Three Common Misunderstandings about Money

Three Common Misunderstandings about Money

by | Mar 18, 2021 | Articles

  Author Jim Newheiser considers God’s wisdom about money by addressing three common money myths which could potentially lead people astray: 1.) Is Money the Secret to Happiness in This Life? The most common money myth among non-Christians is that money is the...
Importing Trouble: The Cost of Caring for Abusers

Importing Trouble: The Cost of Caring for Abusers

by | Feb 2, 2021 | Articles

  An email lies in wait in the inbox. A quiet request is made for help in the middle of the sanctuary. A text bubble pops up. The small point of contact that begins a counseling case can quickly ripen into knowing far more about particular situations in a...
The Power of Narrative in Parenting

The Power of Narrative in Parenting

by | Jan 12, 2021 | Articles

  “And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall bind them as...
Top 10 Podcast Episodes of 2020

Top 10 Podcast Episodes of 2020

by | Dec 14, 2020 | Articles

The Hope + Help Podcast is a great addition to the IBCD family. Christine is a wonderful host who draws wisdom from leaders within the Biblical counseling movement to provide her listeners with content that is both scriptural and practical. This podcast is a...
A Phased Reopening of a Formerly Abusive Marriage

A Phased Reopening of a Formerly Abusive Marriage

by | Oct 14, 2020 | Articles

  During the COVID crisis, restrictions have been put in place which have sometimes kept people apart for the purpose of safety. For counseling cases in which there has been marital abuse the victim often must be separated from the abuser for the sake of safety....
Domestic Abuse Victims: Sinners or Sufferers?

Domestic Abuse Victims: Sinners or Sufferers?

by | Oct 8, 2020 | Articles

  “I love my husband and desire a godly marriage, but over the years I’ve been worn down under the weight of my husband’s constant criticism, anger, harsh words, and control. I live like a child in my own home, with almost no voice and little decision-making...
The Battleship of Abuse

The Battleship of Abuse

by | Oct 6, 2020 | Articles

  Do you remember playing the game Battleship when you were a kid? You would try to discover where your opponent had stationed his ships on a grid representing the ocean so you could shoot and sink them. One shot, however, wouldn’t sink a battleship. Some ships...
Covid Fallout: Navigating Fear & Anxiety

Covid Fallout: Navigating Fear & Anxiety

by | Sep 29, 2020 | Articles

  Navigating Fear and Anxiety in the Age of Covid Fear, stress, anxiety, worry…call it whatever you want, it’s everywhere right now.  There’s nothing like a global pandemic, a government-imposed shutdown, record levels of unemployment, and civil unrest to bring...
When Will Change Take Place?

When Will Change Take Place?

by | Jul 29, 2020 | Articles

by Dr. Jim Newheiser During the past twenty years of working in a church-based biblical counseling ministry, in which I have tried to put these principles for change into practice, I have observed three general outcomes. Some counselees are quickly and radically...
Three Benefits of Childhood Catechesis

Three Benefits of Childhood Catechesis

by | Jul 29, 2020 | Articles

by Chelsey Gordon One afternoon as I rushed my crew through the aisles of Aldi, hoping to get in and out without a small child throwing a tantrum or requiring a bathroom break, my two-year-old looked up at me from the front of the cart with a grin. “Momma?” she asked....
Don’t Do It Alone

Don’t Do It Alone

by | Jul 22, 2020 | Articles

All marriages face disagreements. All Christian couples should agree that marriage sanctifies. Dave Harvey titled his popular book, “When Sinners Say I Do,” cleverly encapsulating the reality of each spouse’s condition. Because we’re sinners, it is wise to cultivate...
A Biblical Counseling Approach to a Divided World

A Biblical Counseling Approach to a Divided World

by | Jul 15, 2020 | Articles

by Scott Mehl This is a particularly intense season in the world for all of us, and biblical counselors are no exception.  In fact, as biblical counselors, the recent increases in anxiety, fear, anger, and marital conflict probably have us busier than ever.  I know...
Hope & Help Friendship Discussion Panels

