Christian counseling has to be a calling. If you feel you are called into this field or this type of ministry it is recommended you enroll in some Christian counseling courses. Especially if you feel your gift may be in Christian debt counseling. If you are on the other end of the spectrum and you are considering seeking counsel it is equally advisable to research the background of the various Christian counseling that is available to you whether you locate it online, in your neighborhood or through your church.
Christian Counseling is a God Giving Gift
Many pastors and others in the clergy believe that counseling is a gift from God. I am sure most Christians would agree with that statement. Even though that may be true, it is still advisable to receive some education in this area. Having a license, degree or other type of certification lends credibility to your chosen career. It would also provide insights into various situational problems and human behavior.
Education and Certification
In the Old Testament men were required to be anointed and ordained into ministerial leadership. In Leviticus chapter eight it describes the ordination of Aaron and his sons by Moses.
“The Lord said to Moses , ‘Bring Aaron and his sons, their garments, the anointing oil, the bull for the sin offering, the two rams and the basket containing bread made without yeast, and gather the entire assembly at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting.’ Moses did as the Lord commanded him, and the assembly gathered at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting.”
This chapter goes on to describe in detail the whole ceremony required before these men could be considered as priests. In the same way a person desiring to serve in ministry today needs to be acknowledged as an ordained servant, anointed by the Lord, whatever area of ministry he may be serving in. Moses and his sons had earned their education in human behavior during the many years they traveled together after leaving Egypt. Likewise the Christian counselor today needs to earn his or her degree and be certified.
Christian Counseling Debt
If you are interested in offering Christian debt counseling you should have a financial background to better advise those coming to you for counseling. It is helpful if you have work experience in finances in the secular business arena or focused on economics while in college.
You may be seeking advice and it has been a huge step for you to take. You don’t want to waste precious time and further increase your debt, with someone who may not be able to truly help. If you are seeking this type of advice get recommendations from friends, colleagues or more importantly, from your home church.
Verify Backgrounds and Experience
It is a blessing to have individuals that are obeying the Lord’s calling by helping their fellow Christians in whatever area they may need counsel. It is also vitally important to get your education from a reliable, accredited Christian college. If you are seeking advice from a professional Christian counselor please verify that your counselor has received their certification through a qualified and accredited Christian counseling course and how experienced they are in the Christian counseling field.
Once you become a Christian, it is important to fellowship with other believers that will help you grow in your faith and support your spiritual journey. This may be easier said than done if you had been hanging out with a crowd of folks that don’t understand your new conversion. And what if you’re single? You will probably want to find other Christian singles to date to ensure that you spend time with people who share your faith and values. You can meet other Christians in your church or you can go online to meet folks the way the rest of the world does today. There are plenty of great resources that provide a vehicle for Christians to get together to chat, share interests and develop friendships.
Christian Dating Sites
If you are a Christian single looking to meet others for a dating relationship, there are many Christian dating sites to help you find Mr. or Miss Right. There are websites across the globe specifically dedicated to Christians so you can find a person of your faith no matter where you live. If you decide to join a Christian dating website, it is a good idea to read reviews first to find the hot spots that most singles are flocking to. This is especially true in light of the fact that many of these sites charge a fee to join, and you want to get the biggest bang for your networking buck. Look for websites that include chat rooms and message boards that allow you a convenient way to communicate with other Christian singles.
MySpace Websites
To keep up with the networking trends in the secular world, Christian social sites like MySpace are cropping up around cyberspace. You can also find Christian blogs that allow you to go online and chat with others that share your ideas about faith, values and world views. Create your own MySpace profile as a way to communicate with your current friends and form new relationships. Just keep in mind that the information that goes out on these websites is available for the whole world to see. With this in mind, you might want to look into putting some blocks on your site and hiding key information that you don’t want the global community to know.
