Missions Rising / Jan-Mar 2019 by Renovate Resources

Jan-Mar 2019 Volume 4 Issue 1

The Foundation for Biblical Christian Counseling By Tom Cheyney Executive Director of Missions

Planting Churches Without Denominational Dollars By Mark Weible Church Planting Director

www.MissionsRising.com www.GOBA.org

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FEATURES

The Foundation for Biblical Christian Counseling By Tom Cheyney

Planting Churches Without Denominational Dollars By Mark Weible

Jan-Mar 2019 Volume 4 Issue 1

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Welcome to the Missions Rising Magazine:

The Bi-monthly Resource Magazine from Central Florida for Pastors, Staff, and Church Leaders!

Volume 4, No. 1

Missions Rising is published bi-monthly by the Greater Orlando Baptist Association 1906 West Lee Road Orlando, FL 32810 Email: goba@goba.org

Publisher Dr. Tom Cheyney Associate Publisher Mark Weible Associate Publisher Circulation & Marketing Ashleigh Cheyney Executive Editor & Brand Manager Tom Cheyney Magazine Designer & Format Editor Gerald Brown & Ashleigh Cheyney

The Missions Rising Magazine for the Greater Orlando Baptist Association is going quite well and I could not be more excited! Ever since I arrived some seven and a half years ago, I wanted to replace the newsletter with a more resource focused magazine. In the beginning stages, we created what we called the Re-Source Magazine which was a document not a magazine. It has taken time for our staff to stretch to the level of expertise to afford us the opportunity to develop such a premier magazine for an association. This magazine is free to anyone and is launched with the intent of providing Just-In-Time Resourcing for pastors, staff and church leaders. Our goal every other month is to provide you with a large resource on a specific subject, that is usable for pastors and deacons to equip the staff and laity. Additionally, there will be an accompanying article about half the size of the main issue that will focus on a tool for the local church. We encourage you to spread the word to your staff and church leaders about subscribing to this magazine. Simply go to: goba.org and look for the Missions Rising icon on the top header. As your mission partner and GOBA family, it is a great blessing to be able to provide you with such a cutting edge resource on a regular bases. Stay connected, more is coming... This issue is focused around:

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The Foundation for Biblical Christian Counseling

Dr. Tom Cheyney is the Executive Director of Missions for the Greater Orlando Baptist Association and serves as the Executive Editor for the Missions Rising Magazine.

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The Foundation for

Biblical Christian

Counseling By Tom Cheyney Recently there has been a lot of discussion around Central

Florida about what it means to be a Biblical Christian Counselor. Stating one’s commitment to the faith does not make you a Biblical Christian Counselor. We are living in a day where, at times, we all need a biblical counselor to help us with the dysfunctionalism many of us have experienced from our family heritage. Such baggage has wired us the way we are. Some of it good and some of it bad. There will be times as a pastor when you will need to refer church members, friends of the church, and extended family members to a qualified biblical Christian counselor. Have you thought about what the difference is between Biblical Counseling and Christian Counseling? Let’s consider this distinction. True biblical counseling is done by believers who base their counsel on God’s Word, as opposed to counselors who, though they may be believers, base their counsel on secular philosophies. The Apostle Paul said that he had not neglected to proclaim the whole counsel of God (Acts 20:27). What was the counsel the Apostle Paul offered? The entirety of God’s Word. Biblical Christian Counselors believe that the Holy Bible is the inspired Word of God and that it is the final absolute authority regarding faith and practice: All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righ-

teousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work (1 Timothy 3:16-17, NKJV). Biblical Christian counselors do not view the Bible as something to try and see if it works, nor do they view it as an option among others to be explored. It is the inspired Word of the one and only God. It is the answer to every need.

The Foundation for Biblical Christian Counseling Would it not be easier if the Lord had given us “The Book of Counseling” in scripture? While that would have been much easier for all of us it would have robed us of searching the scriptures for the anchors and truths we need. The foundations and essentials of biblical counseling are formulated from scriptural precepts and examples, including the greatest example of all, that of our wonderful Counselor, the Lord Jesus Christ. There are three Hebrew words translated “counsel” in scripture. Taken together, they mean to deliberate, resolve, advise, guide, determine, purpose, consult, instruct, and plan. There are five Greek verbs for the word “counsel” which, when summarized, mean to beseech, exhort, encourage, comfort, admonish, and warn. All of these are components of biblical counseling.

