Why don’t counselees from cultures other than ours feel like they fit in? Cross-cultural counseling faces a double-edged sword. First, the counselee must understand and trust a counselor they may not know. Second, they must feel culturally at home in the counseling session to prevent confusion. They must feel safe and comfortable enough to receive our counseling efforts. Continue Reading →
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Pain-racked, Job cries out in despair, “Where then is my hope” (Job 17:15). We might ask if we have ever felt that way. Circumstances of life, particularly trials and suffering, can easily diminish our hope by clouding our vision. When we find ourselves overwhelmed with confusion and despair, it is time to look up to God. John Crotts’ study of hope informs this response. Continue Reading →
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Embedded in the Lord’s story is a plan for listening through eight actions guiding our spiritual growth.[3] God wrote Scripture intending to mature us through this sacred process and no other. It is discipleship and soul care woven into a clearly articulated plan. Let’s look at each of these activities for a brief introduction to the roots of God’s spiritual growth process for our counseling. The activities are sequential; each one is necessary before the next one can be followed. Continue Reading →
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What’s your story? Each of our stories is an account of our life experience during our earthly sojourn. But Scripture focuses on the Lord of the story, who offers redemption and healing from the effects of sin. Soul care is our intervention into another’s experience in the Lord’s story. It is our response to His mercy by first listening, then ministering. Continue Reading →
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Part 1 of this series, “An Unmet Global Need,” revealed that an increasing number of people with disabilities are unable to go to church. One in six people is in danger of being cut off from Christian fellowship or never experiencing it. This group is the size of the continent of Africa! How can the church build a bridge from its front doors to unchurched people with disabilities? Continue Reading →
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