Friendly Websites
Another new trend in learning how to make Christian friends online is a friendly website that is comparable to a dating service, but with friendship instead of romance in mind. These social networks are designed to help you meet people from all walks of life that you share common interests with. The sites are becoming popular in the Christian and the secular community, so it should be easy to find one that will meet your needs.
When you are a Christian, having friends who share your faith and values is an important component of your spiritual walk. By checking out some of these networking sites devoted to Christians, you can find friends and maybe even a new romantic interest to share your love of God.
Nathan Martyn is webmaster of Christian Wallpaper, a site dedicated to religious desktop backgrounds and wallpaper.
Questions usually arise from roadblocks we encounter as we are gathering information on a subject of interest. If we are merely curious about the subject, a shallow answer may suffice. But, if we really need accurate answers for some driven need, the questions are usually of higher quality – with much thought preceding the inquiry.
Recently, I received these questions from a visitor to my website: “Why didn’t God just create us perfect to begin with? And how does a perfect God create imperfect beings? At the end of time, He will make us all perfect beings – those that have accepted him – so why not just do this to begin with …?” There is a lot of thinking behind these questions.
The following response may not hold up before God when I stand before Him. But, then again … it might.
The Perfect God
The Bible declares we have a perfect Creator (Deut 32:4, Mt 5:48, and Heb 7:28). When He was by Himself, sin did not exist. “In Him there is no sin” (1Jn 3:5). This “Being” is beyond anything we can fathom. At some point, He decided to create morally sentient beings – and reveal things about Himself to those creatures. Now, let me ask you some questions. If all those creatures were perfect for eternity, how well would God actually be known? For example, now we know He is capable of anger. If all was perfect around Him forever, how would that ever be exposed? How could His longsuffering, patience, empathy, mercy or justice ever be known? You already know the answer. These traits would be forever veiled.
I believe God decided to reveal aspects of His character that would only come out if there were morally accountable beings in rebellion to Him. In that setting, many complexities of his character – some subtle and some not so subtle – would be revealed for all to see.
Created Innocent … and with the capacity to sin.
God created two orders of beings with the capacity to sin – angels and man. Had they been created perfect, they would never have sinned. They were created innocent – and then sinned. Most believe this passage refers to Satan: “You were in Eden, the Garden of God … You were blameless in your ways from the day you were created – until unrighteousness was found in you … You were internally filled with violence and you sinned … Your heart was lifted up because of your beauty (Ezek 28:13, 15-17). “You said in your heart … ‘I will raise my throne above the stars of God … I will make myself like the Most High’” (Isa 14:13,14). This was probably the first sin. It did not surprise God. He declares He knows “the end from the beginning” (Isa 41:21-23, 42:9, 44:6-8, 45:21, Rev 1:8, 22:13).
Adam was created in God’s image (Gen 1:26,27). Initially, he was free of sin. God allowed Satan access to an innocent Adam and Eve in the Garden. Had they been perfect, Satan’s ploy would have failed. But, the fallen angel prevailed. With Adam’s rebellion, monumental changes were ushered into this world. Here are a couple. God decided that Adam’s “gift” to billions of descendants would be … to inherit a sin nature. But, there was another “gain.” Satan became “the god of this world” (2Cor 4:4). And, he brought his legions.
God allowed these disasters in both orders, but is Himself innocent of wrongdoing. “God cannot be tempted by evil, and He Himself does not tempt anyone. But each one is tempted when he is carried away and enticed by his own lusts” (Ja 1:13-15). Every sinful creature will acknowledge this at The Judgment – “even he who did not keep his soul alive” (Ps 22:29 and Isa 45:23,24). Our perfect Creator is going to come away from this clean.
More On The Angels
Many believe a third of the angels were infected by sin. The dragon of Revelation 12 is identified as Satan and “his tail swept away a third of heaven” – a third of the angels joined his rebellion (Rev 12:3-9). My guess is that God created a finite number of angels and they do not reproduce (Mt 22:30).
