Speak The Truth

Episode Summary:In this episode host, Mike is joined with seasoned pastor and counselor, Garrett Higbee to discuss transforming the discipleship culture from unhealthy discipling to healthy mutual care discipling beginning with small group members and leaders(levels 1&2) to equipping coaches, pastors, and counselors.Episode Notes:Garrett's focus over the last few years of ministry - leader care and developing resources both in preventive care, intensive care, and disciple-making care, and leader care with pastors and elders. Helping get the leaders healthy.Discipling continuum - intentional to intensive,break down the equipping into the context that people live in, helping contextually and relationally.level 1 - mutual ministrylevel 2 - becoming a transforming leader, not a conforming leaderlevel 3 - coaches, pastors, elders Church 360 assessmenthow are we doing as a church in discipling and caring for our church?Leadership health assessmentproviding a coaching review - key indicators abiding in christ - spiritual developmentSelf-care, watching your life and doctrine closely.How's your EQ (emotional intelligence)2 ways subordinate pastoral staff can engage lead pastor or executive-level staff. PrayerTestimonyEpisode Resources:soulcareconsulting.comfreedom groups - 13-week recovery ministry

In this episode, host, Mike Van Dyke is joined with special guest, Jonathan Holmes to discuss his new book, "Rescue Skills: Restoring The Sexually Broken". Jonathan shares his heart in co-authoring this book; writing a book that helps the friend who's got a friend who is struggling in their sexual brokenness, helping them develop a rescue plan by being the friend who can listen well, ask the right questions, and help to execute a plan that's full of the gospel, real repentance, and killing or replacing bad desires.Mentioned Resources: Rescue Skills: Restoring The Sexually BrokenRescue Plan: Charting a Course to Restore Prisoners of PornographyCounseling Couples: A Biblical and Practical Guide for Marriage CounselingCounseling Through The PsalmsCounseling Through Bible Narratives

THE GOSPEL IS FOR ... ◼ Counselees who feel that the Christian life is too hard ◼ Counselees who worry they need to do more to have the assurance of salvation ◼ Counselees who don’t want to forgive ◼ Counselees who need to be reminded that they don’t have to earn God’s favor ◼ Counselees who are depressed about their lack of spiritual maturity ◼ Counselees who are suffering from the sin of others or a broken world ◼ Counselees who are losing hope ◼ Counselees who continue to make the same mistakes ◼ Counselees who feel worthless or hated ◼ Counselees who are putting too much emphasis on this life ◼ Counselees who want to continue sinning

Episode Notes: In this episode, Mike is joined by special guest, Peter Escue to discuss the reality and implications of the gospel in the counseling room. In this episode, they discuss what is the gospel, its corollaries, and the reality of gospel drift in those seeking counseling, and how the gospel can begin to be applied to specific issues within our counselees.  Episode Resources:email us at topics@speakthetruth.org

“Post-traumatic stress disorder, a profoundly intense response to profoundly dangerous experiences, manifests itself in fear, terrifying vulnerability, and lack of a sense of control. While these responses are often involuntary, Jeremy Lelek reminds us that they are still responses . . . and, thus, different responses are possible. Here he relates the narrative of creation, fall, and redemption to the experiences of PTSD, reminding us that the gospel speaks to our experiences with danger as part of its redemptive message. He points to the wisdom of God in our suffering and reminds us of the saving grace offered by Jesus, guiding readers to the peace and contentment found in seeking God’s glory.Episode Resources: PTSD: Recovering Hope BookletSolomon Soulcare Services

Episode Notes:When feelings of guilt, worthlessness, or self-condemnation set in, some people seek painful release in their own flesh and blood.  While cutting can bring temporary relief, it falls far short of the genuine change that is essential to true healing of the heart.Through the direct and honest example of one young woman's story, Jeremy Lelek points those in such pain to the sufferings of Jesus Christ and the finished work of the cross as their means of hope, security, and healing.  He helps them to turn from trusting their own body and blood to trusting in the body and blood of Jesus, which alone has the power to bring true freedom.View PontsAdopting a biblical view of the body.Acknowledge attempts to replace the gospel with systems of redemption.Accept what Jesus has given in his own blood and body.Embrace the righteousness received in Christ JesusEpisode Resources: Cutting BookletEmail us at topics@speakthetruth.org 

