Several years ago I got invited to speak at ACBC, the Association of Certified Biblical Counselors, about rebellious teenagers. Little did I know I was about to embark on a season in life when both my oldest and youngest sons went through seasons of rebellion. My oldest shared that he no longer believed what we had taught him, which in some ways sparked rebellion in his younger … [Read more...]
7 gospel-centered principles for protecting a marriage
Almost every marriage begins with joy as newlyweds anticipate sharing life together. Sadly, not all couples live happily ever after. A large percentage of marriages end in divorce. Other couples remain married but drift apart emotionally due to bitterness or mutual indifference. They share a name and a home, but not a life. How can you counsel engaged and newlywed couples to … [Read more...]
8 best practices for your church’s counseling ministry
Should I insist that this counselee attend a local church? How much time should our church invest in a counseling ministry? Should we counsel members of other churches? If your church has a counseling ministry, you’ve likely faced similar questions when counselees and other people attend your church’s care ministries but are not connected to the church body. The … [Read more...]
Painful hindsight: 6 pastoral lessons learned from a sex abuse scandal
I recently learned that a missionary whom I have known and trusted for twenty years has, for his entire adult life, been a sexual predator. He was respected, even revered, both by churches in the US and by thousands of people in the field. He used his position of power, influence, and trust to take advantage of women sexually. My wife and I made an emergency trip to the region … [Read more...]