Many people consider New Year’s Day an opportunity for a fresh start. We look to the future with hopes, dreams, and plans for something better. If that longing for a better future is born out of a difficult season or a difficult life, reflecting backward can seem unappealing or downright dreadful. However, for Christians, remembering key elements of our past can provide courage and motivation as we look to the future. Continue Reading →
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People often ask me, “What is the purpose of the Biblical Counseling Coalition (BCC) Summit?” My typical response involves something like, “Why does it have to have one purpose?” While the yearly BCC Leadership Summit always serves our broader mission of building unity in biblical counseling, the particular way in which we pursue that mission changes from year to year. There are three primary emphases we have when planning our Leadership Summit each year: community building, contending, and collaborating. Each of these emphases contributes to the BCC mission in unique ways. Continue Reading →
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The sentiment “If only I had known then what I know now” permeates the human experience. Time and again, in counseling and in general conversation, I hear some variation of the theme of regret over one’s past. This is not referring to particular regrets but a general regret that one’s past was wasted, damaged, or a complete loss. The comments tend to fall into one of three broad categories: regret that sin tainted one’s past, that suffering stole all or a significant portion of one’s past, or that one’s past was wasted in some other way. Without dismissing the real experiences of life, we need to encourage one another to redeem our pasts, not regret them. Continue Reading →
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Observation, interpretation, application: these three words are widely accepted as the basic format for personal Bible study. However, I’d like to propose a slight alteration to this framework. Rather than “observation, interpretation, application,” I propose approaching Bible study in terms of observation, interpretation, and transformation. This modification gets to the heart of the purpose of Bible study, avoids some common misunderstandings of how Scripture is to be applied, and helps students of God’s Word focus on whole-heart worship. Continue Reading →
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As a college professor overseeing the biblical counseling program, I often engage in the question of vocational opportunities for biblical counselors. The question of what opportunities are out there is one that rings in my ears both internally and externally. I feel the pressure internally because I care for my students; I want them to have bright futures and see fruit from the investment of their time, energy, and resources. The question comes at me from the outside with every perspective student luncheon I am blessed to participate in, usually from the parents. While I want this blog to be an encouragement to parents of future biblical counseling students and the students themselves, I am also targeting those leaders who have the ability to create jobs in the field of biblical counseling. I want you all to hear three main points: the pathways for employment in biblical counseling, the value of the work, and the call to create jobs creatively. Continue Reading →
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