There are basically three approaches to counseling: 1) Expert knowledge: Based on research, education, and the work of secular psychologists. 2) Common or traditional knowledge: Based on experience, observation, or knowledge passed down by traditions or previous generations. 3) Divine knowledge: Based on God’s Word. Although the first two may have some merit, it is divine knowledge based on God’s Word that provides the foundation and essentials of Biblical Christian Counseling. This type of counseling is rooted in what the Word of God teaches regarding acceptable behavior, positive relationships, problem-solving, and conflict resolution. When a pastor or church staff member recommends a Christian Counselor to a member of the church there are a few premises that must be acknowledged: •The counselor must be a believer. You cannot provide adequate scriptural counsel if you have not been born-again as detailed in John chapter 3. As a believer, your mind is renewed so you can understand the things of God that unbelievers cannot comprehend. You are then empowered to counsel with the ability of the mind of Christ: The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned. The spiritual man makes judgments about all things…For who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:14-16). •The counselee must be a believer. Unbelievers cannot understand, receive, and act upon scriptural counsel with an unregenerate mind. A personal relationship with Jesus Christ is fundamental to the biblical resolution of problems. •Biblical counsel is based on God’s Word. It is not your experiences, ideas, or expertise that will help a counselee. It is not applying secular psychological models that transforms lives. It is the Word of God that effects true change:

Reproof- by which we become aware of our sinful condition through the conviction of the Holy Spirit, without which there will be no real and lasting change. Correction- by which we learn how to overcome sinful habits, failures, and weaknesses, putting off the old, sinful life-style of the flesh. Instruction in righteousness- adapting a lifestyle which includes continuous study of God’s Word, regular prayer, and involvement in a fellowship of true believers. Secular counseling is void of this life-changing Word of God. •The counselee must agree to the authority of God’s Word. The person you are counseling may be a believer, but may reject a portion of the Word of God because they don’t want to act upon what it says. They may want to retain sinful emotions such as anger and unforgiveness, continue harmful habits and addictions, or refuse to sever sinful relationships. Others want to do things their own way. Good advice for them is: You got to where you are today by doing what you have done. How has that worked for you? If you want things to change, you must do something different!

The Bible warns that: …the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables (2 Timothy 4:3-4, KJV). Some people will not endure, receive, and act upon sound doctrine. They do not want to hear the truth. Many people seek counselors who will agree with what they want to do rather than tell them what God says they should do. The biblical counselor can provide only limited help to those who do not agree to the authority of the Word. The Bible is quite clear that because… …they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the Lord: They would none of my counsel: they despised all my reproof. Therefore, shall they eat of the fruit of their own way, and be filled with their own devices (Proverbs 1:29-32, KJV).

…so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it (Isaiah 55:11).

Even Jesus could not minister effectively in His own home town because of unbelief (Matthew 13:58). People continue in their problems because they reject the Word of the Lord. If a person refuses the Word, they are not rejecting the counselor. They are rejecting God Himself (1 Samuel 8:7).

The Scripture declares that it is profitable for:

•Biblical counseling is not done on the basis of human

Doctrine- by which one can know truth, and it is the truth that sets people free.

wisdom.

We counsel on the basis of divine wisdom from God “In whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Colossians Continued on Page 12

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2:3, KJV). The Apostle Paul declared: And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God. Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought (1 Corinthians 2:4-6, KJV). This supernatural wisdom is based on the fear of the Lord: “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow his precepts have good understanding” (Psalm 111:10). The fear of the Lord is loving reverence for God, His person, His Word, and His actions (Malachi 1:5-6). When you fear God, you obey His Word (Ecclesiastes 12:13); walk in His ways (Deuteronomy 8:6); serve Him (Joshua 24:14); and depart from evil (Proverbs 3:7-8). •Biblical counsel aims for complete change. When David came to God seeking forgiveness for sin, he didn’t ask for a patched up version of his old self. He prayed, “Create in me a clean heart”–the word “create” means something new (Psalm 51:10). The Bible assures: Therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new (2 Corinthians 5:17, KJV). The counselor is not the one who effects change. The counselee does not change himself through self-effort. It is God that supernaturally changes a person from the inside out, creating a new creature in Christ. Not a patched-up version of the old person, but a completely new person! •Biblical counselors believe people are responsible

for their own actions.

God is not interested in excuses for sinful behavior. He judges mankind on the basis of their response to Jesus Christ and whether or not their names are inscribed in the book of life: And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire (Revelation 20:12-15, KJV).

All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned everyone to his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all (Isaiah 53:6, KJV). Do not settle for tears of sorrow from a counselee who was caught in sin and is reaping the results. Don’t accept excuses such as “that is just the way I am” or “I am this way because of my parents.” Don’t allow counselees to shift blame for their behavior to others. We are not invited to deal with sin, rather we are commanded to deal with it. The precepts given by God in His Word are not suggestions to consider. They are commandments that, when accepted and acted upon, have the power to change a person’s life and eternal destiny. •Biblical counseling equips you to counsel others. The difficulties you experience for which you receive and act upon biblical counsel prepare you to help others: Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God (2 Corinthians 1:3-4, KJV). All of the challenges you have experienced in your journey through life have prepared you to be competent to counsel. It is time to pass on to a needy world the comfort, encouragement, and help you have experienced through God and His Word. You have come into the Kingdom for such a time as this (Esther 4:14).