We may find that all the angels could have rebelled, but only some did. If that is true, it is possible that at a certain point, the unpolluted angels were confirmed in righteousness forever. On the other hand, Michael, Gabriel and the rest, may have been locked in as righteous from the start as “His chosen angels” (1Tim 5:21). But whatever the case, I believe the angels “who kept their place” credit God for that – or else they too would have gone Satan’s way. I do not think they see themselves as “superior” angels (See Jude 9). Do you think they trust themselves – even now – to keep themselves from ever sinning – even once – for all eternity? But my point here – I think Satan’s angelic ranks has hit its limit. There will be no increase.
God’s Opportunity
With this setting and reality, God made some determinations. Since He is still the ultimate Ruler, He can impose His will – at will. “Whatever the Lord pleases, He does, in heaven and in earth …” (Ps 135:6). For starters, it appears the fallen angels are so heavily accountable that no remedy for their rebellion will ever be extended. But, with man, God decided to mount a “rescue operation.” But, how could He navigate in this sea of sin and righteously work with fallen man, redeem him, and yet not violate His own demands for justice? How could He work in this environment and come away with no blame or sin – and yet deal with rebellious creatures in a powerful and dominant way? These are “things into which angels long to look” (1Pet 1:12).
In this complex scenario, God revealed many things about Himself. But, some of these “scenes” are one time events. For example, I do not believe He will ever prepare another body for Himself, enter into that order of creatures – and allow them to murder Him. That is who Jesus is – and exactly what He did. Through that death, God could extend mercy – with justice being met. He requires life for sin – and when He gave His own (that had no guilt of sin upon it), He could apply it against my guilt. That is why I say, “Jesus died for me.” He died to pay for my sins. This is an act of undeserved – yet needed – mercy. The act of the cross is laced with inexhaustible depths of wisdom, compassion, righteousness, justice and power that I believe will be on open display for eternity. But the act itself will be a once in eternity event.
This fallen creation offers many opportunities for God to expose some things. For example, as “the god of this world” how did Satan’s rule go? Maybe this fallen age will stand as an eternal demonstration (and warning) of what kind of rule comes from a creature who wants to be God. And look at the children he helped produce … us! Jesus told the Pharisees their father was the devil (Jn 8:44). Morally responsible creatures out from under the moral jurisdiction of the true and living God produce an age of violence, perversities and death.
“I Don’t Like This! I Never Asked to be Born!”
Well, I’m not so thrilled either. But, if my suspicions are accurate, can you stop God? His only restriction is that He cannot, and will not, violate His moral character. ” … He does according to His will in the host of heaven (angels) and among the inhabitants of earth; and no one can ward off His Hand or say to Him, ‘What have You done?’” (Dan 4:35).
“For the Lord of Hosts has planned, and who can frustrate it? And as for His outstretched Hand, who can turn it back?” (Isa 14:27).
“Even from eternity, I am He; and there is none who can deliver out of My Hand; I act and who can reverse it?” (Isa 43:13).
“I know that You can do all things, and that no purpose of Yours can be thwarted” (Job 42:2).
“… our God is in the heavens; He does whatever He pleases” (Ps 115:3).
Also read Job 9:1-12, Isaiah 45:9 and Romans 9:10-22.
Conclusion
I believe this situation of fallen moral creatures will prove to be a once in eternity, limited event. Sin will only be a reality in two created orders – angels and man. Any other orders (assuming there are, or will be, others) will never be so affected. I realize, some of you may not like what I have forwarded here. But if you have a better answer as to why a perfect God created imperfect beings … well, I’m listening.
Robin became a Christian in 1977. Educationally: BA, Bus Admin (Milligan College ‘90) and M-Div (Emmanuel School of Relign ‘92). Major writings include, “No Tithe for the Christian,” “Love and the Bible,” “Death and the Bible,” “Abortion: How Abortion Resides in the Weakest Form of Human Thought” and “Capital Punishment and the Bible” These are FREE at http://www.freelygive-n.com/Free_Christian_Ebook_Home.html . They are unique and original!
