Changing Lives Seminar Gospel-Centered Counseling: How to Care Like Christ
© 2016 Robert W. Kellemen, Th.M., Ph.D. RPM Ministries www.rpmministries.org, [email protected] Christ-Centered, Church-Based, Comprehensive, Compassionate, and Culturally-Informed Biblical Counseling 2
Session One: The Story “Open the Eyes of Our Hearts, Lord”: Ephesians 1:15-23
Introduction: Changing Lives with Christ’s Changeless Gospel Truth
What do we do after the hug? What do we say after the prayer?
Helping hurting people can feel like a maze!
We need a GPS!: Gospel Positioning Story—Romans 15:14; Philippians 1:9-11; 1 Timothy 4:16
Ashley & Nate’s Story: Hurt, Hardness, Help, & Hope
After listening to Ashley and Nate’s story, ponder:
1. How would you begin to respond to Nate’s questions, “Can you help? Does the Bible offer any hope for my wife?” How would you begin to see their situation/soul through Christ’s eyes?
2. How would you respond to Ashley’s soul struggles? How would you begin to enter her situation and her soul with Christ’s grace and truth?
I. 3 Portraits of Gospel-Centered Counseling: God’s Story Invading Our Story
A. Portrait # 1: Past/Faith/Cross
In gospel-centered counseling, the Bible’s grand redemptive narrative is the controlling lens through which we understand and interpret our counselee’s life story—We remember the ______with ______and see life with ______-eyes.
B. Portrait # 2: Future/Hope/Eternal
In gospel-centered counseling, together with our counselees we derive our understanding of earthly life from heaven’s perspective—We remember the ______with ______and see life with ______-eyes.
C. Portrait # 3: Present/Love/Grace 3
In gospel-centered counseling, the whole Bible story impacts the whole person’s whole story—We remember our ______calling to ______and see life with ______-eyes.
II. 8 Words Capturing the Gospel Story: Genesis 3:15 with Revelation 19:7, 17
In 8 words or less, summarize the Bible’s story/the message of the Bible:
______
A. The Bible’s Big Picture: Cover to Cover—Genesis to Revelation
“Christ ______the ______and ______His ______!”
______the ______; ______the ______!
B. The Bible’s 2 Suppers: Revelation 19:6-9, 17
1. Rev. 19:7-9: The Wedding Supper of the Lamb (Wedding—______/______)
2. Rev. 19:6, 17: The Great Supper of Our God (War—______)
III. 3 Foundational Questions for Gospel-Centered Counselors
A. Premise # 1: Life Is 1 Story with 2 Story Interpreters Asking 1 Question—Genesis 3:1-7
The Trust Question: “Do I ______that God has a ______?”
B. Premise # 2: As Counselors We All Follow Some “Script” that Guides Our Counsel— 2 Corinthians 10:4-5
The Word/World Question: “Whose ______am I proclaiming?”
The Surface/Soul Question: “Am I giving good ______(solutions) or am I sharing the good ______(soul-u-tions)?” Tweet-Size Summary To view the Bible accurately & use the Bible competently, we must anchor our counsel in the Bible’s Grand Story: The ______drama of ______
Competent counselors are ______by the Gospel story. 4
IV. 8 Ultimate Life Questions from the Bible’s Drama of Redemption
1. (Bookend 1) The Word: Ultimate Life Question # 1 a. The World’s Question: “What is truth?”
b. The Word’s Question: “Where do we find ______for life in a ______world?”
2. (Prologue) Community/Trinity: Ultimate Life Question # 2 c. The World’s Question: “Why is there something rather than nothing?”
d. The Word’s Question: “Who is God?” “What comes into our mind when we think about God?” “Whose view of God will we believe—______or ______?”
3. (Chapter 1) Creation: Ultimate Life Question # 3 a. The World’s Question: “Who am I?”
b. The Word’s Question: “______are we?” “In what story do we find ourselves?”
4. (Chapter 2) Fall: Ultimate Life Question # 4 a. The World’s Question: “Why do we do the things we do?”
b. The Word’s Question: “What went wrong?” “What’s the ______of our problem?”
