The new guy at church (usually known as Pastor Mike) has been teaching a membership class during Sunday School. Because I teach a Sunday School class, I haven't been in his class, but I've finally started listening to them on-line. While the class is officially for people planing to join the church, it's attended by any adult who wants to come to Sunday School (and some children as well), and it's an excellent review of what the church believes and why, and some key doctrines from Scripture.
Membership class 2 covered the gospel, what it means to be a Christian, and how to become a Christian (because while all members need to be believers, not all people who attend church are believers; also, it's a key doctrine).
So, if you're wondering what the gospel is all about, or even if you know (or think you know), I'd suggest that you head over to the church website and listen to him.
In fact, when you have time, you should listen to all of the Membership Class lessons. While I can only vouch for the first 3 (I'm still behind in my listening), I'm pretty sure they're all excellent!
Monday, 31 October 2016
Friday, 28 October 2016
A Word of Clarification
It has been pointed out to me that not all the Biblical Counseling students were happy, perky, and nice all the time. To be abundantly clear: most of them were like that, but a few were not. They were more down-to-earth and significantly less bubbly.
My apologies to anyone (Liz) who may have been offended by my characterization of the counseling students!
My apologies to anyone (Liz) who may have been offended by my characterization of the counseling students!
On Becoming a Biblical Counselor
Let me be upfront with you: I did not want to become a counselor of any type. I'm a teacher, and I'm a good teacher; teaching makes sense to me. If you want to learn about the Bible, I can help you. If you want to learn how to be a better Christian, I can give you books to read and even talk about them with you. I can pray for you and advise you. If you have issues that are big and need counselling...I can recommend some very good, wise, and sympathetic people! I have just never really known what to say to people in a counseling situation (except: stop sinning and read your Bible, and I think I need to be more detailed there).
Also, I looked at the Biblical Counseling students when I was at Masters (doing Biblical Studies, or "the course for people who want to teach, not counsel"). They all seemed so happy, and perky, and nice all the time. They just loved everyone and life was so wonderful and they were so earnest. I am not like that. I am sarcastic and blunt and I have issues of my own.
So what happened? Well, I have a very persistent elder who kept giving me books to read (which is cheating; everyone knows I'll read just about anything) and who insisted (and still insists) that I'm a good counselor. So I read the books and learned, slowly, that I don't have to be all the things those students seemed to be in order to counsel someone; I can just love God and love people and point them to His word. And I learned that counseling is sort of like teaching, only you have to spend more time uncovering what the person needs to learn. Finally, I learned that having my own issues makes people more willing to talk to me and listen to me.
After a while, I realized that when people asked me questions about the Bible and how it applies to their situation, or what I would do in a particular area, or just wanted to run something by me, I was counseling them. It wasn't too big and scary, and sometimes I could still be blunt (but I'm learning about gentleness and grace, and to save the sarcasm for more appropriate situations).
Then someone walked into my apartment one day for a discipleship session. It was supposed to be simple: we were going to read a book together and I was going to help her grow to be more like Christ. Only there were deeper issues, and they all spilled out that first day, and suddenly it was something bigger than we had planned. And suddenly I was officially counseling someone. It was a bit scary (it still is).
I'm still not sure I know what I'm doing. I just pray a lot, and search the Bible a lot for wisdom, and sometimes go to the aforementioned elder for advice and resources. And then I teach the women what the Bible says and how to apply it to their lives, whatever is going on. And I remind myself that counseling is just teaching people what they need to learn, and loving them, and letting God do His work.
Also, I looked at the Biblical Counseling students when I was at Masters (doing Biblical Studies, or "the course for people who want to teach, not counsel"). They all seemed so happy, and perky, and nice all the time. They just loved everyone and life was so wonderful and they were so earnest. I am not like that. I am sarcastic and blunt and I have issues of my own.
So what happened? Well, I have a very persistent elder who kept giving me books to read (which is cheating; everyone knows I'll read just about anything) and who insisted (and still insists) that I'm a good counselor. So I read the books and learned, slowly, that I don't have to be all the things those students seemed to be in order to counsel someone; I can just love God and love people and point them to His word. And I learned that counseling is sort of like teaching, only you have to spend more time uncovering what the person needs to learn. Finally, I learned that having my own issues makes people more willing to talk to me and listen to me.
