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."

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 ...

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 Effective Biblical Counseling, Gold Medallion Award-winning author Dr. Larry Crabb presents a model of counseling that can be gracefully integrated into the functioning of the local church. He asserts that counseling is simply a relationship between people who care and that its goal is to free people to better worship and serve God. This book will show you how to help people achieve obedience and character growth in their lives, and establish a sense of personal worth and security along the way. Dr. Crabb says, "I believe that God has ordained the local church to be his primary instrument to tend to his people's aches and pains. In writing this book I have tried to be of practical help to Christians who want to be more effective in ministering to their suffering brothers and sisters."

Hurting people need help. But sometimes those who are faced with helping the hurting could use a little more information about the problems that needy people bring to them. The Quick-Reference Guide to Biblical Counseling provides the answers. It is an A-Z guide for assisting people-helpers--pastors, professional counselors, youth workers, and everyday believers--to easily access a full array of information to aid them in (formal and informal) counseling situations. Issues addressed include addictions, forgiveness, sexual abuse, worry, and many more. Each of the 40 topics covered follows a helpful eight-part outline and identifies: 1) typical symptoms and patterns, 2) definitions and key thoughts, 3) questions to ask, 4) directions for the conversation, 5) action steps, 6) biblical insights, 7) prayer starters, and 8) recommended resources. About the series The Quick-Reference Guides are A-Z guides that assist people-helpers--pastors, professional counselors, youth workers, and everyday believers--to easily access a full array of information to aid them in (formal and informal) counseling situations. Each of the forty topics covered follows a helpful eight-part outline and identifies: 1) typical symptoms and patterns, 2) definitions and key thoughts, 3) questions to ask, 4) directions for the conversation, 5) action steps, 6) biblical insights, 7) prayer starters, and 8) recommended resources.

Save over $40 when you buy all 36 June Hunt Hope for the Heart Biblical Counseling Library Minibooks. A $143 value for just $99. • Adultery: The Snare of an Affair • Alcohol and Drug Abuse: Breaking Free and Staying Free • Anger: Facing the Fire Within • Anorexia And Bulimia: Control That Is Out Of Control • Bullying: Bully No More • Codependency: Balancing an Unbalanced Relationship • Conflict Resolution: Solving Your People Problems • Confrontation: Challenging Others to Change • Considering Marriage: Are You Fit to Be Tied? • Decision Making: Discerning the Will of God • Depression: Emerging from Darkness into the Dawn • Domestic Violence: Assault on a Woman's Worth • Dyfunctional Family: Making Peace With Your Past • Fear: No Longer Afraid • Financial Freedom: How To Manage Money Wisely • Forgiveness: The Freedom to Let Go • Friendship: Iron Sharpening Iron • Gambling: Betting Your Life Away • Grief: Living at Peace with Loss • Guilt: Living Guilt-Free • Hope: The Anchor of Your Soul • Loneliness: How To Be Alone but Not Lonely • Manipulation: Cutting the Strings of Control • Marriage: To Have and To Hold • Parenting: Steps to Successful Parenting • Perfectionism: The Performance Trap • Overeating: Freedom From Food Fixation • Reconciliation: Restoring Broken Relationships • Rejection: Healing a Wounded Heart • Self-Worth: Discover Your God-Given Worth • Sexual Integrity: Balancing Your Passion with Purity • Singleness: How to be Single & Satisfied • Stress: How to Cope at the End of Your Rope • Success through Failure • Suicide Prevention: Hope When Life Seems Hopeless • Verbal and Emotional Abuse: Victory over Verbal and Emotional Abuse

Stimulating theology is an oxymoron for most people. "Theology" sounds like something for the severely intellectual, full of complicated ideas that escape the typical Christian reader. In reality, theology is meant to enhance our understanding of God. Most of the words that make up the Christian vocabulary are common words, drawn from the realities of life, and therefore are easily applicable to real life. Based on this premise four leading authors have come together to create this excellent volume. The Theological Wordbook tackles tough words, such as propitiation, regeneration, righteousness, and predestination, but it does so in a natural, plain-spoken manner designed to be enlightening rather than evasive. Also literally dozens of words you are likely to use every day, such as forgiveness, mind, peace, rest, family, truth, and guilt, have profound biblical value. Using The Theological Wordbook can enable you to more fully appreciate what the Bible teaches on these crucial topics and how each of these terms is relevant for life today. As this happens, your understanding of God will expand. And as the words you use, speak, and hear in the community of faith become more familiar, you will become more connected to your own spiritual heritage. The Theological Wordbook is the link between understanding God's Word in your head and accepting it in your heart.