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151: The Body of Christ
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151: The Body of Christ
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Going through life has many difficult challenges. Being used by God to help others through these various challenges that arise throughout life is a gift.
Colossians 3:16 says that we are to let the word of Christ dwell in us as we teach and admonish one another. God’s word is telling us to help one another. Sometimes we think that people need to be referred to what we call professionals. But really they just need to hear what God’s word says. In Romans 15 it talks about us being full of goodness. But God is actually filling us with His goodness. Otherwise there is no good in us. When the Bible says that we should admonish to one another, it can be hard to do. But when you look at it as friendly earnest advice, to be careful, it seems the right thing to do. And above all show the Love of God in all you do.
When I came to Christ, God put me through some intense counseling from the Holy Spirit and the bible. I became open to what God wanted to do and he showed me so many things for me to change. It was wonderful, freeing and healing. Later on, I was shocked to hear a pastor say that he had sent his daughter to a psychiatrist, because I had experienced such wonderful counsel from the word of God, from the Holy Spirit. I thank God for those pasters who are directing people to Biblical Counselors that teach to truth and are pointing to the wonderful counselor Jesus Christ our healer.
I feel like the church has really lost its ability to counsel over the years. It’s so lacks conviction and substance in most cases. I do pray that God raises up more who will adequately counsel others within the church so we may have His Word and Spirit change the lives of the hurting and broken. There is much work to be done, but we need to stand up and be useful.
Dean, very well put. We need people in the church to stand up and counsel others in the Word of God, and about what the Spirit of God is saying. So that Christ can heal the hurting and broken.
During this time of Covid where people are just now starting to come back to church it is nice to be reminded that the church is where true counseling is supposed to happen. Our small groups before Covid struck, had just completed a study on the “One Anothers”, that are found in Scripture. The study was led by Pastor Tony Evans. He spoke of how our horizontal relationships we have here on earth impact our vertical relationship with our Father in heaven. We can’t counsel one another if we are not present together. Even before I heard this podcast I kept telling people that the Church is here so that we can minister to one another. After listening to the podcast it has just reinforced my believe that true God honoring relationships are established, true counseling occurs and His will is accomplished when His people come together to worship Him.
Yes, it is in relationship that counseling is most natural to flow. And relationships develop best and deepest in person. We develop trust with one another as we spend time together and this foundation of trust is often what we need to be open to counsel from others. It is also where we start to see areas in other people that the Holy Spirit can point us to admonish and exhort (encourage and comfort) our brother.
We must let the Word of Christ dwell in us richly indeed. I have the same concern for our Christian churches today who do not place strong emphasis on scripture and have departed to preaching man’s wisdom.I can’t begin to say how much my life has been changed by taking heed to the Word of God, As Psalm 119:24 the Word is my delight and my Counselors, It gives me wisdom, truth, light and understanding. The more I learn the more I want to know. Like Pastor Jeff said we must call the people back to the Word of God.
Definitely, we as the church need to heavily invest in the word and giving counsel to one another from it. There is so much bad information out there that is based on man’s ideas.
Growing up, I grew up in a Catholic family, but my parents only went to church on “Holidays” or when there was a baby baptism, or wedding. I never understood Catholicism and NEVER read my Bible. When an issue would arise or my mom would need advice, I remember she would take my sister and I with her and we would wait outside of the confessional and listen to my mom to the priest in a box, my sister and I thought it was rather odd and my mom would come out repeating the same thing over and over till we got home. She told us, this would help her with what she needed help from. Needless to say, this did not work for her, my mom and dad divorced and I lived many years of watching a woman wither away.
My point is that, the church did not send her in the direction of any good counsel, they did not fellowship with her, read Scripture with her, pray over her, no relation. As Pastor/Professor Jeff says ” A relational church life” This is God’s way in counseling. This is the work of Holy Spirit, walking side by side with someone.
I believe it is very important to be in a church that does teach line upon line, and verse upon verse so that the new believer or seasoned believer is being poured into by God’s life changing Word.
Serena, I did not grow up in the Catholic church, but I do feel that I was somewhat mislead by my church. Instead of teaching the Bible, most of it was what man wanted us to do. I love that we are in the Scripture so much as we study and grow to be more like Christ. Thank you, Serena, for sharing with us.
Thank you for painting the picture of a normal church where we counsel each other to discipleship. Both a ministry of warning and comforting. I couldn’t agree more this should be the norm in church life rather than sending troubled believers, in Christ, to the world for counsel. That is most certainly the wrong way around!
I am so thankful for the Body of Christ! It is wonderful to be in a church that teaches the full Bible, and to be with people who aren’t afraid to correct me in love, or to help me in my times of distress. I remember 15 years ago when I was going through a dark time in my life, it took a pastor’s wife to be honest with me and tell me that the reason I was struggling was because of my selfishness. I didn’t feel attacked by her, and I knew it was coming from a place where she wanted to see me released from this bondage. I am so thankful for her words, love and prayers. She was able to reach me through the word of God, where no therapist ever could.
