Serving Together: The Gospel Coalition and the Biblical Counseling Coalition 

Chicago will host the 2011 Gospel Coalition Conference, April 12-14. The theme of this year’s conference is They Testify About Me which highlights how all of Scripture, including the Old Testament, center on Christ: His person and work.

The theme is appropriate as The Gospel Coalition exists as ”a fellowship of evangelical churches deeply committed to renewing our faith in the gospel of Christ and to reforming our ministry practices to conform fully to the Scriptures.” This year, the newly launched Biblical Counseling Coalition will have four active roles in the conference. This, too, is fitting, as “the BCC exists to strengthen churches, para-church organizations, and educational institutions by promoting excellence and unity in biblical counseling as a means to accomplish compassionate outreach and effective discipleship.”

 David Powlison’s Workshop Session

Dr. David Powlison, of the CCEF and Board Member of the BCC, will lead a Wednesday (11-noon) session on The Pastor’s Counseling Ministry.

BCC Q/A Special Event

Dr. Powlison, Garrett Higbee (BCC BOD Member), Steve Viars (BCC BOD President), and Bob Kellemen (BCC Executive Director) will lead a BCC Q/A focused around Recent Advancements in Biblical Counseling. This special event will run from 12:30-1:30 PM on Wednesday.

BCC and Pastoral Care

Throughout the conference, the BCC will be providing pastoral care for attendees. This offering is motivated by TGC and the BCC’s concern for Christian leaders: who cares for the care-givers, who shepherds the shepherds?

BCC Booth

The BCC will also host a booth at the conference (booth 99) with literature related to the BCC, sample BCC documents, and sample materials authored by BCC Board Members and Council Board Members.

Join the Conversation

What are the benefits of para-church organizations serving together?

Meet the Leadership of the Biblical Counseling Coalition

Visit: Visit the Biblical Counseling Coalition.

The BCC Board of Directors

Garrett Higbee (Board Treasurer), Psy.D., Executive Director of Biblical Soul Care Ministries, Harvest Bible Chapel, Elgin, Illinois.

Robert W. Kellemen (Board Member, BCC Executive Director), Ph.D., Professor of Christian Counseling and Discipleship, Capital Bible Seminary, Lanham, Maryland.

Timothy S. Lane (Board Vice President), D.Min., Executive Director, Christian Counseling and Education Foundation, Glenside, Pennsylvania.

Randy Patten (Board Secretary), M.Div., Executive Director, National Association of Nouthetic Counselors, Indianapolis, Indiana.

David Powlison (Board Member), Ph.D., Faculty Member, Christian Counseling and Education Foundation, Glenside, Pennsylvania.

Stephen Viars (Board President), D.Min., Sr. Pastor, Faith Baptist Church, Lafayette, Indiana.

The BCC Council Board Members

Brad Bigney, M.Div., Sr. Pastor, Grace Fellowship Evangelical Free Church, Florence, Kentucky.

Kevin Carson, D.Min., Pastor, Sonrise Baptist Church, Ozark, Missouri.

Robert K. Cheong, Ph.D., Pastor of Care and Counseling, Sojourn Community Church, Louisville, Kentucky.

Howard Eyrich, D.Min., Pastor of Counseling Ministries, Briarwood Presbyterian Church, Birmingham, Alabama.

Elyse Fitzpatrick, MA, Founder, Counsel from the Cross Ministries, Escondido, California.

Jeffery S. Forrey, Ph.D., Chair of the Department of Biblical Counseling, Trinity College of the Bible & Theological Seminary, Newburgh, Indiana.

Rob Green, M.Div., Pastor of Counseling and Seminary Ministries, Faith Baptist Church, Lafayette, Indiana.

Brad Hambrick, Th.M., Pastor of Counseling, The Summit Church, Raleigh, North Carolina.

John Henderson, Ph.D., Pastor of Counseling Ministries, Denton Bible Church, Denton, Texas.

Laura Hendrickson, M.D., Founder, Gospel Balm Ministries, Chula Vista, California.

Robert D. Jones, D.Min., Assistant Professor of Biblical Counseling, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, Wake Forest, North Carolina.

Heath Lambert, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Biblical Counseling, Boyce College and The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Louisville, Kentucky.

Jeremy Lelek, MA, President, Association of Biblical Counselors, Bedford, Texas.

Rod Mays, D.Min., National Coordinator, Reformed University Fellowship (PCA), Lawrenceville, GA.

Lance Quinn, Th.M., Pastor-Teacher, The Bible Church of Little Rock, Little Rock, Arkansas.

Deepak Reju, Ph.D., Pastor of Biblical Counseling and Families, Capitol Hill Baptist Church, Washington, DC.

Stuart Scott, D.Min., Executive Director, The Center for Biblical Counseling at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Louisville, Kentucky.