Hope & Help Friendship Discussion Panels

by | Jul 15, 2020 | Hope+Help Podcast

Friendship Discussion Panels In lieu of our yearly Training Institute, which was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic, our podcast host, Christine Chappell sat down with some of our scheduled speakers to discuss the topic of friendship. If you missed the Facebook...
Managing the Structure of Your Counseling Sessions

Managing the Structure of Your Counseling Sessions

by | Jun 23, 2020 | Articles

by Greg E. Gifford, PhD Every counseling session has a goal. If you’re meeting with a counselee for the first time, you are seeking to gain a trusting relationship, instill hope, and gather data. However, if this is your twelfth time meeting with a counselee, you are...
Hope + Help LIVE for Heart Change with Brad Bigney

Hope + Help LIVE for Heart Change with Brad Bigney

by | Jun 15, 2020 | Hope+Help Podcast

Hope + Help Podcast · Hope + Help LIVE for Heart Change with Brad Bigney About the Episode In this episode of the Hope + Help Podcast, Christine Chappell interviews Pastor Brad Bigney via Facebook LIVE about his book, Gospel Treason: Betraying the Gospel with Hidden...
Hope + Help LIVE for Heart Change with Brad Bigney

Hope + Help LIVE Friendship Discussion Panels

by | Jun 15, 2020 | Hope+Help Podcast

Hope + Help Podcast · Hope + Help LIVE for Heart Change with Brad Bigney About the Episode In this episode of the Hope + Help Podcast, Christine Chappell interviews Pastor Brad Bigney via Facebook LIVE about his book, Gospel Treason: Betraying the Gospel with Hidden...
Finding a “New Normal” After Suicide Loss

Finding a “New Normal” After Suicide Loss

by | Jun 10, 2020 | Articles

As dark as life gets when you lose someone to suicide, you can truly experience hope. You may have serious doubts today, and wonder how you can possibly go on, but you will survive. Your life will never be the same—that is true. Fellow survivor Albert Hsu wrote, Those...
Loving our Littlest Neighbors

Loving our Littlest Neighbors

by | Jun 3, 2020 | Articles

Many Christian parents lack confidence in their biblical knowledge or feel ill equipped to correctly answer their child’s theological questions. These parents rightly desire to grow in knowledge and discernment (Philippians 1:9-10) and to be ready to give an answer...
Hope + Help for Pregnancy with Gloria Furman

Hope + Help for Pregnancy with Gloria Furman

by | Jun 1, 2020 | Hope+Help Podcast

Hope + Help Podcast · Hope + Help for Pregnancy with Gloria Furman About the Episode In this episode of the Hope + Help Podcast, Christine Chappell interviews Gloria Furman about her book,  Labor with Hope: Gospel Meditations on Pregnancy, Childbirth, and Motherhood....
Talk to Me, Don’t Text Me

Talk to Me, Don’t Text Me

by | May 14, 2020 | Articles

I once heard Sam Crabtree, who wrote one of my favorite books “Practicing Affirmation”, say that he had thought of writing a follow-up volume about “Practicing Correction”. But he said that if he did so, it would need to be a much longer book. This is because Sam...
Bible Literacy: Developed or Assumed?

Bible Literacy: Developed or Assumed?

by | May 14, 2020 | Articles

“Blessed are those who keep His testimonies,  Who seek Him with their whole heart,  Who also do no wrong but walk in His ways! You have commanded your precepts to be kept diligently. Your testimonies are my delight.  They are my counselors.” Psalm 119: 2-4, 24 As...
Book Review: Gentle and Lowly by Dane Ortlund

Book Review: Gentle and Lowly by Dane Ortlund

by | May 14, 2020 | Articles

Years ago, I saw a picture colored by a small kid sitting in a church service. Looming over the whole page was a big-headed man on a big platform behind a big pulpit holding a big Bible, with a prominent scowl and dark, frowny eyebrows. I don’t know the artistic...
Hope + Help for Evangelism with Becky Pippert

Hope + Help for Evangelism with Becky Pippert

by | May 4, 2020 | Hope+Help Podcast

Hope + Help Podcast · Hope + Help for Evangelism with Becky Pippert About the Episode In this episode of the Hope + Help Podcast, Christine Chappell interviews Becky Pippert about her book, Stay Salt: The World Has Changed, Our Message Must Not. During the...
Hope + Help for Finding Identity with Quina Aragon

