Book Review and Giveaway: Christ-Centered Biblical Counseling

Theology and counseling. What do these two words have in common? For one, many people tend to relegate both to professionals. Secondly,  most people unknowingly engage in both, regardless of what type of formal training they have (or have not) received. Virtually everyone holds some sort of belief about God, and almost every person gives counsel at some point in his/her life.

Of theology, Josh Harris says:

Yes! Theology matters. The study of this personal God and how He relates to His creatures makes a substantial impact on how one lives life. The authors of Christ-Centered Biblical Counseling understand and are committed to this truth. So much so, that Part I of this book begins with an introduction to the classic doctrines found in a systematic theology, laying a theological foundation for Christian living and preparing the reader for the practical implications found in Part II. The contributors to Christ-Centered Biblical Counseling do an excellent job demonstrating the relationship between theology and counseling. The theology is Biblical, readable, and relevant to daily life. Furthermore, the material serves to whet one's appetite for further study of God's Word and His work.

But what of counseling? Does counseling matter? In Part II, Mark Dever and Deepak Reju contend that "Counseling is a subset of discipleship and deals with the more problematic and difficult aspects of life to handle..." (pg. 251). If that is the case, counseling is part of what is commanded in Matthew 28 when Jesus instructs His followers to go and make disciples of all nations. You see, “counseling” is meant to encompass ministering the Word to one another and disciple-making, which makes a book like Christ-Centered Biblical Counseling important and helpful for all Christians.

Dever and Reju rightly recognize that:

"Every believer is expected to disciple someone and to be discipled, and is capable of doing so without any formal training. All they need is a willing spirit and a Bible. On the other hand, members may not know how to care for Christians who are stuggling with more severe problems. Even if they are willing to help, they may not know what to do, what to say, or where to go in the Bible for help. While everyone has the ability to disciple or be discipled, counseling might require more guidance from pastors and counselors" (pg.251).

Christ-Centered Biblical Counseling is available to offer further guidance. Bob Kellemen and Steve Viars write that the goal of Christ-Centered Biblical Counseling is to equip the reader to equip others "so that we bring Him glory through our individual and corporate growth in Christlikeness" (pg. 19). This book is a helpful means to that end.

For more information, you can read the Quotes of Note; a Free Sample Chapter by John Piper, the Foreword by David Powlison, and the Table of Contents ; and/or an interview with Managing Editor, Bob Kellemen.

Thank you for all of your entries! A winner has been selected via Random.org and has been contacted.

*Many thanks to Harvest House Publishers for sending me two free copies of this book in exchange for my honest opinion!

Book Review: What is the Gospel?

From the SojournKids website:

God has some good news for you, and it’s called the gospel. What’s the gospel you say? It’s the good news that even though we sin and have disobeyed God, we can have life and joy as part of God’s kingdom. You see, I don’t deserve God’s goodness, but he reached down and rescued me even when my sin had made me his enemy. The gospel is the message of God’s kingdom accomplished through God’s cross by God’s grace!

What is the Gospel? by Mandy Groce teaches children the message of God’s kingdom accomplished through God’s cross by God’s grace. This whole gospel is given to us as one beautiful mosaic. Our hope is that this little book will help children to see this from their earliest years. 

Like the other books in this series, What is the Gospel? clearly communicates Biblical truths in a simple way for young children. Although this book is not written in rhyme like the former two books, it is still written in an engaging way for kids as they listen to a little boy ask his family the question, "What is the Gospel?". Various family members contribute a piece of the puzzle, and finally, his dad brings the picture together for him.

What is the Gospel? is unique in it's three-fold presentation of the Gospel. As the Family Pastor of Sojourn Community Church explains, some people emphasize the cross, while others emphasize God's grace, and others still, emphasize God's kingdom. This book shows how all three are interconnected. The cross is where we see God's grace displayed most clearly.

"...but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us"

(Romans 5:8).

At a mere 16 pages, What is the Gospel? is a short introduction to the subject for very young children, ages 2-6. It should be noted that, while this book is enjoyable to read with young children and does contain Biblical language, it is a very limited introduction and contains no Scripture references in the text for children. I think this is a shame because...

"...the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart"

(Hebrews 4:12).

It would have been helpful to include appropriate Scripture verses throughout the text. That being said, I think What is the Gospel? could be a helpful starting point for some families. A concise, yet thorough, follow up might be something like The Gospel for Children by John B. Leuzarder.

Of The Gospel for Children, the folks at Grace and Truth Books write:

"This is an outstanding summary of the gospel for children, covering with great thoroughness the topics of: Who is God? What is man? What is sin? Who is Jesus Christ - all with memorable, colorful art (no pictures attempt to depict the face of Jesus) and very well-done theological explanations that children 4-8 can understand very well. Some have called this the young child's first Systematic Theology and we agree!"

It is for the above reasons and more that  The Gospel for Children would make an excellent follow up to What is the Gospel?. The Gospel for Children contains the Scripture proofs lacking in What is the Gospel? while What is the Gospel? contains the engaging storyline lacking in The Gospel for Children. They complement each other well, and I commend them both to you if you are looking for a way to clearly communicate the truth of the Gospel to young children.

*Many thanks to Christian Focus Publications for sending me a copy of What is the Gospel? in exchange for my honest opinion!

Will You Be My Facebook Friend?

"Social networking brings many benefits" (pg. 9). "But it readily gets perverted by our sin, and used for selfish ends" (pg. 11). Have you ever asked yourself: "Why do people spend so much time on Facebook? Why do they feel the need to check and recheck their social media? What does it do for them? What does it offer" (pg. 15). Or perhaps you've considered why you feel drawn to social media yourself. Tim Chester considers these topics and more in his newest book, Will you be my Facebook friend?.

On Pages 17-18, Chester writes:

"For countless people, of course, using Facebook is not a problem. For many it is all blessing. But there are some dangers in social networking, and here are some possible warning signs:

• Do you check your Facebook page more than once or twice a day?
• Do you spend more than twenty minutes a day on Facebook?
• Do you find it difficult to imagine a day without technology?
• Have you ever read a text or gone online during a church gathering?
• Have you stayed up beyond your normal bedtime because you were on Facebook or playing online games?
• Do you use your mobile phone during meals or keep it in the bedroom?"

If you can answer yes to any of the above questions, you should probably consider reading a book about the effects of social media. Will you be my Facebook friend? is a thought-provoking introduction to this topic. Tim Chester is gifted at writing concise books that "pack a punch", and this book is no exception.

Those who regularly make use of social media ought to carefully weigh the benefits and problems of this technology so that they are better equipped to avoid the problems and glorify God in this realm. Tim Chester familiarizes his reader with several sinful heart issues that drive social media usage. "Image, identity, idolatry, and self-promotion are just some of the challenges that social networking can present" (Back Cover).

Regular readers may remember that I reviewed (and highly recommended) Tim Challies' book, The Next Story, last May. I have to admit that Challies' book is still my favorite on the subject, thus far. At around 200 pages, The Next Story offers a more balanced, thorough treatment of the subject, with a stronger Biblical basis and useful "Questions for Reflection". However, Tim Chester raises some issues not explicitly mentioned by Challies. Consequently, Will you be my Facebook friend? is a welcome addition to and continuation of the "conversation" concerning digital technology. Your attention span may determine which one you read first, but I think both deserve a place in your reading "queue" if you are a regular user of social media.

*Many thanks to Cross Focused Reviews for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion!