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Sola Scriptura and Why We Still Need to Talk About It
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Theology
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2025 Pre-Conference: Anchoring Comfort to Trinitarian Care
Looking for the notes to this session? Download them here! The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit go to work for believers in our times of need. Therefore, when grief overshadows our soul; we can run to God for help and comfort. This session will anchor the grieving...
2025 Pre-Conference: Anchoring Hope to Resurrection Assurances
Looking for the notes to this session? Download them here! One of the most urgent issues for people passing through a time of grief is the eternal destination of their loved ones. This session will instruct counselors in helping those whose loved one knew the Lord...
2025 Pre-Conference: Anchoring Perseverance to Unchanging Promises
Looking for the notes to this session? Download them here! Grief is a sorrow each of us will carry for the duration of our lives, which means it is not a counseling issue that, like some others, can be fixed or solved. This session will speak of the importance of...
Getting the Fall Right Helps Us Get the Gospel Right
Plenary 6: The Spirit-Empowered Work in Gospel Transformation
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The Use of Common Grace Knowledge in Counseling
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A Transformation Mindset
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Power Encounters: Reclaiming Spiritual Warfare – Part Two
Do we get our view of spiritual warfare from the Devil or from the Scriptures themselves? In this session, David Powlison continues his review of three key questions: How does the holy Creator and Sustainer of the universe relate to evil creatures? How does the...
Power Encounters: Reclaiming Spiritual Warfare – Part One
Spiritual warfare does not need to cause anxiety. Instead it is a doctrine of comfort. The devil is a creature like humans, who is dependent upon the living God for his very existence. So how does the holy Creator and Sustainer of the universe relate to evil...
The Legacy of Sola Scriptura
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Biblical Decision Making
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The Necessity of the Gospel for Transformation
This video was part of the 2023 Summer Institute. https://www.youtube.com/live/oC81Yqb6_Po
Keep Yourselves From Idols
” This workshop will teach you how to identify the idols that are hidden in your heart...
Abounding in Hope and Able to Counsel
Every Christian should aspire to be a gospel counselor to others and church leaders...
The Calling of Every Christian & The Art of Gospel Care
Life is messy, yet God calls us into the mess with one another. Even when it comes to the...
The Centrality of Love & Knowing One Another
Life is messy, yet God calls us into the mess with one another. Even when it comes to the...
Serving One Another & Speaking to One Another
Life is messy, yet God calls us into the mess with one another. Even when it comes to the...
Gospeling One Another
Life is messy, yet God calls us into the mess with one another. Even when it comes to the...
Be Not Wise in your Own Eyes
” The sin of “being wise in one’s own eyes” is easy to see in others, yet difficult to...
You are a Prophet, Priest, and King
” This workshop explores one of the key concepts of the Protestant Reformation that is...
Counseling Systems and the Labels that Become Identity
” Where do psychological labels come from and how is a treatment plan developed? How...
Essentials Preview – Part 2 (Scott Mehl)
Bob and Ann Maree Goudzwaard continue discussing the "essentials" of biblical counseling...
Essentials Preview – Part 1 (Scott Mehl)
Bob and Ann Maree Goudzwaard discuss the "essentials" of biblical counseling with Scott...
Medicine and Biblical Sufficiency
Biblical Counseling has been shaped by the doctrine of sufficiency. We will examine how that doc-trine and the science of medicine interact when we encounter those with worry, depression, OCD, and other emotional struggles. Can the Bible help when we counsel those with medical emotional labels?
The Attributes of a Christ-like Counselor
This workshop explores the attributes of Jesus, the Wonderful Counselor and the Holy Spirit, the Other Counselor. We will examine what makes them the competent counselors that they are. Also, we will examine how these attributes must be and can be in your counsel. Finally, we will learn how you can develop these attributes.
Power Encounters: Reclaiming Spiritual Warfare part 2
The Bible is clear that spiritual warfare is real, but how are we to engage these powers? In this two part message, David Powlison sets forth a biblical demonology and explains the biblical parameters for battling the world, the flesh and the devil.
Power Encounters: Reclaiming Spiritual Warfare part 1
The Bible is clear that spiritual warfare is real, but how are we to engage these powers? In this two part message, David Powlison sets forth a biblical demonology and explains the biblical parameters for battling the world, the flesh and the devil.
The Importance Of The Local Church
Your counseling and counselees will be enriched by being centered in a local church. This workshop shows how involvement of the local church is a crucial aspect of biblical counseling because the tasks of counseling and discipleship are given by God to the local church.
A Biblical View Of Personality
Every counseling system seeks to answer basic questions about man’s purpose and personality. This session will seek to give biblical answers to three fundamental questions: Who is man? What is wrong with Man? How do you fix man?
Women & the Word
Christian women know they should read their Bibles, but desire is often weak and the knowledge of how to begin is lacking. This workshop will encourage you to delve into the Scriptures through Bible reading, memorization, and suggested study methods.
