3B — Correction, Gratitude, and a Teachable Practitioner

Hi, I am Haley Steiner, a CLI presenter. This course is taught by Professor Brian DeCook.

A Peacefire Coach Minister helps others become teachable in conflict. But the practitioner must also become teachable.

This is one of the most important lessons in building a real ministry practice. You cannot guide others through correction if you cannot receive correction yourself. You cannot help others move from defensiveness to humility if your own heart becomes defensive every time someone questions your judgment, tone, process, or boundaries.

Conflict ministry will test the practitioner.

Someone may misunderstand you. Someone may say you pushed too hard. Someone may feel you did not listen well enough. A pastor, supervisor, mentor, spouse, ministry leader, or colleague may point out that you moved too quickly, gave too much advice, contacted the wrong person, failed to clarify consent, or stepped outside your role.

When that happens, Wildfire may rise in you.

You may want to explain yourself immediately. You may want to defend your good intentions. You may want to say, “But I was only trying to help.” You may feel embarrassed, rejected, or accused. You may begin to blame the person who corrected you.

This is where Peacefire must begin inside the minister.

A teachable Peacefire practitioner learns to pause and ask, “Lord Jesus, what are You showing me here?” Not every criticism is fully accurate. Not every complaint is fair. But correction can still become a path of wisdom.

The Bible repeatedly connects correction with life. A wise person receives instruction. A humble person listens. A faithful servant is willing to be formed.

Gratitude also matters here. But gratitude does not mean pretending correction feels easy. Gratitude means thanking God that He loves us enough to form us. It means thanking Him for the opportunity to grow before our weakness harms more people. It means thanking Him for mentors, policies, oversight, and accountability that protect the people we serve.

In Peacefire Ministry, correction is not the enemy of calling. Correction protects calling.

A practitioner may say, “I need to learn from this.” Or, “I moved too fast.” Or, “I should have clarified my role.” Or, “I need to bring this to oversight before I continue.” Those are not weak statements. They are signs of spiritual maturity.

This is also where Strangefire can appear. Strangefire pursues a godly goal in an unwise or unaccountable way. You may want peace, but use pressure. You may want reconciliation, but ignore consent. You may want to help, but bypass proper authority. You may want to comfort one person, but become a carrier of accusation against another.

A teachable practitioner welcomes correction before Strangefire spreads.

Peacefire Ministry grows through humble servants who are willing to be corrected, trained, supervised, and refined. The minister who can say, “I still need formation,” is often the minister who becomes safest to trust.


Last modified: Sunday, June 21, 2026, 7:29 AM