by Mark Shaw | Jul 25, 2017 | Addiction, Announcements, Biblical Counseling
Dr. Shaw recently had the opportunity to teach at the IBCD (The Institute for Biblical Counseling and Discipleship) in California on the topic of his new booklet: Understanding Temptation: The War Within Your Heart In this booklet he discusses three main ideas that...
by Mark Shaw | May 26, 2017 | Addiction, Answers, Biblical Counseling
Our featured Booklet this week is Mark Shaw’s Hope and Help for Gambling, Focus Publishing, Bemidji, MN, 2007. Mark, as a part of a team of biblical counselors in Birmingham, AL, decided to write short helpful booklets to provide a starting point for those they...
by Mark Shaw | May 25, 2017 | Addiction, Announcements, Update
Mark E. Shaw’s author page on Amazon has been updated with a fresh look. Were you aware of how many books and booklets he has publised? What a gift the Lord has entrusted to him! As his wife, I am so thankful for the many people that we hear of almost daily who...
by Mark Shaw | Feb 10, 2017 | Uncategorized
Watch this five minute cartoon on YouTube that pokes holes in the circular reasoning and real comments made in the self-help industry: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f5-Q0lJTYek The clip is called “AA don’t quit before the miracle.” Prepare to laugh...
by Mark Shaw | Nov 18, 2016 | Addiction, Uncategorized
The first ever report on alcohol, drugs, and health by the surgeon general has been released and some of the facts and key findings are helpful. Read the report here. The report estimates that 1 in 7 Americans will face addiction issues. I would say that number is...
by Mark Shaw | Nov 5, 2016 | Addiction
This is a very thought-provoking 5 minute video called Addiction. There are certain truths here that are right on target: relational connections help addicts to stay clean and sober. I believe those relationships must be one with Christ and then with other people....
by Mark Shaw | Nov 2, 2016 | Addiction
I had a dear friend who recently passed away who championed the phrase “Beyond Recovery.” His intent was to say that there is more to life than being clean and sober. Being clean and sober is a good goal in this life. It will yield fruit and blessing. Yet,...
by Mark Shaw | Oct 28, 2016 | Addiction
I think it is always good to biblically evaluate programs and their content. In a previous blog, I cited The Berean Call article critiquing Celebrate Recovery, a widely popular program dealing with hurts, habits, and hang-ups in addicts’ lives. It is a well...
by Mark Shaw | Oct 25, 2016 | Addiction, Uncategorized
The C.R. program is incredibly well-organized. Its materials are second to none in terms of packaging, readability, and presentation. Plus, those involved in the C.R. program at thousands of churches around the country are very enthusiastic about it and have hearts to...
by Mark Shaw | Oct 20, 2016 | Addiction
We are living in an age where overdoses are frightening our community leaders and rightly so. One fact from an article in the Washington Post article states: “Nationally, heroin overdose deaths have risen sharply, from 1,960 in 1999 to 10,574 in 2014, according...
by Mark Shaw | Sep 15, 2016 | Addiction, Biblical Counseling, National Recovery Month, Uncategorized
While it is not a biblical article, this secular online report from The Rolling Stone recognizes the heroin overdose epidemic that is occurring in several mid-Western states. If you aren’t familiar with the recent problem, here is a summary for you from a...
by Mark Shaw | Jul 27, 2016 | Current Events, Uncategorized
Some of my unbelieving acquaintances in the scientific world think that “science” is infallible. Those same friends consider God Almighty to be fallible. As a Christian, I see it in the exact opposite manner: God is infallible, science is fallible....
by Mark Shaw | Jun 22, 2016 | Addiction, Biblical Counseling, Current Events
I post so often about drug addiction stories and famous actors, musicians, politicians, etc. that it is becoming difficult to keep current on all of these very sad stories. Most recently, the death of Prince dominated the headlines as fans mourned the loss of his...
by Mark Shaw | May 15, 2016 | Biblical Counseling, Current Events
Some of you heard the one hour program called “Up for Debate” hosted by Julie Roys where Ken B. and I discussed the question: “Is A.A. biblical?” Afterward, I thought of 100 million things I wish I had said. Has that ever happened to you after...
by Mark Shaw | Feb 23, 2016 | Addiction, Biblical Counseling
It was my privilege to be interviewed by Dr. Heath Lambert, ACBC President, about the dangers of A.A. for believers. You can listen to the podcast here (#38). What I appreciate about Dr. Lambert is his unwavering stance for truth and desire to present it in love...
by Mark Shaw | Dec 26, 2015 | Addiction, Current Events
Here’s an article about the recent firing of Univ. of Southern California football coach, Steve Sarkisian, who is filing a lawsuit against the school because he has a disability: alcoholism. His attorney’s logic is correct: if alcoholism is a disability...
by Mark Shaw | Nov 25, 2015 | Missions, Uncategorized
Sunday, November 1, 2015 through Tuesday, November 3, 2015 My Trip to Egypt (part 1) – A Flight to Egypt In the Bible, there were times when the biblical characters would make a flight to Egypt for the purposes of refuge and escape. For example, Joseph and Mary...
by Mark Shaw | Oct 18, 2015 | Uncategorized
There are a lot of “sufficient” things in the life of a Christian. Think about that for a minute. Because God is all we really need, we have sufficiency in Christ. Yet sometimes we forget that because we focus on the temporal situation of living in a...
by Mark Shaw | Aug 25, 2015 | Church Life, Post by Rachel, Posts by Mark
On a typical Sunday morning, you and your family listen to a sermon taught by a very eloquent pastor. You love his passion for Christ and enthusiasm for what he does. When you get home after church, you don’t make any changes to your personal life or plan to...
by Mark Shaw | Jul 10, 2015 | Biblical Counseling, Church Life, Disciple-Making
Fellowship. Accountability. Prayer. Sharing. Does this describe your small group time in church? Is this how you practice biblical counseling on a personal, informal basis in your local church? If this is you, praise the Lord with me please! If not, let’s work...
