Rigorous Honesty

There aren't many places, regardless of your denomination, where we can be rigorously honest about our affairs, addictions, lusts and brokenness. We are often told that healing and wholeness is necessary especially through healthy relationships and supportive community with other believers. But we don't do this naturally unless the right trusted environment is in place where we stay connected to God's spirit. This is critical, because even within our own congregations, talking to the wrong person, elder or pastor can lead to destruction. So how do you create that kind of environment in the first place?



It starts with grace-filled, authentic, transparent relationships that make it okay to admit struggle, failure, and sin. This may or may not be found within church walls, but it is what a confessing, praying-for-one-another, kind of "church" culture is about. Refer to James 5:16.

This kind of transparency only happens when grace is the foundation on which smaller community interaction gets built. If I don't believe you are "for me" and see God's masterpiece in me, waiting to be revealed, I won't be rigorously honest.

When we regularly confess to one another and pray for each other, encouraging constant connection and responsiveness to God's Spirit, God heals us! And in this culture, sometimes we must confront denial and train our church leaders and pastors to do the same.

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Marcel Schwantes is a certified professional life and leadership coach, and an organizational consultant with a virtual practice coaching church members and pastors across the country. He may be reached here.