The Problem with the Biblical/Christian Counseling Distinction In the counseling world amongst American Evangelicals there are two types of counseling that are prominent: “Christian” counseling and “Biblical” counseling. “Christian” counseling is defined generally by a website as follows: As a general rule…Christian counseling…[desires] to help people overcome their problems, find meaning and joy in life, and become healthy and well-adjusted individuals, both mentally and emotionally.

•Biblical counseling deals with sin which is the root

In contrast to “Christian” counseling, there is “Biblical” counseling which is defined:

Secular reasoning would suggest that we have “problems” instead of sins. Many problems, however, are actually sin issues–

Biblical Counseling is the process where the Bible, God’s Word, is related individually to a person or persons who are strug-

of dysfunction.

either the sin of the counselee or the sins of others committed against them. Biblical counseling will identify sin issues and deal with them scripturally. The Bible says: “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?” (Jeremiah 17:9, KJV). The solution to the sin problem is not rehabilitation, education, or legislation. It is regeneration through Jesus Christ:

gling under the weight of personal sin and/or the difficulties with suffering, so that he or she might genuinely change in the inner person to be pleasing to God.

•Christian counselors do not see the church as essential in counseling. Instead they see themselves as professionals who are the only ones qualified to serve counselees in this manner.

Biblical counseling works in three areas: confrontation (where the counselor instructs and guides the counselee from the Scriptures), concern (where the counseling is always done for the benefit of the counselee), and change (where counseling is done because there is something in the counselee’s life that fails to meet the standards of Scripture, and prevents them from glorifying God in their life). Biblical counselors often express concern in the way Christian counselors conduct counseling with their counselees, and often mention the lack of Scriptures in their counseling. John MacArthur and Wayne Mack mention five specific concerns of Christian counselors:

The question remains: what do we call Christian/Biblical counselors who embrace a Secular-Humanistic worldview? There are some Christians who disagree that the Bible should be used to help us solve our counseling-related problems. Christians who rely—to one degree or another—on the counseling insights of secular people have been called integrationists, Christian counselors, and Christian psychologists—among other things.

•Christian counselors look at the Bible as an “inspirational resource,” but the techniques they use come from secular resources. •Christian counselors ignore many of the attributes of God such as His holiness, righteousness, sovereignty, and instead focus more on His love. •Christian counselors promote some “need” the counselee has to fulfill, rather than dealing with sin in a person, and their desire for God and His will for them. Ultimately, this will give the most satisfaction. •Christian counselors see Jesus, and the gospel, as the tool to heal wounds and hurts of the mind, and rather than as the Savior who forgives sins.

The Basis of Biblical Counseling The principles and examples provided within the pages of God’s Word provide the basis for biblical counseling. These include scriptural models of biblical counselors. Jesus is the greatest model of a biblical counselor. As we look at Christ’s ministry, we see that His goal in every encounter was to effect change that would result in abundant life. At the beginning of His ministry, Jesus declared: The Spirit of the Lord [is] upon Me, because He has anointed Me [the Anointed one, the Messiah] to preach the good news (the Gospel) to the poor; He has sent Me to announce release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to send forth as delivered those who are oppressed [who are downtrodden, bruised, crushed, and broken down by calamity], To proclaim the accepted and acceptable year of the Lord [the day when salvation and the free favors of God profusely abound] (Luke 4:18, AMP).

Continued on Page 16

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The following, qualities vital to effective counseling, were evident in the ministry of Christ: -He loved people: John 3:16. -He confronted people when necessary: Matthew 8:26; 18:15; John 8:3-11. -He did not condemn people: John 8:11. -He sought to save those who were lost: Luke 19:10. -He ministered abundant life: John 10:10. -He destroyed the works of the devil: 1 John 3:8. -He spoke only what God told Him to speak: John 12:49. -He spoke with authority: Matthew 7:29. -His ministry was empowered by prayer: Luke 5:15-16; 6:12-13. -He had compassion: Mark 1:41; 6:34; 8:2. -He ministered in power: Luke 5:17. -He made people take personal responsibility for their problems: Luke 5:24; John 5. -He dealt with root causes: In Mark 2:5 He forgave sins first, then dealt with other needs. Volumes have been written on counseling, from both Christian and secular viewpoints, and much of it is quite complex. As we look at the ministry of Jesus, however, we see that His encounters were simple, powerful, direct, and the results were immediate. He never referred people to secular resources, nor did He tell them it would take a long time for them to receive help. The Apostle Paul is another great example of a biblical counselor. He said, “For you know that we dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children, encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God, who calls you into his kingdom and glory” (1 Thessalonians 2:11-12). Paul’s efforts were successful because, as he continues to explain, “… when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is at work in you who believe” (1 Thessalonians 2:13-14). This is a perfect model of biblical counseling: A counselor who dispenses the Word of God as tenderly as a father deals with his own children and counselees who receive and act upon what is shared from the Word of God. If you read through the Book of Acts and the Epistles of the Apostle Paul, every person to whom Paul ministered received immediate help. here were no long-term counseling sessions and no referrals to secular sources of help. Many people believe it will take a long time for them to receive help simply because someone has told them it will take a long time.

