Resisting Gossip: Winning the War of the Wagging Tongue (Matthew Mitchell)

Resisting Gossip

Winning the War of the Wagging Tongue

Gossip. It’s on Facebook, on the television, in the break room, and even in our churches. With gossip being so prevalent in our culture, it can be hard to resist listening to and sharing stories about other people’s business. But what does God say about gossip? Is it even possible for us to walk in God’s instructions?

In Resisting Gossip, Pastor Matt Mitchell not only outlines the scriptural warnings against gossip, but also demonstrates how the truth of the gospel can deliver believers from this temptation. Questions for group discussion are also provided for your study.

Endorsements

“With clarity and the precision of a spiritual physician, Matt cuts deep into the cancerous disease that produces words that hurt and defame. Not only will this book help you keep your tongue in check, but it will also be a helpful navigational tool in guiding your speech toward the joyful discipline of using words to help and heal others to the glory of God! Put the principles of this book into practice, and you, your family, friends and colleagues will all be better off!” — Dr. Joseph M. Stowell, president of Cornerstone University, Grand Rapids, Michigan

“Gossip is a spark that starts countless relational fires every day. Matt provides practical, biblical guidance on how believers can reduce this insidious problem by bringing their tongues under the lordship of Christ.” — Ken Sande, president of Relational Wisdom 360, Billings, Montana and author of the Peacemaker

More Endorsements

“In Resisting Gossip, experienced pastor Matt Mitchell skillfully tackles one of the most overlooked and destructive sins within the church. Dr. Mitchell s wise, biblical approach carefully defines gossip (no one excluded here!) and gets to the heart of both the causes and cures of this problem. Full of scriptural insight, practical examples and thoughtful questions for group discussion, this one-of-a-kind book aims to do nothing less than transform the way we speak to and about one another. Whether you are a perpetrator of gossip or a victim of gossip (invariably both!), you will surely find tangible help and Christ-centered hope in its pages.”
— Michael R. Emlet, M.Div., M.D., counselor and faculty member at the Christian Counseling & Educational Foundation (CCEF), Glenside, Pennsylvania. Author of CrossTalk: Where Life and Scripture Meet

About the Author

Matthew Mitchel has served as Pastor of Lanse Evangelical Free Church in Lanse, PA, since 1998. He received his Doctor of Ministry degree from Westminster Theological Seminary in Biblical Counseling under the leadership of the faculty of the Christian Counseling and Educational Foundation (CCEF).

Contents

1. What, Exactly Is Gossip?
2. Why Do We Gossip?
3. A Gallery of Gossips
4. Believing the Best
5. Instead of Gossip, Speaking: Putting on Edifying Speech
6. Instead of Gossip, Listening: What to Do When Gossip Comes Your Way
7. Responding in Faith
8. Responding in Love
9. Regretting Gossip
10. A Final Word: The End of Gossip
11. Cultivating a Gossip-Resistant Church