When Helping Hurts in Pastoral Counseling

In this post, Casey McCall notes, “In such a context, the role of pastoral counseling often gets confused with the role of the therapist. These two things, however, are not the same. Therapy involves working with a professional to explore emotions, thoughts, and behaviors toward the goal of overcoming trauma or managing depression and anxiety. Pastoral counseling, on the other hand, involves working with a pastor or biblical counselor to apply God’s word toward the goal of growth in faith and obedience. It requires regeneration through Christ and reliance on his Spirit.”

Loving the Church in Her Brokenness

This is a helpful thought for how we understand and love the church, “The body of Christ, the bride of Christ, the picture of heaven here on earth is broken. But what we find in Scripture is that she is beautifully broken. She is beautifully broken because, like creation, she is also being redeemed (Eph. 5:25–27).”

I May Not Be the Best, But I Choose to Be My Best

“There will always be people smarter and more talented than me. I can appreciate them and be thankful for their contributions. However, that doesn’t mean that I’m not gifted or that there aren’t unique ways I can serve God and others in His world.”