Hope + Help for Finding Identity with Quina Aragon

by | Apr 27, 2020 | Hope+Help Podcast

Hope + Help Podcast · Hope + Help for Finding Identity with Quina Aragon About the Episode In this episode of the Hope + Help Podcast, Christine Chappell interviews Quina Aragon about finding identity in Christ. Quina reflects on being a child of Filipino and Jamaican...
Beyond Preparation

Beyond Preparation

by | Apr 22, 2020 | Articles

As a fledgling counselor, I put a lot of time, toil, tears, and sweat into session preparation. I devoured every Scripture and supplemental resource on an endless list of topics. I wanted to be prepared for anything. Are you deathly phobic of mayonnaise? I’ve read all...
Hope + Help for Bullied Children with Tim Keeter

Hope + Help for Bullied Children with Tim Keeter

by | Apr 20, 2020 | Hope+Help Podcast

About the Episode In this episode of the Hope + Help Podcast, Christine Chappell interviews Tim Keeter about his book, Help! My Child is Being Bullied. The conversation also features insights from Tim’s 21-year-old son, Gabe, who endured bullying as a child....
Not So Fast

Not So Fast

by | Apr 11, 2020 | Articles

I’m a patient woman. I can wait in the self-checkout line at least 26 seconds before I start deep-sighing and foot-tapping. I’ve also built up to exactly three seconds before I blast my horn at a still-stopped car when the light turns green. I can’t speak globally,...
Hope + Help for Spiritual Warfare with Iain Duguid

Hope + Help for Spiritual Warfare with Iain Duguid

by | Mar 30, 2020 | Hope+Help Podcast

About the Episode In this episode of the Hope + Help Podcast, Christine Chappell interviews Iain Duguid about his book, The Whole Armor of God: How Christ’s Victory Strengthens Us for Spiritual Warfare. During the conversation, Iain unpacks various pieces of the...
Covenantal, Biblical Counsel

Covenantal, Biblical Counsel

by | Mar 26, 2020 | Articles

I met her at Starbucks, across the street from the hospital. She was frantic. She was typically frantic when we got together, but this time it was worse. She was off her meds.[1] I studied her eyes. She told me about her nightmares and panic attacks. I found myself...
Book Review: Help! My Teen is Depressed by Christine Chappell

Book Review: Help! My Teen is Depressed by Christine Chappell

by | Mar 24, 2020 | Articles

It is evident that Christine Chappell has written this “Help!” booklet from her heart. Her words overflow with the compassion and understanding that comes with walking gracefully through a trial. She writes that she’s both experienced depression herself, and walked...
Counseling with Metanarrative in Mind

Counseling with Metanarrative in Mind

by | Mar 17, 2020 | Articles

When counseling, I have the privilege of entering into the story of another. These individual narratives, unique to the characters inhabiting them, involve a variety of movements. Though some are predicable, following the usual patterns and challenges of life, many...
Let the Lord Use You

Let the Lord Use You

by | Mar 12, 2020 | Articles

Maybe you’ve sat in on a few counseling sessions. Perhaps you’ve watched biblical counseling videos but have yet to officially counsel someone. You wouldn’t dare. Most of us never feel ready to counsel. It’s a daunting task to put yourself out there while...
The Danger of Gospel-less Discipleship

The Danger of Gospel-less Discipleship

by | Mar 10, 2020 | Articles

Have you ever seen someone change without the gospel? People do it all the time. They discover a new diet or decide to turn over a new leaf, and significant change absolutely takes place. Maybe they lose 20, 40, or 100 lbs.  Maybe they stop drinking and begin to spend...
Hope + Help for the Age of Self with Jen Oshman

Hope + Help for the Age of Self with Jen Oshman

by | Mar 9, 2020 | Hope+Help Podcast

About the Episode In this episode of the Hope + Help Podcast, Christine Chappell interviews Jen Oshman about her book, Enough About Me: Finding Lasting Joy in the Age of Self, exploring how the gospel of Jesus Christ calls us to look away from ourselves in order to...
Suffering in This World