Converting to Christianity is much more than embracing a new religion. It is all about coming into a personal relationship with God, the Holy Father and Creator of all things, through his only son, Jesus Christ. It is a very personal decision that should not be entered into lightly. Jesus said in the Bible that we should count the costs before committing our lives to him, to ensure that we don’t fall away from our commitment when life gets tough. To become a Christian, you must simply follow the ABC approach to entering into a personal relationship with the Heavenly Father.
A: Acknowledge your Sin
The first step in learning how to become a Christian is to acknowledge that you are a sinner. In fact, everyone has “sinned and fallen short of the glory of God”, as the book of Romans tells us in the Bible. Sin entered into God’s perfectly created world through Adam and Eve – when they took a bite of the fruit from the tree of knowledge after God told them not to. At that point, our fallen world became vulnerable to death and decay, and we were all destined for eternity separated from God.
B: Believe in the Gift of Salvation
But God didn’t want that. He wanted to provide a way for us to reconcile to Him through forgiveness of our sins. The second step of learning how to become a Christian involves believing that God provided this route to forgiveness and salvation. He did so by offering his only son Jesus Christ as a sacrifice to atone for the sins of man. Jesus died on the cross, and when he did so, he took the sin of mankind on his shoulders and suffered the punishment and separation from God that was necessary for salvation for all. When Jesus rose from the dead on the third day, he broke the bonds of death and allowed us to come into a life with God for all eternity.
C: Commit your Life to Jesus Christ
Jesus Christ is your personal savior, who willingly died on the cross to take your sins away before God. The third step in becoming a Christian is to commit your life to the one who saved you once and for all. Some people don’t like to take this step, because they are afraid that making the commitment will mean they give up control of their lives and have to live by a list of rules that they had no say in. On the contrary; committing your life to Jesus Christ means that you have freedom in the knowledge that you are God’s child and that you will be with him no matter what happens in life.
This ABC approach is done by prayer; you confess your sins to God, ask him to forgive you through the blood of Jesus Christ and commit your life to His perfect will. Once you have prayed that prayer, you are God’s child and no one can separate you from His love.
Nathan Martyn is webmaster of Christian Wallpaper, a site dedicated to religious desktop backgrounds and wallpaper.
It’s hard to believe but your building project has finally begun. The strategic analysis is complete, the permits are posted, and the church body has warmly embraced the concept of spiritual giving. And for some reason the equipment operators seem to converge outside your window to rev their engines or drive in reverse (with that ear-piercing beeping) every time you pick up the phone or open your Bible.
The sounds of construction equipment should be a gentle reminder that it is time to begin a parallel phase of your building project focusing on your staff. Just as the foreman can’t drive every yellow tractor, no pastor can do everything, especially in a growing church. Your own construction crew–your staff and lay leadership–must be prepared to handle increasing levels of responsibility that accompany a larger facility and a growing flock. To ensure your organization is ready to take on this challenge, you need to “get” a few things.
Get away
First, you need to get away from the demands of church administration for a few days. Take time to pray together, play together, restate the vision and discuss the future of your church. These activities don’t require a week long visit to an Arizona spa. A church-affiliated camp, a decent hotel with a conference room or a church member’s lake cabin should provide the right atmosphere.
Get a grip
Begin your retreat by getting a grip on your vision. It may seem redundant to restate the vision to a staff who has heard it before and even repeated it to newcomers, but they need to hear it from their pastor and leader. Be ready for them to ask questions and even make recommendations for improving it.
Get a glimpse
With the vision as your starting point, it is important to get a glimpse of your future so that you can plan toward it. Ask and answer questions with your staff to define exactly what kind of “business” you are in.
• What are we called to accomplish?
• What elements of our ministry should stay?
• Which don’t fit and should go?
