Category Archives: Pastoral Resources
Since depression is common in the human experience, we must know how to navigate through our “valley times” with the Lord. In order to fight for biblical joy—while at the same time working through depression—personal discipline is required in six critical areas. Continue reading
Is depression purely a physiological condition of hormones or chemicals out of balance, or is there a heart/mind connection, or do both play a role? The experts have disagreed, so how do we as biblical counselors help those who suffer from depression? How can we help without pushing them further down into the quagmire of despair and shame? Continue reading
My good friend, David Murray, in a post entitled Maximizing and Minimizing Mental Illness, correctly indicated that a person’s view of mental illness could be wrongly explored from the perspective of sin maximizing or body minimizing. David further urged biblical counselors to clearly communicate their perspective. I write this post in response to David’s wise counsel. What perspective shapes a biblical counseling view…of life, of counseling, of people, of mental illness? Continue reading
As a medical doctor and biblical counselor, there is something I do need to talk about. A lot of questions have been raised about the relationship between terrible outcomes for struggling individuals and the attitude of the church toward the concept of mental illness. Some of what I have read has been constructive. Some of it has muddied the water. Continue reading
This post uses Paul’s example in Philippians 4 and a Christian saint’s example of contentment to offer guidance on how to pursue a more contented posture when we feel discontent. The post is directed toward women in particular. Continue reading
As a pastor or ministry leader, you may clearly recognize the need for church-wide discipleship, but convincing your people is another story. They may not intend to be stubborn; they just pursue their own ideas. And they resist change that doesn’t fulfill their vision of what their church should do. Here are two suggestions for building discipleship in such a church. Continue reading
Several years into this cascade, I was studying through Ephesians and the passage from chapter 4 hit me like a freight train. In the face of this incredibly clear passage I had to admit that I was laboring in the opposite direction to God’s design and purpose. I was dominating the work of service, intentionally or not, and the saints were left on the outside. The body of Christ was not being built up because the very means God had given for the construction had been short-circuited. Beyond the practical problems I cited earlier, I had to come to terms with the fact that I was neglecting a huge and vital task God had clearly assigned. Continue reading
Sadly, in some churches, the people of God are second-class citizens when it comes to the work of the ministry. If a “lay” person makes a hospital visit, that’s okay, but we want to know, “where’s my pastor!” Far too many “lay” people are recruited to fill a position and to fill a need, but not to fulfill a calling. Christ’s vision is so different. Pastors serve the people so God’s people can serve the congregation and community. Continue reading
In light of the passing of Matthew Warren, who took his life, and in light of much discussion in the Christian community about suicide and mental illness, we asked one of our BCC Council Board members, Dr. Jeremy Pierre, to share his perspective. As we do, we pray for Rick and Kay Warren as they find Christ’s hope in the midst of their grief. And we pray that Dr. Pierre’s insights would be helpful to the Christian community. Continue reading
Ministry success through knowledge, communication and giftedness, often leads to neglect of our real success, personal growth. What can be done to assure that we finish well? God promises personal, practical, transformational sustained spiritual growth to those who, in dependence upon the Spirit of God, continually meditate, activate, demonstrate, and evaluate both themselves and their doctrine (1 Timothy 4:15-16). Continue reading
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Practical Shepherding
A Blog from a Counselor for the Church
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Biblical Counseling For Women
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Changing Lives
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Justin Holcomb