Suffering in This World

by | Mar 5, 2020 | Articles

“In this life, you will have tribulation…” (Jn. 16:33). Suffering … must we? A Biblical Example of Suffering There are numerous people in God’s Word who suffered well under provocation, for our example, encouragement, and hope (Rom. 15:4). Hannah is a wonderful...
Right Priorities in Counseling Supervision

Right Priorities in Counseling Supervision

by | Mar 3, 2020 | Articles

“A good counselor is first a good counselee.” This biblical counseling mantra is never more true than in the final supervision phase of the ACBC certification process. It was while being supervised by ACBC Fellow, Dr. Nicholas Ellen, that I learned a helpful acronym...
Hope + Help for Loss and Grief with Paul Tautges

Hope + Help for Loss and Grief with Paul Tautges

by | Mar 2, 2020 | Hope+Help Podcast

About the Episode In this episode of the Hope + Help Podcast, Christine Chappell interviews Paul Tautges about his book, A Small Book for the Hurting Heart: Meditations on Loss, Grief, and Healing, exploring how the gospel of Jesus Christ offers comfort and strength...
Are You Burdened Out?

Are You Burdened Out?

by | Feb 27, 2020 | Articles

Whether you’re a counselor, pastor, or friend, when you love hurting people you’ll eventually feel the weight of their pain.[1] And when you carry lots of people’s burdens, you may start to feel stretched beyond your limits, and spread thin, “like butter that has been...
Book Review: Help[H]er

Book Review: Help[H]er

by | Feb 25, 2020 | Articles

It isn’t groundbreaking to state that women should be involved in the care of other women in the local church, yet they are so often excluded. Help[H]er: A Churchwide Response for Women in Crisis by Bernie Lawrence and Ann Maree Goudzwaard is a concise, poignant, and...
Counseling the Fool (Part 4)

Counseling the Fool (Part 4)

by | Feb 20, 2020 | Articles

PURSUING WISDOM Do you remember Jason? I mentioned him in the first part of the blog series. He was the boy who had his heart wrapped up in folly while on a trajectory that led to destruction. Although I changed the names of other people mentioned in this blog, I want...
Counseling the Fool (Part 4)

Counseling the Fool (Part 3)

by | Feb 19, 2020 | Articles

HELPING THE FOOL CHANGE Six principles should be implemented in order to help the fool become wise and lead them to biblical change.[1] First, it is essential to show the fool from God’s Word that there is hope (Prov. 13:12; Rom. 15:1-6). Some fools will come asking...
Counseling the Fool (Part 4)

Counseling the Fool (Part 2)

by | Feb 18, 2020 | Articles

5 TYPES OF FOOLS The premise of this blog series is that there are various types and degrees of foolishness. This post will present the biblical terms related to folly, exhibiting the successive degrees of foolishness, and then revealing the heart of a fool. THE...
Counseling the Fool (Part 4)

Counseling the Fool (Part 1)

by | Feb 17, 2020 | Articles

WHAT, EXACTLY, IS A FOOL? Jason’s main goal in life was to make his mother miserable. His parents divorced when he was nine-years-old, and Jason blamed his mom for all of the hurt and pain he felt; he wanted to inflict as much pain on her as possible. But Jason’s mom...
Self-Control: Evidence of Salvation and Protection of Faith

Self-Control: Evidence of Salvation and Protection of Faith

by | Feb 13, 2020 | Articles

Ancient Greek philosophers considered self-control (i.e., temperance) to be a cardinal virtue. If you were a person that possessed self-control, then you were disciplined, focused, restrained, and intentional. We often think of self-control in similar terms—we must...
God’s Grace Meets Our Regrets

God’s Grace Meets Our Regrets

by | Feb 11, 2020 | Articles

by Anna Mondal Do you ever feel like you’ve missed God’s will? Like you made an irreversibly wrong choice, and your life is off track forever? If I had chosen a different college major, I’d have a real job by now. If I’d been a better parent, my child wouldn’t be...
Introducing the Hope + Help Podcast

