We once knew how to relate God’s truth to human relationships. Then, as if an evil spell had been cast upon the Church, we abdicated our calling, allowing it to be abducted by aliens. These aliens, separated from the life of God, claimed the mantle of relevancy, built great soulless ‘soul physician’ schools, and proceeded to prescribe cures for soul sickness. Meanwhile, vanquished, we erected academies that dissected God’s truth, but ignored human...

Resources for Rural Women in Abusive Relationships Bosch, K. & Schumm, W. R. (2004). Accessibility to old_resources: Helping rural women in abusive partner relationships become free from abuse. Journal of Sex & Marital Therapy, 30, 357-370.  Kathy Bosch and Walter Schumm interviewed rural women in previous abusive relationships. They identified 42 rural counties in Kansas and randomly selected 10 of these counties and conducted face-to-face interviews with women age...

Even within the Church, we hear voices telling us that we must water down the pulpit ministry of the Word (biblical preaching) and dilute the personal ministry of the Word (biblical counseling) to suit our post-modern culture. Those offering this advice frequently imply that the insistence upon theologically-founded ministry is a throw back to modernity rather than a command of Scripture. Two pre-modern Christians (among a great cloud of possible witnesses) argue otherwise.

The...

A recent federal court opinion on the wrongful use of the MMPI as an employment screening tool could have big implications for churches, mission agencies, and counseling clinics throughout the country. The 7th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals (Karraker, et al., v. Rent-ACenter, Case No. 04-2881, 6-14-05) ruled in June 2005 that the MMPI was a medical/psychiatric test and therefore impermissible for use as a pre-employment screening tool under the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990...

This is a study of how couples talk to each other about not feeling well. Kandi Walker and Fran Dickson reported on 53 couples who provided interview and questionnaire information having been contacted through convenience sampling procedures. The couples reported an average age of 43 years (range = 22 to 81), and the majority was Caucasian (83%), followed by Native American (7%), African American (5%), Hispanic (3%), and Asian (1%). The average length of time married was 17 years (range...

Mental health organizations are also involved in the cultural discussions. For example, the American Psychological Association (APA) recently weighed in on the two topics of marriage and adoption, with the Council Representatives voting in favor of policy statements that support gay marriage and homosexual adoption.

The leadership of the American Association of Christian Counselors (AACC) felt it important that our organization consider the topic of homosexuality and offer...

“The way up is down .” I’ve heard that expression so many times I’m sick of it. But I keep hearing it… because it is so paradoxically true.

Why is it that much of our relationship with God involves loss, suffering and sacrifice? Why does God call us so often to leave what we like, to release hold of what we grasp? Why is the path of godliness so often a difficult and dangerous road? Why does it seem that much of our ‘lot...

When the False Memory Foundation became active, questioning the validity of sexual abuse accusations, many in the therapeutic and child-protective communities suddenly became quiet, fearing lawsuits or accusations that the therapists or investigators themselves were the source of these beliefs that sexual abuse had occurred. This has been true in some cases, especially when a custody dispute is involved, but caution is warranted.

Sadly, many in the therapeutic community at large...

Sexual abuse upon our children is an everincreasing epidemic in our country. While our nation’s overall crime rate fell 22% from 1993-1997, reports of child abuse and neglect increased 8%! In 1999, nearly three million children were reported as victims of abuse and neglect. This translates into 45 out of every 1,000 children living in the United States! A recent study of confirmed cases of sexual abuse found that 79% of the children initially denied abuse or were tentative in...

Abuse in the context of an intimate relationship involves a persistent pattern of behaviors. It is not simply a mistake, an isolated incident or a sudden loss of control. The husband, who engages in this style of relating, misuses his wife for selfish ends and violates her dignity and self-determination. While he may not intend to be abusive, he does intend to achieve the goal that motivates all forms of abuse: to exercise power and to control. Physical abuse can leave bruises, break...