Do Ask, Do Tell, Let’s Talk:
Why and How Christians Should Have Gay Friends
That is why the aim of this book is friendship. Friendship is the level at which influence can be had, because the dialogue does not seek to represent an agenda but to understand a person. Friendship is what protects good points from becoming gotcha moments.
“This is a book the church has desperately needed for some time. It is simply excellent. It will challenge you and guide you in navigating in a more Christlike manner the host of questions surrounding same-sex attraction and the local church.”
—Danny Akin, President, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary
“To stand on what we believe is clear in Scripture, and to be a friend, at the same time – this book is an important next step for Christian literature on same-sex attraction. It doesn’t simply guide us in wise engagement; it guides us in friendships where there is mutual enjoyment and appreciation. And Brad does this in such a way that he doesn’t cut any theological corners but makes such friendships a necessary expression of our theology.”
—Ed Welch, counselor and faculty member, Christian Counseling and Educational Foundation
God’s Attributes
Rest for Life’s Struggles
Do you have a balanced understanding of God? Do you seek to emulate him? Are you able to rest in his attributes? This booklet explores 16 different attributes of God, categorized under love, essence, wisdom, and power, providing tools for reflection and correcting lopsided views.
“A.W. Tozer famously said that what we think about God is the most important thing about us. Brad Hambrick has provided the church with a deeply theological, yet practically helpful tool for exploring the attributes of God, helping us see Him more clearly and living in proper response. The cycle of “rest” to “emulation” model he proposes is pure gold. This is a life-changing study.” J. D. Greear, the Summit Church, Durham NC
Vulnerability
Blessing in the Beatitudes
To love is to risk hurt. Yet Jesus blessed the vulnerable: the poor in spirit, the meek, the mourners. This study of the Beatitudes examines the idea of healthy vulnerability and unpacks practical ways to prayerfully implement it in relationships.
“Vulnerability in relationships is important yet dangerous. Brad Hambrick, using the familiar Beatitudes of Christ, helps us to learn how to do it wisely and intentionally.” Leslie Vernick, Christian counselor and author of the best-selling book, The Emotionally Destructive Relationship.
Burnout
Resting in God’s Fairness
Burnout occurs when the things that once gave us life and energy become discouraging and draining instead, sacrificing our pleasures and accomplishments to the continual onslaught of “next.” While a common danger for Christians who dedicate their efforts to God’s kingdom, burnout eventually makes us choose cynical numbness over the “caring exhaustion” of Christian service. How do we avoid this pitfall? Brad Hambrick argues that burnout is actually a consequence of our life management, and he shows us how to create a time budget to avoid living beyond our means with the time God has provided. He helps us remember to rest in God’s fairness rather than trying to gain his acceptance.
“I can think of few things more relevant and helpful for pastors and church members in general in the Western world than these insights on burnout. Brad shows how both man-centered approaches to work or ministry and poor habits contribute to a burnout epidemic. The messages off of which this booklet is based were a ministry saver for several ministers on our team and deeply enriching for us all. These reflections have it all: theological depth, gospel centrality, humility, and practical advice. I cannot commend it highly enough!” J.D. Greear, Senior Pastor at The Summit Church
Romantic Conflict
Embracing Desires that Bless Not Bruise
Few marriages fall apart because the spouses have evil desires. But even the good desires of two well-meaning people do not always match up. Our limited time and resources mean that fulfilling one person’s desires often results in neglecting another’s, which can lead to conflict and bitterness. So how do we enjoy the blessings of marriage without being consumed by our desire for those blessings we prefer? Brad Hambrick shows us that Jesus addressed this very issue—in his foundational call to be a disciple, no less. In this plan for biblically dealing with marital conflict, he walks us through Jesus’ words and their implications, outlines a typical marital conflict, gives us strategies for how to “interrupt” our conflicts with grace and love, and gives us further tips on how to reignite romance going forward.