Introducing the Hope + Help Podcast

by | Feb 5, 2020 | Articles

Announcing The Hope + Help Podcast IBCD is pleased to announce the launch of the Hope + Help Podcast on Monday, February 24th. The show, hosted by author and writer Christine Chappell, is intended to provide listeners with rich, biblical conversations about life’s...
I’m Sorry

I’m Sorry

by | Feb 3, 2020 | Articles

How many times have you stood in front of the person you have offended and said these words, “I’m sorry.” Let’s dissect what these words convey. We often hear children apologize with these same words when they accidentally spill milk. They communicate, “I messed...
Tribute to George Scipione by Marsha (McGaugh) Teas

Tribute to George Scipione by Marsha (McGaugh) Teas

by | Jan 29, 2020 | Articles

When I think of George (Skip) Scipione what comes to mind are two words – humble and crusty! He was an accomplished counselor, a pastor and a seminary professor with a Ph.D. after his name, but he was “just” Skip, and he made you feel very comfortable around him. I...
Tribute to George Scipione by Betsy Smith

Tribute to George Scipione by Betsy Smith

by | Jan 29, 2020 | Articles

George (Skip) Scipione was my boss from June of 1994 to 2006. I was a counselee back in 1991 and a fledgling Christian. I knew the gospel, but didn’t know “worry” was a sin! My eyes were opened to Biblical Counseling and when the job came up to help...
Tribute to George Scipione by Joel Fitzpatrick

Tribute to George Scipione by Joel Fitzpatrick

by | Jan 29, 2020 | Articles

The Gift of a Good Father-in-Law: In Memory of George Scipione There has been a lot said about the way George faithfully lived his life as a Pastor, Mentor, Teacher, Counselor, and more. But, I want to tell you about what it has been like to live with George as a...
Tribute to George Scipione by Jack Dundas

Tribute to George Scipione by Jack Dundas

by | Jan 29, 2020 | Articles

Spending any time at all with Skip was such an enriching experience. Remembering his puns (about everything, nothing was off-limits), hearing him talk to students, professors, counselors, etc., but especially his prayers will always stick with me. He knew who this God...
Tribute to George Scipione by Ann Maree Goudzwaard

Tribute to George Scipione by Ann Maree Goudzwaard

by | Jan 29, 2020 | Articles

I didn’t know George “Skip” Scipione for a long time, but he really did feel like a life-long friend. That’s just how George was; hospitable, thoughtful, and kind hearted. If you were fortunate to spend any time with George and his wife, Eileen, you know what I mean....
Tribute to George Scipione by Craig Marshall

Tribute to George Scipione by Craig Marshall

by | Jan 28, 2020 | Articles

I first heard about George over a decade ago when I was a new employee at the IBCD office in Escondido. I had not met him, but he was the organization’s founder and former director, who was living on the east coast. It took me a while to connect that someone people...
Tribute to George Scipione by Elyse Fitzpatrick

Tribute to George Scipione by Elyse Fitzpatrick

by | Jan 27, 2020 | Articles

I have had the immense blessing of being surrounded by numerous people, men and women, who have brought their gifts to bear in my life in ways that have transformed me for the better. George Scipione (Skip) was one of them. In some ways, he has been one of the most...
Tribute to George Scipione by Jim Newheiser

Tribute to George Scipione by Jim Newheiser

by | Jan 25, 2020 | Articles

I thank God for the life of George Scipione. He was my professor of counseling in seminary in 1987 and then my mentor as we worked together at IBCD, formerly CCEF West, beginning in 1994 (2 Tim. 2:2). George asked me to take over as Director of IBCD in 2006. George...
Loneliness: A Pathway to God

Loneliness: A Pathway to God

by | Jan 22, 2020 | Articles

by Shannon Kay McCoy “Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted.” (Psalm 25:16) Have you ever felt utterly alone? Have you experienced the dark cloud of loneliness?  Loneliness is an unsettling feeling of disconnection from others, whether alone...
Hope + Help for Family Worship

Hope + Help for Family Worship

by | Jan 16, 2020 | Hope+Help Podcast

About the Episode In this episode of the Hope + Help Podcast, Christine Chappell interviews Don Whitney about his book, Family Worship, exploring why it’s important, how to deal with common stumbling blocks that arise, and practical wisdom for busy families who...
The Case for Counseling Through the Written Word

