Biblical Counseling Institute: Recent Episodes
Every Christian knows what its like to struggle with the same sin time and time again. However, God's Word promises us that we do not have to fail when that old life-dominating temptation rears its ugly head. We do not have to succumb to the same old sickening sin. Why- Because God's promises and His Word are greater than the power of our sin-
As Christians, we are called to grow in Christ-likeness. Unfortunately, many experience frustration in their spiritual walk because they do not understand how God intends for them to change sinful habits, thoughts, and tendencies that stifle any spiritual progress. Consequently, their lives are unstable , their spiritual growth sporadic, and their attempts to help others are ineffective. This session will provide a clear explanation of how God has designed personal transformation to take place in a Christian's everyday life.
What keeps us from walking in constant victory- We are surrounded by distractions , temptations, and misguided thoughts that constantly plaque our heart and mind seeking to lure us away from Christ. The Bible speaks of the battle that wages both in and around us , the great struggle between the flesh and the spirit. In battle the things that are the most dangerous are the things that appear to be harmless. Perhaps this is why so many battles are lost-
Shipwreck beatings being stoned hired assassins murderous mobs utter heartbreak and extreme sadness poisonous snakes in chains over and over again. Through all of this, Paul's faith and devotion to God never faltered. he knew how to keep his feet firmly planted in Heaven. We'll explore how to live a life of victory just like Paul.
One of the most neglected doctrines in today's church is that of conversion. Yet, there can be no sanctification - becoming holy - without it. What is conversion, and why does it matter in biblical counseling-
Our goal in this break-out session is to see the connection that the Bible makes between grace and sanctification. How does grace connect to the effort and discipline required in progressive sanctification- How does the connection between moral effort and God's grace effect the ministry of counseling- How can we advocate discipline and obedience without becoming legalistic-
Resolving relational conflicts is more than simply a matter of learning some communication techniques. We must understand the inner dynamics involved in many of our conflicts. This session will open a window to the heart of the problem - ruling desires of the heart.
The temptations of the world can apply such a vice grip on our affections that Christians who often live their lives no differently than unbelievers. One antidote for getting sucked into the vortex of worldly desires is to instead cultivate a hunger for the glory of God. As we focus our hearts on seeing and savoring God's greatness and glory, and stoking the fires of displaying and magnifying God's glory in our lives, we flush out the ungodly desires of the world.
In 2 Timothy, Paul encouraged a young Timothy to stir up his gift, to replace fear with power, love and a sound mind, to not be ashamed of the Lord and to suffer for the Gospel, and to hold on to the truth. this session will teach counselors-disciple-makers how to encourage counselees to fight the good fight of faith in the midst of the most trying times. Paul was imprisoned in Rome feeling lonely and abandoned, knowing his earthly life was coming to an end soon. His last words to Timothy were to encourage him and all believers to persevere in faith. We will learn what it means to be strong in the grace of God. The goal is fighting by faith to win these battles, thereby glorifying God and sanctifying us.
In this session, Jim Newheiser discusses how to counsel the victim of abuse and the abuser.
In this session, Dr. Newheiser discusses how to help counselees to speak wisely and graciously.
The principles for resolving conflicts among believers is clear, but not always followed. What do biblical counselors do when one or both parties -or groups- refuse to do what Jesus commands- How may we lovingly serve them in this awkward time of their lives- When and how should church discipline be used-
Throughout civilization war has been a common thread, but so has been the hope of peace. Every war has promised hope of peace afterwards, but that peace is still overshadowed by the next war, the next struggle, the next trial. How can we find peace in he aftermath of war, and even in war itself- Is there a possibility of not only finding peace, but having peace in the midst of the storms of life- Haggai calls the people to consider their ways, return to the Lord, obey Him regardless of the storms, and keep their eyes on the One who will bring an everlasting peace that that will never be overshadowed by the threats of war. Finding peace in war means keeping our eyes on Christ the promised King.
There is nothing new under the sun, but that does not mean that every counselor has experience with all the various problems that people face as they live in a troubled world. This session will explain what counselors can do to offer practical care when they are confronted with a new problem they have never addressed before and need to know how to help.
One of the most difficult counseling problems is also one of the most common. Counselees who have been sinned against often understand that they must forgive, but do not know how to do that. This session will explore how counselors can help their bitter counselees know how to lay hold of forgiveness in a challenging situation.
Biblical counselors must address sin and suffering as they deal with troubled people. But knowing how to address these, and in what order can be challenging. This session will look at a biblical approach to addressing sin and suffering in the lives of counselees.
Counseling is about change. That means it is important for counselors to be able to evaluate if their counselees is experiencing authentic change. In this session we will look at biblical evidence for real change so that we can better determine the progress of our counselees.
The battle with anxiety is part of our fallen, sinful condition which everyone of us faces to one degree or another. It is estimated that 23 million Americans suffer from panic attacks. Therefore, it is helpful and encouraging to realize that the Bible honestly addresses this aspect of our fallen condition, including its negative effects on the human body, mind, and spirit.
As data is being gathered in counseling sessions, the next challenge is to analyze the data so as to draw some conclusions where change is needed in the counselee-s life. Due to the spiraling nature of sin, problems become more and more complex. Therefore, it is helpful to sort things out by organizing the data into different categories in order to get to the root problem in the counselee-s life. This session will introduce a worksheet that can be used by counselors for this purpose.
Giving hope is of critical importance to helping people. Doing it right may just be a crucial component in successful counseling. Discover why the way that we're all naturally inclined to give hope is likely more damaging than helpful. And we'll unpack a number of Scripture verses that are simply overflowing with hope-
How do we deal with the perplexities of life and find hope when we are suffering- Habakkuk saw the economy falling apart and his nation heading for destruction -much like our world today-. He was tempted to fear and to respond angrily at God-s seeming inaction in the world. He wanted to see God do something more- But then he looked up by faith and all of his fears vanished. We can help counselees to keep from doubting God and sinning against Him by using Habakkuk-s example as a life lesson for trusting God even in the worst of circumstances. Through Habakkuk-s narrative, we can help counselees move from doubt and fear to faith in the most perplexing of circumstances.
Internet pornography is an epidemic within the church, as well as one of the most common life-dominating sins that a counselor will encounter. In this session we will discuss how to help counselees mortify the sin of internet pornography.
Significant progress in counseling begins when believing counselees start to grasp the reality of their new identity in Christ. They are not on their own. Their progress doesn-t depend on their own strength. They are not stuck in their problems. They are forgiven, indwelt by the Holy Spirit, dead to the power and penalty of sin, supplied with divine grace to please and honor God, and so on. When they truly grasp the power and significance of their union with Christ and other powerful truths about their new identity, they will grow in hope, encouragement, strength, and confidence that they can overcome the most debilitating life problems.