Beginning this Wednesday night, April 1, at 5:30 we will be offering a DVD driven course from Christian Counseling and Education Foundation entitled “Instruments in the Redeemers Hands”. We are offering this seminar to only ladies at this time as it is a continuing education course for our ladies involved in our church’s jail ministry. Consider attending as it will transform your thinking about how people change and how we can effect change in the lives of others!

Here is the description of the course right from CCEF.

As I noted last month on a blog, Dr. George Scipione, from the Biblical Counseling Institute of Pgh. will be conducting an afternoon and evening seminar this coming Saturday challenging the contemporary church to counsel itself using the Word of God as it’s authority.  It will be a most instructive and encouraging evening.  The seminar is being hosted by our friends at the First Baptist Church of Clarion, Pastor Keith Richardson. Click for information Fall Bible Conference – Are YOU Competent to Counsel?

Plan to attend, nothing is more important to the Church than this issue.

At CHCC, we have been using the Biblical based book “How People Change”, to gain insight into our natural condition in a fallen world and how God is in the process of transforming us into proper image bearers of Himself in all situations of life.  It has been a great study.  I am excited to announce that there will be a Bible Conference featuring Dr. George C. Scipione of the RPTS Biblical Counseling Institute of Pgh. on November 7th and 8th.  This seminar will re-enforce what we have learned from God’s Word over the past several months, that we are in constant transformation and God’s Word addresses the “Heat” in our lives and our involvement in counseling of Christian brothers and sisters.

The conference is being hosted by the First Baptist Church of Clarion, at the corner of Main and 7th streets in Clarion.  There is no charge for the Saturday evening seminar and dinner is included.  There is also a brunch being held earlier on Saturday for Pastors/Elders/Leaders.

Check out the link below for further information and conference details.  I can’t encourage you enough, if you are in driving distance, to attend this seminar.  The church needs to get back to counseling one another through God’s Word.  Join us on November 7th and 8th.

Fall Bible Conference – Are YOU Competent to Counsel?

It’s summer time but here in western Pa. we haven’t had a ‘hot’ summer yet.  If I have my say, it wouldn’t get above 75 degrees.  So I’m enjoying these temperatures this year, thank you.  However, usually by this time, we’ve seen muggy, thick, humid days that just want to make you stick your head in your freezer and breath deep.   It’s amazing how the heat of summer puts some people, me included, into a lethargic state, longing for the crisp air of autumn.

As I thought about this and our new Wednesday night study, How People Change, I realized there is a great metaphor between the summer heat and the spiritual heat of life.  The folks at CCEF, writers of the study guide and book, use a counseling model, taken from scripture, represented by the HEAT-THORNS-CROSS-FRUIT diagram. You must see the diagram to appreciate the fullness of the model but in short the central idea is this.

The HEAT is stressors of life i.e. bad drivers, rain on golf day, cancer diagnosis, job promotion, selling or buying a house, anything that causes stress in our life.  The THORNS are the reactions to those stressors, i.e. worry, anger, anxiety, murder, theft.  This is how the natural man, when left to himself, will ultimately react.  When pushed to the limit, we act in accordance with our nature.  The CROSS, is the cross of Christ, which represents the heart transforming grace which God pours out on His children upon our salvation.  The FRUIT is the reactions to life’s stressors after God has transformed a person’s heart, i.e. love, patience, kind words, benevolence.

One of the most striking truths about this biblical concept is that the HEAT is the same for all people.  The stressors of life are no respecters of persons.  Everyone faces trials and hurts of life.  We each get the unwanted phone call from the Doctor’s office.  All of our vehicles break down at the most inopportune time.  Every parent has felt the sting of a child’s rebellion.  We all pay taxes.  The HEAT effects all of us alike.  The questions is do we allow the heat to produce thorns or fruit.

My neighbor advised me the other day that our tomato plants were not doing well because we haven’t had any hot nights yet.  They love the hot humid nights.  Not so, for yours truly.  The same hot nights that produce red ripe tomatoes also cause irritation in me.  You see the heat is the same, the results are different.

So it is with our response to daily HEAT of life.  Are the results of HEAT in your life THORNS or has the heart transforming grace of Christ enabled you to produce FRUIT?  You’ll produce one or the other.

Our study continues on Wednesday nights.  Won’t you join us or contact us for more information.

You might say “Well of course we can”.  Or “sure, if the issue isn’t too severe”. Or “maybe, if God’s given me the ability”.  Or “no, only professionals should delve into that field”.

With this said, I am excited about a new series that we will be starting in the next several weeks.  ‘How People Change’, a book written by Paul David Tripp and Tim Lane, will lead us to understand that we can change.  That we are fallen creatures living in a fallen world but that God has redeemed His people  to live as a people of hope in the midst of a thorn infested environment.  We will be announcing the start very soon for 12 weeks on Wednesday nights at the church.  Come and join us and see that you and those you encourage (counsel)  can ‘bear fresh fruit through real heart change’.