Blog Tour Morsels, Part Four: Equipping Counselors for Your Church

I’m very grateful for the many bloggers who have reviewed Equipping Counselors for Your Church.  

I’ve collated links to a dozen of the reviews and interviews. They’ll be running throughout this first week of 2012 with brief “snippets” from each review and a link back to the full review.

In Part One, I posted samplers from David Murray, Brad Hambrick, and Thabiti Anyabwile.

In Part Two, I posted summaries from Jonathan Holmes, Paul Tautges, and Andy Naselli.

In Part Three, I posted selections from Mark Tubbs, Phil Monroe, and Mark Kelly.

Today you can enjoy review “morsels” from Elizabeth Hankins, Julie Ganschow, and Conrad Yap.

Elizabeth Hankins, Part One

“Equipping Counselors for Your Church is helpful for all those who are passionate about one-another ministry. It helps the reader establish a Biblical vision for God’s Church and personal ministry. There are a number of useful lists within this book including Scripture passages and doctrine/theology to study; qualifications and proficiencies to pursue, character traits to cultivate; and commonly used materials for Biblical counseling. One of my favorite features is the excellent evaluation/application questions throughout the text and at the end of each chapter.”

Julie Ganschow 

“I recently had the pleasure of previewing a fantastic new resource for those interested in how to equip others for the work of Biblical Counseling and Discipleship. Our work goes by many names, but it is essentially intensive biblical discipleship. Bob Kellemen’ new book, Equipping Counselors for Your Church, may just be the most complete resource I have encountered on how to equip others for this task.”

Conrad Yap 

“Kellemen’s teaching passion and wisdom is evident. His experience is wide, and his knowledge deep. Obviously, the material is compiled from his many years of teaching and ministry. I recommend this book for Church leaders, boards, and anyone in the congregation who is passionate about equipping the called.”

Join the Conversation

What resources do you recommend for equipping one-another ministers in the local church?

Note: If you are a blogger and would like to review Equipping Counselors for Your Church, email rpm dot ministries @ gmail dot com

RPM Ministries: Equipping You to Change Lives with Christ’s Changeless Truth

Blog Tour Morsels, Part Three: Equipping Counselors for Your Church

I’m very grateful for the many bloggers who have reviewed Equipping Counselors for Your Church.  

I’ve collated links to a dozen of the reviews and interviews. They’ll be running throughout this first week of 2012 with brief “snippets” from each review and a link back to the full review.

In Part One, I posted samplers from David Murray, Brad Hambrick, and Thabiti Anyabwile.

In Part Two, I posted summaries from Jonathan Holmes, Paul Tautges, and Andy Naselli.

Today you can enjoy review “morsels” from Mark Tubbs, Phil Monroe, and Mark Kelly.

Discerning Reader/Mark Tubbs, Part One 

“Equipping Counselors for Your Church is the climax of Bob’s many decades of work in the biblical counseling and pastoring fields. What this book is not: a resource only for senior pastors and denominational executives. It is also not a book about creating and equipping a ‘professional’ corps of biblical counselors. No, Bob’s vision is far more sweeping than that. Rather, this book is an apology for both formal and informal biblical counseling in the church, which Bob defines biblically as every member speaking the truth in love to each another. The aim is to cultivate Christians who are ‘4C’ disciples: biblically convicted, Christlike in character, competent in counseling, and an integral part of Christian community.”

Discerning Reader/Mark Tubbs, Part Two 

“This section on enlisting was refreshing on numerous levels. Kellemen employs Nehemiah’s leadership qualities in a fresher and more faithful way than many preachers through the decades have done. He uses Old Testament Nehemiah and New Testament Paul in harmonious counterpoint, demonstrating how these two leaders were themselves changed people so that they in turn could shepherd others through change. The primary change being, as Kellemen is at pains to point out, reconciliation with God leading to whole-life worship.”

Mark Kelly 

“Dr. Kellemen is a dear friend from whom I have learned much through his resources he’s printed, email conversations we’ve had, and face to face discussions about a variety of topics. I pray that our own church, Calvary Baptist, would consider using Equipping Counselors for Your Church as we move forward in evangelism and discipleship.”

