it that way.

Please do not take this message the wrong way. I am not sitting in my recliner each day complaining. Nor am I resting on laurels of days gone by. Nonetheless, more than one well-meaning friend has suggested I simply “retire.” And then what?

Instead, even without pay, I continue to work. I’m up early each day and do my exercise and have a time of spiritual preparation. Next, I am mapping out ways to continue to use what I’ve been given to help others at some level.

My biggest challenge is simply to determine where to focus at this point in life to help others most—and monetize that sufficiently to keep the home fires burning. There is no lack of opportunity. That's what is great about our country.

So there is no “pity party” going on in our household. There is daily gratefulness for all we have enjoyed in life and some extra time now to spend with grandkids. And there remains hope for the future—which is what the soul needs to thrive. Hope.

One of the interesting parables of Jesus is the Parable of the Talents. We find it in Matthew 25:14–30 and also in Luke 19:11–27. Simply stated, a man plans a trip away. Before he departs, he entrusts money to his workforce. One person gets five talents, another two talents. A third receives only a single talent.

In the story, two of the workers double the investment and show a profit upon their master’s return. The third chap buried his talent, taking no risk—and offering no real return when the master comes back. The master honors the first two workers, but is critical of the third’s actions. After a reprimand, this worker is cast out into the darkness.

Some theologians disagree over the meaning of this parable. 

In the Western church, interpretation of The Talents parable has typically been about properly investing. It appears Jesus was urging His followers to use their abilities and gifts to serve God without reservation, despite any risks.

I’m applying a variation on the theme. There is no plan to “bury” my talents in retirement mode. For me, it’s still game on.

Recently, my wife and I watched the latest Clint Eastwood film, The Mule. So now I know what NOT to do. I mean…who wants to drive that much? *insert snicker here* Want to hear the finishing touch of that movie that didn't leave a dry eye in the place? https://youtu.be/yc5AWImplfE

That’s The Way WE Work. Click on the link to the right to connect via Facebook.

Join in each weekday at 4 PM Central for Mark’s encouraging Facebook Live message on the workplace.

For more information:

https://www.biblicalarchaeology.org/daily/biblical-topics/bible-interpretation/what-does-the-parable-of-the-talents-mean/

https://billygraham.org/story/the-parable-of-the-talents/

The Radical Workplace

Suppose you had three wishes for your workplace. What would they be? Most likely people would put better pay and benefits at the top of the list. Maybe they would wish away their boss or some other problem person with whom they have to deal. Sales people would wish for more customers!

Me? I’d wish for a kinder and gentler workplace. That phrase should be familiar to most of us Americans. In August of 1988, candidate George H. W. Bush received his party's nomination for president of this country. And in his acceptance speech, Mr. Bush called for a "kinder, gentler nation.”

He added in that same message, “I say it without boast or bravado, I’ve fought for my country, I’ve served, I’ve built. And I will go from the hills to the hollows, from the cities to the suburbs to the loneliest town on the quietest street to take our message of hope and growth for every American to every American.” Almost everyone who knew the former president would tell you this mindset was woven into his character.

Unfortunately, it is missing from many workplace leaders. The gravitational pull of self interest often yields unkind and harsh realities for the people who work for them. You’d think conscience would cause some to step back and reconsider the damage done. Or that ghosts of past, present, and future would add a haunting reality to their world.

I don’t know enough about the inner workings of Bain Capital to make judgment on their practices. Others have done such research and the company has been found wanting on values. Some have gone so far as to describe their activities as corporate raiding. Mitt Romney took a hit with that claim. Carl Icahn has been a long standing member of buying and selling businesses for his own wealth while leaving others in the dust of unemployment. (see links below)

The “kinder, gentler” workplace issues that concern me go beyond corporate raiding. They are at more manageable levels with companies of all sizes. It has to do with the way you perceive employees as real people. This approach understands that a culture that ignores human need and shows little compassion reveals a serious weakness in core values.

It shows up in various ways. Does management give healthy feedback for improvement? Do teams actually function as teams—not as a gathering of minds or bodies without unified purpose and clear direction? When cuts have to be made, are the consequences and processes weighed carefully from a “kinder, gentler” perspective?