Old Testament Principles Related to Counseling Here are some references in the Old Testament directly related to counseling: -The counsel of God comes through the Word: Psalm 119:24, 105. -God is mighty in counsel: Jeremiah. 32:19; Psalm. 16:7. -God’s counsel shall stand forever: Psalm 33:11; Proverbs

19:21; Isaiah 46:10. -Jesus Christ is called the Wonderful Counselor: Isaiah 9:6; 11:2. -The Holy Spirit is our resident counselor: Isaiah 40:13. -The counsel of the Lord directs the path of the believer: Psalm 73:24; 85:13;Proverbs 3:5,6. -The believer is not to walk in the counsel of the ungodly: Psalm 1:1. -It is beneficial to seek counsel from godly people: Proverbs 11:14; 15:22; 24:6.

New Testament Principles Related to Counseling Here are some references in the New Testament directly related to counseling: -The Scriptures were written for our counsel: Romans 15:4; 1 Corinthians 10:11; 2 Timothy 3:10,17. -God’s counsel is immutable–meaning it does not change: Hebrews 6:17. -Jesus, the Counselor, prayed that the Father would send another Comforter, the Holy Spirit: John 14:16,26; 15:26; 16:7. -Part of the ministry of pastors is to counsel their people: 1 Thessalonians 5:12. -Believers are to counsel one another: Romans 15:14; Colossians 3:16. -Children are to be counseled in the ways of the Lord: Ephesians 6:4. -Exhortation is one of the responsibilities of the church: Romans 12:8. -The word “admonition”, meaning counsel, is used in 1 Corinthians 10:11; Ephesians 6:4; and Titus 3:10. -The term “to admonish” is used in Acts 20:31; Romans 15:1-4; 1 Corinthians 4:14; Colossians 1:28; 3:16; 1 Thessalonians 5:12,14.

Areas Where Biblical Counselors and Christian Counselors Often Disagree Granted there are areas where a Christian Counselor who does not seek to stand on the Word of God in their counseling procedures still agree with Biblical Counselors. Yet, there are two central areas of disagreement: 1. Biblical Counselors and Christian Counselors Disagree on the Necessity of Secular Counseling Techniques In spite of our agreement on the ability of psychologists to make true observations, our two movements continue to disagree on whether it is necessary to augment the Scriptures with secular counseling practices. The position of Christian counselors on this matter is clear. Just one example is the work of Mark McMinn in Integrative Psychotherapy: Toward a Comprehensive Christian Approach. He says: By way of analogy, consider the temperature system in an automobile. On one end of the continuum is hot air and on the other end is cool air. Often a person selects a temperature in the middle, mixing the hot and cool air for the desired effect. The climate is more desirable and adaptable by combining both sources of air than it could be if only one source of air were

available. . . . In this analogy we are considering two sources of information: psychology and Christian faith. To what extent do we let the “air” from both systems mix in order to achieve an optimal balance? Or should we trust only one source of information and not the other? Reciprocal interaction involves the assumption that caring for people’s souls is best done by bringing together truth from both sources.

how neurons work, how the brain synthesizes mathematical or emotional information, the types of memory, or the best way to conceptualize personality traits. Because Scripture and the accumulated wisdom of the church in theology leave many areas of uncertainty in understanding and helping humanity, we approach psychology expecting that we can learn and grow through our engagement with it.

McMinn is one of the leading Christian counselors today. He bases his integrative approach on the assumption that it is necessary to add secular counseling techniques to biblical ones in order to provide the best help for struggling people.

Jones’s logic is apparent. Because the Bible lacks information Christian counselors believe to be pertinent to counseling, they move toward psychology, expecting it to fill in the gaps.

Then there is the argument of someone like David Powlison, also one of the leading biblical counselors today. Powlison has a very different position from the one advocated by McMinn: Do secular disciplines have anything to offer to the methodology of biblical counseling? The answer is a flat no. Scripture provides the system for biblical counseling. Other disciplines— history, anthropology, literature, sociology, psychology, biology, business, political science—may be useful in a variety of secondary ways to the pastor and the biblical counselor, but such disciplines can never provide a system for understanding and counseling people. Whereas McMinn believes it is required to add secular counseling techniques to Scripture in order to be maximally effective, Powlison responds to this suggestion with a “flat no.” I see no evidence that biblical and Christian counselors are any closer together on this issue than they have ever been.

