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What is Biblical Counseling?

What is Biblical Counseling?

What comes to mind when you hear the phrase “biblical counseling”? It’s a phrase that’s been used for over half-a-century now. And in that time, it’s come to mean different things to different people. Some people consider biblical counseling to be a codeword that...

Three Ways to Care for Caregivers

Three Ways to Care for Caregivers

Bill has stopped going to church. It’s his dementia. Not only does he feel isolated in a crowd due to his inability to remember and communicate well, the loudness of the congregational singing—acceptable by most standards—sounds dissonant and upsets him. Disappointed,...

Three Ways to Help Fathers Lead Family Worship

Three Ways to Help Fathers Lead Family Worship

Many Christian men know they have a God-given responsibility to lead family worship. They remember how God called Abraham to “command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord” (Gen. 18:19). They’re aware that Moses instructs fathers to...

Why I Wrote a Book about Sex

Why I Wrote a Book about Sex

To say that our world is confused about sex is a dramatic understatement. You don’t need an anecdote or statistic. You face the reality of it every day. And, unfortunately, this confusion isn’t only “out there” in the world, but it also has dramatic effects in both...

Three Ways to Help a Weary Friend

Three Ways to Help a Weary Friend

As I walked out of the grocery store with a cart full of groceries, a freezing winter wind cut through my jacket. The late-afternoon sky was dark grey, and an icy snow was falling. As I approached the car, my exhaustion seemed overwhelming. I’d been struggling through...

In the Pasture of the Good Shepherd

In the Pasture of the Good Shepherd

The Holy Spirit brings us assurance as we meditate on the love Jesus shows for sinners. I'm not referring to his former demonstration of love, which he showed by dying in our place, but to his perpetual love in there here and now. Jesus is not only our Lord and Savior...

Three Ways to Help the Parents of Teens

Three Ways to Help the Parents of Teens

Parenting is hard. And it seems to get harder every year our children grow up. In the 1985 classic, Teen Wolf, Michael J. Fox plays a young man who transforms into a werewolf at inopportune moments. The results are sometimes awkward and mostly humorous, while making...

You Lamented—Now What?

You Lamented—Now What?

“There’s a lot of talk about how to lament these days, but what do we do after—what comes next?” My friend’s question was intriguing. He was right to identify the need for extended reflection. After all, the moments following lament are just as important as the...

Top 10 Podcast Episodes of 2023

Top 10 Podcast Episodes of 2023

In February 2020, IBCD launched the Hope + Help Podcast in an effort to host approachable biblical conversations about life's challenging problems. Since its inception, the show has been streamed nearly 275,000 times worldwide. We're thankful to the many guests who...

Two Truths and a Lie for the Divorced

Two Truths and a Lie for the Divorced

One day, I found myself seated on the bedroom floor, tears streaming down my face as I stared at divorce papers. The realization hit hard—I was now a divorced Christian and a single mother. The weight of embarrassment and shame kept me from facing my church community....

The Gospel Brings Healing

The Gospel Brings Healing

I find that many Christians get uncomfortable when talking about God and healing. To discuss God bringing physical healing raises controversial questions about spiritual gifts. To discuss emotional healing seems to reflect a concept created by modern psychology, and...

What Is the Devil’s Part in Temptation?

What Is the Devil’s Part in Temptation?

God is never the source of temptation to sin. Instead, the cycle begins with strong desires in our hearts. So perhaps you’re wondering if the devil is involved at all. Yes, he is. Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in...

Two Truths and a Lie for Anxious Moms

Two Truths and a Lie for Anxious Moms

Motherhood is a rollercoaster ride! It is filled with the ups and downs of heartwarming moments and challenging twists and turns. Yet for anxious moms, this rollercoaster ride can turn them upside down and fill them with anxiety. Amidst the joys of raising children,...

Two Truths and a Lie about Caring for the Abused

Two Truths and a Lie about Caring for the Abused

What comes to mind when you hear the term “abuse”? Maybe you imagine crime scenes, physical violence, or torture. Perhaps just the sight of this word causes your radar to go up because it seems to be so overused and underdefined. My hope with this blog is to bring...

Two Truths and a Lie about Helping Anxious Hearts

Two Truths and a Lie about Helping Anxious Hearts

Your roommate doesn’t come home when they said they were going to come home, and you worry. You hear rumors about a merger at your company and wonder what it will mean for your job, and you worry. You imagine all the things that could happen to your child while...

Shepherding Counselees through Racial Issues

Shepherding Counselees through Racial Issues

“Woke” is a dirty word these days which can make us throw our biblical principles out the window. The ultra-conservatives spit out this four-letter word to silence any who “defend the rights of the poor and needy” (Proverbs 31:8–9). The ultra-progressives wear it as a...

Two Truths and a Lie about Wayward Children

Two Truths and a Lie about Wayward Children

“I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth” are words written by the Apostle John in his third epistle. While John is addressing his spiritual children, these words resonate with parents who see their children walking faithfully with...

I’m Sorry, But I Can’t Be Your Pastor

I’m Sorry, But I Can’t Be Your Pastor

In addition to counseling within my local church for over forty years, I have been involved in biblical counseling ministry to people outside of the church since 1993. While the Lord uses counseling ministries for good, one danger of relying upon outside counselors is...

Top 10 Podcast Episodes of 2022

Top 10 Podcast Episodes of 2022

In February 2020, IBCD launched the Hope + Help Podcast in an effort to host approachable biblical conversations about life's challenging problems. Since its inception, the show has been streamed nearly 175,000 times in 50 different countries. We're thankful to the...

The Grace That Sanctifies 

The Grace That Sanctifies 

The grace of God has appeared, . . . training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives. (Titus 2:11–12)  The Billy Graham Library is about a thirty-minute car ride from my (Caroline’s) home, and it’s become...

How Thick is Your Bible?

How Thick is Your Bible?

It has been my privilege to participate in the training of biblical counselors for the past twenty years.  Many students enthusiastically embrace biblical counseling theory in the classroom, but then have trouble when they practice counseling in fictitious role play...

Top 10 Podcasts of 2021

Top 10 Podcasts of 2021

In February 2020, IBCD launched the Hope + Help Podcast in an effort to host accessible, biblical conversations about life's challenging problems. Since its launch, the show has been streamed nearly 114,000 times in 50 different countries. We're thankful to the many...

Importing Trouble: The Cost of Caring for Abusers

Importing Trouble: The Cost of Caring for Abusers

  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

  “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

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

  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?

  “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

  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

  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 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 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

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 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...

Managing the Structure of Your Counseling Sessions

Managing the Structure of Your Counseling Sessions

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...

Finding a “New Normal” After Suicide Loss

Finding a “New Normal” After Suicide Loss

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

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...

Talk to Me, Don’t Text Me

Talk to Me, Don’t Text Me

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?

“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

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...

Beyond Preparation

Beyond Preparation

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...

Not So Fast

Not So Fast

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,...

Covenantal, Biblical Counsel

Covenantal, Biblical Counsel

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...

Counseling with Metanarrative in Mind

Counseling with Metanarrative in Mind

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

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 still...

The Danger of Gospel-less Discipleship

The Danger of Gospel-less Discipleship

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...

Suffering in This World

Suffering in This World

“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

“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...

Are You Burdened Out?

Are You Burdened Out?

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

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)

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)

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)

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)

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...

God’s Grace Meets Our Regrets

God’s Grace Meets Our Regrets

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

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

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 up.”...

Tribute to George Scipione by Marsha (McGaugh) Teas

Tribute to George Scipione by Marsha (McGaugh) Teas

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

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 manage the office...

Tribute to George Scipione by Joel Fitzpatrick

Tribute to George Scipione by Joel Fitzpatrick

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

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

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

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

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

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 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...

The Case for Counseling Through the Written Word

The Case for Counseling Through the Written Word

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

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

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

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

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 inspires a...

The Case for Counseling in Public Spaces

The Case for Counseling in Public Spaces

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

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

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

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

“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

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

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

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 aptitude....

Covert Patriarchy: Part 4

Covert Patriarchy: Part 3

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“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

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

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

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

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...

The Rest of the Story

The Rest of the Story

by Ann Maree Goudzwaard A particularly fruitful exercise in the practice of biblical counseling is data gathering. The Personal Data Inventory helps counselors discover basic information about the counselee and the nature of their problem. Counselors can refer back to...

Emotional Intelligence, Self-Awareness, and 1 Corinthians 8

Emotional Intelligence, Self-Awareness, and 1 Corinthians 8

by Greg Gifford, PhD Relational tension soon follows people who are not aware of how they are influencing others. “I had no idea that upset you,” we might hear in one of those tense moments. Or, “if I had known that was a problem, I never would have done that.” How...

What’s in a Name?

What’s in a Name?

I have a rather difficult name. Ever since I was a child I’ve had to explain it. I have two first names but no middle name, and, for some reason, this doesn’t make sense to people. Additionally, “Ann Maree” doesn’t roll naturally off the tongue. Typically, folks (my...