5. (Chapter 3) Redemption: Ultimate Life Question # 5 a. The World’s Question: “How do people change?”
b. The Word’s Question: “How does ______change people?” “How does Christ bring us peace with God?”
6. (Chapter 4) Church: Ultimate Life Question # 6 a. The World’s Question: “Where can we find help?”
b. The Word’s Question: “Where can we find a place to ______, ______, and ______—like Christ?”
7. (Epilogue) Consummation: Ultimate Life Question # 7
a. The World’s Question: “Where are we headed?”
b. The Word’s Question: “How does our ______destiny impact our lives ______(as saints who struggle against suffering and sin)?” 5
8. (Bookend 2) Progressive Sanctification: Ultimate Life Question # 8 a. The World: “Why are we here?” (To Be a Better Me)
b. The Word: “What’s our calling/purpose?” “How do we become like ______?” “How can my inner life increasingly reflect the inner life of Christ?”
Tweet-Size Summary To offer wise & loving biblical ______, we must ask & answer gospel-centered biblical ______.
Taking It Home with Us: Applying The Story to Our Life and Ministry
1. What difference can it make in your life/ministry to see the Bible as win the war/wed the bride?
2. How could you begin to apply these tweet-size summaries to your life? To your ministry to others? If you were counseling Ashley and Nate?
a. To view the Bible accurately and to use the Bible competently, we must anchor our counsel in the Bible’s Grand Story: The relational drama of redemption.
b. Competent counselors are captivated by the Gospel story.
c. To offer wise and loving biblical counsel, we must ask and answer gospel-centered biblical questions.
3. Which of the Bible’s 8 ultimate life questions are you most excited about exploring and applying to your life and your ministry? Why? How? 6
Session Two: The Grace & Truth Story—Colossians 1:6 “Gazing on the Beauty of the Lord” (Psalm 27:4): Life Questions # 1-2
Introduction: The Written Word & the Living Word
Helping hurting people still can feel like a maze!
Mike’s Story: Casting All Your Care on Him, Because He Cares for You After listening to Mike’s story, ponder: 1. Is the gospel sufficient for Ultimate Life Question # 1: The Word helping Mike with “Where Do We Find Wisdom for Life in a Broken World?” his anxiety, fear, and Mining the Richness of God’s Word panic? If so, what would it look like to apply the gospel story to Mike’s life story—in a rich, robust, relational way?
2. Is Christ sufficient for helping Mike with his anxiety, fear, and panic? If so, what difference could Mike’s relationship to Christ make? How?
I. Be ______in the Wisdom of the Word: You Can Handle the Truth for Life!—Colosians1:27-29; 2:2-3; (and all of Colossians); John 2-4
A. God’s Written Word Is Sufficient: Relevant, Relational, Rich, Robust, Real, & Raw
B. God’s Living Word Is Supreme: Jesus Knows People!
II. ______of the “Wisdom” of the World: People Separated from the Life of God Can’t Tell Us How to Live Life for God—Colossians 2:4, 8
III.Be ______!: Don’t Spoil the Egyptians, Impact the Babylonians—Col. 4:3-6 7 IV. Ultimate Life Question # 2: The Trinity “Whose View of God Will I Believe—Christ’s or Satan’s?” Knowing the Creator of Our Soul
______!: Be Bowed Down and Bowled Over!—Colossians 1:18
Question # 1: Tweet-Size Summary We discover wisdom for how to live life in our broken world from the ______Person who ever lived—______! The purpose of the written Word is to produce ______at the living Word.
Premise # 1: “What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us” (A.W. Tozer).
Premise # 2: When we are confused about how to respond to the broken person sitting in front of us, our first thought should be about our Triune God of holy love—grace!
Jesus: “Inviting Troubled Hearts into the Joyful Trinity”—John 14-17
I. 2 Biblical Portraits of Our Triune God of Holy Love—Grace
A. Our Trinitarian God: John 1:1 and Perichoresis
B. Our Holy-Loving God:
1. Isaiah 40:10-11
2. The Cross: Romans 3:25-26
II. 4 Biblical Counseling Implications of Our Triune God of Holy-Love
A. Relate ______-to-______Because God Is Trinitarian: John 1:18 8
B. Make Biblical Counseling All About ______: John 17
C. Know the Soul Physician ______to Be a Soul Physician: John 17:20-26
D. Our Most Practical Counseling Ministry Will Involve Helping People to Explore Their Functional ______of ______
Question # 2: Tweet-Size Summary The battle for our minds & hearts is won or lost according to our ______of ______.