Areas Where Biblical and Christian Counselors Agree Biblical counselors and Christian counselors have had their fair share of disagreements over the years. Because that is true, it’s easy to lose sight of all the areas of agreement between biblical and Christian counselors. 1. Biblical Counselors and Christian Counselors are Conservative Biblical counselors and Christian counselors have, for the most part, been located in Christian circles marked by conservatism. More often than not, we have agreed on the theological realities most central to Christianity, such as the creation of the world by God, the inspiration of the Scriptures, the virgin birth of Christ, his sinless life, his payment for sins through his death and resurrection, and the indwelling nature of the Holy Spirit. Such agreement is not insignificant. Biblical counselors and Christian counselors have the most important things in common—we are brothers and sisters in Christ.

2. Biblical Counselors and Christian Counselors Disagree on Whether the Bible is a Sufficient Counseling Resource

2. Biblical Counselors and Christian Counselors Care for Hurting People

The foundational reason for this dispute is due to the second area of fundamental disagreement between biblical and Christian counselors: the question of whether the Bible is a sufficient counseling resource. Christian counselors believe that secular counseling strategies are a necessary adjunct to the Bible. They do not believe that the Scriptures are a sufficient counseling resource. This is the argument of Stan Jones in article he wrote:

Biblical and Christian counselors care for hurting people in need of help. We all want to offer the best care possible. When we as counselors debate our positions, we are not doing what comes most naturally to us (perhaps that is the reason we often have done it so poorly). Every counselor I know—regardless of their theoretical commitments—has been motivated into counseling by heartbreak over the pain people experience in this fallen world. Our disagreements, while often strong, have sprung from the same desire to offer help.

There are many topics to which Scripture does not speak—

Continued on Page 20

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3. Biblical Counselors and Christian Counselors Affirm the Practice of Psychology Biblical and Christian counselors agree that psychologists make true observations that are often helpful. Few have doubted that Christian counselors embrace this view. Many have doubted that biblical counselors agree with it. Those doubts notwithstanding, a belief in the helpful nature of psychological observations goes back as far as the foundational ministry of Jay Adams. The vast majority of biblical counselors today accept that the modern biblical counseling movement began with the ministry of Jay Adams, particularly in the publication of Competent to Counsel. In the very first pages of that book Adams wrote: I do not wish to disregard science, but rather I welcome it as a useful adjunct for the purposes of illustrating, filling in generalizations with specifics, and challenging wrong human interpretations of Scripture, thereby forcing the student to restudy the Scriptures. However, in the area of psychiatry, science largely has given way to humanistic philosophy and gross speculation. Adams does two things here: He affirms the use of science in areas like psychiatry. He also states the nature of any objections he might have whenever they arise. He goes on to say that, essentially, he does not like bad science. When one’s secular vision of life (i.e., humanistic philosophies and gross speculation) crowds out actual scientific observation, Adams grows concerned. I think this is essentially the view all biblical counselors have about science in general and psychology and psychiatry in particular. In spite of all the accusations in this regard, I am aware of no biblical counselor who outright rejects the findings of psychology. This is an area of agreement between our two camps. 4. Biblical Counselors and Christian Counselors Agree That Secular Psychology Gets Things Wrong This point is on the other end of the continuum from the previous one. Few have doubted that biblical counselors embrace this belief. Many, I think, would be surprised to discover that Christian counselors embrace it as well, but they do. Stanton Jones and Richard Butman have written in Modern Psychotherapies: A Comprehensive Christian Appraisal: This “destructive” mode of functioning is vital, in many ways, for Christians today. There are times when the best response of the Christian is to “demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God” (2 Cor. 10:5). But we contend that the appropriate time for such apologetic efforts is when the views actually are raised up against God. In other words, when the views of romantic humanist Carl Rogers, for instance, are presented as ultimately satisfying answers to the major questions of life, the right Christian response is to point out critical flaws in the ap-

proach and to reject his views. Our brothers and sisters in Christ, like Stanton Jones and Richard Butman, are not wholly given over to secularism as some have slanderously charged. They have a strong desire to think carefully and biblically about how to filter out secular visions of life. We might have disagreements about how best to do this, but we should admit that we all are trying to place the Bible in authority over psychology. Whenever biblical counselors have not been honest about this, we should repent. 5. Biblical Counselors and Christian Counselors Agree That Not All Problems Are Counseling Problems We all agree that the presence of a problem does not mean that the solution for that problem is necessarily counseling. To say it a bit differently, both biblical and Christian counselors believe that people have physical problems that require medical treatment. Any faithful Christian will confess that it is important to minister to the souls of people enduring medical difficulties. This is different from denying the presence of physical problems and the necessity of treating them with medical care. This observation is important. Some believe that asserting the profound relevancy of Scripture for solving problems rules out legitimate medical care. Both biblical and Christian counselors advocate for the necessity of proper medical care to treat physical disorders.