Identifying with Our Idols

Identifying with Our Idols

“Those who make them become like them; so do all who trust in them.” (Ps. 115:8)  Many chefs love cooking with a unique food called tofu. It is a bean curd made from soybean and milk pressed into solid white blocks. It is one of the most versatile foods—which can be...

The Blessings of Counseling Children – Part 1

The Blessings of Counseling Children – Part 1

This article is the first in a series focused on counseling the young members of our community. It addresses the importance of speaking the Word of God to the children among us. Biblical counselors should be equipped to help children who need counseling. Children are...

Called to Peace: A Book Review

Called to Peace: A Book Review

Unfortunately, too many Christian women have to endure the heartbreak of domestic abuse. Unfortunately, too many pastors and biblical counselors are ill-equipped to deal with the trauma and complexity of abuse cases. Unfortunately, some of us deal with abuse cases not...

Gaze on God and Imitate What you See

Gaze on God and Imitate What you See

Louis Berkhof makes an interesting comment. He says, “None of the attributes of God are incommunicable in the sense that there is no trace of them found in man.”[1] In light of Berhof’s thought, listen to the words of 2 Corinthians 3:18: “And we all, with unveiled...

When You Hear “I Can’t”

When You Hear “I Can’t”

“I can’t.” “I’ve hit my limit.” “It’s just too hard.” “This situation makes me respond that way.” “I can’t help myself.” If you’ve spent any amount of time ministering to others, I’m sure you’ve heard these kinds of statements. They are the statements of the...

5 Resources for Helping Sexual Abuse Victims

5 Resources for Helping Sexual Abuse Victims

Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram are virtually overwhelmed with the hashtag #metoo, identifying people who have suffered at the hands of an abuser.As each high profile case hits the headlines, our hearts are burdened by the victim’s suffering and we long to help. Over the years, IBCD has invited pastors and counselors to share with us how to speak the truth of God’s love tenderly to those who have been abused. The Word of God is a powerful comfort that rescues the weak and needy (Ps 82:1-4). We want you to know that these solid, biblical resources are now located together in one place and can be easily accessed as you seek to minister the love of God.

Happy Father’s Day from IBCD

Happy Father’s Day from IBCD

Father's Day is this Sunday, June 18. We wanted to remind our supporters that if you do your shopping at smile.amazon.com, Amazon will donate to IBCD. Simple click the address above to access Amazon through IBCD's unique charity link. We also wanted to highlight some...

5 Resources for Helping Sexual Abuse Victims

Help Translate Jeremy & Crystal

Muchos de ustedes nos han contactado respecto a la necesidad de recursos y capacitaciones de consejería bíblica en español. Estamos  gustosos de anunciar que finalmente tenemos una respuesta. La Fuente, una iglesia en Quito-Ecuador, esta dispuesta a realizar el doblaje en español de nuestros Videos de Observación ” Jeremy y Crystal”  dirigidos a la consejería en un caso de pornografía.

3 Questions with Caroline Newheiser

3 Questions with Caroline Newheiser

What do you see as some of the key issues facing women counselees today? A number of issues come to mind. So many women come to the counseling office with poor theology and a lack of familiarity with the Bible. There is nothing more important than knowing God (Jn...

How Can Your Church Help?

How Can Your Church Help?

In three weeks, our 2016 Summer Institute "Disordered Desires" will kick off and we'll be tackling some of the most pressing questions of our time here in San Diego. As cultural attitudes on sex and marriage continue to shift, the church has a greater opportunity than...

Danielle’s Story – Behind the Scenes of an Observation Video

Danielle’s Story – Behind the Scenes of an Observation Video

Daelynn Romo is a wife and mother of three, an active church member and a friend of IBCD. She is also the face of Danielle, a counselee in one of IBCD’s Observation Videos. At the urging of her husband, Danielle comes to seek counsel from her pastor’s wife after an old struggle with an eating disorder re-emerges. We asked Daelynn to talk with us about her experience and to share her own story.

From the Directors (April 2016)

From the Directors (April 2016)

2016 is already proving to be a year of exciting transition and growth! After months of work we were able to launch our new website which works better with mobile devices, gives us more control of our content, and will enable us to make and distribute helpful...

5 Resources for Helping Sexual Abuse Victims

Learning from King David’s Failure

We were shocked last week when we heard that Charles had been caught in a pattern of adultery and deceit and had been removed from office. How could such a thing happen to a man who seemed to have it all together, who had successfully passed through the temptations of his younger years, who seemed to have everything a minister could want? Does this mean that his entire ministry had been a lie? Are the books, articles and tapes he produced worthless? Or did something happen to take a man who had been qualified and used of God and ruin him?