After a while, I realized that when people asked me questions about the Bible and how it applies to their situation, or what I would do in a particular area, or just wanted to run something by me, I was counseling them. It wasn't too big and scary, and sometimes I could still be blunt (but I'm learning about gentleness and grace, and to save the sarcasm for more appropriate situations).
Then someone walked into my apartment one day for a discipleship session. It was supposed to be simple: we were going to read a book together and I was going to help her grow to be more like Christ. Only there were deeper issues, and they all spilled out that first day, and suddenly it was something bigger than we had planned. And suddenly I was officially counseling someone. It was a bit scary (it still is).
I'm still not sure I know what I'm doing. I just pray a lot, and search the Bible a lot for wisdom, and sometimes go to the aforementioned elder for advice and resources. And then I teach the women what the Bible says and how to apply it to their lives, whatever is going on. And I remind myself that counseling is just teaching people what they need to learn, and loving them, and letting God do His work.
Sunday, 23 October 2016
It's Time to Start Again
Okay, let's try this blog thing again. I have a lot going on in my head, but there are some complications when it comes to blogging:
1. I don't want to share everything with the world (or the bit of the world that still reads this).
2. When I'm thinking about things that I could blog, it isn't always a convenient time to write.
3. I'm trying to stay off the computer in the evenings, there's not a lot of time to write in the mornings, and I'm usually at work during the day.
On the other hand, I like writing, and I do have thoughts that I can share. So here's the plan: I'm going to try updating the blog at least once a week. We'll see how that works for now.
And for those of you who have hung in there, waiting for words, I have 2 stories for you:
From work:
One of my students was trying to show off how smart he is, so I pointed out that I still know more math than he does. His response:
"That's because I'm only in grade 6, and you're in grade...adult!"
From Junior Church:
We were talking about Moses (who, despite what one small sweetheart thought, was never thrown into a pit by his brothers). We were talking about how God knew that Pharaoh would say No to Moses, and how God knows everything. We don't know everything: not us, or our parents, or the pastors, or anyone. Then this conversation happened:
Small girl, very thoughtfully: But I think Pastor James and Pastor Mike know a LOT about God and the Bible.
Me: Well, yes, or they'd have to or they wouldn't be very good pastors.
Smaller girl, with all the intensity of a Very Serious 4-year old: Pastor James and Pastor Mike are VERY good pastors because they teach us about God and Jesus.
There was general agreement, and I assured them that yes, I know that they are very good pastors. I was also trying not to laugh at how quickly they came to the pastors' (unnecessary) defense.
1. I don't want to share everything with the world (or the bit of the world that still reads this).
2. When I'm thinking about things that I could blog, it isn't always a convenient time to write.
3. I'm trying to stay off the computer in the evenings, there's not a lot of time to write in the mornings, and I'm usually at work during the day.
On the other hand, I like writing, and I do have thoughts that I can share. So here's the plan: I'm going to try updating the blog at least once a week. We'll see how that works for now.
And for those of you who have hung in there, waiting for words, I have 2 stories for you:
From work:
One of my students was trying to show off how smart he is, so I pointed out that I still know more math than he does. His response:
"That's because I'm only in grade 6, and you're in grade...adult!"
From Junior Church:
We were talking about Moses (who, despite what one small sweetheart thought, was never thrown into a pit by his brothers). We were talking about how God knew that Pharaoh would say No to Moses, and how God knows everything. We don't know everything: not us, or our parents, or the pastors, or anyone. Then this conversation happened:
Small girl, very thoughtfully: But I think Pastor James and Pastor Mike know a LOT about God and the Bible.
Me: Well, yes, or they'd have to or they wouldn't be very good pastors.
Smaller girl, with all the intensity of a Very Serious 4-year old: Pastor James and Pastor Mike are VERY good pastors because they teach us about God and Jesus.
There was general agreement, and I assured them that yes, I know that they are very good pastors. I was also trying not to laugh at how quickly they came to the pastors' (unnecessary) defense.
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