• What will our church look like in one, three, five, 10 and 20 years in terms of:
1. Ministry focus
2. Anticipated numbers (in service, in child care, in Sunday school or small groups, of ministries)
You might be startled at the wide variety of mental pictures your staff members have of your church in 20 years. A clear goal will minimize misunderstandings while providing a framework for staffers planning their own ministry segment. Of course God will take your church in whatever direction he needs, but people need a plan.
Get practical
Take your inquiry in the other direction and discuss where the church will be in the next 90 days. Bite-size time segments enable people to create and embrace a plan of action.
Take this time to talk about “people” issues like managing the flow of car traffic into the parking lot or foot traffic through the nursery. Discuss training on everything from the new sound system to the newfangled coffee makers. Explore how you’ll build awareness of your new building. Will you run advertising, write press releases or arrive at your first service in a monster truck? Identify members of your congregation who can help with these issues.
The preceding steps should easily fill a two-or three-day retreat. Having identified your challenges and roughed out a plan of attack, it’s time to make sure your team can handle it. The following aspects of team development might best be undertaken with the counsel of a respected business leader from your congregation and/or a reputable consultant.
Get a handle
To get a handle on your staff’s capabilities, begin by assessing overall team chemistry. Simple, confidential surveys of staffers will reveal:
• Do they trust each other?
• Can they work together?
• Do they need each other?
• Do they have confidence in the team?
Pinpoint nagging, divisive issues then address them. The challenges ahead dictate a team effort, not individuals striving alone, unwilling to ask for help or share credit.
The next step is a strength assessment (also called psychological profile or spiritual gifts inventory). Can a staff composed entirely of high-minded visionaries and no worker bees get you where you’re headed? Your football team may have 10 dependable linemen, but who will take a hand-off or run a pass pattern? This exercise may reveal the unpleasant fact that your church may have outgrown certain staffers.
Get a plan
You’re now ready to get a plan for staff development. Look at hiring patterns and discern whether you hire up, laterally or down in the skills area. If you really want your venture to succeed, be willing to “hire up.” This can be a tall order if you wrestle with pride or control issues, but great organizations are great because they dare to hire up.
Next take a look at your training program (if you even have one). What skills do your people need to administer better programs or use your new equipment? Can a staffer or church member instruct them or should you retain a professional trainer?
Review your performance measurement process. Do your staffers have clear-cut objectives and standards they must meet? Do you have regularly scheduled evaluations that are tied to compensation?
It’s not a popular topic with churches, but staff compensation also deserves a long look as well. Rare is the person who is drawn to the ministry for the fabulous pay and benefits. However, few things can sap a person’s spiritual strength and energy like a family that is suffering because of his or her calling. At the same time a pay raise may be impossible from a financial or denominational perspective. You might explore other options like paid vacation, bereavement packages, sick leave arrangements, donated health club memberships and the like.
Consider other financial incentives. Although the Spirit should be the guide for a person in ministry, dollars can provide a remarkable incentive for excellence in certain, more “secular” areas. Instead of punishing free spenders, contemplate a financial incentive for staffers who complete their projects under budget and on time. Also set aside budget dollars for staff celebrations, gift certificates for on-the-spot rewards and simple birthday gifts. Your creativity and caring will be returned to you in the form of an energized staff that looks to improve performance.
Finally, examine your requirements and programs for spiritual development. Are your people burned out, stumbling around with empty spiritual fuel tanks? Do you have guidelines for your people in terms of study and prayer time? Are you teaching your own staff? Are you setting standards for spiritual growth then leading by example?
Get going
The final step in your process is to get going. Over planning can be as bad as no planning at all. Lead your staff, your lay leaders and your church and help them prepare for the changes that will accompany your new or improved facility. Rather than scowl next time a backhoe interrupts your study time, smile and remember than you are a foreman of your own skilled crew.
Bruce Anderson is a nationally recognized church design and construction consultant and President of Build-Masters Group LLC, www.build-masters.com. Mr. Anderson also publishes of “Straight Talk” About Church Design,Building & Construction at www.brucecanderson.com. Email: bca@brucecanderson.com
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