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 A healthy chapter needs to have healthy communication. And healthy communication is honest communication-a willingness to talk about the good, the bad and the ugly.  If you picture communication
as an interstate highway, the vehicles ought to be able to
go in both directions at a pretty good speed. Many types of
vehicles are welcome as long as they are willing to obey the
speed limits and the normal traffic patterns. But not all vehicles are
allowed on that highway. Think of trucks. Some are too wide
or tall, some are too heavy, and some carry toxic materials.
There are restrictions on certain materials or cargo. Such
trucks often have escorts which warn others of the
precarious nature of their loads. Likewise, there is a variety
of information appropriate for the communication interstate,
but there are also limits-not betraying confidences, not
using it to get power or keep power and not using it to
destroy someone or something. Even prayer can become an
opportunity for gossip. And there are situations in
chapters that need to be treated like toxic material,
because they can so easily poison a group. Those who carry
that information ought to take adequate precautions. Often, the only one who knows
what's in the tank of a semi-truck is the driver. If people
get too close to a careless truck driver and there is an
accident, a lot of people could be destroyed. People who carry confidential
information are responsible to think carefully about the
safety of their fellowship group. A truck driver doesn't
take out a hose and spray the contents of his trailer all
over everybody. Likewise, there's a time and a place for
delivering sensitive information. How can we determine the
toxicity of any given piece of information? Here are some
questions you could ask: 
Do I have the story straight?
Is it true?
What is my motivation for sharing this information?
Should this story stop with me?
Will sharing this information build people up or tear them down?
Will someone be hurt if I don't tell someone?
Do I have permission to pass this on from the ones this
information is about?
Would I tell this story in their presence? These questions are like the
flashing lights on the escort cars in front of a dangerous
truck. Sometimes potentially toxic information needs to be
shared and passed on, but not before the one who possesses
the material determines its toxicity.
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Dennis Anderson serves as an InterVarsity® staff worker in Ft. Collins, Colorado. for educational purposes provided this permission notice, and the copyright notice below are preserved on all copies. Not to be reprinted in any other publication without permission. © 1997 InterVarsity Christian Fellowship of the USA. All rights reserved. We'd love to hear from you. Questions about the website? Contact the Webservant Member of the International Fellowship of Evangelical Students
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