Critiquing Evangelical Arguments for Same-Sex Relationships
In recent years both scholarly and popular attempts to reinterpret what the Bible says about homosexuality have grown significantly. This session will help biblical counselors to understand these arguments, so that they can engage and help those who have been exposed to them.
The Advantages of Remaining Sin – Encouraging the Sexual Sinner to Celebrate Christ in the Context of Their Worst Failures
How is rebellion different from weakness and what difference does that make? This session shows the need to point precious strugglers to Christ because the imputed righteousness of our great Savior provides the greatest motivation for obedience and change.
Still Sinning After All These Years – A Biblical Theology of Sinful Failure
How can we try hard to obey God’s laws and still experience joy, even though we fall terribly short day after day? This session looks at many Biblical passages to understand God’s loving purpose in beginning the work of new creation in those still tied to sinful flesh.
Confessing our Way to Joy
The truest measure of a Christian and a Christian’s character is not determined by whether or not they fall but by what they do after they fall. This session explains how real confession, both to God and others, is the pathway back to joy for believers who have fallen into sin.
How Grace Empowers Us to Overcome Sexual Idolatry
Disordered sexual desires are ultimately a problem of worship. We seek ultimate satisfaction from earthly things, which become our idols. This session shows how the gospel forgives our idolatries and adulteries and transforms us into worshipers whose greatest delight is in God.
Audio note: Due to some technical difficulties the first 20 minutes of this audio recording is poor quality. We are looking into ways make this content available with a better quality recording.
How Union with Christ Makes Us Change
Counseling is about helping people to change, but the change we as biblical counselors seek is unique. This session shows how change that will bear God glorifying fruit requires effort on our part and is firmly rooted in the gospel.
Abiding In Christ
How do we abide in Christ? What does it look like? How does it relate to maintaining a passion for him? This session examines what it means in John 15:1-11 when Jesus says that He is the vine and we are the branches.
God’s Reconciliation As The Foundation Of Our Peacemaking
Domination by the devil, disobedience, desire, death and demographic differences are at the root of our peace-breaking. This session shows how Christ’s cross and His Spirit address these issues as we counsel in humility, gentleness, patience and love.
Repentance – Don’t Counsel Without It
True repentance is essential for God-honoring change. This session will consider the Biblical data on repentance, draw some conclusions about the significance of this data for counseling and make concrete application for assignments in counseling.
Redemptive Church Discipline
Mutual accountability and discipline are God’s gifts and blessing to the church. This session explains the process of church discipline and discusses how to build a culture that values, understands and allows for this kind of accountability.
Peacemaking: The Supreme Display Of God’s Glory
How can you prepare people to live out the gospel in the conflicts of daily life? In these three sessions Ken Sande develops a vision for building a culture of peace in the local church. This is part 1.
Building A Culture Of Peace In The Local Church
How can you prepare people to live out the gospel in the conflicts of daily life? In these three sessions Ken Sande develops a vision for building a culture of peace in the local church. This is part 3.
A Biblical Theology Of Peacemaking
How can you prepare people to live out the gospel in the conflicts of daily life? In these three sessions Ken Sande develops a vision for building a culture of peace in the local church. This is part 2.
Counseling from Job 2
The book of Job is a powerful story of human suffering within the context of both demonic and divine interventions. It should be given serious attention as we seek to help Christians persevere under suffering. Part 2 focuses on the words and actions of Elihu and the Lord.
Counseling from Job 1
The book of Job is a powerful story of human suffering within the context of both demonic and divine interventions. It should be given serious attention as we seek to help Christians persevere under suffering. Part 1 focuses on the words and actions of Job and his 3 friends.
Counseling the Hurting from 1 Peter
Suffering is a part of a sovereign saving God’s plan. This session gives an overview of suffering from God’s perspective as outlined in the book of 1 Peter. It also unpacks specific texts to use in counseling those who are facing and suffering injustice.
Counseling the Terminally Ill
How can you help a terminally ill person face death with hope in Christ? This workshop discusses the need to speak the truth in love to the terminally ill for the purpose of building them up at the very time that their body or mind is wasting away.
The Heart of the Issue is the Issue of the Heart
Why is the heart pivotal in counseling and how do you deal with the heart? This session explores descriptions of the heart in both the Old and New Testament and discusses the Biblical counselors role in addressing heart issues through the Word of God.
The Role of Justification in Counseling
What flame can ignite motivation, what fuel can sustain hope that overpowers the pain of change? This session examines the powerful role of justification by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone as the impetus for radical life change.
Attitudes of a Transformed Heart 2
The attitudes and actions of a transformed heart flow out of a life transformed by the Holy Spirit. This 3-part series covers what to teach your counselees regarding loving God and others, discusses biblical principles and provides practical application.