“What a wonderful, bite-sized discussion of conflict! Brad Hambrick reveals that he knows real couples–you can tell he has fought on the front lines of marital counseling for years. Just as importantly, his writings reveal that he also knows how to handle Scripture. Combining these two skills is the perfect recipe for both a thoughtful and practical, a true and helpful discussion of marital conflict.” Gary Thomas, author of Sacred Marriage and A Lifelong Love
Self-Centered Spouse
Help for Chronically Broken Marriages
Anyone in a marriage knows that we are all self-centered spouses who are married to self-centered spouses. But when this all-too-common sin becomes severe and chronic, it results in a marital environment of abuse or neglect—leaving the spouse on the receiving end feeling trapped and hopeless. But how might this outlook change if we knew that Jesus addressed just such chronically broken relationships? Brad Hambrick examines Jesus’ teachings about relationships to show us how we can turn the other cheek while keeping away from unhealthy and destructive paths. He identifies different types of self-centered spouses to show us what we are dealing with, shares strategies for interacting with them, and points to evidences of genuine change to bring hope to anyone living with a chronically self-centered spouse.
Christ-Centered Biblical Counseling
Pages: 464
ISBN: 0736951458
Publisher: Harvest House
My contribution to this book was Chapter 9 “The Problem of Sin” in cooperation with Dr. Robert Jones.
Christ-Centered Biblical Counseling is a comprehensive guide that will equip God’s people to use biblical truth to change lives. More than that, this book will increase people’s confidence in the sufficiency and relevancy of God’s Word to address real-life issues in a multitude of counseling situations. Readers of this book will:
- Understand clearly why they should embrace biblical counseling
- Be encouraged to trust God’s Word to provide rich insight for living in the midst of even the most difficult challenges
- Enjoy the relevant, pastoral, and theological teaching they have come to appreciate from such noted authors as James MacDonald, John Piper, Mark Dever, and Elyse Fitzpatrick
The 28 chapters blend theological wisdom and practical expertise. The first half of the book emphasizes a practical theology of biblical counseling; the second half highlights a practical methodology of biblical counseling.
Though accessible to all Christians, the book will especially appeal to pastors and church leaders, counseling practitioners, students, and educators.
Scripture and Counseling
My contribution to this book was Chapter 15 “The Competency of the Biblical Counselor.”
Today we face a tremendous weakening of confidence in the Bible. This is just as true for the pastor offering counsel in his office as it is for the person in the pew talking with a struggling friend at Starbucks or the small group leader who is unsure of what to say to a hurting group member. We need to regain our confidence in God’s Word as sufficient to address the real life issues we face today. We need to understand how the Bible equips us to grow in counseling competence as we use it to tackle the complex issues of life.
Scripture and Counseling is divided into two sections of nine chapters each:
- Part One helps readers to develop a robust biblical view of Scripture’s sufficiency for “life and godliness” leading to increased confidence in God’s Word.
- Part Two assists readers in learning how to use Scripture in the counseling process. This section demonstrates how a firm grasp of the sufficiency of Scripture leads to increased competence in the ancient art of personally ministering God’s Word to others.
Part of the Biblical Counseling Coalition series, Scripture and Counseling brings you the wisdom of twenty ministry leaders who write so you can have confidence that God’s Word is sufficient, necessary, and relevant to equip God’s people to address the complex issues of life in a broken world. It blends theological wisdom with practical expertise and is accessible to pastors, church leaders, counseling practitioners, and students, equipping them to minister the truth and power of God’s word in the context of biblical counseling, soul care, spiritual direction, pastoral care, and small group facilitation.
DivorceCare
Publisher: Church Initiative
The updated videos feature interviews with 27 new experts, adding even more depth and richness to the sessions. We also recorded all-new interviews with six of the current DivorceCare experts. All of this new material will be combined with the best video from the current DivorceCare. In all, the new edition features a total of 52 experts!
For more information on this resource click here.
GriefShare
Publisher: Church Initiative
The updated videos feature interviews with 46 experts and is great resources for churches to use to create a excellent care ministry for those who are going through the experience of grief.
For more information on this resource click here.