John D. Street, D.Min., Professor, The Master’s College and Seminary, Santa Clarita, California.

Paul Tripp, D.Min., President, Paul Tripp Ministries, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

A. Charles Ware, D.D., President, Crossroads Bible College, Indianapolis, Indiana.

Mike Wilkerson, BA, Pastor of Biblical Living, Mars Hill Church, Seattle, Washington.

Sam R. Williams, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Counseling, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, Wake Forest, North Carolina.

My Foreword to Steve Viars’ Putting Your Past in Its Place

Pastor Steve Viars has devoted his life and ministry to helping others to change—biblically. You hold in your hands the result of his lifelong ministry—Pastor Viars’ Opus.

It’s an opus well worth reading and applying. Whether you’re struggling with the process of change related to past suffering or to past sin, Putting Your Past in Its Place provides the seasoned, compassionate, pastoral, hope-filled, biblical wisdom you need.

Christians who attempt to address the crucial topic of the past tend toward extremes. Not Steve. He carefully avoids the “past is nothing” and “the past is everything” mindsets. He scripturally avoids the “truth only” or “love only” approach. Instead, like the Apostle Paul, he offers you both the Scriptures and his own soul (1 Thessalonians 2:8).

Steve is a master communicator, having honed the skill of relating God’s truth to people’s lives through decades as a pastor and biblical counselor. Those skills are on display throughout Putting Your Past in Its Place. It provides a comprehensive practical theology of the past that reads like a real-life narrative. Because it is real life—our lives as we deal daily with our past. His creative illustrations, engaging stories, personal examples, weaving in of “Jill’s story,” questions for personal reflection and group discussion, and his “real life testimonials” in the appendix material all result in the most reader-friendly counseling book you’ll ever find.

While I highly recommend Putting Your Past in Its Place to “the person in the pew,” I’m also convinced that it will be a theory-altering, practice-changing book for pastors and biblical counselors. Steve models the sufficiency of Scripture for everyday life like no one I have read. Pastors and counselors can learn from Steve not only how to help their parishioners and counselees to deal with the past, but even more, how to view and use the Scriptures to develop a theology and methodology for dealing with any life issue.

I’ve known Steve since we were both in elementary school. Given the intensity of his ministry responsibilities, I’ve wondered how he lives such a joy-filled, hopeful life. I’ve pondered how he maintains such healthy relationships. Now I know the rest of the story. Steve keeps his accounts current with God. He practices what he teaches in Putting Your Past in Its Place. If you want to find God and experience the joy, hope, and love that He offers in Christ, then practice what Steve teaches in Putting Your Past in Its Place.

—Robert W. Kellemen, Ph.D., Founder and CEO of RPM Ministries, Executive Director of the Biblical Counseling Coalition, Author of God’s Healing for Life’s Losses

What’s Worth a Week of My Time?

Why in the world would over 1,600 people spend from Sunday afternoon through Friday afternoon at a biblical counseling conference?

Well, if you don’t want to hear from me on this (are there people like that?), check out the Twitter feed at #bctconf). Here’s my take on why 1,600+ people spent the week at the Faith Biblical Counseling Ministries training conference in Lafayette, Indiana.

Hmm… Let me rephrase that. Here are a few reasons why I spent the week there (not in any particular order).

1. Iron sharpens iron… through biblical teaching.

I know that some speakers at some conferences don’t often attend sessions unless they’re speaking. Not here. I was equipped, encouraged, stirred, and convicted as I listened to my fellow speakers relate truth to life. I spent the week here because I want to grow up in Christ.

2. Iron sharpens iron… through biblical relating.

However, I didn’t spend every second in sessions. I spent the week here because I long for deep Christian fellowship and I enjoyed it richly this week. My life and ministry have been enriched by spending quality time with people like Steve Viars, Garrett Higbee, Brian Nicholson, Doc Smith, Andy Woodall, Rob Green, Amy Baker, Mark Dutton, Edris and Arvid Olson, Heather Smith, Jocelyn Wallace, Elyse Fitzpatrick, Martha Peace, Brad Bigney, Kevin Carson, Stuart Scott, Jack Delk, Tim Lane, Randy Patten, and so many more.

3. Biblical counselors are compassionate.

Session after session and interaction after interaction, I enjoyed the compassionate care spoken about and shared by the dear folks at the conference. The sensitivity to hurting people models Christ-likeness—a model I long to embrace.

4. Biblical counselors are relevant and practical.

I so appreciate the robust depth of insight for living shared at the conference…in sessions and in personal interactions. Rich theology richly related to real life—that’s worth a week of my time. Whether talking about victory over specific besetting sins or talking about finding hope amidst life’s trials, biblical truths were applied “where the rubber meets the road”—never trite, but always true to life.