Phil Monroe 

“Why is Equipping Counselors for Your Church an important book? Here’s why:

• Most prior books on this topic present lay counseling either as an anemic listening only task or speak only in theological terms and fail to actually train lay counselors to listen well. This book considers both the biblical basis for lay counseling AND is concerned about listening skills as well.

• Most prior books forget to bring the WHOLE church along in the vision of biblical counseling. Bob has the readers consider the church culture and health. If the church (leaders)aren’t buying in to this, there won’t be a counseling ministry.

• Bob focuses on the character of the counselor. This is HUGE. What’s worse than a poorly trained counselor? One who is well-trained but arrogant and un-reflective.

• Bob covers practical matters of a counseling ministry including the ethics of lay counseling. This is extremely important if a church doesn’t want to make mistakes that could lead to lawsuits.”

The Rest of the Story

Tomorrow you can read some “samplers” from Elizabeth Hankins, Julie Ganschow, and Conrad Yap.

Join the Conversation

What resources do you recommend for equipping one-another ministers in the local church?

Note: If you are a blogger and would like to review Equipping Counselors for Your Church, email rpm dot ministries @ gmail dot com

RPM Ministries: Equipping You to Change Lives with Christ’s Changeless Truth 

Blog Tour Morsels, Part Two: Equipping Counselors for Your Church

I’m very grateful for the many bloggers who have reviewed Equipping Counselors for Your Church.

I’ve collated links to a dozen of the reviews and interviews. They’ll be running throughout this first week of 2012 with brief “snippets” from each review and a link back to the full review.

In Part One, I posted samplers from David Murray, Brad Hambrick, and Thabiti Anyabwile.

Today you can enjoy review “morsels” from Jonathan Holmes, Paul Tautges, and Andy Naselli.

Jonathan Holmes 

“In this seminal and landmark work for the church, Equipping Counselors for Your Church, Dr. Bob Kellemen has given us a go-to manual for raising up a new generation of counselors while nurturing the ones currently in our care. Built and crafted from years of experience and based on the solid foundation of God’s Word to us, this book will be a vital, practical, useful manual for generations to come.”

Paul Tautges, Post One 

“Equipping Counselors for Your Church is like having a personal conversation with a private consultant who is committed to coming alongside church leaders—walking step-by-step and hand-in-hand—to equip us to empower the Body of Christ toward biblical, one-another ministry that progressively moves believers toward Christlikeness. I highly recommend it!”

Paul Tautges, Post Two

“Today, I draw your attention to one of the best pages in the book, which calls us to the mutual ministry of comfort. Bob effectively argues for balance in two areas of biblical counseling: confrontation and comfort. Both, he rightly affirms, are Scriptural priorities we must grow in as we counsel one another. Here’s a lengthy quote that received a smiley face and a ‘Yes!’ in the margin of my copy. In the context of this quote the author has just finished explaining the importance of noutheteo, warning, and now urges for the equally-important ministry of parakaleo, coming alongside in mutual ministry to comfort and strengthen one another.”

Andy Naselli 

“Endorsed by Paul Tripp, Elyse Fitzpatrick, Ed Welch, and several others, Kellemen’s 4E’s teach: 1.) Envisioning God’s Ministry, 2.) Enlisting God’s Ministers for Ministry. 3.) Equipping Godly Ministers for Ministry, and 4.) Empowering/Employing Godly Ministers for Ministry.”

The Rest of the Story

Tomorrow you can read some “samplers” from Mark Tubbs at The Discerning Reader, Phil Monroe, and Mark Kelly.

Join the Conversation

What resources do you recommend for equipping one-another ministers in the local church?

Note: If you are a blogger and would like to review Equipping Counselors for Your Church, email rpm dot ministries @ gmail dot com

RPM Ministries: Equipping You to Change Lives with Christ’s Changeless Truth

Blog Tour Morsels, Part One: Equipping Counselors for Your Church

I’m very grateful for the many bloggers who have reviewed Equipping Counselors for Your Church.  

I’ve collated links to a dozen of the reviews and interviews. They’ll be running throughout this first week of 2012 with brief “snippets” from each review and a link back to the full review.