A few months ago, Reva Seth submitted an article for Fast Company titled, “How to build a kinder workplace when its leaders don’t.” The subtitle accurately states, “It’s the job of leaders to build supportive, empathetic work cultures. But there’s a lot ordinary employees can do, even when their bosses shirk that duty.”

Reva offered several suggestions including:

1. Add an act of kindness to your daily to-dos. This might be as simple as checking in on fellow employees to see how they’re doing.
2. Listen more mindfully (“building a kinder workplace is all about creating an environment where people can be seen, appreciated, and valued for who they really are.”)
3. Choose the reactions you can control: your own. We can’t control weather, but we can control how we interact with one another.

Ideally, these are values that a company builds into an organization. My experience tells me most organizations fall short. Perhaps they need a little coaching. Or start hiring people who actually care.

The words of Jesus should guide us here, “Treat other people exactly as you would like to be treated by them—this is the essence of all true religion.” (Matthew 7:12, Phillips)

Things like that made Jesus seem like a radical! Yeah. Let me be like that.

That’s The Way WE Work. Click on the link to the right to connect via Facebook. 

Join in each weekday at 4 PM Central for Mark’s encouraging Facebook Live message on the workplace.

For more information:

https://www.investmentnews.com/article/20141207/REG/312079993/how-carl-icahn-became-a-corporate-raider

https://theweek.com/articles/761124/how-vulture-capitalists-ate-toys-r

https://www.fastcompany.com/40584431/how-to-build-a-kinder-workplace-when-its-leaders-dont?utm_source=postup&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Fast%20Company%20Daily&position=7&partner=newsletter&campaign_date=06192018

Porn-icious Thinking

We’re just days away from Super Bowl "Whatever." I wish they would just use numbers rather than Roman numerals. Who uses those in everyday language? Definitely not football players. They find ways to use obscure words like “physicality” and “trickeration.”

Fine. I’ve decided to make up my own word for Super Bowl advertising. It’s often “pornicious.” The correct word, "pernicious," means “having a harmful effect, especially in a gradual or subtle way.” So my word fits quite well, especially if you saw this recent headline in the Chicago Tribune:

"Frozen food porn" Super Bowl ad: Kraft Heinz makes play for spotlight with racy Devour spot

It seems we’re returning to the un-thrilling days of yesteryear when we blushed in watching GoDaddy commercials in the Super Bowl. And then there was the PETA controversial ad that fortunately never aired during the big Bowl. In their effort to promote adopting a vegetarian lifestyle, this ad had women in their underwear using vegetables on their bodies in a sexualized way.

Another non-Super effort that was rejected was a Bud Light beer commercial for the 2007 game.This one showed a young couple sans bathing suits jumping naked into a pool. The ad then revealed a window that looked into the pool. Thus, everyone would see the dipping duo.

So what’s the deal in the Devour spot for this year’s Big Ad Game? First off, I’d never heard of the frozen food brand, Devour. It’s manufactured by the Kraft Heinz Companies.

An uncensored version of the commercial was released last week. In this one, “a woman talks about her boyfriend's problem with ‘frozen food porn’ and says he watches it several times a day and has a hidden stash of photos—of food.’” The girlfriend claims the addiction has made him a "three-minute man," referring to the time it takes to heat up the frozen meal.

Allen Adamson, co-founder of the branding consultancy MetaForce, commented on the ad, saying, "Male millennials may get a yuk out of it, but it is going to do very little to sell any products. It’s more likely to do more damage than good for the actual brand.” In fact, as the Tribune noted. “Raunchy ads risk offending or polarizing a company's intended target audience.” Ya think?

Why do it? A 30-second ad can cost more than five million dollars. Apparently some advertisers are willing to employ a “whatever it takes” attitude. Says Adamson, "There's nothing worse than spending $5 million and having no one notice.”

That is not true, of course. Selling your corporate soul, or revealing that making money is your true god, will ultimately not win souls. Our consciences will make sure of that.