Taking It Home with Us: Applying The Grace & Truth Story to Our Life and Ministry
How could you begin to apply these tweet-size summaries to your life? To your ministry to others? If you were counseling Ashley and Nate? If you were counseling Mike?
1. We discover wisdom for how to live life in our broken world from the wisest Person who ever lived—Christ!
2. The purpose of the written Word is to produce awe at the living Word
3. The battle for our minds and hearts is won or lost according to our image of God. 9
Session Three: The War and Wedding Story “Paradise Created, Rejected, and Reclaimed”: Life Questions # 3-5
Introduction: The Bible Is ______, Not ______
Helping hurting people still Ultimate Life Question # 3: Creation can feel like a maze! “Whose Are We?” Examining the Spiritual Anatomy of the Soul Ray’s Story: Hardwired for Worship
After listening to Ray’s story, ponder:
1. What “heart” issues would you want to probe with Ray in order to diagnose, not just symptoms, but root causes?
2. Ray, like all of us, typically comes to us asking-without-asking, “Can you change my circumstances and fix my feelings?” With Ray, what would you focus on instead of or in addition to changed circumstances and fixed feelings?
I. Pursuing God’s Target: God’ s Wonderful Design for the Soul
A. Premise # 1: God Designed Us to ______Him—The Imago Dei: “Very Good!” 10
Living on Purpose: Glorifying God by our inner life increasingly reflecting the inner life of Christ
B. Premise # 2: God Calls Us Not to Solution Focused Therapy but to ______Focused Biblical Counseling
Counseling on Purpose: The whole gospel story impacting the whole person’s whole story. Of all people, biblical counselors should be the most comprehensive in our understanding of people.
II. Taking a Biblical X-Ray of the Heart in the World: The Imago Dei
An Image Dei Maturity Inventory
The Heart in the World: Reflecting Christ’s Relationship to God/People
Everlasting Beings Embedded Beings Embodied Beings Emotional Beings Self-Aware Beings Volitional Beings Social Beings Rational Beings Relational Spiritual Beings Beings
1. Journey with Everlasting Beings: Designed for God as Our Ultimate Environment (Coram Deo)—Luke 4:1-2a; Acts 17:28; 1 Corinthians 10:31
Like Christ, do I judge my circumstances through the grid of my Father’s love rather than judging my Father’s love by my circumstances?
2. Journey with Embedded Beings (Life-Situation): Designed to Be Connected to and Impacted by One Another: Matthew. 26:40; 1 Corinthians 12:24-27
Like Christ, do I candidly experience life in this broken world? 11
3. Journey with Embodied Beings: Designed to Be Body/Soul—Genesis 2:7; Matthew 26:41; 2 Corinthians 4:7
Like Christ, do I depend second-by-second on the Spirit because I know I have the treasure of the image of God in a “jar of clay” (2 Corinthians 4:7)?
4. Journey with Emotional Beings: Designed to Feel Deeply—Psalm 139:13-14; Mathew 27:46
Like Christ, do I face my feelings face-to-face with the Father?
5. Journey with Volitional Beings: Designed to Choose Courageously—Joshua 24:15; Mathew 26:39
Like Christ, do I surrender and entrust my will to the Father’s will? 6. Journey with Rational Beings: Designed to Think Wisely—Matthew 6:9; Romans 12:1-2; Philippians 2:5-11
Like Christ, do I interpret life through the grid of the Father’s awesome glory? Do I make decisions based upon what will “hallow” the Father’s name?
7. Journey with Relational Beings: Designed to Love Sacrificially—Matthew 22:35-40; John 3:16
a. Journey with Self-Aware Beings: Designed for Relationship with Our Self—Identity in Christ (Psalm 42:5; Luke 2:49; Romans 12:3)
Like Christ, do I find my identity in my relationship to the Father?
b. Journey with Social Beings: Designed for Relationships with One Another—Mutual Sacrificial Ministry for Christ/to One Another (Genesis 2:18; Matthew 22:39-40; John 10:11)
Like Christ, do I make sacrificial ministry the goal of my relationships to others?
c. Journey with Spiritual Beings: Designed for Relationship with God—Trusting Worship of Christ (Matthew 22:35-38; Luke 23:46)
Like Christ, do I entrust my soul to my Father’s good heart?
