by Mark Shaw | May 17, 2010 | Biblical Counseling, Posts by Mark, Truth in Love Staff
Recently, someone heard a “Christian therapist” say on a national radio show that the church is not equipped to deal with the “blended family issues” that he “specializes” in “treating” – on an on – which is...
by Mark Shaw | May 13, 2010 | Biblical Counseling, Posts by Mark, Truth in Love Staff
Paul David Tripp coined the phrase “personal ministry” for biblical counseling which is really discipleship (Matt. 28:18-20). You have the pulpit ministry in churches. You have small groups. AND now you can have “personal ministry” which is...
by Mark Shaw | May 9, 2010 | Biblical Counseling, Posts by Mark, Truth in Love Staff
Recently, I heard a discussion between 2 of my mentors about biblical counseling. I think they missed the heart of the issue when discussing biblical counseling as a “special calling.” Biblical counseling is NOT a special calling. Nowhere in the Bible is...
by Mark Shaw | May 5, 2010 | Biblical Counseling, Posts by Mark, Truth in Love Staff
I remember hearing that phrase long ago and now it makes sense to me: firsthand! I have been finding out that several churches are implementing a Truth in Love model of counseling – even a few in our local area! How cool is it that churches would imitate this...
by Mark Shaw | Apr 29, 2010 | Devotions, Posts by Mark, TRANSFORMED, Truth in Love Staff
Some of you may not get the joke but some of you will – I can imagine someone saying to me: “Mark is finally admitting he is in recovery after neck surgery!” One of the heartbeats of our ministry is that Christ “transforms” us from...
by Mark Shaw | Apr 25, 2010 | Devotions, Posts by Mark
Job 1:21 And he said,”Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.” What do we enter this world with? Nothing. We are born helpless, totally dependent upon...
by Mark Shaw | Apr 24, 2010 | Biblical Counseling, Posts by Mark, Scripture
I read a blog recently that someone said somthing like this: “We don’t want to scare anyone away from God with too much truth.” What? How can you “scare” someone away from God who is ALREADY away from God in the first place? All people...
by Mark Shaw | Apr 19, 2010 | Posts by Mark, Vs. Psychology
When will the madness stop? Our culture in America is so psychologized that even wearing deodorant can meet our “emotional needs”!!! On one of our deodorant packages, it says (this is true): “Extra Responsive in Emotional Moments”* *releasing...
by Mark Shaw | Apr 12, 2010 | Biblical Counseling, Posts by Mark
People today look to the latest book, the latest trend, and the latest program to solve problems. But God tells us to look to Christ. He alone is the answer. Christianity is not a program. It’s a relational process of knowing God, being discipled by others,...
by Mark Shaw | Apr 5, 2010 | Biblical Counseling, Posts by Mark, Truth in Love Staff, Vs. Psychology
Read this article from WORLD magazine: http://www.worldmag.com/articles/16573 This article articulates well the problem of “overdiagnosing” that is ALREADY occurring in our culture today. It’s already happening and this new DSM version will only make...
by Mark Shaw | Apr 5, 2010 | Posts by Mark, Truth in Love Staff
Mixing bunnies and eggs with Resurrection Day is one example of mixing the secular with the sacred things of Christ. Another example occurs when we blend some of the ideas propagated by secular psychology. These ideas cannot be “integrated” or mixed...
by Mark Shaw | Mar 19, 2010 | Biblical Counseling, Posts by Mark, Scripture, Truth in Love Staff, Vs. Psychology
Seems like many shows keep coming out on this “tsunami” of a problem commonly called “addiction” (the Bible calls it “enslavement” and “idolatry” which still holds the person responsible for sinful choices that feed the...
by Mark Shaw | Mar 12, 2010 | Biblical Counseling, Posts by Mark, Teaching, Truth in Love Staff
Remember James 4:6 states: “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” The picture I think of is playing tennis against God. When we are proud, we are on the opposite side of the net against God and there is no way we are going to win against Him in...
by Mark Shaw | Mar 5, 2010 | Biblical Counseling, Posts by Mark, TRANSFORMED, Truth in Love Staff
Shouldn’t be a surprise that marijuana causes problems with our mental health but I don’t think people realize how much doing illicit drugs affects someone’s ability to think and make good decisions that please the Lord. Are we seeing more...
by Mark Shaw | Feb 28, 2010 | Biblical Counseling, Posts by Mark
Can you present the Gospel without mentioning the bad news that we all have a sin problem that is going to kill us and send us to a real place in eternity called Hell? Sin is a vital ingredient of the Gospel like apples are a vital ingredient to apple pie! We have a...
by Mark Shaw | Feb 26, 2010 | Truth in Love Staff
A widely popular movie right now is called “Avatar.” However, it reported causes depression in people AFTER they watch the movie. Why? One reason is that the movie, Avatar, presents a utopian planet to live on. It’s a perfect place and moviegoers...
by Mark Shaw | Feb 26, 2010 | Posts by Mark, Truth in Love Staff
Basically, one aspect of what it means to “glorify God” is to do what He says to do. When we obey Him, then we best reflect His glory to others. Jesus Christ is our Head and we are His body. We are the body of Christ and are to act like His hands and feet....
by Mark Shaw | Feb 20, 2010 | Biblical Counseling, Posts by Mark, Prayer Requests
What does our culture deny the reality of – on a daily basis? How about this answer: sin and our sinful natures that are replaced by the power of Christ Who alone transforms the human will (Rom. 12:1-2). Just watch the news. People see death, crime, and...
by Mark Shaw | Feb 8, 2010 | Biblical Counseling, Posts by Mark
No!!! So why do people incorrectly think and say that they have to “forgive God” as if God has done something wrong? God NEVER sins. God NEVER wrongs us. God is good. God is love. God is just, perfect, holy, and righteous. There is no fault in God. None. I...
by Mark Shaw | Feb 1, 2010 | Announcements, Biblical Counseling, Posts by Mark
Psychology means the “study of the soul” and quite frankly, that’s all secular psychologists do. They study the inner person of man that we call the soul. Some psychiatrists can give medicines but is that helping the soul or the body? When a soul is...
