Hey Coach John

Maintaining Optimum Emotional Health

Emotional health seems to evade many in the body of Christ

Contrary to popular opinion, not everyone in the body of Christ enjoys optimum emotional health. As a matter of fact, many struggle with wounds and pains that were afflicted upon them years ago.

I know this to be true, because like many of you, at times I have also struggled to maintain good emotional health.

Unfortunately, the topic of emotional health and Christianity is somewhat taboo. We’ve mistakenly assumed that if one is spiritually mature, emotional health is not an issue. Not always true. 

The Bible has many examples of individuals who struggled to maintain optimum emotional health. People like Elijah, Job, and David, just to mention a few.

So what is the answer to this subject that the church, by at large, refuses to address?  Here are a few simple tips; hopefully they will help.

1. One must first own their pain in order to get help.

There is something about the human psyche that makes it easier to live in denial than to face crisis. Blaming others somehow makes it more palatable. You and I must squarely face our pain.

2. One must understand that they are fully responsible for their own emotions.

Psychologists call this issue the locus of control.  The question is this; who has the final say about your emotional well being? The answer is you.

3. One must learn to develop the self awareness needed to recognize his or her emotions.

Emotions and feelings often fly under the radar. Emotional triggers must be discerned quickly and counteracted with a strategic course of action and thought.

4. One must learn to establish healthy boundaries and learn to live by them.

Boundaries are meant to protect our emotional lives. Most never take the time to establish them. Do you have any boundaries for your life? You’ll need them for both your private and public lives. 

Conclusion:

Obviously, there are many other courses of action that must be considered by those who are serious about developing a healthy emotional life. These are not meant to be an exhaustive list, only a beginning point.

How’s it going with your emotional life?

Coach John

Discontinuous Change is Here to Stay

Experts tell us even the nature is change is changing

Like it or not, this generation is in the process of rapid change. As the old commercial used to say, “This is not your father’s Oldsmobile.”

Sociologist have even coined a new phrase to describe this contemporary model of change, it’s called discontinuous change. In simple terms, it means that even change is no longer predictable.

My question to you is," how should the church respond to these shifting times?" Should we call for a return to an older era or should we go ahead and turn the corner? Or do we just hang on?  

Well, in the mean time, here are a few traits of the Postmodern cultural that is in rapid change: 

1. Postmoderns thrive on authenticity

Being transparent and real is a high priority for all Postmoderns. They don’t mind telling you they’ve had an STD or that they have been divorced twice and have an addiction.

Unfortunately, in the church we make everybody check their “realness” at the door. It’s best foot forward.

2. Postmoderns don’t like top-down lecturing

This means they don’t like to be looked down on. This does not mean they don’t like authority, rather, they don’t appreciate authoritarian rule.

They really like to arrive at their own conclusions, and that’s not all bad.

3. Postmoderns love narratives and stories

The movie industry has bought into this trend and the industry is booming, new theaters on every corner.  It’s about a story.

People relate well to stories, have you told yours lately?  How about the redemption story? It fits well too.

4. Postmoderns prefer dialogue over monologue as a way of teaching or learning.

Learning models are rapidly shifting in America and attention spans are growing shorter and shorter. High tech has drastically changed many of our learning models.

Dialogical models of learning are now in - monologue is fading away.

Conclusion

We must learn to embrace change as a friend in order to reach this generation. Discontinous change seems to be here to stay. Do I always agree with most postmoderns? Probably not completely, however that doesn't change the fact the world is changing.

Nevertheless, give us men and women, who like the Men of Issachar, understood the times... I Chron. 12:32.

Coach John