“In the midst of the outer conflict, I must find inner quietness to speak with gentleness.” —Howard Thurman (1899 – 1991) Source: Howard Thurman, Meditations of the Heart (New York: Harper & Brothers, 1953), 56. Question for reflection: When I feel tension rising in a conversation, what practices help me return to inner quietness before I respond—and how might gentleness …
New Vlog Entry, “Conversing with Chatbots?” by Stephanie Bennett
In this entry. . . Today we talk a bit about the emerging trend to engage AI agents to fulfill our needs for companionship and counseling. Perhaps you’ve heard of the Digital Shepherd. Relating to a bot for help and support is clearly easier than using our interpersonal skills to engage with an actual person, but what are we editing …
Call for Papers, Int’l Jacques Ellul Society, 2026, Notre Dame
“The Humiliated Word in a Time of Crisis,” July 14-16, 2026 Ellul Call for Papers
Quote of the Week, Humility and Faithful Communication, Jonathan Edwards, 17th Century
“A truly humble man is sensible of his natural distance from God; of his dependence on Him; of the insufficiency of his own power and wisdom; and that it is by God’s power that he is upheld and provided for, and that he needs God’s wisdom to lead and guide him, and His might to enable him to do what …
A Prayer for Listening, by John Calvin, 16th Century
This prayer was offered at the end of Calvin’s exposition on Zechariah 7, where he reflects on the importance of listening to God’s word rather than merely performing religious rituals: “Grant, Almighty God, that as thou hast been pleased to draw us this day by thy word, and to speak to us with so much kindness, we may not be …
A Prayer for Seasoned Speech, by John Wesley, 18th Century
“Lord, let my words be seasoned with salt, that they may minister grace to the hearers.” –John Wesley, 18th Century Source: John Wesley, Journals and Diaries V (1765–75), ed. W. Reginald Ward and Richard P. Heitzenrater, vol. 22 of The Bicentennial Edition of the Works of John Wesley (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1993), 215.
Column entry, “From the Valley to the Summit,” by Chris Hamstra
Column Title: Leadership Life Stories: Communicating and Leading through Your Story Column Entry: “From the Valley to the Summit” By Chris Hamstra, PhD, Davenport University Description: There is a power when people come together to share stories. As people of faith, the practice and process of storytelling helps us understand ourselves, our communities, and our organizations. When combined with leadership, stories provide examples …
Column entry, “The Value of Human Labor, the Challenges of AI, and the Image of God,” by Elizabeth McLaughlin
Column Title: Communitas Column Entry: “The Value of Human Labor, the Challenges of AI, and the Image of God” Column Description: The term Communitas refers to an unstructured community of equal members often traveling from one place to another. Like the characters in Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales, we are fellow pilgrims on the road towards the Father’s house, following Jesus as …
Summer 2025 Workshop Recordings Now Available
In case you missed one more more of our summer workshops, you may still access the recordings and workshop resource pages with PPTs and other materials. Contact CCSN Executive Director, Robert Woods (rwoods@theccsn.com), and indicate which one or more of the recordings below you wish to access. Summer 2025 Workshops 1. Word-Gardening: From Seed (Idea) to Fruit (Publication), June 2 …
Quote of the Week, Silence and Spiritual Discipline, St. Peter Damian
Below is a quote from St. Peter Damian (1007–1072), a prominent 11th-century reformer and theologian known for his ascetic writings and deep reflections on monastic life. In his treatise Letter 28: The Book of Gomorrah, he writes: “The talkative man’s tongue is a sword that kills his own soul; silence, on the other hand, is the guardian of innocence and …