Attitudes of a Transformed Heart 1
The attitudes and actions of a transformed heart flow out of a life transformed by the Holy Spirit. This 3-part series covers what to teach your counselees regarding loving God and others, discusses biblical principles and provides practical application.
Attitudes of a Transformed Heart 3
The attitudes and actions of a transformed heart flow out of a life transformed by the Holy Spirit. This 3-part series covers what to teach your counselees regarding loving God and others, discusses biblical principles and provides practical application.
A Family Surprised by Grace
The amazing grace of God as expressed through the good news of the gospel has a profound impact on all of life. This session is one man’s testimony of the impact of God’s surprising grace on his family and his church.
Seeing Your Justification Clearly
When we have a distorted view of reality, we suffer as a result. This session will unpack five truths that will help you develop a proper view of your reality in Christ as it is described in the doctrine of justification by faith.
Extending God’s Grace Through Hospitality
“Hospitality fleshes out love in a uniquely personal and sacrificial way.” This session will explore the command to all believers to show hospitality, examine several examples from the Scriptures and discuss how it opens up opportunities to share the gospel.
Institutions of Grace: The Local Church and Your Family
Which is more important, the local church or the family? This session discuss the relationship between the God-ordained institutions of the nuclear family and the local church, the responsibilities of each, and how they should operate in relation to one another.
Hope for Peter, You and Your Counselees
For effective counseling it is absolutely necessary to help counselees to hope in God. How can we help them to have hope in times of suffering? This session will serve as a model of how to use, understand and apply wisdom from 1 Peter 1:1-2:12 in counseling.
Self-Sacrificing Love
A handout detailing 20 aspects of the self-sacrificing love described in 1 Corinthians 13:4-8. The negative, positive and extra aspects of such love are detailed in rich description.
Are You a Fool?
A survey for self-reflection on 19 characteristics of the wise person portrayed in the book of Proverbs contrasted with their negative counterparts.
The Necessity of the Holy Spirit in Counseling
The work of the Holy Spirit is the only thing that can bring about lasting and God-honoring change. As biblical counselors we are dependent upon the Spirit to work powerfully in the entire counseling situation, both through us and in the lives of our counselees.
Continuationists, Cessationists, and Counseling
If the Holy Spirit is necessary in our counseling, what exactly is His role? What gifts does He employ? This session will briefly sketch the theological positions and identify how each position impacts our view of the Spirit’s role in counseling and the sufficiency of God’s Word.
The Past: Turning Satan’s Playground into a Battleground
Often the past is an enemy stronghold in people’s lives, hindering them from service and usefulness as well as straining relationships. This session explores biblical truths that can effectively help people battle the enemy and find strength and perspective through Christ.
Help for Jesus, You, and Your Counselees
How do we teach counselees to seek God’s help under pressure? Jesus provides us the perfect example to follow. This session will serve as a model of how to use, understand and apply wisdom from 1 Peter 2:13-3:22.
Making Peace With the Past and Our Inquiring Minds
If God is sovereign why do certain things happen the way they do? This message from Ecclesiastes expounds the truth of God’s sovereignty, the validity of wanting to know why, and God’s remedy for His children in this life.
Counseling and Spiritual Warfare
Spiritual warfare is an ever-present reality for the child of God. A balanced view of spiritual warfare can help both counselors and counselees. This session will examine the truths of spiritual warfare as it applies to the various dimensions of biblical counseling.
Sanctification: How Proper Worship Changes Habitual Desires
What wrong desires do you habitually battle? The premise of this seminar is that learning to live as a proper worshiper changes the stubborn desires of the heart. Many practical suggestions for what it means to live life worshiping properly will be given.
Does God Care How I Feel?
There is a biblical theology of the emotions which should play a critical role in much counseling. This workshop will address the subject of the emotions in the Christian life and lay the biblical-theological foundation for understanding the emotions.
Caring Because Christ Cares
Christ cares for his people so much that he was made like them in every respect. He did this that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest who can help them in their temptations. We are encouraged to care for others when we see how much Christ cares for them.
Caring for the Whole Person: Understanding the Influences of Nature & Nurture in Counseling
To what extent to our body (nature) and relationships (nurture) affect our hearts? This session discusses how God has created humans as complex creatures that exist in a social context. Counselors must learn to care for the whole person to counsel effectively.
What is Man?
From the beginning we are told that God created man in His own image. What does it mean to be an image bearer of God? This workshop explores the concept of Man as the Image of God and the practical implications for the counseling process.
The Inner Man and Outer Man Balance in Counseling
The Bible has a lot to say about the nature of man. This workshop explores the key components of man’s nature and the importance of balance in diagnosing and directing the counseling process so it comes to a successful conclusion.
Helping People Handle Their Emotions Through Truth
Emotions, though extremely powerful, do not need to control us. In this session we will explore Scriptural examples of how truth is used to control and even sanctify the emotions. This is the follow-up session to Does God Care About How I Feel?