Today you can enjoy review “morsels” from David Murray, Brad Hambrick, and Thabiti Anyabwile.

David Murray, Top Five Books of 2011 

“Bob Kellemen shifted my thinking with this visionary yet practical book. I probably don’t reach up to Bob’s optimism about this task (who could!), but he certainly made me hope and work towards a much greater role for every-member counseling ministry in the local church.”

David Murray, Part One 

“Bob Kellemen is one of the reasons I love America. In fact, to me he is a classic American – enthusiastic, energetic, positive, cheerful, encouraging, stimulating, pioneering, and every other good “-ing” you can think of…. I deeply appreciate Bob’s brief, clear, and no-nonsense style of writing. He doesn’t waste words in pointless theorizing, but is always aiming at the practical and the helpful. It’s not often you find such fine balance and fervent passion combined in one person!”

David Murray, Part Two 

“Bob does not just dream big, he details small. He gets into the detailed practical steps that have to be taken. We’re not left with, “Great idea but how do we do it?” The book is full of bullet points, step-by-step guides, tabulated information, checklists, appendices and real-life case studies. And that practicality is maybe what gives the book so much credibility and persuasiveness. Bob not only draws from almost 30 years of counseling experiences in congregational settings, but has gathered together a ton of “best-practice” ideas from other pastors and churches as well.”

David Murray, Part Three 

“Bob’s exposition of this verse (Romans 15:14) was perhaps my favorite section in his book, and powerfully persuaded me of the biblical grounds and realistic possibility of what he was advocating. This verse is a huge encouragement and challenge to the church of Christ.”

David Murray, Part Four 

“As Bob says, ‘Everyone is a counselor. The question is really whether it’s good or bad counsel.’”

“Yes, it’s a change from thinking ‘I need to call the pastor…’ to ‘I need to call Joe or Mary, etc,’ but it’s a blessed change.”

Brad Hambrick 

Equipping Counselors for Your Church meets a real need in Biblical Counseling – helping churches cultivate a counseling ministry that is tailored to the needs of their particular congregation and community. Over the last several decades Biblical Counseling has produced a large number of excellent resources, but it has not always been clear what a church was supposed to do with those resources. If you want to begin to explore that possibility with your church, I cannot think of a better book to guide you in that process.”

Thabiti Anyabwile 

“Counseling might be the area of pastoral ministry that most quickly produces feelings of inadequacy for pastors. The pitfalls are man. Needs are varied and often complex. The tendency toward self-reliance gets amplified when people come to you in need of answers. Yet, the resources can be few or too difficult to digest in short order. Even pastors who love counseling find themselves emotionally and spiritually drained and in need of help. Bob Kellemen has come along with a very welcome and promising resource, Equipping Counselors for Your Church.”

The Rest of the Story

Tomorrow you can read some “samplers” from Jonathan Holmes, Paul Tautges, and Andy Naselli.

Join the Conversation

What resources do you recommend for equipping one-another ministers in the local church?

Note: If you are a blogger and would like to review Equipping Counselors for Your Church, email rpm dot ministries @ gmail dot com

RPM Ministries: Equipping You to Change Lives with Christ’s Changeless Truth

Good Grief: A Fresh Review of God’s Healing for Life’s Losses

Note: Melinda Lancaster posted the following review of God’s Healing for Life’s Losses at her site Thinking Out Loud on Purpose.

Excerpt: “Upon receiving God’s Healing for Life’s Losses, my plan was to: read it, do a short review, and move on. God had another plan. The book “read me” and as a result exposed my misconceptions concerning God and grief. It also caused me to review, at length, my relationship with God. Taking me on an unexpected path towards healing God’s Healing for Life’s Losses has become a real game-changer. It has continued to work in my life long after I put it down.”

Full Review: Good Grief

Losses—we all experience them along with the accompanying pain. They penetrate our lives in various forms and magnitudes with little or no warning. Some are short-lived while others lead to long seasons of suffering and grief.

Suffering and grief are something we are all familiar with. Yet, these two words are NOT typically “hot topics” in most Christian circles. As a matter-of-fact they are infrequently dealt with. I find that somewhat astonishing given the fact that 1,185 of the 1,189 chapters of the Bible, in some way, touch on the subject of suffering or death.

