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.
Leaders and Loneliness by Scott Sauls
In the past two years, five of my friends who are pastors lost their ministries because of moral failure. Five. Most of these pastors were also well known and celebrated beyond their local contexts. From the outside, it seemed they were at their peak pastorally and relationally. How could it be otherwise? Their books sold like hotcakes, they had speaking engagements galore, and their adoring congregations devoured their words like honey. Surrounded by such acclaim, the one thing they couldn’t possibly be…is lonely.
- This evaluation on community is an important for pastors as it is for church members; pastors need the Body of Christ and one another relationships too.
Sanctifying Your Ambition and Faith Daniel Im
Oftentimes God has to bring you through the desert before he can use you. In other words, he has to sanctify your ambition and faith in order to use you for his purposes. If you haven’t yet gone through a desert experience where your world has been turned upside down, then expect to. God uses these desert experiences to accomplish things through you that you would never be able to accomplish apart from them.
- For more on this subject, see the What I’m Reading section below.
Am I a Backslidden Christian or an Unbeliever? by Jeremy Pierre (video; 6 minutes)
“How do I know if I am a backsliding Christian or an unbeliever?” Dr. Jeremy Pierre answers in Honest Answers | Episode 37
- If you enjoyed this resource, you might also like my post “Can We Reason Ourselves Into Assurance of Salvation?“
6 Surprises Every Premarital Counselor Should Cover by Dave Harvey
It’s frightening to think how unprepared we were for marriage. I don’t blame our counselor. I’m not sure he had premarital counseling either. But as I reflect back on the last 35 years, there have been a few surprises it would have been helpful to know about. Here are six surprises I believe every pastor or premarital counselor should cover:
- If your church is looking for pre-marital program, here is mentor-based pre-marital program using the Creating a Gospel-Centered Marriage seminar series.
Six Traits to Look for in a Spouse by Ben Reoach
My wife returned home from the salon and told me about the single lady who had cut her hair. This young woman shared some of her frustrations with dating sites that are only about how people look. Swipe this way if you think the person is cute; swipe the other way if you don’t.
- Here is a printable PDF resource job description of a Christian Husband and Wife from the Creating a Gospel-Centered Marriage: Foundations seminar.
What I’m Reading
Rescuing Ambition by Dave Harvey.Many think of ambition as nothing more than the drive for personal honor or fame. As a result, ambition—the God-implanted drive to improve, produce, develop, and create—is neglected and well on its way to paralysis.
For some, dreams are numbed. For others, there are no dreams; life just happens. And for those who are dreaming, motives are often confused. One thing is certain: ambition needs help.
Dave Harvey is calling for a rescue. He wants to snatch ambition from the heap of failed motivations and put it to work for the glory of God. To understand our ambition, we must understand that we are on a quest for glory. And where we find glory determines the success of our quest.
Has your God-given ambition been starved and sedated for too long? Are you ambitious? It’s time to reach further and dream bigger for the glory of God.
Tweets of the Week
Love demands that we lean into the most charitable interpretation of our neighbors words, especially those with whom we disagree.
— Mika Edmondson (@mika_edmondson) September 21, 2017
Men want respect.
Women want love.Men also want love.
Women also want respect.The end.
— Sierra White ?️ (@iSierraNichole) September 19, 2017
"The wrath of God is not the irritability of God; it is the love of God in friction with injustice." – F. Dale Bruner
— Jen Wilkin (@jenniferwilkin) September 21, 2017
Meaningful Meme
On the Lighter Side
Because, “A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones,” Proverbs 17:22.
Wish this one was less true and would, therefore, be less funny-ironic.
Adult friendship = 2 people saying "I haven't seen you in forever! We should really hang out more" over and over again until one of you dies
— Lyndsey Gallant (@apocalynds) July 23, 2017