Announcing a Cure

If I were a medical researcher and came upon a sure-fire cure for COVID, I would be responsible to let people know. What good is a cure if people don’t know about it? Pandemics are not the time for secrets, or false modesty. In fact, it would be criminally negligent to say, “Yeah, I’ve got a cure, but if I tell people about the cure they might think that I’m promoting myself and am motivated by something other than others’ good. So I’m going to wait for others to spread the word.” No; that would not do. If a cure is found the cure needs to be shared without hesitation.

I believe that my book, Respect the Image: Reflecting Human Worth in How We Listen and Talk (P&R Publishing, February, 2020), offers people a cure for the poor communication skills that are killing their relationships. Don’t get me wrong. I am not saying that my book is the cure. What I am saying—without any blushing hesitation—is that the truth of God’s Word contained in the book is the cure; and that people need that cure right now; as in today, if not yesterday. If I didn’t believe that, I wouldn’t have invested years of study and effort to write it.

Deficient communication is a severe global pandemic that needs an antidote before it infects and kills everything we hold dear. Indeed, everything going on in our relationships, homes, churches, and world screams the need to get a good strong curing dose of truth into our system with no further delay. And I dare to suggest that Respect the Image (RTI) just might be a way for you and those you love to receive that needed dose.

An RTI Update

RTI was released in February, 2020, and got some pretty good early response. But then it hit the COVID wall. Book distributors (including Amazon) were shut down for months, and major Christian events at which the book was scheduled to be sold, were cancelled. Believing in the sovereign providence of God as I do, I have trusted contentedly in him even as COVID has limited people’s exposure to the book.

Still, despite the COVID impact, RTI interest is increasing, as is reflected in ongoing sales as well as an increased number of RTI –related events and developments. Here’s a quick review and update:

• RTI received “New and Notable” Status on Tim Challies’ site

• RTI was featured on the Westminster Bookstore site.

• RTI will be sold at such 2021 events as: (1) The Gospel Coalition and TGC Women’s conferences, (2) Alistair Begg’s Basics conference, and (3) The PCA’s national conference; along with a few other venues (all emphatically COVID-permitting and Godwilling!).

• RTI has been read by parents with their children, with change happening.

• RTI has been used in pre-marital and crisis marital counseling.

• RTI is being used for men’s discipleship purposes, equipping men to lead the way into new patterns of healthy communication in both home and church.

• RTI’s content continues to guide racial-understanding and reconciliation efforts at several levels (in our church and other churches)

• RTI content will inform an upcoming church-planter training event where planters will be coached toward intentional diversity in their new churches.

• RTI seminars are increasing, with four being scheduled (God-willing) in the next six months (including individual churches, a multi-church event, and a para-church ministry staff training).

• RTI-related messages have been requested for additional church Sunday settings

• RTI content has been used in a Christian school in-house staff training.

• RTI has helped pastoral and missionary teams address communication challenges

• RTI has produced invitations for guest appearances in the podcast world

• RTI has informed articles I’ve written for various ministries like The Gospel Coalition, Servants of Grace Ministries, Gospel-Centered Discipleship, and more.

• RTI has received positive reviews from diverse people and ministries:

Ruth Naomi Floyd; Lecturer on African-American Spirituals/Resident Artist, Temple University calls RTI “…a helpful plea for greater listening and learning in all our relationships…”

Dr. Jeffrey Black, Professor and Chair in the Department of Counseling, Cairn University, says that RTI “helps us all precisely because Tim…makes every truth transformative…”

Diane Hunt, Counselor, Conference Speaker, Ministry Director, says that RTI is “expertly crafted, [a] rich biblical treatment of relational and racial unity [that] is a blessing and an encouragement.”

Mike Seaver, Pastor, Founder of 1Charleston, writes that RTI “…addresses how communication impacts racial, social and political tensions as well as giving us practical ways to move forward with hard conversations…”

Friends, there is a cure for what ails us. RTI is my best attempt to let you know what it is. May I humbly suggest that you get your hands on the cure and then make sure that it doesn’t sit unused in the medicine cabinet?

And one more thing: if you find the cure helps, please pass the word to others, including your pastors. Many need the cure, just like you and me; so your sharing matters!

Thanks for tuning in.

And now you may return to your regularly scheduled programming.

*********************

For more information about RTI and RTI events please go to www.timothyshorey.com

To order a copy of RTI go to either of these options:

https://www.prpbooks.com/book/respect-the-image

For bulk rates and orders, please contact us at respecttheimage@gmail.com