5. It’s fun!

“Fun” and a “week focused on biblical counseling” might seem like an oxymoron, a contradiction in terms. Not at all. Life is serious, but life is also hilarious. To laugh with friends, to kid, to joke… Yes, I was able to unwind at a biblical counseling conference. “Who’d a thought it?”

The Rest of the Story

Interested in the 2012 Faith Biblical Counseling Conference? Check out: Christ-Centered Counseling.

Join the Conversation

Why do you attend Christian conferences (whichever one you attend)?

Announcing the Launch of the Biblical Counseling Coalition

During the past year, over two-dozen leading pastors, biblical counselors, and Christian educators have been prayerfully discussing whether the time is right to launch a new coalition of organizations, leaders, and participants in the biblical counseling movement. Those leaders are excited to announce the official launch of the Biblical Counseling Coalition.

Pastor Steve Viars, the President of the BCC Board of Directors, captures the BCC’s purpose.

“The BCC is all about promoting relationships and providing resources. There are many tremendous organizations and individuals involved in the biblical counseling movement. The BCC seeks to connect such men and women in a way that creates a natural and healthy synergy. We believe that together we can accomplish more.”

The coalition’s Mission Statement further focuses the BCC’s vision.

The BCC exists to strengthen churches, para-church organizations, and educational institutions by promoting excellence and unity in biblical counseling as a means to accomplish compassionate outreach and effective discipleship.

The BCC wants to be a catalyst further strengthening and unifying already-existing biblical counseling ministries, churches, and schools committed to biblical counseling. The BCC is a bridging ministry keeping people connected to and informed about conferences, blogs, resources, and classes offered by other biblical counseling ministries.

The BCC’s Executive Director, Dr. Bob Kellemen, highlights the three-fold audience to which the BCC seeks to minister.

“We want to strengthen the biblical counseling movement by ministering to people who offer care, people who are seeking care, and people who train care-givers. For example, on our site and in links to other sites, people will find blogs, book reviews, videos, and resource articles on a topic such as depression. Some of those resources will be written for those who offer care—pastors, biblical counselors, lay spiritual friends. Some will be written to help the person who is seeking care for depression to find biblical hope and wisdom. Some will discuss depression from a theological perspective so that those who train care-givers can be stretched through the iron-sharpening-iron process.”

The Biblical Counseling Coalition seeks to serve the entire church. Pastor Garrett Higbee, who serves as the Treasurer of the BCC Board, explains that:

“More than counseling, the vision of the BCC is for the entire church to speak God’s truth in love. We want to motivate and equip folks at the most basic levels of self-counsel, one-another ministry, small group leadership, and intentional discipleship. We want counseling with truth and love to become viral in the church and to be a foundational part of every discipleship-based ministry.”

Learn more about the BCC’s robust, relational vision of biblical counseling by visiting the Biblical Counseling Coalition. At the “under construction” website you’ll find:

• The BCC’s Confessional Statement

• The BCC’s Doctrinal Statement

• The BCC’s Mission/Vision/Passion Statement

• A Welcome from Pastor Steve Viars, the President of the BCC’s Board of Directors

• A Welcome from Dr. Bob Kellemen, the Executive Director of the BCC

• Bios of the BCC’s Board of Directors and Council Board Members

• Testimonials: “Why We Need the BCC”

• Coming Soon: A Listing of Resources the BCC Will Be Offering 

Website: www.biblicalcounselingcoalition.org

Email: info@biblicalcc.org

Twitter: www.twitter.com/biblicalcc

Facebook: www.facebook.com/BiblicalCounselingCoalition

Promoting Personal Change Centered on the Person of Christ

Ephesians 4:11-16

Every Life Has a Story

Dan Cathy is the President and Chief Operating Officer of Chick-fil-A, Inc. A committed Christian, he’s an inspiring man with an amazing story. That may explain the Chick-fil-A passion statement: Live, Love, and Lead.

Last night, my good friend, Pastor Steve Viars, introduced me to yet another aspect of Dan Cathy’s life. Steve shared a powerful message about how, by God’s grace, Faith Baptist Church is reaching out into the Lafayette community with Christ’s love. Included in Steve’s presentation at the annual conference of the National Association of Nouthetic Counselors (NANC) was the following training video created by Chick-fil-A.

Dan Cathy introduces the video. “Every life has a story if we only bother to read it. This is a video we created to remind us that everyone we interact with is a chance to create a remarkable experience.”

Watch the following video at your own risk…it may make you cry; it may challenge you to live, love, and lead; it certainly will not leave you the same as you were before you viewed it.

Dan Cathy says, “There are a million opportunities for each of us every day to live, love, and lead.” So, after you’ve viewed the video, ask yourself, “How will I live, love, and lead today?”

©2010 Chick-fil-A 

Every Life Has a Story from Dan T. Cathy on Vimeo.