About the Episode
In this episode of the Hope + Help Podcast, Christine Chappell interviews Sam Crabtree about his book, Practicing Affirmation. IBCD Executive Director Jim Newheiser also joins the conversation as Sam explains why bringing God into compliments is the best way to give them. He also discusses why people are more prone to complaining than commending, offers four characteristics of good affirmations, and how practicing affirmation on a daily basis serves to nourish personal relationships while glorifying God at the same time. Additionally, Sam suggests reasons to keep affirmation separate from correction, encourages listeners to utilize affirmation as a means of evangelism, and answers the tough question, How do we commend someone whose behavior is anything but commendable?
About the Guest
Sam Crabtree is a pastor at Bethlehem Baptist Church in Minneapolis, Minnesota, where he has served for over twenty years. He is a former public-school teacher and is chairman of the board of Bethlehem College & Seminary. He is the author of Practicing Affirmation. Sam and his wife, Vicki, live in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and have two daughters and six grandchildren.
Places to Listen & Subscribe
Additional Resources from Sam Crabtree
Practicing Affirmation
It happens in marriages, parent-child relationships, friendships, workplaces, and churches: Communication falters, friendships wane, teenagers withdraw, marriages fail, and bitter rifts sever once-strong ties. Christian communities are no exception. Why do so many of our relationships suffer from alienation, indifference, and even hostility?
Author Sam Crabtree believes that often at the heart of these breakdowns is a lack of affirmation. He observes in Scripture that God grants mercy to those who refresh others, and in life that people tend to be influenced by those who praise them. Crabtree shows how a robust “God-centered affirmation ratio” refreshes others and honors God.
Practicing Affirmation sounds a call to recognize and affirm the character of Christ in others. When done well, affirmation does not fuel pride in the person, but refreshes them and honors God. All who are discouraged in relationships will find wisdom and practical insight in this book.
- Parenting with Loving Correction: Practical Help for Raising Young Children (Book • Podcast Interview)
- Practicing Thankfulness: Cultivating a Grateful Heart in All Circumstances (coming Feb. 2021)
Related Resources from IBCD
- Practicing Affirmation: The Problem and Opportunity for Every Person (Sam Crabtree)
- The God-Centeredness of Affirmation (Sam Crabtree)
- Helping People Get Good at Affirmation (Sam Crabtree)
- Practical Application of Affirmation (Sam Crabtree)
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Author
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Christine is a wife, mother of three, and the author of Midnight Mercies: Walking with God through Depression in Motherhood, Help! I've Been Diagnosed with a Mental Disorder, and Help! My Teen is Depressed. Her writing has been featured at websites such as Desiring God, The Gospel Coalition, Risen Motherhood, and other Christian platforms. In addition to her writing ministry, she works for the Institute of Biblical Counseling & Discipleship as the organization's Outreach Director and Podcast Host. Christine has completed certificates in Biblical Counseling through IBCD and is certified by the Association of Certified Biblical Counselors (ACBC). She also is a member of the Association of Biblical Counselors, the Biblical Counseling Alliance, and a partner with the Biblical Counseling Coalition. Christine and her husband, Brett, were married in 2003 and currently reside in South Carolina with their three children.