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.
Signs Of Danger Mean Time To Flee by Leslie Vernick
The Bible warns, “The prudent see danger and take refuge” (Proverbs 27:12). There is danger here for you and now please take refuge. Here is an acronym DANGEROUS that I developed to help counselors and people helpers to quickly discern the level of physical danger someone might be in. Please read it through and see what else might apply for you.
- If you are in a dangerous marriage, here is a guidance on how to develop a safety plan.
Caring for Your Church After the Dismissal of a Pastor (and for Yourself) by Timothy Sharpe
When a senior pastor suddenly must resign, the effects on the congregation are going to range from bewilderment to anger. The remaining leadership must help their congregation deal with this range of unpleasant, unsettling reactions. While every case will have unique elements, we thought it might be helpful to read about some possible responses that might “prime the pump” to help you if you are ever in this situation. How does the dismissal of a pastor tend to affect the people in the congregation?
- If this posts interest you, here are more resources on counseling and the church.
How Can We Thoughtfully Engage The Transgender Conversation? by Mark Yarhouse (video)
As legislatures debate “bathroom bills” and National Geographic Magazine heralds a “Gender Revolution,” many are asking, what is gender dysphoria? Seven hundred thousand people identify as transgender in the U.S. yet many Christians are uncertain of how to engage. Dr. Mark Yarhouse, clinical psychologist and founder of the Institute for the Study of Sexual Identity, brings his latest research to educate us on gender dysphoria and provides a helpful framework for how to think well about the conversation of identity.
- For an additional resource on this subject, see the “What I’m Reading” section below.
A Theology of the Home by John Tweeddale
When thinking through a theology of home, there are two equal but opposite errors that we must avoid.
- If you struggle with a theology of home, consider this post on prayer as playfully wrestling with a good father.
Reporting Abuse (Podcast) by Julie Lowe
Alasdair Groves sits down and talks about what happens when you report child abuse with Julie Lowe.
- If you want to know more about abuse, consider this resource on equipping churches for caring for victims of abuse (PDF Handout).
What I’m Reading
Understanding Gender Dysphoria: Navigating Transgender Issues in a Changing Culture by Mark Yarhouse. Few topics are more contested today than gender identity. In the fog of the culture war, complex issues like gender dysphoria are reduced to slogans and sound bites. And while the war rages over language, institutions and political allegiances, transgender individuals are the ones who end up being the casualties. Mark Yarhouse, an expert in sexual identity and therapy, challenges the church to rise above the political hostilities and listen to people’s stories.
In Understanding Gender Dysphoria, Yarhouse offers a Christian perspective on transgender issues that eschews simplistic answers and appreciates the psychological and theological complexity. The result is a book that engages the latest research while remaining pastorally sensitive to the experiences of each person. In the midst of a tense political climate, Yarhouse calls Christians to come alongside those on the margins and stand with them as they resolve their questions and concerns about gender identity. Understanding Gender Dysphoria is the book we need to navigate these stormy cultural waters.
Tweets of the Week
"I will never share a story in which my healing depends on the audience's reaction." @BreneBrown #vulnerability
— Sharon Hodde Miller (@SHoddeMiller) August 23, 2017
Insecurity is the struggle between who we are and who we want to be.
— Bryan Carter (@BryanLCarter) August 28, 2017
Trauma stories do not first come out with a beginning, middle, and an end. They come out in broken pieces, disordered, and perhaps unclear.
— Diane Langberg, PhD (@DianeLangberg) August 25, 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.
America’s Best College Town Meals: As college football gets started, this seems like an appropriate post. Sometimes a watering mouth is as good of a medicine as a joyful heart. May you college football allegiance not have a crushed spirit or dry bones in the weeks ahead.