What is God’s favorite color?

Posted on May 1, 2012 by Bob Smith

One of the privileges in my life is walking.  It is also a requirement for my physical strength (which is shot) and my intellectual strength (which also is shot).  In addition, when one has lived and does live a sedentary life, being outdoors is a very pleasant addition to the day. Continue reading →

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Domestic Violence and the Image of God

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This post was written by Chris Moles, a friend of Faith Biblical Counseling Ministries. He has experience working with convicted batterers and provides all of us with a helpful reminder whenever we attempt to minister to the victim or the batterer.

Chris is a husband, father, pastor, biblical counselor and a certified batterer intervention group facilitator working with his local criminal corrections department teaching weekly domestic violence prevention classes. 

I’ve read scores of criminal complaints, police narratives, and victim statements over the years but this one was different. Maybe I’m getting used to reading them because as I look back I was far too casual with this one, almost callused hurrying through the details eager to place it back in the file. It wasn’t until later that evening as I quieted my mind that the Holy Spirit allowed the words from that report to begin penetrating my heart. It was as if the details flew into my mind almost like they were in color and the background was black and white. Words like, “bruising on the arms and face” “lacerations” and “the victim’s blood” reminded me that this is far more than just paperwork. These are people, people who in the context of an intimate relationship find their lives reduced to a few paragraphs on a sheet of paper. I was actually reading about a victim who is far more than the extent of her wounds, and a perpetrator who in fact is more than his rage and desire for control. They are people created and subsequently pursued by the God of heaven. His desire for them far exceeds the trouble they have and will continue to face. He has comfort for the victimized, and hope for the violent man and also longs for His people to compassionately respond to both the victim and perpetrator as well. While this experience has left me with many thoughts, here is one that I hope will challenge you as well. Continue reading →

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5 Reasons the 2012 BCTC Was Totally Awesome

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First, let me say thank you to those who made the effort to attend the Biblical Counseling Training Conference this year. It was truly an awesome week. Quite frankly, when I came into work on Saturday, I was met with the reality that I was in the building alone. Just 24 hours earlier, this place was teeming with people. We could not help miss the wonderful time we had together. Hopefully, this article will bring back sweet memories. If you were not able to come to the BCTC this year, then maybe this will give you a taste of what God did here in Lafayette last week. Continue reading →

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5 Things to Expect from the Biblical Counseling Training Conference

Posted on February 10, 2012 by admin
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Here are a five things you can expect when you attend the BCTC at Faith Church in 2012:

1.  A focus on God (Father, Son, Holy Spirit) and His written Word.  Our supreme goal is to bring our God glory and please the Lord Jesus Christ in what and how we think, speak, and do – everything!  His word is alive and active, providing a light unto our path that is profitable for life and godliness.

2.  An emphasis on personal spiritual growth.  Influencing others spiritually begins with a transparent, growing vessel ready to be used by our Savior.  Your well must contain water if you plan to give water to one who is thirsty.  One of our goals is to help “fill your well” during this week.

3.  A staff and church family that counts it a privilege to serve you with the love of Christ. We love this annual conference week around here for several reasons, not the least of which is that we get to serve some amazing people.

4. Energy! When You get over 1,700 people together who love God and want to grow personally in their walk with Christ and in their ability to effectively impact people with God’s word, you get a “spiritual energy” that truly nourishes your soul.

5. Friends, Food, and Fun.  New friends are made, existing friendships are strengthened, and people have a great time.  Oh, and the plan is to have plenty of snackage.  Some healthy, and some…well…good to the taste.

Conference guests/friends:  We look forward to seeing you, serving, and getting to know you on February 12-17, 2012. (Still making travel plans? Our travel page has some information that may help.)

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The Incomparable Yahweh—The Solution to Idolatry

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Since Genesis 3, people created in the image of God instinctively reversed their role. We who are made in God’s image now attempt to make god in our image according to our desires. The essence of the problem is our self-exalting pride—believing that other people exist for us to rule over, to heap accolades on us, to bring us pleasure. And, as we behold creation, it too exists so that we might have maximum enjoyment of its food, conveniences, and delights. Moreover, if we acknowledge God’s existence, He also is expected to bow to our every whim of pleasure as a commandable genie. This dynamic lies at the root of all of our personal addictions and interpersonal conflicts.

Idolatry is the perversion of our delight in God into enslaving delights of the created order (pleasures, power, praise of man, possessions, peace; Romans 1:21–32). When our hearts are fixated on the fleeting pleasures of this world, our ability to perceive this world (and its people) through any other lens than the pleasure afforded us is constricted. We will not be able to perceive God in our hard circumstances. We will not be able to perceive the needs of others in our encounters. And therefore, idolatry is no less than a reversal of the two greatest commandments to love God and love others. Continue reading →

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5 Things Infertile Couples Want Friends, Families, and Churches to Know

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Let’s face it: infertility is awkward for everybody involved. Friends and family members often don’t know whether to broach the subject at all, let alone know what to say. Childless couples want some help and support, but they are often silent about their struggle (as Rob Green pointed out in his first post in this series). Churches know the issue exists, but often don’t quite know what to do about it. What we’re left with is the proverbial elephant in the room. Well, let’s talk about that elephant.