The Case for Counseling Through the Written Word

by | Jan 15, 2020 | Articles

by Scott Mehl Over the past few months I’ve made the case for why counseling ought to take place in our homes, church offices, and public spaces. I hope that, by now, you’ve come to appreciate that counseling doesn’t just take one form, but can vary significantly in...
Facing Seasonal Loneliness

Facing Seasonal Loneliness

by | Jan 8, 2020 | Articles

Life is riddled with lonely seasons. Friends get married—you’re still single. Soldiers get deployed. Spouses separate. People disappoint and wound us. We disappoint and wound others. People die. And we are lonely. Loneliness is like a sudden tide, that, “in the most...
Worshipping Christ Through Discipleship

Worshipping Christ Through Discipleship

by | Dec 3, 2019 | Articles

As one pastor so aptly stated, “The Christian life is the discipled life and the discipling life”.[1] When the resurrected Christ met his eleven disciples on the mountain he had designated, He said to them, “Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the...
Saying Horrors to God

Saying Horrors to God

by | Nov 26, 2019 | Articles

You sit, sick with sorrow, as your counselee discloses stories of incest, a forced abortion, or cruel childhood neglect. And these things you shudder to think of, had to be endured.[1] What do you say in response to the unsayable? God provides (and Christ models) an...
Book Review: “But God” by Casey Lute

Book Review: “But God” by Casey Lute

by | Nov 20, 2019 | Articles

The Focus The tagline for “But God…” reads, “the two words are the heart of the Gospel”. Casey Lute offers commentary on nine crucial points in Scripture in which we see the God of Salvation enter the picture and save. This look at the beauty of the gospel...
The Case for Counseling in Public Spaces

The Case for Counseling in Public Spaces

by | Nov 12, 2019 | Articles

I’ve previously made the case for why counseling should take place in our homes as well as why it should take place in church offices. However, these aren’t the only two options when it comes to biblical counseling. The truth is, biblical counseling can (and often...
Focusing on God Alone

Focusing on God Alone

by | Nov 7, 2019 | Articles

Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you. (Psalm 73:25) Life can be super busy. Many activities and challenges compete for our time and attention—work, family, friends, church, sports, and shopping—distracting us from...
Book Review: Money: Seeking God’s Wisdom

Book Review: Money: Seeking God’s Wisdom

by | Nov 5, 2019 | Articles

Dr. Jim Newheiser’s expertise is taking a worldly problem and paring it down to its biblical definition and solution. In the Lord’s wisdom, he has orchestrated a pattern to moneymaking and wealth management. He designed work as something good, present before the fall...
Battling Discontent with God

Battling Discontent with God

by | Oct 31, 2019 | Articles

It doesn’t take much to see we live in a discontent society. Turn on any television and within seconds you will observe it. But discontentment is not just isolated to the world. Often Christians battle discontentment in their own hearts. Discontentment seeks to...
Consider Wildflowers

Consider Wildflowers

by | Oct 29, 2019 | Articles

“Stop and smell the roses,” they say. As if you didn’t have eighty-eight thousand tasks, as if you didn’t have deadlines or drama or diapers. In our rapid-fire, tech-oriented society, who has the luxury of stopping to sit in nature like a bohemian free spirit? Even in...
Right Passage, Wrong Verb

Right Passage, Wrong Verb

by | Oct 23, 2019 | Articles

I believe we have missed the mark in ministering to women held captive by their husband’s cruel words. I want you to know that the reason I feel I have permission to say this is that I am one of the chief offenders. I’ve been a biblical counselor for over ten years,...
The Shape of Oppression: Part 2

The Shape of Oppression: Part 2

by | Oct 21, 2019 | Articles

A few years ago my favorite[1] professor at RTS Charlotte wrote a book called What’s your Worldview? In it, he used an interactive method similar to the Choose Your Own Adventure (CYOA) children’s gamebook series. It invited the reader to “make key decisions or...
Covert Patriarchy: Part 4