My favorite Super Bowl ad of all time was from a beer company—Budweiser. It featured Dalmatian puppies. The ad portrayed two of the dogs being selected—the first one by a fire department who would grow to ride on the fire truck. The other pup grew up to ride in a Budweiser truck. Two years later the dogs pass each other and the Bud dog was the envy of his sibling. It ended with a very cute touch. (It’s available on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vp_szhKqIK0)

Creative, memorable advertising touches the human spirit best with an emotional connection of warmth and often a humorous touch. Our kids can watch it and enjoy it. We need not worry about turning the channel.

The writer of Proverbs tells us, “The tongue of the righteous is choice silver, but the heart of the wicked is of little value. The lips of the righteous nourish many, but fools die for lack of sense.” (Proverbs 10:20-21, NIV)

Looks like the Kraft Heinz folks need to devour more of the Proverbs if they really want to “nourish many.”

I’d rather not see a good company get frozen in time because of porn-icious marketing.

That’s The Way WE Work. Click on the link to the right to connect via Facebook. 

Tune in each weekday at 4 p.m. CST for Mark’s encouraging Facebook Live message on the workplace.

Facing the Mountain

Here is how the year started off for me. On Friday, January 4th, I finished my work day, having recorded my two hour talk show, thus allowing me to leave a bit early. Before I headed out the door, the station program director stopped by and invited me to join him for a “short visit” with the station manager.

Having lived and worked on Planet Earth for several years, I recognized this meeting before it was held. After all, it was Friday and the final day of the pay period. Now, a last minute meeting? Usually, this does not bode well.

And it didn’t for my talk show job. It would be my final day at AM1160. Time to immediately clean out the office and then to make the dreaded phone call to my beloved wife Rhonda with the news. Painful.

So I’ve joined the ranks of the so-called unemployed. Again. Cost cutting seemed to be the trigger on my release.

For anyone who has been down this road, it only takes a little while for the negative thoughts to begin. As a seasoned citizen, those negative thoughts can become more paralyzing. The job market for those over 65 is not part of the booming economy.

I’m one who believes in the forces of good and evil. The good is from a God who loves us and has been a Provider for me all my life. The evil comes from one who dared oppose God for being God. He has a name. Satan. His mission is to destroy the good and, particularly, to weaken and even kill those who are made in God’s image. That would be people like you…and me.

The tactics of the meister of evil become more visibile when we are hurting. That’s when the voices are more noticeable. Their familiar messages are there to question whether there is a good God who cares and to create a mountain of self doubt in the struggling soul.

This is when we must rely on something greater than ourselves. We must trust in the promises of the Good King and the fellowship of those who can uphold us through prayer and encouragement. We must be trained to keep an eye out for the attacks that will be heading our way when we are especially vulnerable in life.

Those attacks come anytime we have faced a loss, or defeat, or life isn’t going well. Sometimes these voices tell us we’ve been wronged and so we want to retaliate. If we are hurting, we’re tempted to alleviate the pain by pleasure in ways that aren’t helpful.

Among the worst attacks are the ones that get really personal. These are the voices that tell us we’re finished. Or that we’re under-qualified or weak. A really dark voice may tell us that life isn’t worth living. The spiritually mindful person will recognize these voices for what they are—falsehoods. And they need to be met head on.

Are you hearing these kinds of subtle messages in your life? Are you going to believe them? As former President Bush 41 might say, “Not gonna do it.” I know where those voices are from. They’re not from the God who loves me and has brought me faithfully this far in life.

In the Bible, the prophet Samuel set up a stone of remembrance of God’s faithfulness. It was called an Ebenezer. Its message was this: Til now the Lord has helped us. (1 Samuel 7:12)

Here’s my message to you: Don’t let the mountain of self doubt cripple you. Resist the evil one. After a while, he’ll get tired of you. And leave.

In tough times, affirm God’s abiding love. That’s a voice that will carry you through.

Develop this attitude and you’ll become a skilled “mountain” climber.

That’s The Way WE Work. Click on the link to the right to connect via Facebook. 

Tune in each weekday at 4 p.m. CST for Mark’s encouraging Facebook Live message on the workplace. 

6 Ways to Deal with a Critic

(I’m traveling today! So I have a guest blogger: 

Rick Ezell heads up EMPLOYEE CARE OF AMERICA (ECA). His info is at the end of the blog for today.)