We dealt with infertility for about 9 years before we adopted. We now have 2 children, and while we’re still technically dealing with infertility, that issue is mostly behind us. We cannot speak for all infertile couples (we welcome additions, subtractions, or other comments on this post), but we wanted to use our own experience—with the input of friends who have experienced infertility as well—to be very straight-up about what infertile couples want their family, friends, and churches to know. Continue reading →

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You’ll Find What You’re Looking For

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CNN’s Belief Blog recently asked a variety of religion and faith leaders to predict the way the forces of faith and faithlessness would shape the world in 2012.  Here’s a sample of the responses:

  • “The year will see an increase in the number of people ‘coming out’ as nonbelievers” – Roy Speckhardt, executive director of the American Humanist Association
  • “Hindu Americans will continue to become better advocates for themselves, particularly in the public policy arena” – Sheetal Shah, senior director of the Hindu American Foundation
  • “There’s no question the worldview of most younger Christians already differs from previous generations regarding social justice, cultural engagement, and politics…” – Cameron Strang, publisher of Relevant Magazine
  • “Women everywhere who have been oppressed by their religions will rise up as they have already done in Egypt…” – Sally Quinn, founder and editor-in-chief of Washington Post’s “On Faith”
  • “’All American Muslim’ will become a bigger hit than “Jersey Shore” ever was…” – Maysoon Zayid, co-producer of the New York Arab American Comedy Festival

What Stands Out?

The question here isn’t whether any or all of these predictions might come true in 2012.  Continue reading →

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How Can You Get a ‘Glad’ Heart Starting Today?

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Have you ever wondered why some people seem so happy and joyful? Have you ever wondered what was going on in their mind or heart, or what circumstances they were experiencing that made them so happy? The more you watched them, the more intense your questions became. On the other hand, have you wondered why some people are so unhappy and practically never joyful at any time? Have you wondered what was going on in their mind or heart, or what awful circumstances they were experiencing that made them so unhappy or downcast?

The issue here: How does a person get a ‘glad’ heart? How can we say what the Psalmist wrote?: “Therefore my heart is glad and my glory rejoices“. (Psalm 16:9) Continue reading →

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Trials that Just Won’t Go Away – Living in a Besieged City

More than likely all of us have had short term trials that appeared, were incredibly painful, and then went away. The car accident, the move of your best friend to another state, the broken arm, the break-up with the person you thought you were going to marry. All incredibly painful but in most cases, the pain eventually receded.

At times however we’re faced with trials that seem determined to stay, determined to suck the life out of us, little by little. The husband who sits in front of the tv each night and fails to lead the family, the wife who struggles with bouts of severe depression, the back pain that will never get better. Continue reading →

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Medical Options for Those Wanting a Baby

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I (Rob Green) have tried to address infertility from a spiritual perspective (3 short articles beginning with “Infertility: Silent But Very Painful Suffering.” I have attempted to offer some hope and help to hurting couples through the Word of God.

We must admit, however, that infertility often has a medical component as well as a spiritual component. That is why I have asked Dr. Dan Wickert to give us a little more information on the types of treatments that are available to couples. Before we get to the details I want to begin with two introductory comments:

  1. There is nothing below about cost. Different types of insurance coverage will cover different types of treatment. It is always wise to check with your insurance provides and with your attending physicians to ensure you understand how much you will be responsible to pay.
  2. There is also nothing below about the relative moral rightness or wrongness about a certain treatment. Each reader, church, and couple will need to decide what they believe would be a proper moral act and what, if anything, would not be a proper moral act. After all, the fact that something is legal does not make it right.

Dr. Wickert is a board certified OB/GYN and has been in practice for 26 years. He provides care in general obstetrics, gynecology, and with couples struggling with infertility. He also serves as a deacon at Faith and on the teaching/counseling staff at the church.

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Introduction to Infertility Treatment

Infertility treatment begins by gathering a few basic facts including: a sperm count, hysterosalpingogram (an x-ray evaluation of the shape of the cavity of the uterus or inside of the uterus along with an evaluation of the patency or openness of the fallopian tubes), and some measure to evaluate if and how well the woman ovulates. Evaluation of ovulatory function could include basal body temperature charts, lab work, or urinary evaluation. In other words, I attempt to understand if there are any physical issues that might make pregnancy more difficult to achieve. This initial evaluation allows me to develop a plan for the best treatment options, potentially involving a specialist in infertility for advanced, high tech alternatives. Continue reading →

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