How beautiful to have someone love you like Jesus and speak those Bold words to you. Having brothers and sisters in Christ that have earned the right to speak into our lives and give us wisdom that only comes from God, is truly a treasure.
Proverbs 27:5-6 likewise I really do appreciate when people care enough to tell me I am wrong.
Thank you for sharing. It takes Godly love and the work of the Holy Sprite to accept a correction and to give correction like this.
It is encouraging to belong to the body of Christ. To have a spiritual family that we can come alongside and encourage/admonish (and be encouraged and admonished by) really is a blessing. I pray that as we grow in the knowledge and wisdom of God, that we would recognize how we can help those who are struggling, and counsel them according to the Word of God, instead of referring them to the humanistic counsel of the world. As I learn through this course, it becomes clearer every day that Jesus is THE Wonderful Counselor, and He is enough. What a pity that we would even consider suggesting counsel apart from Him. As Pastor Jeff reminded us of Paul’s words in Romans 12:6, “Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us use them…” let us use the gifts each of us has been given to minister to one another.
Your statement of what a pity that we would even consider suggesting counsel apart from the Lord reminds me of a discussion I had today at church. It is sad to see how the worldly counsel can actually destroy a family, where God is the only one who can actually bring complete healing in a broken situation. Jesus is the only answer, and I am so thankful that so many are involved in this Biblical counseling course– wanting to share that hope with others who are hurting.
Amen I am praying for you and with you.
Ilene I couldn’t agree more. As a pastor I find it difficult to believe that a pastor or someone in the church would refer someone in the church to someone outside the church for humanistic counseling. However, I have had conversations with pastors who struggle with the sufficiency of Scripture. I agree with Ann-Louise we need to just keep praying.
What a great reminder of the bounty of blessings that God has provided believers through the fellowship we have with one another within the context of the church. The call to counsel, exhort, comfort and be in genuine fellowship with one another reminded me of Paul’s heart for the churches he planted. Colossians 1:28-29 sums up his love for the body, and the way it motivated him to action on their behalf. Considering the weight of the calling to be trained in counseling, it seems especially imperative that love for the people of God must permeate our hearts and minds (1 John 4:21). Thank you, Pastor Jeff, for the encouragement that our competency is enabled through the work of the Holy Spirit in our hearts, dependent on the goodness of God indwelling us, and a growing knowledge of Jesus which is a promised part of our sanctification.
Amen Erin, it is a wonderful picture of a genuine body ministering to one another. You are right – that right there is a picture of the living Christ.
Well said and I agree, it is imperative for Biblical Counselors to have love for people.
This episode was a great reminder of how important it is to be invested and a part of a local church. The support and familial encouragement/input that can be transferred is immense. While being consistently in God’s word and in prayer is the most important aspect of our walk and journeys as counselors; it is critical that we are plugged into a fellowship of believers on a regular basis. For accountability, encouragement, and challenging. Matthew 18:20 Jesus said just that.
In Matthew 18:19, there is also the promise that “if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in Heaven.” Keeping in mind that the implication is that the request is in line with the will of God, I am reminded of the immense importance in not only prioritizing prayer individually, but in bringing our requests before God together. Biblical counseling provides such a beautiful way to intentionally join with a fellow believer in purposed prayer for God to work His will in his or her life!
Yes!!! It is so assuring to have others beside you who can hold you accountable and bring encouragement when needed. It is so easy to pull away from other believers when we are struggling. Jesus knows we need other believers in our lives and stressed that in His teachings.
Angela I believe that this is the mistake many Christians make to pull away from other believers when struggling with sin or life’s issues. Some persons worry about confidentiality and not wanting to be judged or rejected by others but Satan is the one to blind such hurting believers to see the tremendous resources and help that can be received from within the church. He wants believers isolated and hopeless or in the hands of those who turn to human wisdom from which to counsel. Pastor Jeff rightly said that church life is where counseling should take place. May we all be instruments in the Redeemers hand to provide the counsel the people of God need.
I agree, being involved and connected to a church with brothers and sisters in Christ is so valuable. Especially to be able to minister to one another and pray for one another, that Colossians 3:16 ministry that Pastor Jeff spoke of. I love that he referred to this verse as a ministry. It is! I have never read that part of Scripture like that.
I totally agree Timothy that it is important to be in fellowship with a local body of believers where you can be nurtured, encouraged, corrected and be accountable.We do need each other and God has designed the Church to meet these needs so who best to minister to us when broken but Biblical Counselors and our spiritual leaders.Let us not turn our people away to the “professionals” or “experts”Jesus is our wonderful Counsellor and He is All knowing and we can trust Him to guide us in helping the hurting believers of our fellowship.
I agree Tim, without connection to fellow believers we lose our support as counselors that God provides for us through His church. Without one another our ministry truly will not be as effective. That is why it is important to connect our counselee’s as soon as we can with the church. At the same time we need to stay connected to receive the blessings God wants to give us through others in the church.