Question # 3: Tweet-Size Summary We understand ______we are by understanding ______we are and ______we are to ______. 12
Ultimate Life Question # 4: Fall “What’s the Root Source of Our Problem?” Diagnosing the Fallen Condition of the Soul
I. Not the Way It’s Supposed to Be
The Grand Canyon: “This ain’t the way it’s supposed to be!”
II. Taking an MRI of Our Sin-Sick Heart: Sinful Chambers of the Fallen Heart
A. Diagnosing Fallen Heart Chamber # 1: Spiritual/Relational ______— False Lovers of the Soul: Jeremiah 2:2; 13; 20-25, 31-33
Sin is not simply a thief caught in a crime; sin is an adulterer caught in the act!
B. Diagnosing Fallen Heart Chamber # 2: Heart ______—Foolish Idols of the Heart: Jeremiah 2:5, 19, 29, 31
Question # 4: Tweet-Size Summary
The essence of sin is spiritual ______& heart ______: loving & valuing anyone or anything more than God.
The root source of our problem: we’ve lost our first ______for God because we’ve lost our first ______of God. 13
Ultimate Life Question # 5: Redemption “How Does Christ Change People?” “How Does Christ Bring Us Peace with God? Prescribing God’s Cure for the Soul
I. Gospel Amnesia and New Covenant Counseling: 2 Peter 1:3-4, 12-15
Refresh Our Memories: 2 Peter 1:3-4, 12-15
II. 4 Life-Changing Results of Our Union with Christ: Applying Our Complete Salvation to Our Suffering, Sin, and Sanctification
What difference does the gospel make as we face suffering and fight sin?
A. Applying Our Justification: Our New Pardon—The Judge Declares Us “Not Guilty!” Forgiven!”
B. Applying Our Reconciliation: Our New Peace—The Father Says to Us, “Welcome Home!”
C. Applying Our Regeneration: Our New Person—The Creator Says to Us, “You Are a New Creation in Christ! Saints!”
D. Applying Our Redemption: Our New Power—The Victor Says to Us, “You Are More Than Conquerors through Christ! Victors!” 14
Summary of Our Complete Salvation, Sin, and Sanctification
Justification: “To your sin and condemnation, the gospel says, ‘Not guilty! Forgiven!’” Reconciliation: “To your lostness and aloneness, the gospel says, ‘You are accepted. Adopted. You are family—sons and daughters. Welcome home!’” Regeneration: “To your fallenness and heart of stone, the gospel says, ‘You are a new creation in Christ. Saints!’” Redemption: “To your enslavement to sin and defeat at the hands of the world, the flesh, and the devil, the gospel says, ‘You are more than conquerors through Christ. Victors!’”
Question # 5: Tweet-Size Summary We must build our ______and our counseling models of ______on Christ’s gospel applied to Christians: ______, ______, ______, & ______people.
Taking It Home with Us: Applying The War & Wedding Story to Our Life and Ministry
How could you begin to apply these tweet-size summaries to your life? To your ministry to others? If you were counseling Ashley and Nate? If you were counseling Mike? If you were counseling Ray?
1. We understand who we are by understanding Whose we are and Who we are to reflect.
2. The essence of sin is spiritual adultery and heart idolatry: loving and valuing anyone or anything more than God.
3. The root source of our problem: we’ve lost our first love for God because we’ve lost our first awe of God.
4. We must build our lives and our counseling models of change on Christ’s gospel applied to Christians: justified, reconciled, regenerated, and redeemed people. 15
Ultimate Life Question # 6: Church “Where Do We Find a Place to Believe, Belong, and Become?” Session Growing Up in Christ with the Bride of Christ Four: The Rest of the Story “Living the Gospel Together”: Life Questions # 6-8
Introduction: From Here to Eternity
Helping hurting people still can feel like a maze!