Critics are everywhere. The manager of the Cleveland Indians, Tris Speaker, said of Babe Ruth: “He made a great mistake when he gave up pitching.” Jim Denny, manager of the Grand Ole Opry, fired Elvis Presley after a 1954 performance and said, “You ain’t goin’ nowhere, son. You ought to go back to drivin’ a truck.” The president of Decca Records said of the Beatles in 1962, “We don’t like their sound. Groups of guitars are on the way out.”

Whatever your feelings toward criticism, don’t expect to miss out. No matter how hard you work, how great your ideas, or how wonderful your talent, you probably will be the object of criticism. No one is exempt. Well, maybe you can evade it, but there is a catch. Aristotle said, “Criticism is something you can avoid easily by saying nothing, doing nothing, and being nothing.”

Maybe you face criticism at work, at home, or at school. Your boss nit-picks, your coworker second-guesses, your business partner points out the flaws, your friends see only the bad, and your family members take pride in pointing out your mistakes.

The nature of a critic can be identified as follows: One, critics resist change. The heart of the habitual critic resists change. To the critic, change is a threat. Two, critics run with critics. Critics have a “herd” mentality. They function as a group. Three, critics demoralize. They seek to suck the life out of a vision and the heart out of a willing worker.

How can one deal with the critic? Here are some powerful action steps to take.

Evaluate the criticism.
Since criticism is inevitable, we must measure the value or worth of the criticism. This step requires great self-control that prevents us from becoming impatient and defensive. Someone said, “Patience is the ability to let your light shine after your fuse has blown!”

Ask yourself if the criticism is true or false. Take an honest look at yourself. If the criticism is valid, do something about it. Sometimes the best course of action is to respond to criticism and learn from it. If the criticism is invalid, forget it. Sometimes the best course of action is to completely ignore it.

A. W. Tozer wrote, “Never fear criticism. If the critic is right, he has helped you. If he is wrong, you can help him. Either way, somebody gets helped.”

Pray about the criticism.
Once you weigh the criticism, play it down and pray it up. Instead of turning it over and over again in your mind, turn it over to God. Take the criticism to God in prayer.

When we are criticized, we need to talk to God about the critic and the criticism. A song we sang as teenagers had the line, “You can talk about me whenever you please, but I’ll talk about you when I’m on my knees.” Chuck Swindoll wrote, “You are never more successful than when you are on your knees in prayer: The saint who advances on his knees need never retreat because prayer provides an invincible shield.”

Stay at the task.
Critics demoralize. Leaders encourage. It’s easy to give up when criticized. But we need to persist.

Calvin Coolidge wrote, “Press on. Nothing can take the place of persistence. Talent will not. Nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not. Unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not. The world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are overwhelmingly powerful.”

Use the criticism to motivate.
We need to use the criticism as a motivation to bigger and better things. Winston Churchill wrote, “Kites rise highest against the wind.” The wind of criticism enables some to rise to new heights, new potentials, and new strengths.

Keep your dream alive.
There are times when criticism does not lie down—it intensifies. In such situations, keeping the dream alive calls for an intensified response.

Perhaps the deadliest poison of criticism comes when it is aimed toward one’s aspirations. Years ago, the sister of an innovative college professor suffered from a hearing deficiency. In the midst of building a device to help her hear better, he invented an unusual contraption. After many years of trial and error and eventual success, the professor was ready to take the device into production. He traveled extensively to gain financial backing for his dream. But everywhere he went, potential supporters laughed at his idea that the human voice could be carried along a wire. The professor could have allowed his critics to discourage him. He could have given up, but he didn’t. And nobody laughs at Alexander Graham Bell today.

Don’t allow your critics to snuff out your dreams.

Know that time answers a lot of criticism.
Time and success have a way of erasing a lot of criticism.

Colonel George Washington Goethals, the man responsible for the completion of the Panama Canal, had big problems with the climate and the geography. But his biggest challenge was the growing criticism back home from those who predicted he’d never finish the project.

Finally, a colleague asked him, “Aren’t you going to answer those critics?”

“In time,” answered Goethals.

“When?” his partner asked.

“When the canal is finished.”

In the end, remember they don’t build statutes to the critic. In the words of Theodore Roosevelt, “It is not the critic who counts: not the man who points out how the strong man stumbled or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena; whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; who does actually try to do the deed; who knows the great enthusiasm, the great devotion and spends himself in a worthy cause; who, at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly.”