It is also confounding to see, with so much of Scripture dedicated to the subject, how frantically we search for ways to quickly dismiss grief. Whether we downplay our pain with positive platitudes or frantically numb it with a frenzy of activities the issue remains the same. We need a framework or “theology of suffering” to deal with our pain if we are to experience God’s healing. Many believers do not have one.

A Biblical Primer

In his latest book, God’s Healing for Life’s Losses, Dr. Robert Kellemen has penned a primer for sufferology that allows for such a framework to be constructed. While walking with the reader down the path of grief, which Kellemen is deeply and personally acquainted with, he offers something that has been sadly lacking–a Biblical approach that goes far beyond the traditional model. By going “the way of the Word”, instead of the way of the world, this small but power-packed book gives the readers permission to grieve freely, in a biblical manner, while providing the necessary tools.

I was not at all surprised by the author’s ability to bring spiritual light to this subject but I must say that I was amazed by the masterful way in which he so carefully and compassionately unpacked the eight biblical steps or markers on the road to healing. With the precision of a surgeon he cuts to the “heart of the matter” removing infected notions and cancerous beliefs so that real healing can occur.

The Book “Read Me”

How do I know this? I experienced it personally. I must say, that I was not prepared for the impact that God’s Healing for Life’s Losses would have on my life. No stranger to loss, over the past few years, I’ve encountered grief of my own. I thought that I was handling it when in fact I was hiding from it. That is until the opportunity to review my friend’s book came along.

Upon receiving it, my plan was to: read it, do a short review, and move on. God had another plan. The book “read me” and as a result exposed my misconceptions concerning God and grief. It also caused me to review, at length, my relationship with God. Taking me on an unexpected path towards healing God’s Healing for Life’s Losses has become a real game-changer. It has continued to work in my life long after I put it down.

Handling Grief Biblically

Having studied the subjects of suffering, grief, and loss over the years I’ve read countless books by an array of Christian writers and God’s Healing for Life’s Losses has surpassed them all. It is by far the most condensed and concise book on handling grief in a biblical manner that I’ve ever read. In my opinion it is also the most helpful.

I look forward to using it as a ministry tool and highly recommend it as a gift to all who are experiencing a loss of any kind. There is no way to adequately convey how much spiritual help is packed inside, but if you read it I believe that you too will be amazed!

Join the Conversation

What books have changed your life?

What Others Are Saying about God’s Healing for Life’s Losses

The Big Idea: Two dozen book reviewers are blogging their thoughts on my latest book God’s Healing for Life’s Losses. Below, you’ll find a link to each review, the name of their blog, plus a brief snippet of their review. Post a comment on one of their blogs by August 1, for a chance to win a free copy.

• Rick Howerton: Small Group World. http://bit.ly/aelacY

“Blindsided, Ambushed, Amazed, Inspired… the list could go on and on. When Bob asked me to read God’s Healing for Life’s Losses for his blog tour, I was honored but saw little opportunity to aid the small group community. That is, until I had finished reading this amazing manuscript. This treasure that includes multiple pages filled with questions for personal reflection is a perfect tool for dealing with personal loss as well as the training of small group leaders. Small group pastor… I would suggest you get copies of this book and spend ten weeks with your small group leaders. Some of your group leaders will finally deal with past hurt that they have chosen to deny. The rest will learn the stages and phases of grief. They will be prepared to help their group members find hope, help, and healing when grief invades his/her space. Get this book, read it yourself, and then use it to equip your leaders.”

• Mark Tubbs: Discerning Reader. http://bit.ly/bW4yl2

“So much more could be said about this book and so much could be quoted from it, but I leave it up to the reader to order a copy and delve in. Or order two copies and involve a friend in the process. Pastors, counselors, and small group leaders, this book is bound to be a source of hope for those under your care who are grieving. Not only that, but it commends itself as a teaching tool in preparing Christians to suffer in a God-honoring, biblical way.”