The All-American Family Story: Being the Church
After listening to the All-American Family story, ponder: 1. How should the “typical/average” church respond? What does the “typical/average” church have to offer this family in crisis?
I. 2 Competitors for the Church: Then and Now
A. Competition Then—In Paul’s Day in Colossians 16
B. Ultimate Life Question # 7: Consummation Competition Now “How Does Our Eternal Destiny Impact Our Lives Today?” —In Our Day Remembering the Future
II. 2 Callings for the Church Today: “Don’t Take a Back Seat to Anyone!”— Ephesians 3:17-19; 4:11-16
A. Grasp the Gospel ______with All the ______!: Ephesians 3:17-19
B. Grow in the Gospel ______by Being a Church ______Biblical Counseling, Not Simply a Church ______Biblical Counseling: Ephesians 4:11-16
Question # 6: Tweet-Size Summary Our growth in Christlikeness is a ______
I. 1 Picture from John of the End of the Story: Revelation 7:15-17
II. 1 Picture from Bob of the End of the Story: Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls
We’ve Read the End of the Story: ______!
Question # 7: Tweet-Size Summary Rejoicing in the end of our ______story with Christ gives us courageous ______in the ______of our ______story 17
Ultimate Life Question # 8: Progressive Sanctification “How Do We Become Like Jesus?” Applying Our Gospel-Centered Growth in Grace
I. 2 Biblical Answers to the Question, “How Does Christ Change People?”
A. Gospel Indicatives: Ephesians 1-3 Christ has already changed us by JRRR!
B. Gospel Imperatives: Ephesians 4-6 Christ’s calls us to put off the old way and put on the new way empowered by God’s grace, Spirit, people, and future hope.
Question # 8: Tweet-Size Summary Sanctification is the art of ______our ______salvation (JRRR) by God’s ______, ______, ______, & ______hope
II. 12 Progressive Sanctification Questions: A Growth in Grace Inventory
1. By grace, am I growing more and more captivated by the gospel story demonstrated by increasingly anchoring my life and counsel in the Bible’s relational drama of redemption? 18
2. By grace, am I increasingly discovering wisdom for how to live life in a broken world from the wisest person who ever lived—Christ? 3. By grace, is the written Word increasingly producing awe in me at the Living Word? 4. By grace, is the battle for my mind and heart being won more and more by my growing grasping of God’s holy love—grace? 5. By grace, am I progressively understanding who I am by understanding Whose I am and Who I am to reflect? 6. By grace, am I becoming increasingly convicted that the essence of my sin is spiritual adultery and heart idolatry—loving and valuing anyone or anything more than God? 7. By grace, am I growing increasingly convicted that the root source of my struggle with sin is that I’ve lost my first love for God because I’ve lost my first awe of God? 8. By grace, am I progressively building my life and my counseling on Christ’s gospel applied to my new heart as a justified, reconciled, regenerated, and redeemed son/daughter of God? 9. By grace, am I increasingly growing in Christlikeness in a community journey by grasping grace together with all the saints? 10. By grace, am I progressively gaining courageous hope in the midst of my earthly story by rejoicing in the end of my eternal story with Christ? 11. By grace, am I progressively growing in sanctification by applying my complete salvation (my justification, reconciliation, regeneration, and redemption) to my life through God’s grace, God’s Spirit, God’s people, and God’s future hope? 12. By grace, as I believe the gospel story, am I progressively becoming like the gospel story— full of grace and truth, full of love and holiness? Taking It Home with Us: Applying The Rest of the Story to Our Life and Ministry
How could you begin to apply these tweet-size summaries to your life? To your ministry to others? If you were counseling Ashley, Nate, Tim, Ray, or the All-American Family?
1. Our growth in Christlikeness is a community journey.
2. Rejoicing in the end of our eternal story with Christ gives us courageous hope in the midst of our earthly story.
3. Sanctification is the art of applying our complete salvation (JRRR) by God’s grace, God’s Spirit, God’s people, and God’s future hope.
