Truth Shall Make You Odd, The: Speaking with Pastoral Integrity in Awkward Situations

In the life of a pastor, it can be tempting to offer halftruths that make everyone happy and the pastor popular. Speaking difficult truths may anger or alienate church members, but authentic pastoral care sometimes requires it. How can those in ministry speak honestly in the inevitable awkward situations they face? Here a wise and witty pastorstoryteller draws on his church life experiences over the past twentyfive yearsincluding sermons, funerals, and board meetingsto offer nittygritty guidance on handling the uncomfortable situations that all pastors face. Utilizing humor and encouragement and speaking across denominational lines, Frank Honeycutt examines a variety of biblical contexts where the truth of Jesus is difficult to hear, but direly neededespecially in settings where halftruths are the norm. He shows pastors how to courageously speak the truth no matter the risk or cost.

Frank G. Honeycutt (DMin, Lutheran School of Theology, Chicago), a Lutheran (ELCA) pastor for twenty-five years, is senior pastor of Ebenezer Lutheran Church in Columbia, South Carolina. He is the author of many magazine articles and six books, including Preaching to Skeptics and Seekers and Sanctified Living.