Gospel-Centered Marriage Counseling: An Equipping Guide for Pastors and Counselors

by Bob Kellemen

Publisher:

Baker

, 2020

Overview

Pastors and counselors regularly minister to people whose marriages or families are in crisis. Tempers run high and feelings are brought low when a marriage is hurting or a family is in disarray. Pastors and counselors need practical, biblical help in order to connect their theological training to the reality of modern messy relationships. These how-to training manuals provide relevant, user-friendly equipping for pastors, counselors, lay leaders, educators, and students, enabling them to competently and compassionately relate God’s Word to marriage and family life.

Contents

Top Highlights

“In ourselves, we are helpless and hopeless. Sin is not just a sickness; it is a terminal disease that has already taken our spiritual life. These realities change our marital narrative from ‘Our marriage requires a better strategy for changing my spouse’ to ‘Our marriage requires my humble repentance of my sinful self-sufficiency and self-centeredness.’” (Page 27)

“Our old marital narrative claims, ‘Marriage is a self-improvement project done in my strength for my benefit.’ Our new biblical marital narrative insists, ‘Marital health begins with saving grace. Marital growth continues with God empowering us to put off the old self-focused ways and to put on the new death-to-self ways.’” (Page 27)

“In Ephesians, Paul casts a biblical vision for marriage: the grand purpose of every marriage is to glorify God.” (Page 30)

“These realities change our marital narrative from ‘It’s all about me’ to ‘It’s all about him—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.’ These truths change our marital focus from ‘I can make my marriage work on my own’ to ‘We need Christ’s resurrection power in our marriage so our marriage can glorify God.’” (Pages 26–27)

“‘Our core loyalty to each other displays our core loyalty to Christ. Our marriage relationship is ultimately all about being marital ambassadors who show the world how Christ and his bride are faithfully devoted to each other.’” (Page 34)

Product Details

• Title: Gospel-Centered Marriage Counseling: An Equipping Guide for Pastors and Counselors
• Author: Bob Kellemen
• Series: The Equipping Marriage and Family Counselors Series
• Publisher: Baker
• Print Publication Date: 2020
• Logos Release Date: 2020
• Pages: 267
• Language: English
• Resources: 1
• Format: Digital › Logos Research Edition
• Subjects: Bible › Psychology--Handbooks, manuals, etc; Church work with married people › Handbooks, manuals, etc; Marriage counseling › Religious aspects--Christianity--Handbooks, manuals, etc; Pastoral counseling › Handbooks, manuals, etc
• ISBNs: 9781493421435, 9781493427666, 9780801094347, 1493427660, 0801094348, 1493421433
• Resource ID: LLS:GSPLCENTFMRGCNSLG
• Resource Type: Monograph
• Metadata Last Updated: 2024-12-16T18:03:46Z

About Bob Kellemen

Robert W. Kellemen, Ph.D., LCPC, served for over a dozen years as chairman of the master of arts in Christian counseling and discipleship (MACCD) department at Capital Bible Seminary. He is now professor-at-large in that department. Through the MACCD, Bob has equipped thousands of pastors and professional counselors for biblical ministry.

In his three pastoral ministries (one as senior pastor and two as associate pastor), Bob has equipped hundreds of lay people as biblical counselors and spiritual friends. In each church, Bob launched and led the LEAD Ministry: Lay Encouragers and Disciplers.

In his role as founder and CEO of RPM Ministries (rpmministries.org), Bob is known for his Christ-centered, comprehensive, compassionate, and culturally-informed approach to equipping local churches for biblical counseling and spiritual formation. Through RPM Ministries, Bob has consulted with scores of churches and para-church groups, walking them through his “4E” model for launching and leading lay equipping ministries.

Bob is the executive director of the Association of Biblical Counselors’ Center for Church Equipping. He also serves as the launch director for the Biblical Counseling Coalition.

Bob is a book reviewer for Discerning Reader. He’s also the biblical counseling and pastoral ministry reviewer for The Gospel Coalition.Dr. Kellemen received a B.A. degree in pastoral ministry from Baptist Bible College (Clarks Summit, Pa.), he earned a Th.M. in theology and biblical counseling from Grace Theological Seminary (Winona Lake, Ind.), and he received a Ph.D. in counselor education from Kent State University (Ohio). Bob is a licensed clinical professional counselor in the state of Maryland.

Bob has authored more than 75 published articles. He is also the author of five books: Soul Physicians: A Theology of Soul Care and Spiritual Direction (BMH Books), Spiritual Friends: A Methodology of Soul Care and Spiritual Direction (BMH Books), Beyond the Suffering: Embracing the Legacy of African American Soul Care and Spiritual Direction (Baker Books), Sacred Friendships: Celebrating the Legacy of Women Heroes of the Faith (BMH Books), and God’s Healing for Life’s Losses: How to Find Hope When You’re Hurting (BMH Books), scheduled for release in March 2010.

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