Gospel-Centered Counseling Tweet-Size Summary Those who ______the Gospel story become ______the Gospel story: full of ______& ______; ______& ______19
4 Biblical Compass Points for Gospel Conversations: How to Care Like Christ
Introduction: Christlike Care
The Soul Physician and the Spiritual Friend
Helping Hurting People Still Can Feel Like a Maze
We Need a GPS!: Gospel Positioning Story
1 Thessalonians 2:8: Sharing Scripture (Gospel) and Soul
Ephesians 4:15: Living Gospel Truth in Love
Gospel Conversations Portrait # 1: We first understand the gospel story, then we seek to understand our friend’s story, then we journey together to intersect God’s eternal story and our friend’s earthly story.
Gospel Conversations Portrait # 2: Pursuing Personal Change Centered on the Person of Christ through the Personal Ministry of the Word. 20
Pastor Carl’s Story: Suffering, Sin, and Sanctification
After listening to “Pastor Carl’s Story,” ponder the following questions:
1. How would you minister to Pastor Carl in his suffering? How would you minister to Pastor Carl in his struggle against sin?
2 What “map” or “process,” or “model: would guide you as you helped Pastor Carl?
Gospel Foundation and Focus for Gospel Conversations
“Pastoral care is defective unless it can deal thoroughly both with the ______we have ______and with the ______we have ______.”
4 Biblical Compass Points for Gospel Conversations
Gospel Conversations for the Evils We Have Suffered “God Is Good Even When Life Is Bad”
Gospel Compass Point # 1: Sustaining—“It’s Normal to Hurt”
Gospel Foundation: The Christ of the Cross Understands Our Suffering
Gospel Focus: Sense Their Earthly Story of Despair/Empathize with and Embrace Them
Gospel Compass Point # 2: Healing—“It’s Possible to Hope”
Gospel Foundation: The Resurrected Christ Provides Eternal Hope in Our Suffering
Gospel Focus: Stretch Them to God’s Eternal Story of Hope/Encourage Them to Embrace God 21
Gospel Conversations for the Sins We Have Committed “God Is Gracious Even When I Am Sinful”
Gospel Compass Point # 3: Reconciling—“It’s Horrible to Sin, but Wonderful to Be Forgiven”
Gospel Foundation: Christ’s Grace Superabounds Over Our Sin
Gospel Focus: Shed Their Enslaving Story of Death and Expose Their Sin and Christ’s Grace
Gospel Compass Point # 4: Guiding—“It’s Supernatural to Mature”
Gospel Foundation: The Grace that Saves Is the Grace that Sanctifies
Gospel Focus: Strengthen Them with Christ’s Story of Life/Empower Them to Christlike Love
I. Gospel-Centered Comfort for Suffering and Sanctification
Comfort: Called Along Side to Help—Parakaletic (The Holy Spirit Our Comforter/Counselor)
Suffering and Sanctification: “God Is Good Even When Life Is Bad”
A. Gospel Compass Point # 1: Sustaining—“It’s Normal to Hurt”
1. ______with Gospel Ears to Their Earthly Story: 2 Corinthians 1:3-8
Do Not Be Ignorant of One Another’s Suffering: 2 Corinthians 1:3-8
2. ______like Christ with Their Earthly Story: Hebrews 4:15
Sustaining Pictured: Climb in the ______!
Compassionate Commiseration: Romans 12:15
3. ______Them with Christ’s Comfort in Their Earthly Story: Hebrews 4:15
People Need Our Christlike ______22
Shared Sorrow Is ______Sorrow: 2 Corinthians 1:3-8
4. ______Their Earthly Story Incarnationally: Romans 9:2-3; John 1:14
______Suffering
5. Point Them to ______in Their Earthly Story: 1 Peter 5:1-4
Jesus with ______On
6. Engage in ______Gospel Trialogues with Them: Matthew 18:20
So What? Maturing As a Gospel-Centered Comforter
1. Who has sustained you by helping you to sense that “it’s normal to hurt”? Who has “climbed in the casket” with you? How? How did it minister to you?
2. How could you use these 6 sustaining compass points to empathize with/comfort God’s people?
B. Gospel Compass Point # 2: Healing—“It’s Possible to Hope”
1. Stretch Them to the Larger ______Story: 2 Corinthians 1:9-11
When Life Stinks, Our Perspective______
______Christ Back Into the Picture
Ask: “What Is God Up To in This?” “What Are You Doing with Christ in This?”