When Christian counselors and biblical counselors agree, the basis of that agreement is theological. When we agree that the discipline of psychology makes true observations, that agreement is based on a theological commitment that God has given grace to all people (believers and unbelievers alike) to understand true things. When we agree that the discipline of psychology gets many things wrong, that agreement is based on a theological commitment that sin has so stained the thinking of human beings, we cannot see many crucial realities without the enabling of divine grace. When we agree that not all problems are counseling problems, that agreement is based on a theological conviction that people are physical and spiritual beings and can be afflicted with problems in both aspects of their nature. When biblical counselors and Christian counselors disagree, the basis of that conflict is also inherently theological. Biblical and Christian counselors debate the necessity of secular counseling resources and the sufficiency of biblical resources because of different theological commitments about the contents of Scripture. When biblical and Christian counselors advocate their competing positions, they are making a statement about the contents of Scripture. This is a theological claim requiring theological knowledge, demanding a theological investigation, and resulting in clear articulation of a theological position. The point of all this is

to show that counseling is necessarily theological. Engaging in counseling practice is a theological engagement. Evaluating and debating with various counseling practitioners, whether secular, Christian, or biblical, is a theological enterprise. The “Christian” Counselor uses the truth of the Bible: Because a Christian believes the truth of God mentioned above, this affects how one lives in the world. If a person is a Christian/ Biblical counselor they understand the word of God is described as truth (Ps. 119:43, 142, 151, 160). To the Christian, counseling from the truth of God’s word is essential to guiding their counselees. The source of how to observe problems, and the solutions for them, must be observed from a Biblical perspective. The word “Christian” carries with it Biblical beliefs: If a person is a Christian they hold (or should hold) to certain Biblical beliefs, which among them are: The inspiration of Scripture (2 Tim. 3:16), the inerrancy of Scripture (Ps. 18:30), the Triunity of God (Deut. 6:4; Isa.48:12-16), the divinity of Christ (Jn. 1:1-3, 14-16; 8:58), the virgin birth (Isa. 7:14 Matt. 1:18-23), the penal-substitutionary atonement of Christ (Isa. 53:1-10), the resurrection of Christ (Isa. 53:10; Jn. 2:19-20), etc. These are beliefs Jesus Himself taught, that are revealed in Scripture, and a Christian should teach and confess these beliefs.

Biblical Counseling Services Recommended by the Greater Orlando Baptist Association: South Orlando Counseling – A Ministry of South Orlando Baptist Church (407) 859-1536 ext.133

Karla Elgin is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in the State of Florida. She received her Master of Arts in Marriage and Family Counseling from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. She is clinically trained, biblically sound, and Christ-centered in her approach to counseling. Karla’s

website: www.karlaelgin.com. A confidential and biblically based professional counseling service is available that provides guidance and encouragement to adults, adolescents, children, and families. It is affiliated with and supported by South Orlando Baptist Church. Counseling is open to all individuals, regardless of religious affiliation or church membership.

Beverly Coper Christian Counseling LMHC beverlycooperlmhc@gmail.com Cell 321-945-6540

First Orlando Counseling

3125 Bruton Boulevard Orlando, Fl 32805 Counselors@Firstorlando.com (407) 514-4470 At First Orlando Counseling Center, their purpose is to provide clinically competent and truth-based counseling to restore and enhance the emotional, psychological, and spiritual health of individuals, marriages, and families. Their team of certified counselors and therapists are here to provide supportive counseling, including marital and relational, as well as relief from obstacles such as anxiety, depression, grief, and trauma. They also specialize in assessments to test for disorders and learning disabilities and guidance for you or your child based on these assessments. We all face struggles of many kinds. They offer a wide range of Professional Counseling Services through a Christian perspective, and they aim to help you according to your specific needs in a safe and caring environment. We are dedicated to guiding you to a place of healing and wholeness, peace and victory. Their services address a wide range of topics and ages: Marriage & Relationships, Family & Parenting, Children & Adolescents, Abuse, Addiction, Anger Management, Anxiety, Depression, Grief & Loss, Gender & Sexual Identity, Trama & Psychological Trauma, Post-traumatic Stress, and ADD & ADHD.

Dr. Tom Cheyney is the Executive Director of Missions for the Greater Orlando Baptist Association and serves as the Executive Editor for the Missions Rising Magazine. He is the Founder & Directional Leader of the Renovate National Church Revitalization Conference and provides various training events designed for the local church.

MISSIONS RISING! 6 REMARKABLE TOOLS TO FORTIFY THE PASTOR WITHIN YOU.