Episode Summary:In this episode, hosts, Mike, Shauna, and Jeremy are joined by author and biblical counselor, Margaret Ashmore to discuss depression. The periods of depression that we all share can range from having a bad day to grieving the loss of a loved one. Our fallen world harbors a broad spectrum of suffering that, while never the same for each individual, has always been part of the human condition. Yet Margaret Ashmore reminds us that however difficult our circumstances, they cannot determine whether our lives are ruled by joy or by depression . . . the choices we make in light of those circumstances do. She lays before us a set of godly choices we can make in our own “dark night of the soul” to seek God’s freedom from our dominating depression.Episode Notes: Margaret attends Benchmark Bible Church in Denton, Texas, where she serves as director of the counseling ministry in addition to leading Bible studies for women. She is a frequent speaker for women’s retreats and conferences across the country as an outreach of her church. Margaret has always been single, considering this a gift in allowing her to freely serve the Lord in “feeding His sheep.”What inspired you to write this book on Depression?You started the book by describing the normality of depression, which might sound new to some people. Will you share with us what that means?After your discussion on the normality of depression, you talk about the power to choose. Tell us more about that.What passages of scripture do you most often use in counseling to someone struggling with depression?On page 33, share with us how you used an image of Elizabeth Elliot as an illustration?Outside of this book, is there anything else that would helpful for us to know/learn about providing biblical counseling to someone struggling with depression?How would a pastor or biblical counselor use this book as a resource in counseling?Episode Resources:Depression: The Sun Always Rises (booklet highlighted in the episode)Depression: A Stubborn Darkness - Ed WelchSpiritual Depression - Martin Lloyd JonesA Path Through SufferingElizabeth Elliott 

Episode Summary: In this episode, hosts, Mike, Shauna, and Jeremy are joined by our special guest - Brad Hambrick. To discuss his booklet, God's Attributes. They discuss how a proper understanding of God is vital.  However, many times what we observe from our own experiences (especially when they are difficult and painful) can affect the shape of that understanding.  How do we know whether we have a true, balanced view of God?This study looks at sixteen attributes of God, grouped under the headings of his love, essence, wisdom, and power, to help challenge your understanding.  It goes on to challenge how well you rest in each attribute (have faith and comfort in it) and emulate it in the struggles and experiences of your own life.  So learn, through your struggles, about the One who gives those struggles meaning. Gospel for Real Life Series: God's Attributes - Rest For Life's Struggles: 1. Learning God’s attributes is a foundational truth that all of us should teaching in counseling, so we obviously love this booklet and can be a favorite resource for every counseling session.What stirred your heart to write it?2. You start off the book with this idea of ‘From life to God’, will share more about that with us.3. You’ve created a chart ‘as a circle’ to help explain how to have a balanced view of God, withfour quadrants; Love, Essence, Wisdom & Power. Can you explain more about that?4. How could the pastor or counselor use this chart as a tool in a session?5. You’ve provided in the book a weekly devotional with daily scripture readings within thattopic, why was this important to include in the book?6. How would a pastor or biblical counselor use this as a resource in counseling?Episode Resources:Bradhambrick.com God's Attributes - Rest For Life's Struggles - Resource booklet 

In this episode, the hosts, Mike, Shauna, and Jeremy discuss with special guest, Pastor of Counseling, Brad Hambrick of The Summit Church in Durham, NC how to identify passive or aggressive self-centered spouses, what types of passive and aggressive, their stages, and strategies for interaction.  Episode Notes:1. You write using Case Studies, Passive and Aggressive self-centered spouse, tell us why you approached the book that way? 2. Within each assessing the problem, you break it down into 3 stages. Do you want to give us a quick recap of those? 3. So you then go to mention types within the passive & aggressive self-centered spouses…share with us a bit more about that. 4. What are some strategies of interaction within these types of self-centered spouses? 5. After writing this book, is there anything else that would helpful for us to know/learn about providing biblical counseling to a self-centered spouse? 6. How would a pastor or biblical counselor use this as a resource in counseling? Episode Resources: Self-Centered Souse bookletBecoming a church that cares for the abused Bradhambrick.com 

In this episode, hosts, Mike, Shauna, and Jeremy discuss with special guest, Pastor of Counseling, Brad Hambrick of The Summit Church in Durham, NC the reality of "Burnout"  - resting in God's fairness. Brad argues burnout is actually a consequence of our life management, and he shows us how to create a time budget to avoid living beyond our means with the time God has provided. What is Burnout?What Causes Burnout?You mention motives in burnout…can you speak to that? -pride, fear & approval of manYou suggest doing a time budget…can you share more about that?What are your suggestions to help prevent burnout?How would a pastor or biblical counselor use this as a resource in counseling?Episode References:Burnout: Resting In God's Fairnesswww.bradhambrick.com/events - webinar call for pastors and counselors.