As people face addictions, deal with loss and grief, and seek help in restoring broken relationships, where can they turn for counsel and assistance? The local church has been uniquely blessed with the gift of the gospel and is able to offer hope and counsel that no other institution on earth can. In Biblical Counseling and the Church, Bob Kellemen and Kevin Carson have assembled over twenty respected ministry leaders who examine the relationship between counseling and the church. This comprehensive resource, part of the Biblical Counseling Coalition series, helps leaders and counselors develop a vision that goes beyond being a church with a biblical counseling ministry to becoming a church of biblical counseling—a church culture that is saturated by “one-another” ministry. Divided into five parts, Biblical Counseling and the Church will help church leaders: Unite the pulpit ministry of preaching the Word with the personal ministry of the Word in counseling Offer practical and theological training to equip counselors Launch and lead a counseling ministry, regardless of the size of your church Bring together the relational focus of small group ministry with the ministry of care and counseling Better understand the relationship between biblical counseling, church discipline, and conflict resolution Learn how to use counseling in outreach through “missional” biblical counseling—moving biblical counseling beyond the doors of the church and into the world

Since the beginning of the biblical counseling movement in 1970, biblical counselors have argued that counseling is a ministry of the Word, just like preaching or missions. As a ministry, counseling must be defined according to sound biblical theology rather than secular principles of psychology. For over four decades, biblical theology has been at the core of the biblical counseling movement. Leaders in biblical counseling have emphasized a commitment to teaching doctrine in their counseling courses out of the conviction that good theology leads to good counseling…and bad theology leads to bad counseling. A Theology of Biblical Counseling is a landmark new book that covers the history of the biblical counseling movement, the core convictions that underlie sound counseling, and practical wisdom for counseling today. Dr. Heath Lambert shows how biblical counseling is rooted in the Scriptures while illustrating the real challenges counselors face today through true stories from the counseling room. A substantive textbook written in accessible language, it is an ideal resource for use in training biblical counselors at colleges, seminaries, and training institutes. In each chapter, doctrine comes to life in real ministry to real people, dramatically demonstrating how theology intersects with the lives of actual counselees.

In his preface to this challenging book Jeff Watson describes biblical counseling as "a noble adjective married to a nervous noun." Believers are wise to be skeptical of much that is done in the name of counseling in secular settings. Even under the umbrella of "Christian counseling," one has heard horror stories of cases where God's Word has been misused. But Jeff Watson makes a strong case in this volume for the legitimacy of marrying "biblical" and "counseling." Christian counselors, says Watson, need to cultivate three fundamental skills in their patients: How to tell their stories; How to choose their goals wisely; and How to practice changes in their lives. Watson helps counselors achieve these goals by drawing on the interactions of Christ, the commands of Scripture, and the actions of the apostles and prophets. Thus he marries counseling and biblical principles. To those of us who are called on to counsel on any level, Charles Swindoll says, "This book will become an invaluable tool for you. I urge you to let it become your manual for proper counseling."

The ministry of counseling is a ministry assigned to the Church. Even though the Lord “hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness,” the Church has been intimidated, swindled, and riddled with the influence of secular psychology and compromised counselors. As a result, she is almost powerless to deal properly with the problems of man. In this practical and one of a kind book which does not draw upon clinical and counseling psychology and psychiatry, the reader will be reintroduced to the pure spiritual means Christ has given to His Church to do the work of counseling. Christians serving or intending to serve in the counseling ministry will find useful answers to topics such as: Qualifications, Training, Authority, and Work of the Biblical Counselor Dealing with Clients Four Types of Clients the Bible Addresses Dealing With Clients Who Are Part of a Cult Arguments Clients Present and How to Handle Them Preparing for Sessions Frequent Cases: Adultery, Unruly Children, Addictions etc. Counseling Under the Authority of the Church Meeting with the Opposite Sex Charging for Counseling Why One Should Not Acquire State Licensure or Join Associations Assessing Clients and much more... May the uncompromising ministry of counseling once again flourish in its simplicity and power through the body of Christ to God’s glory as He intended!

Master the essentials of effective biblical counseling Christ-Centered Biblical Counseling is a comprehensive resource that will help you understand how to minister from God’s truth to change lives. With the cumulative wisdom of almost 40 contributors with exceptional credentials and experience, you’ll discover a valuable model for counseling that explains… The Why of Biblical Counseling Why the Bible is sufficient and relevant for addressing every issue we face Why biblical counseling is so effective in helping people face life’s struggles in Christ’s strength The How of Biblical Counseling How you can lead struggling, hurting people to the hope and strength available only in Christ How to counsel in a way that is Christ-centered and God-glorifying Every chapter provides a wonderful blend of theological wisdom and practical expertise, and is written to be accessible to everyone who wishes to extend Christ’s love to others—pastors, church leaders, counseling practitioners, instructors, lay people, and students. In this massively important new book…leading figures in the biblical counseling movement set forth a wealth of wisdom. We have needed this book for a long time. —Dr. R. Albert Mohler Jr., president, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary Christ-Centered Biblical Counseling is warm, personal, gentle, always wanting to listen and know the person, confident in the Spirit’s working through the Word of Christ. —Dr. Ed Welch, CCEF faculty, author of Shame Interrupted

“Equipping the body of Christ for personal ministry has been Bob’s life work. This practical, step-by-step manual is the mature fruit of that lifelong commitment.” —Paul David Tripp, author of Instruments in the Redeemer’s Hand Behind every spiritually fit church are leaders in the constant process of preparing other members to become counselors who nurture “one-another ministry.” But the success of this mission requires a practical, results-driven process for training the next generation to serve. In Equipping Biblical Counselors, pastor and counselor Bob Kellemen shares a proven strategy for envisioning, enlisting, equipping, and empowering new Christian counselors—a practical four-step process he has spent decades refining. With this book, Dr. Kellemen humbly comes alongside church leaders to help them assess their congregation’s strengths and weaknesses shepherd new leaders with confidence and wisdom encourage the consistent spiritual growth God longs to see in his followers Invest where it matters most! Equipping Biblical Counselors reveals the steps ministry leaders can take to fulfill the calling in Ephesians 4:11-16 to embolden the body of Christ to continue changing lives with his unchanging truth.

Pastors and biblical counselors who are seeking to faithfully lead, mentor, and guide their flocks in a rapidly changing cultural landscape will find clear direction and guidance from a team of Christian lawyers.

Beginning in the late 1960s, a biblical counseling movement sought to reclaim counseling for the church and provide a Christian alternative to mainstream psychiatry and psychotherapy. The Biblical Counseling Movement: History and Context is an informative and thought-provoking account of that movement. David Powlison's historical account ...

In this comprehensive account of biblical counseling, Jeremy Lelek recounts its history, discusses its beliefs, and provides insight for the future. Valuable for those both inside and outside of biblical counseling, Biblical Counseling Basics draws from a wide range of and experts to guide readers through Christian soul care.