This is a weekly post that highlights resources from other counselors that I have found helpful. The counselors may be from the biblical counseling, Christian psychology, integration, or secular counseling traditions. By linking to a post, I am not giving it my full endorsement, I am merely indicating that I believe it made a unique contribution or raised an important subject for consideration.
Better Late Is Still Late: #MeToo and #ChurchToo by J.D. Greear
Is it better to wake up late than never at all? Absolutely. But I believe we are only beginning to see how profound this “lateness” is, and how damaging its consequences.
- If you are in the growing number of people realizing there is the need for greater care for those facing abuse, this article on creating a safety plan is a great next step.
Fauxnerability in the Church: What Is It? What Do We Do About It? by Chuck DeGroat
And this is what increasingly frightens me – the epidemic of fauxnerability – pastors (and many others) who are emotionally intelligent enough to share a general “messiness” about their lives (often in broad strokes admitting weakness and need), but who are radically out of touch with their true selves. They’ve dressed up the false self in a new garment – the garment of faux vulnerability, with the accompanying Gospel vocabulary of weakness, need, brokenness, dependence, idolatry and more.
- If you realize you’re better at fauxnerability than vulnerability, my devotional booklet on vulnerability that walks through the beatitudes may be a great next read for you.
Sex Offenders Groom Churches Too by Kimberly Harris
This true account was shared in Anna C. Salter’s 1991 book, Predators, Pedophiles, Rapists, And Other Sex Offenders. As a psychologist who has spent over 20 years working with and studying victims and sexual offenders, Salter says that “many offenders report that religious people are even easier to fool than most people.”
- This scary reality is why churches need to think through child protection beyond just prevention.
Foolproof Money Mistakes by Patricia Schiff Estess
Managing money in a stepfamily isn’t always clear. But here’s a list of foolproof mistakes that you shouldn’t practice.
- If you realize you make some of these mistakes, consider this podcast series on financial management.
Beyond the Feel-Good Factor: Exercise and Mental Health by Sarah Gingell
However, the idea that physical exercise might do something really fundamental for mental health is less immediately obvious — especially given the Western distinction between “mind” and “body” that implies mental and physical health can be separated.
- See the “meaningful meme” below for a resource on this subject .
What I’m Reading
Liberating Ministry from the Success Syndrome by Kent and Barbara Hughes. Every year thousands of God’s servants leave the ministry convinced they are failures. Years ago, in the midst of a crisis of faith, Kent Hughes almost became one of them. But instead he and his wife Barbara turned to God’s Word, determined to learn what God had to say about success and to evaluate their ministry from a biblical point of view.
This book describes their journey and their liberation from the “success syndrome” – the misguided belief that success in ministry means increased numbers. In today’s world it is easy to be seduced by the secular thinking that places a number on everything. But the authors teach that true success in ministry lies not in numbers but in several key areas: faithfulness, serving, loving, believing, prayer, holiness, and a Christ-like attitude. Their thoughts will encourage readers who grapple with feelings of failure and lead them to a deeper, fuller understanding of success in Christian ministry.
Tweets of the Week
.@BethMooreLPM reminds SBC that it's necessary to differentiate between sexual immorality and sexual criminality #SBC18 #SBCAM18
— Sarah Smith (@sarahesmith23) June 11, 2018
“Discipleship is not an offer that man makes to Christ.” – Dietrich Bonhoeffer
— Sharon Hodde Miller (@SHoddeMiller) June 11, 2018
In 1918, two years before women were given the right to vote in this country, the Southern Baptist Convention approved women as voting messengers at the #SBC annual meeting.
Give me that old time religion: when Baptists were pioneers in a biblical vision for human flourishing.
— Karen Swallow Prior (@KSPrior) June 9, 2018
Meaningful Meme
On the Lighter Side
Because, “A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones,” Proverbs 17:22.
I put this in the rack and am hoping someone is tired and doesn’t pay attention… pic.twitter.com/0pxlBez7VQ
— Jayson York (@jaysonyork) May 28, 2018