Conversing with Serpents & Doves
Have you ever ended a tough conversation with regret for how you handled it? You meant well, but as emotions escalated – on either side – you found yourself saying things that you knew you shouldn’t and in a way that you definitely shouldn’t have. Or maybe you went silent when you knew you should speak up? Perhaps the topic was religion, politics, or even something that started off as trivial, but as your passion increased, your self-control decreased.
As Christians, we are called to be “wise as serpents and harmless as doves” and to let Christ shine through us in our interactions with others. But too often, we let our emotions take over, and we demonstrate everything but Christlike love and patience. In this three-part seminar, you will learn the powerful, biblical interpersonal skills that can help keep you on track when emotions start to rise during a tough conversation (and yes, even with difficult relatives!).
Topics
Part 1: To Be Both Wise and Harmless
When conversations are tough, our physiology moves to “Fight or Flight” mode, to protect ourselves. The “Fight” mode causes us to passionately present our evidence that we are right, but we forget to be harmless. The “Flight” mode causes us to capitulate just to “keep the peace,” which is certainly not always wise. Learn biblical interpersonal skills that avoid both extremes.
Part 2: Why Our Motive Shifts, Mid-Conversation
In Part 1, we reveal that our “dialogue motive” often shifts from good to bad mid-conversation. Part 2 addresses WHY we do this and how to prevent this shift to get results. These biblical soft skills can salvage an otherwise disastrous conversation.
Part 3: The Four Biblical Steps to Effective Dialogue
Once we know WHY we shift our motive mid-conversation, we can utilize the four biblical steps that keep our conversation on track and avoid becoming either a steamroller or a doormat. These communication skills are simple but effective.
Who is Carl Martin?
Carl Martin develops managers’ and employees’ leadership and interpersonal skills at McKee Foods Corporation in Human Resource Learning and development. He has spoken at churches, universities, and conferences from coast to coast in the United States, Nicaragua, and Australia and is the author of the recent book “Heaven: Think On These Things.”
He is currently finishing his second book, “Conversing with Serpents and Doves.” Carl has worked for the Southern California Conference and was the recent keynote speaker at the Georgia-Cumberland Children’s Ministry Convention. His passion is sharing the three angels’ messages to as many as possible to “hasten the day” of our journey to our real home.