PASTOR JOB APP Find or post a possible pastoral or staff ministry position you are either searching for

2 3

CHURCH PLANTER APP Apply to plant a church with ReproducingChurches.com Network who are one of the

or are seeking a candidate.

GOBA.org/resumes

top planting groups in the nation.

http:ReproducingChurches/Apply

RENOVATE Viritual Coaching Network This monthly coaching network is designed to assist the local church needing indi-

vidual coaching. You may inquire to the costs involved and the commitments, which need to made as to the duration of the coaching cohort. There is an 18-month initial commitment required to join the network and an additional 18 months might be granted for further coaching towards church revitalization and renewal.

RENOVATEconference.org/coaching

RENOVATE ONE DAY TRAINING EVENTS These one-day training events are offered locally each month on the third Thursday

and as arranged annually across North America. These events train pastors, staff, and laity in the necessary skill sets for the revitalization and renewal of the local church. Anyone is welcome at these monthly events and we promote them a month in advance allowing those who want to fly in to do so.

RENOVATEconference.org/OneDayTraining

GOAL LEADERSHIP TRAINING The Greater Orlando Adventures in Leadership is a 10-month per-year leadership

REPRODUCING CHURCHES CHURCH PLANTING CENTERS These one-day training events are offered locally on the first Thursday of each

training designed for both laity and ministers alike. These monthly events are one day events laser focused towards a specific leadership issue.

OrlandoLeaders.com

month locally and as arranged annually across North America. These events train church planters, church planting teams, and laity of the church plant in the necessary skill sets for the planting, reproducing, and multiplying of the local church. The local Central Florida events are offered for free while some of the national one-day events have a cost associated with the event.

ReproducingChurches.com/OneDay

Time Saving Devices for the Effective Pastor in 2019! Pew-Research Center Study- http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2016/08/23/what-do-americans-look-for-in-a-church-and-how-do-theyfind-one-it-depends-in-part-on-their-age/ A Pew Research Center study found that about half of all adults have searched online for a new church at some point in their lives. Maybe they were new in town or hoping to find a new church to attend. In fact, most people will visit your website before visiting your church.

Logos Bible Software www.logos.com

Logos is an in-depth Bible study tool that helps you dig deep into the Word of God for personal study, preparing sermons, creating curriculum, counseling on specific issues, and everything else pastors consult the Bible for. There are free and paid versions that allow you to keep your notes in one digital Bible, consult commentaries, easily compare translations, do original language exegesis, and more.

Sermonary

https://sermonary.co Sermonary is a sermon editor, where you can work block-by-block to develop your message, your way. This is a huge step up from Microsoft Word or Google Docs. Once your message is done, switch to Podium mode and preach from your favorite tablet and device. Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a builtin clock overlay, too. Sermonary comes with a library of free and paid commentaries, sermon illustrations, sermon series, and more.

HTMLSIG.COM

www.htmlsig.com HTMLsig is an email signature generator that allows you to create customized signatures with a photo and social media icons. You can promote your church with every email you send.

ManyChat

www.manychat.com Send messages to your Facebook subscribers. Your message should be heard. With 80% open rates Facebook Messenger is the best place to make that happen. 80% open rates, that`s 4x better than email.

SLYDIAL

Church Metrics

Need to get a message out to multiple people in your church but don’t have time to call them all individually? Record a voice message and send it directly to multiple voicemails at once using Slydial. The phone of the person you’re calling won’t ring...your call will go straight to voicemail. This is a great tool for following up with guests, reminding volunteers about an important meeting, or sharing a pre-recorded message with your church members.

Church Metrics is a free app from Life.Church. The tool allows you to track data such as attendance, salvations, and giving and see the big picture with customized reports. By seeing the trends, you can make better decisions for the future of your church.

www.slydial.com

Unsplash

www.unsplash.com Thousands of free, high-resolution stock photos are available through Unsplash. Download all the photos you need without having to worry about copyright or license issues. It’s easy to search for the photos you need and save photos into collections that you can organize by category to download when you need them later.

www.churchmetrics.com

Search Engine Optimization www.pyrocoach.com

SEO is an acronym for “Search Engine Optimization.” It refers to the process of setting up your web pages and doing certain other tasks to make sure your site is: Indexed by the search engines like Google or deemed important enough to come up early in the search results. When someone searches for “Best Church in Orlando,” does your church appear toward the top of that list? SEO Review will help you perform an SEO audit of your church website so you can know where you stand.

Reclaiming Inactive Church Members Utilizing the R.E.C.L.A.I.M. Strategy! January 31, 2019, 8:30 AM â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 3:00 PM Cost 25.00 per person Central Parkway Baptist Church Orlando, FL www.Reclaim.Training With Dr. Tom Cheyney & Rev. Mark Weible

The Church Revitalizerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

LIBRARY

Goal Flyer

RENOVATE Publishing Group

Your One Stop Shop for Church Revitalization and Renewal Resources!