Healing Pictured: Celebrate the Empty ______
2. Stretch Them to ______Story: Ephesians 3:14-21
Cling to Our Image of God’s ______
Cling to Our Image of Who/Whose We Are in ______
3. Stretch Them to the ______Story: Romans 8:17-39
Travel Together On the Road to ______23
Weave in the Truth: We Are More Than ______!
4. Stretch Them to the ______Story (CFRC): 2 Kings 6:15-17
See Life with ______Eyes
5. Stretch Them to the ______Story: Engage in Healing Gospel Trialogues
So What? Maturing As a Gospel-Centered Encourager
1. Who has joined you in the healing process by helping you to sense “it’s possible to hope”? Who has “celebrated the resurrection with you” and stretched you to Christ? How? How did it minister to you?
2. How could you use these 5 healing compass points to encourage God’s people to see and live life from Christ’s resurrection perspective?
II. Gospel-Centered Care-Fronting for Sin, Salvation, and Sanctification— Romans 5:20
Care-Fronting: Confronting out of Concern for Change (Growth)—Nouthetic (The Holy Spirit Our Convictor)
Reconciling Grace for Sin and Sanctification: “God Is Gracious Even When I Am Evil”— Romans 5:20
Guiding Grace for Sin and Sanctification: “The Grace that Saves Is the Grace that Sanctifies”—Titus 2:11-14
A. Gospel Compass Point # 3: Reconciling: “It’s Horrible to Sin, but Wonderful to Be Forgiven”—Romans 5:20
1. “It’s Horrible to Sin”
a. In Love and Humility, ______the Conscience with ______: Galatians 6:1; 2 Corinthians 7:8-13
b. Expose the ______Sin by Probing Relational Patterns: Heb. 3:7-19; Jm. 4:1-8
c. Catch Them ______-______: Hebrews 3:7-19; Hebrews 4:12-13
d. Leave the ______to God: 2 Timothy 2:24-26
2. “It’s Wonderful to Be Forgiven” 24
a. ______the Conscience with ______: 2 Corinthians 2:5-11; 1 John 1:8-2:2
b. Recognize the ______: Matthew 4:1-10
c. Reconciling Pictured: Be a ______of Grace—Romans 8:1
d. Provide ______of Grace: Luke 15
e. Pen Psalms of ______: Engage in Reconciling Gospel Trialogues
So What? Maturing As a Gospel-Centered Ambassador of Reconciliation 1. Who has reconciled you by helping you sense “it’s horrible to sin, but wonderful to be forgiven”? Who has “dispensed Christ’s grace to heal your disgrace”? How? How did it minister to you?
2. How could you use these 9 reconciling compass points to help God’s people repent of their sin and receive Christ’s grace and forgiveness?
B. Gospel Compass Point # 4: Guiding—“It’s Supernatural to Mature”
1. ______: Help Them to See Whose They Are in Christ: Ephesians 1:1-4:10; 2 Timothy 1:5-7
______Identity in Christ
______Identity in Christ
2. ______Them to Become More Like Christ: Romans 12:1-2; Ephesians 4:17-24; 2 Timothy 1:8-18
Putting ______: “Do not be conformed to the world…”
Putting ______: “Be transformed by the renewing of your mind…”
3. ______Them to Minister for Christ: Ephesians 4:11-16; 2 Timothy 2:1- 10
4. ______Them through Christ’s Word: Engage in Guiding Gospel Trialogues— Romans 5-8; Romans 12-15
Guiding Pictured: ______Up the Gift of ______!
So What? Maturing As a Gospel-Centered Mentor/Discipler 25
1. Who has guided you by helping you sense “it’s supernatural to mature”? Who has “stirred up the gift of God” in you? How? How did it minister to you?
2. How could you use these 4 guiding compass points to empower God’s people toward growth in grace?
Commencement
So What?: Applying Gospel Truth to My Daily Life and Ministry
1. From everything we’ve shared in our time together, what personal application do you plan to make to your life? What has stood out to you personally as especially important?
2. From everything we’ve shared in our time together, what will you apply in your ministry to others? What has stood out to you as especially important to your one-another ministry?
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