Thanks for these great insights, Rick!

If this resonates with you as something from which your company might benefit, check out Rick’s website for more information. Contact him at: Rick@employeecareofamerica.com or phone him at 864-770-3560.

That’s The Way WE Work. Click on the link to the right to connect via Facebook. 

Trusting the Called ... or Not

Welcome to 2019! I realize I’m a little late to the game with my well wishes for the New Year. By now, you’re well on your way to living up to the grand plans you’ve made to really change for the better this year. Right?

If there’s one collective group that could use a significantly better year than last, it's pastors and church leaders. I’m serious. The majority of those who serve in the role of spiritual leadership have responded to a very high calling. For some, the calling did not remove them from earthly temptations and struggles—including depression.

Pastor Andrew Stoecklein became the face of pastor suicides in 2018. He took his own life while working inside the church that his father had founded. It had become a megachurch with mega responsibilities. Andrew seemed unable to live up to the expectations he had placed on himself.

Andrew Stoecklein left behind his wife, Kayla, and three sons. He had recently returned from a sabbatical. The much needed break was an involuntary four-months-long timeout to deal with depression and anxiety, according to the Christian Post. Earlier, he had advised his congregation to be more aware of the mental health crisis in our country.

And then there was the abuse by ministry leaders. The most glaring and horrifying seemed to center around Catholic priests. A 1300-page report from Pennsylvania chronicled the abuse of more than 1000 children by 301 priests over several decades.The State Attorney General, Josh Shapiro, described it vividly in saying "Priests were raping little boys and girls, and the men of God who were responsible for them not only did nothing, they hid it all.”

Protestants had plenty of guilt to go around. The Fort Worth Star Telegram uncovered hundreds of sexual abuse allegations within Independent Fundamental Baptist churches. The widespread abuse was found in 40 states and Canada. Another church organization, Sovereign Grace Ministries, was accused of covering up sexual abuse.

Of course there were ministry leaders who stepped down because of individual indiscretions. Among the most well known was the founder and senior pastor of Willow Creek Community Church in South Barrington, Illinois. After several accusers came forward, Bill Hybels resigned from his pastoral position and the highly popular Global Leadership Summit.

A different kind of abusive activity of a well known Chicago-based ministry leader surfaced in the latter part of 2018. A well documented report in World Magazine by Julie Roys cast a dark view of the management style and financial difficulties of Harvest Bible Chapel’s leader, James MacDonald. Further damage to his reputation came after an extensive Facebook post by a former employee, Matt Stowell. At this point, James MacDonald remains as pastor.

These multiple reports from 2018 have led to a trust crisis for clergy. A Gallup poll, conducted between December 3-12 last year found that only thirty-seven percent of respondents had a "very high" or "high” opinion of the honesty and ethical standards of clergy. The poll reported forty-three percent of people gave clergy an average rating. Some fifteen percent had a “low” or “very low” opinion of this profession.

Leadership in a church setting has a pretty high bar set for the individuals called to that role. Here are the criteria Paul the Apostle gave in Titus 1:6-8:

“An elder must not be guilty of doing wrong, must have only one wife, and must have believing children. They must not be known as children who are wild and do not cooperate. As God’s managers, overseers must not be guilty of doing wrong, being selfish, or becoming angry quickly. They must not drink too much wine, like to fight, or try to get rich by cheating others. Overseers must be ready to welcome guests, love what is good, be wise, live right, and be holy and self controlled.” (NCV)

Like I said, it’s a high calling. Unfortunately, it took a very low turn in 2018. Let’s pray for better character for those called by God in the days ahead.

That’s The Way WE Work. Click on the link to the right to connect via Facebook.

For more information:

https://www.christianpost.com/news/the-christian-posts-top-10-news-stories-of-2018.html?page=10

https://www.christianpost.com/news/americans-trust-in-honesty-ethics-of-clergy-hits-all-time-low-in-gallup-ranking-of-professions.html?utm_source=The+Christian+Post+List&utm_campaign=8f96276afc-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2018_12_25_09_05&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_dce2601630-8f96276afc-2251697