Biblical Counseling and the Church: God's Care Through God's People

“Treacherous, painful, and lengthy are words and moments I'd typically rather avoid. Counseling can be an emotionally devastating work for the faithful and feeling elder. But counseling in the church isn't optional. In fact, counseling is a gift to us who live under the curse of sin and a means of grace to bring growth and health to the church. This collection of authors take God's Word out of the abstract and into the concrete for God's people. Ministry practice without sound doctrine is a disaster. Buy this book and wear it out for the love and care of the church.”

“How can biblical counseling shape the week-by-week work of ministry? What effect should our approach to counseling have on small groups, church discipline, evangelism and more? Throughout this book, seasoned ministry practitioners articulate clearly and practically the impact of biblical counseling in every area of the local church's life and work. A much-needed resource for church staff!”

“Since my first counseling class in seminary, I've aspired to preach like a counselor. Jesus preached as a counselor, and those ho heard him felt like he knew everything about them. To apply the gospel—full of grace and truthe—to the multifaceted brokenness in people's lives is the essence of Christian ministry. The authors of Biblical Counseling and the Church demonstrate that gospel-centric counseling is not just for a select few, but the responsibility of every believer. If you want to help people progress in the gospel in meaningful ways, you need to read this book.”

“Biblical Counseling and the Church is packed with the wisdom of today's leaders in biblical counseling. This book will greatly assist in moving the care of souls out of the exclusive realm of the counseling office and into small groups and every aspect of church life! I am excited to watch as this book revolutionizes how we connect counseling and the church!”

“To say there is a lot of trouble in the world today would be to state the obvious. Trouble is everywhere... but it's not just in the world "out there"; it's in the church "in here." The question facing every pastor is, "How can I possibly help all the people whose lives are overflowing with troubles, conflicts, emotional problems of every kind, and relational breakups?" This book will help provide you with answers. The Lord of the church has gifted us with all we need to minister to those within our walls who are suffering. The authors are seasoned, wise counselors, committed to the local church and to the sufficiency of the Word of the church's Lord. I highly recommend it.”

“Biblical counseling should be a natural and vital component of discipleship within the covenant community that the Bible calls the body of Christ. It should also be a means of reaching out beyond the community to minister redemptive grace to the nations. This book, written by thiry-four committed biblical counselors, will equip a church to do both. I am happy to commend its widest reading and use.”

“It is rare for me to read a book and have it be all that I hoped it would be. I wanted a big, bold vision for biblical counseling in the church. That is what I got. This book is a treasure trove!”

“I'm grateful for Biblical Counseling and the Church—a powerful resource that identifies how any local church can become a culture of life change through biblical counseling in all aspects of the ministry. This book is practical, needed, and important.”

“This book offers a clarion call to embed counseling ministry within local congregations. Whether you are a pastor tasked with the shepherding of God's flock or a layperson who takes seriously the one-another passages of Scripture, you will be further motivated and equipped to be a conduit of God's care.”