Vision: Branching out together for the kingdom.

Mission: Tend my garden by preparing and stewarding my people

 Our failure or success in this new year vision will be determined by our mouths!

 “Unconditional love, freely expressed, builds greenhouses for dreamers!” Wayne Cordeiro

 Proverbs 12:18 NIV

The words of the reckless pierce like swords, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.

 Ephesians 5:25-26 NIV

Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word.

 “Jesus washes His bride, the Church, with His words. Husbands, are you washing your wife with your words? Are you cleaning her? Are you healing and restoring her? Are you encouraging her?” Robert Morris

 Proverbs 27:5

Better is open rebuke than hidden love.

 “Imagine everyone has a sign hanging around their neck that reads, ‘Please help me feel valuable today.’” Wayne Cordeiro

 Can God trust your mouth?

 “If I cannot trust you with what I reveal, then I will no longer be able to show you the hurts of my children. You will have disqualified yourself from any involvement in my plan to restore them.” Wayne Cordeiro

 Before we speak, ask three questions: Is what I am about to say necessary? Is what I am about to say edifying? Is what I am about to say truthful?

 “We can choose whether we will view life as a film critique or as a physician.” Wayne Cordeiro

 Proverbs 16:24 NIV

Gracious words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.

 Ephesians 4:29 NKJV

Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.

 Proverbs 18:21a

Death and life are in the power of the tongue.

“The life you need in your marriage is in your tongue….The life that your children need is in your tongue.” Robert Morris

 Ephesians 4:15-16 NLT

Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church. 16 He makes the whole body fit together perfectly. As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love.

 4 principles for confrontation

 1. Confrontation must be based on relationship.

 Correction without connection will equal rejection.

 2. Confront the error, not the one who erred.

 3. Aim for a win-win.

 4. Assure the other person of their value.

 Ephesians 4:15-16a NLT

Instead, we will speak the truth in love,

 

Question for discussion/reflection:

1. Are you building a greenhouse for people around you to grow through the power of your words? If yes, explain how?

2. Rate yourself 1-10, how would a person rate my ability to build a culture of love

3. How do you think about the words that you speak?

4. Have you ever thought about your words having the power to heal?  Have you ever experienced or witnessed that healing power? If yes, share.

5. Share one specific person that you can help feel valuable through your words this week?

6. Is it possible for you to think of confrontation or feedback in a positive way?  Why or why not?

7. Have you had a negative experienced with feedback?

8. Talk about the fear surrounding giving feedback to someone?