Grace-Link

Site Navigation

Follow us on:

Blog Categories

Monthly Archives

Most recent entries

Syndicate

RSS 2.0
Atom

Site Credits

Web Development by:
Cedar Hills Media & Marketing

Letter to Pastors

A Challenge to Pastors

TO: Pastors and Congregational Care Ministers

FROM: Blake Rymer

How do you respond to congregational needs?

In a speech presented at the 1995 Moody Founders Week Celebration, Dr. Larry Crabb, noted Christian psychologist and author, made the following points:

The issues which professional counseling addresses - guilt, anger, self- hatred, hopelessness, the unwillingness to love - are issues which the Bible addresses and which God has designed the local church to handle.

The problems which people in our culture typically take to professional counselors and therapists are really expressions of a troubled soul, not symptoms of an underlying psychological disorder, except when they have an organic basis. They are spiritual problems. Therefore: (1) The only trustworthy source of understanding the soul is the Bible. Therefore, biblical wisdom becomes the foundation, the framework and the substance of all our helping efforts. (2) The community of God’s people - the local church - is the proper setting for the problems of the soul to be addressed. The local church is more vital to the work of healing and helping than the counseling center. (3) The people most powerful in influencing lives, no matter how troubled they may be, are those who have suffered and struggled well.

That Is Our Purpose

For several years we at Grace Link have been in the ministry of equipping godly laymen/women in the local church with a biblical based helping model. We have been sharing it with pastors and their people since 1985. Our ultimate goal isn’t merely to disciple individuals through counseling and training, but to equip the body of Christ to provide the biblical caring and encouragement which is the mark of the New Testament church. We have attempted to do the very thing Dr. Crabb suggests is possible.

A Proven Model

Since 1986 I have been giving myself full time to these goals. Over the years we have developed a training series which has empowered countless individuals and numerous churches to walk in grace and to lead others into this abundant life as well. I have also had the privilege of doing this training in Eastern Europe and South America. It is training which has been proven effective both nationally and internationally.

Called to Care

We have organized this training into a series which, if integrated into the ongoing life of your church, would equip your people to live in freedom and to effectively minister abundant life to others. The series is named “Called to Care” and is designed to equip the believer to be an effective agent of reconciliation and an ambassador for Christ. Think of it - an increasing infrastructure of laymen in the church who can significantly multiple your efforts.

I have enclosed an overview of ”Called to Care” for your information. Will you please take a few minutes to look it over? If you find it meaningful and would like more information, please contact us right away. I will be glad to furnish you with references.

If the ministry to which God has called us is to impact our world for Christ, we must reproduce ourselves. One-to-one discipleship-counseling will be an ongoing need, but we must find a way to multiply our number. I pray that you will consider “Called to Care” as a resource which can be a vital part of the healing and multiplication ministry for your congregation.

Thank you,

Blake Rymer

Director, Grace Link International

256/682.2216

Posted on 06/28 at 07:54 AM

Next entry: Called to Care

Previous entry: Doctrinal Statement