Damage Control

The shortest mistakes are always the best.
Molière
He who errs quickly, is quick in correcting the error.
Francis Bacon

Thick containment shields cover the best designed nuclear reactors. Should something go wrong, these shields provide the first line of defense by containing explosions, and thus contamination. If radioactive debris and gasses remain within the shield, the extent of the damage stays limited, and mop-up operations are possible.

When clergy error causes a runaway reaction in the parish, containment is again the word. Little mistakes have a way of becoming big, sometimes insurmountable problems — if they are not contained. Pastors have found, usually the hard way, that when the disaster alert sounds, some actions contain the damage better than others.

A Parish Chain Reaction


On a prominent suburban corner stands a beautiful church complex, newly built and lushly landscaped. Josh, the senior pastor, is a gifted preacher, a warm pastor, and a successful leader. Sitting in his finely ...

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