Glenn,

I’m no expert in the area.

I have a lot of respect for the biblical counselling movement, represented by CCEF.

One of their leaders, David Powlison, has an interesting article on responding to criticism. That issue is helpful in itself.

But in the article he uses as casestudy how he responds to criticisms from Christians who take a different approach to counselling, drawing more from the secular sciences.

That article might open up some of the issues.

From an Australian point of view, Alan Craddock, who is a Christian lecturer in the Dept of Psychology at Sydney Uni, delivered some annual lectures at Moore College, which became the book, Beyond Rivalry: Psaychology and Theology as Complements, which you can purchase at the Moore College bookshop.

Dannii, you are right.

There’s a saying I picked up somewhere in the MTS movement…

Ministry is stacking chairs.

Anyone interested in leadership in gospel ministry has to learn that lesson.

Hopefully they will already be displaying that attitude before the rest of us encourage them too far in leadership!

Hans, also a good comment from you. Spot on. The book I said I read with young blokes like this is 2 Timothy. From your comment I straight away think of passages like:

1:3-6 - Paul’s deeply personal involvement in praying for, discipling, and commissioning Timothy.

2:2-4 - Paul’s recruiting of reliable people passage, where the soldier wants to please his enlisting officer.

3:10-11 - Timothy knows all about Paul’s way of life, especially the persecutions he endured.

4:9 - having run the race, Paul really wants to see Timothy in person!

Here is a man to follow.

Yep, I was agreeing, not disagreeing, about the need for role model Christian men.

That is, the examples I gave from 2 Timothy were intended to illustrate that what Timothy needed and experienced was the model of Paul from all that time he had had with Paul.

My reading 2 Timothy with blokes is only one part of the time I would want to spend with them.

I am loathe to make generalisations about whether or not men in the churches are lazy.

Glenn,
If you are after a General Book on Counselling, “Christian Counselling” by Gary Collins, normally $35, is 20% off at Koorong and Word Bookstore at $28 for another day or so!