• Brad Hambrick: A Blog from a Counselor for the Church. http://bit.ly/9RjV1R

“God’s Healing for Life’s Losses takes on traditional thoughts about grief and loss and turns them upside down. There is refreshing honesty about the pain of loss and the permission to be real with God and others as we embrace the mourning process together. This book is biblical, personal, and healing; I highly recommend it.”

• Mark Kelly: Grace Dependent. http://bit.ly/bj3KGZ

“Exuding hope, this book becomes a wonderful resource that compassionately directs the reader to find healing for life’s losses in Christ and with Christ. I encourage you to purchase a copy of God’s Healing for Life’s Losses for your own personal journey, and perhaps, a second copy for a friend or family member going through a time of loss, suffering or grief. This book would also be a valuable tool for a support group as they work through the grieving process.”

 “Finally, one other major feature of this text makes it immensely useful: that is, the emphasis of practical application throughout the text. Each chapter concludes with several application and processing questions concerning the subject at hand. For one in the midst of present pain, these questions can serve as skillful and loving counsel of how the content can be rightly applied to one’s circumstances. This is one big reason why the book is endorsed by the ministry GriefShare, a ministry dedicated to helping those going through the pain of grief. This text will be a welcome resource for any such person, and any person dealing with pain as the result of any means of personal suffering.” 

• Julie Ganschow: Biblical Counseling for Women. http://bit.ly/bmfZrw

“From time to time I come across a book that I want to tell you about because it makes a profound impact on my life and I think it will benefit many of you. I found such a book in God’s Healing for Life’s Losses. This is a wonderful new book by Dr. Robert Kellemen and it is a book that I have personally been waiting for, for a long time.”

• Keiki Hendrix: Vessel Project. http://bit.ly/c7IFRp

“A book complete on grief, loss, and despair that encourages the reader to seek God as their source of healing. Bob Kellemen has compiled an exceptional resource in God’s Healing for Life’s Losses. A great resource written by an experienced Christian Counselor who includes personal accounts of periods of grief.”

• Leslie Wiggins: Alabamenagerie. http://bit.ly/bVd2JH

“This book surprised me. It’s small, but more helpful than most books on grief that are twice its size. In fact, its size makes it ideal for giving. Pastors, counselors, and those who often find themselves in a position to comfort others in pain, will want to use this book as a resource and as a gift for those who are hurting. I discovered a book whose message is more than just how to find healing after a loss; it’s about journeying with God through life in this broken, sin-filled world.”

• Kellie Harbaugh: Tabitha’s Team. http://bit.ly/9QUylI

“‘We live in a fallen world and it often falls on us,’ Dr. Kellemen explains in God’s Healing for Life’s Losses. This has become one of my favorite quotes. Dr. Kellemen does not assume that a couple of Scripture verses and a prayer will make everything all better. But he also doesn’t leave you empty-handed… If you like to journal, you will love the questions that are asked throughout the book as prompts for you to journal your thoughts, feelings, and ultimately your journey to healing. If you have a friend who experiencing grief or depression, this would be a great gift.”

• Cathy Bryant: Word Vessel. http://bit.ly/aiv52b

“Words really seem inadequate to express the need I see for this wonderful book by Dr. Kellemen. Packed with scriptural references, God’s Healing For Life’s Losses contrasts the world’s method of coping with loss with God’s ways. The gift-book size makes this book easy to hold and read, but it’s not a book to be skimmed through lightly or quickly. Instead it needs to be prayerfully entered and slowly digested, allowing the truths of God to sink in and soothe the soul. I highly recommend this wonderful book.”

• Sandra Peoples: Heart for Him. http://bit.ly/b1q8us 

“This concise book is packed with hope for those who are hurting. The highlight of this book for me was the explanation of ‘Biblical Sufferology’ (chart on page 10). The five stages of grief—denial, anger, bargaining, depression, acceptance—are contrasted with the biblical grief response—candor, complaint, cry, comfort. Kellemen writes, ‘We have two basic options. We can turn to the world’s way. Or we can follow the way of God’s Word’ (16). God’s Word is where we find hope!”

• Lucy Ann Mull: The Sisterhood of Beautiful Warriors. http://bit.ly/cM8BhI

“God’s Healing for Life’s Losses provides valuable wisdom and encouragement for women or men who suffer any life loss, including divorce, church conflict, the empty nest, death of a loved one. Easy to read, practical and uplifting. Highly recommended.”