Covert Patriarchy: Part 4

by | Oct 17, 2019 | Articles

This is the last in a four-part series on ways complementarian men can degrade into patriarchy in the way they consider their wives’ interpretation of and reaction to situations and their desires. Today’s post concludes this series with a word on theological...
Covert Patriarchy: Part 4

Covert Patriarchy: Part 3

by | Oct 16, 2019 | Articles

Part 2 of this series looked at the first two ways in which complementarian men slide into functional patriarchy. Today’s discussion adds the navigation of a husband’s and wife’s desires. 3) Desires Desires are good, God-given impulses, and human life would grind to a...
Covert Patriarchy: Part 4

Covert Patriarchy: Part 2

by | Oct 15, 2019 | Articles

Part 1 established that a husband’s status as leader within the family is not derived from his superiority in wisdom or morality. Complementarian men are quick to acknowledge this truth, but a gap often exists between ideas and life. This post looks at the first two...
Covert Patriarchy: Part 4

Covert Patriarchy: Part 1

by | Oct 14, 2019 | Articles

I am what is often called in theological terms a “strong complementarian.” I hold to the traditional Christian position that church leadership should be comprised of men and that women ought not to teach mixed-group adult church gatherings. I also believe that God has...
The Shape of Oppression: Part 2

The Shape of Oppression

by | Oct 11, 2019 | Articles

Earlier this year, a friend came to town to take a class at a local seminary. She knew I was training as a domestic abuse advocate, so she asked if we could get together and talk about one of her counseling cases. When we met for breakfast, I sat quietly listening as...
Educating your Elders about Abuse

Educating your Elders about Abuse

by | Oct 9, 2019 | Articles

Well-meaning church leaders often fail to distinguish between ordinary marital conflict and situations in which one spouse is abusing the other. The abusive spouse, usually the husband, is often able to manipulate inexperienced counselors by deflecting attention from...
The Case for Counseling in a Church Office

The Case for Counseling in a Church Office

by | Oct 1, 2019 | Articles

Last month I made the case for why biblical counseling should often take place in our homes. Of course, you’ll notice that in my entire post I never quoted a single Bible verse that required personal ministry to take place in the home. That’s because there isn’t one....
Book Review: The Gospel Comes with a House Key

Book Review: The Gospel Comes with a House Key

by | Sep 26, 2019 | Articles

A Life of Hospitality In The Gospel Comes with a House Key [1], Rosaria Butterfield invites us into a life of sacrifice and open doors. She has lived it and she surely has stories to tell. Most of the book is written anecdotally, offering a personal glimpse into the...
Forgiveness: The Pathway to Freedom

Forgiveness: The Pathway to Freedom

by | Sep 18, 2019 | Articles

“Bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.” (Colossians 3:13) Relationships are difficult. Interaction with others is essential—which means that someone will...
Confronting the Winsome, Manipulative Husband

Confronting the Winsome, Manipulative Husband

by | Sep 11, 2019 | Articles

For six months I met with a husband who was so likeable! He talked of how he struggled to be obedient to God, how his faith was existent, just waning, and how he wanted to love his wife but simply didn’t know what to do. Six months of this! And in that six months, his...
The Case for Counseling in Your Home

The Case for Counseling in Your Home

by | Sep 4, 2019 | Articles

Whenever someone reaches out to meet with you, whether it’s a friend who sends you a text, or a church member who has asked the church staff for someone to talk to, there are all sorts of initial questions you might have.  You’ll probably want to have a general idea...
Helping the Hopeless: God’s Nearness is Your Good

Helping the Hopeless: God’s Nearness is Your Good

by | Aug 21, 2019 | Articles

Often when counselees succumb to fear and doubt over troubling circumstances, they allow it to rule the day and consequently feel helpless and hopeless. So where should their help come from when they feel all hope is gone? Where can they turn when their suffering...
Put Off, Be Renewed, Put On

Put Off, Be Renewed, Put On

by | Aug 13, 2019 | Articles

There are a few passages within biblical counseling that encapsulate tenets that are crucial to counseling—Proverbs 4:23, the heart; Matthew 12:34, communication; 1 Corinthians 10:13, hope; Ephesians 4:22-24, the process of change. Having an understanding of these...