Checkout our lineup of resources that will help you revitalize your church.

www.RenovateConference.org/bookstore

Planting Churches

Without

Denominational By: Mark Weible

Dollars

One of the biggest changes that I have observed in church planting over the past four decades is the shift from denominational funding to local support. My first involvement in church planting was in Texas in the early eighties. At that time, the Baptist General Convention of Texas not only provided funding and consulting to new church plants, they also offered building services including architectural plans and a staff building contractor, who helped to save on construction costs. When I moved to Florida in 2002, the Florida Baptist Convention at that time offered combined support for new churches up to 68,000. This included start-up grants, monthly support and a land grant for purchasing property. This denominational support was in addition to any funds from the sponsor churches and individual donations. Denominational financial assistance for church planting

has dropped considerably over the past several years with exception to the thirty-two NAMB Send Cites, which receive the majority of the national denominational support and state mission offerings. One former SBC leader commented on this trend in a national magazine back in 2015. In the Christianity Today article, Ed Stetzer, predicted that the trend toward lower denominational support would continue:

â&#x20AC;&#x153;In Orlando, it can easily cost one-quarter to one-half million dollars to fund a new church for just the first year. Church planters who are not able to raise that amount of money are often forced to consider other options.â&#x20AC;?

The truth is: most denominations and church-planting networks run out of money for church planting every yearâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;and every year, plants go unfunded due to financial restrictions. And so, we must consider other ways to plant churches, like organic church planting, and raising up leaders from the harvest who are intentionally bi-vocational along the way. 1 1 https://www.christianitytoday.com/edstetzer/2015/january/rethinking-church-plant-funding.html

Sending Church Supported Some sending churches have responded to the decline in denominational funding for church planting by reclaiming church planting as the responsibility of the local church and taking a more proactive role in church planter assessment, coaching, training and support. For example, SBC President J.D. Greer’s The Summit Network, offers a residency program that helps church planters to be better prepared to face the challenges of declining denominational resources: Residents begin with the vision of a new church. Over 9 months, we share with them everything we’ve learned about building a healthy, thriving church. We help them develop their vision, build a strong team, raise the resources they need, and develop the strategies and systems of a gospel-centered church. We help them clarify what kind of church God has called them to build in their city and how to make that dream a reality. 2 However, not every church planter has the opportunity to uproot his family to move into a residency program. Others have chosen to respond to the challenge by simply planting churches that require fewer financial resources. In Orlando, it can easily cost one-quarter to one-half million dollars to fund a new church for just the first year. Church planters who are not able to raise that amount of money are often forced to consider other options. Two of the options proposed by Ed Stetzer are bi-vocational and organic church planting.

Missio-Vocational Planting I prefer the term missio-vocational rather than bi-vocational. Bi-vocational implies a dichotomy between work and ministry. Missio-vocational church planting involves the church planters intentionally seeking employment as a missiological strategy for reaching their communities and funding their salaries. Missio-vocational church

planters are usually compensated on a much smaller scale than full-time church planters. They usually seek full-time employment, which provides a steady income and benefits such as healthcare insurance and retirement. The church planter’s employment is often referred to as a Creative Access Platform by international mission organizations. The church planter’s job helps him to gain and build relationships with people in the community while funding his salary so that he can plant a church without having to heavily depend on outside resources. Churches pastored by missio-vocational church planters often start smaller and grow slower than churches that have full-time pastors and multiple paid staff.

Organic Church Planting This type of church planting requires no outside resources. In organic churches, there are usually no salaries to be paid and very little to no overhead expenses at all. These churches meet in homes, offices, and other places where there is no cost for the church to gather. Organic churches usually start small and remain small with the goal of rapid multiplication. They depend very heavily on lay leadership and a simple, quick leadership development pipeline. Organic churches develop processes for growing the next generation of pastors from new crops of converts directly from the evangelistic harvest.

Conclusion Each of these funding models has their benefits and challenges. However, when you get down to it – it really does not cost anything to plant a New Testament church. If church planters and new church plants simply live within their means, denominational funding or the lack thereof is not an issue. I am a huge proponent for using all of the resources that God provides to His glory. However, only in our recent history did we rely upon denominational funding to plant churches and we can do without it in the future.

2 http://thesummitnetwork.com/plant/

Rev. Mark Weible serves the Greater Orlando Baptist Association as

the Church Planting Director. He joined the GOBA team in 2002. Mark coleads the GOAL Leadership training besides serving as our Web architect. Mark serves as the Directional Leader of ReproducingChurches.com.

www.flbaptist.org

to the next level.

D.MIN.

in Church Revitalization

sebts.edu/dmin

Wake Forest, NC

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