• Greg Baily: Word for Men. http://bit.ly/cJc8tV

“I am currently ministering to two recent widows and one spouse who have just hit the reality that her husband is headed to his Creator at an accelerating speed. I am going to buy more copies of this book for them, and am talking to the local director of a Biblical counseling center and my pastor about ordering a few dozen for myself, another chaplain I know and for their ministries use also. It is that helpful and that truthful. My money will be where my mouth is.”

• Cindy Baily: Word for Women. http://bit.ly/cTx6kc

(By Greg Baily): “Dr. Kellemen has been given a unique Christian insight into ‘sufferology’ and grieving. As one who wanted to help but only seemed to have a mish-mash of secular observation about human nature and some meaty Biblical concepts I thoroughly embrace God’s Healing for Life’s Losses. The book is made very accessible because he uses case studies to outline his Biblical stages, often of himself as he suffered through a great grief in his life.”

• Angela Dockter-Harris: Dance in the Rain. http://bit.ly/aKqdrS  

“God’s Healing for Life’s Losses provides such comfort to understanding sorrow and suffering. This is a must read book for those who are hurting as well as those who minister to hurting people on a daily basis. I suggest that those in ministry have several copies on hand to share.”

• Kym Morris McNabney: Writing from the Soul. http://bit.ly/9V9PXe

“I believe this book would be an amazing tool for those stuck in suffering, and worthlessness, and despair. Those that have been struck down by addiction, or found themselves behind bars. They need to hear the good news this book has to offer. It isn’t often that I wish to be rich, but after reading this book I wish I had the funds to purchase this wonderful book for those in my life, as well as all those that cross my path that I fear are hurt, and suffering.” 

• Cornelius Jemison: My Musings from a Biblical Worldview. http://bit.ly/dkjUON

“As a beginning student in theology, I can write a theology paper about suffering and come up with clever statements that describe the process of suffering/troubles/tribulations and the implications of believers, but it’s another thing when you are hemmed in, hurting, angry, and bitter with God. After reading Dr. Robert Kellemen’s book: God’s Healing for Life’s Losses I don’t feel that way anymore. In his book he describes the biblical and personal process of healing.”

• Joe Donaldson: View from the Second Chair. http://bit.ly/bXu1oZ

“This is a book that I will recommend to my colleagues, to those who counsel and care for those who are grieving, and for all who finds themselves in need of healing from life’s losses. I found it to be well-written, thoughtful, and immensely practical.”

• John Starke: The Gospel Coalition Reviews. http://bit.ly/aQzTjg

Author Interview: “Who should read God’s Healing for Life’s Losses?”

“Sometimes the second we hear words like loss and grief, our minds focus exclusively on death and dying. God’s Healing for Life’s Losses focuses on any type of loss—from the grand loss of death, to the daily casket experiences of the loss of a job, the loss of a dream, the loss of a relationship… So anyone struggling with any life loss would benefit from reading God’s Healing.”

• Aaron Taylor: Deep Thoughts with Aaron Taylor. http://bit.ly/cIiOUk

Author Interview: “What’s the “big idea” behind God’s Healing for Life’s Losses? What would you like readers to take away from it?”

“In a biblical sentence: you can grieve with hope (1 Thessalonians 4:13). God’s Healing for Life’s Losses gives readers permission to grieve and offers a pathway toward hope. I want people to see their suffering from God’s perspective without denying the reality that suffering still hurts. What would I like readers to take away? The title and subtitle say it best. I’d like readers to walk away with God’s healing hope.”

• Lynn Mosher: Heading Home. http://bit.ly/bFmkjt

Author Interview: “Why did you write God’s Healing for Life’s Losses?”

“Christians long for an approach that faces suffering honestly and engages sufferers passionately—all in the context of presenting truth biblically and relevantly. We need to be able to face life’s losses in the context of God’s healing. Jesus did. ‘I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world’ (John 16:33).” 

Join the Conversation

What resources have you found valuable in dealing with suffering, grief, and loss?