1. Man without Christ is lost and eternally doomed to a literal hell. Surely nothing has ever offered greater potential for solving problems and resolved more conflicts than freely accepting what Christ has done.
2. Man without Christ is incomplete. When a person trusts Christ as his Savior, the Holy Spirit comes to indwell, empower, guide, teach, and free from sin and death.
3. Man is depraved. Man in himself has neither the capability nor the goodness necessary to solve his own problems and overcome the evil within him.
4. Man is under attack. Satan desires that nonbelievers stay in spiritual darkness. He also prowls about seeking to destroy the mental health of Christians. He can deceive, enticing people to pay attention to false doctrines. He can influence thinking, causing man to focus on his own interests rather than on God's. He can hinder the spread of the gospel; he can tempt; he can oppress people mentally, even to the point of driving them insane.
5. Man is sinful. Without this concept, there is no right or wrong, no moral compass, and no Christian counseling.
(from The Minirth Guide for Christian Counselors by Frank Minirth)
5.27.2010
Listening
We listen poorly when we:
- Refuse to listen.
- Pretend to listen.
- Listen without patience.
- Listen but do not understand.
- Listen without an adequate response.
- Interrupt.
- Let our minds wander.
- Be open-minded and willing to hear what someone has to say.
- Affirm the person who is speaking.
- Ask open-ended questions.
- Ask clarifying questions.
- Reflect back to them what they have said.
- Have an open body posture (arms relaxed, face the person, eye contact).
- Wait for them to finish speaking.
- Refuse to entertain thoughts of what you are going to say next before they have finished speaking.
- Allow silence before rushing in with a "quick fix."
- See the issues through their eyes - feel their pain.
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