Q&A: Forgiveness

Q: What does it mean when you say, “We forgive from the heart when confession is not made (Mark 11:25).” This seems to run counter to statements about transacted forgiveness when someone asks for forgiveness by acknowledging sin and one grants forgiveness based on that request. Could you please clarify this as I am a […]

Organizing Resources for Biblical Counseling, Part 2

A few weeks ago I made a case for organizing your biblical counseling resources (or any other discipling and teaching resources you use in caring for others). I had at least one request for the complete list of categories. So here it is. Most of the folders just have the articles and homework ideas sorted […]

Organizing Resources for Biblical Counseling

I don’t have OCD. Really. I don’t. (And denying it doesn’t mean that I do have OCD.) I just like things organized. So my personal library is organized by the Dewey Decimal System. I have more than 20,000 file cards (both printed and digital) of preaching illustrations organized by topic and biblical passage. I have […]

Help and Hope for the Anxious

On the first weekend in April, our church is hosting a one-day conference for our community. We are thrilled to have Stuart Scott as our speaker (he’s written an excellent booklet on the topic). There is no cost for the conference (and lunch is provided), but we do need all participants to register. More information […]

When you are angry

I have recently been re-reading David Powlison’s book, Good and Angry. I found two ideas to be particularly helpful. First, like a good biblical counselor, he reminds us readers to supplant sinful anger with a corresponding righteous replacement. And he reminds us of the nature of God to do that, drawing attention to God’s interaction […]

Praying for Ukraine

Note: This article was updated on March 3, from its original post on February 25. I have been graced to be able to take several trips overseas to teach the Scriptures: Cambodia, Germany, Uganda, Russia, Ukraine, Israel, and Dubai. When the opportunity to travel and teach is given, my first response is to ask my […]

Reflections on teaching overseas

Last week, Pastor Dan Kirk and I taught a course on Marriage and Family Counseling for the Gulf Theological Seminary in Dubai, UAE. The president of the seminary is Eric Zeller, a longtime friend and ministry co-laborer who we began supporting nearly a decade ago. The course was part of an emphasis GTS is making […]

Anger and its Progression

Given the vast number of words that have been identified with anger in the Scriptures (someone has identified more than 500 terms that reflect a form of anger), this may be an overly simplistic overview of the topic. But perhaps this provides you a good place to start thinking about what anger looks like and […]

The problem of emotions

Emotions are the whole-bodied (inner and outer man) response of a person’s values in and evaluations of given circumstances. [That’s a paraphrase from Brian Borgman.] The problem of our emotions is that they have been skewed by the Adamic fall and curse. They no longer operate righteously at all times. They are sorrowful when they […]

Counseling and first impressions

You only have one opportunity to make a first impression. Bad first impressions can be corrected, strengthened, or supplemented so that initial miscues aren’t lasting failures. As first impressions go, Job’s friends were masterful. When Job’s tragic circumstances became known, his friends came immediately to be with him (Job 2:11). No delay, no mental hesitation, […]

Sermon: Where We Go From Here

Where We Go From HereRomans 15:14-16August 15, 2021 What verse or passage of Scripture is most meaningful in your life? What verse has changed your life? There have been multiple verses that I have repeatedly referenced and found helpful: Jn. 14:27; Ps. 19:14; Eph. 5:25ff; 1 Pt. 3:7. And more. What are your “influential verses?” […]

My meeting with Jay Adams

Two days ago Jay Adams departed this earth and went Home. Many have started writing their personal recollections of him. I did not know him personally and was not his friend, but I met him on two occasions — the first of which had a significant impact on my life. To the best of my […]

Reflections on my recent trip

I arrived home from my trip with Eric Mock (SGA) and Pastor Dan Kirk to teach biblical counseling in Ukraine and Israel almost two weeks ago. I’m over the jet lag, back into my regular routine, and have had some time to reflect on the trip. Here are some things for which I am grateful: […]

Counseling Conference Audio is posted

Last weekend our counseling ministry, The Center for Biblical Counseling and Discipleship held the first weekend of our annual conference. This year, in addition to teaching the basic training sessions, which fulfill the preliminary requirements for certification with the Association of Certified Biblical Counselors, we also taught two additional tracks — a track covering all […]

Reflections on my recent trip to Russia and Israel

Earlier this month I took a trip to Siberia and Israel to teach biblical counseling with Pastor Dan Kirk and Eric Mock (SGA). I have traveled with these men previously and was particularly anticipating returning to one location in Siberia where we taught two years ago. The goal of the trip was two-fold: Finish a […]