Although servanthood is often discussed as an important part of leadership, it is also the basic calling of every follower of Jesus Christ. Siang-Yang Tan takes a fresh approach to servanthood, exploring it as loving obedience to God in and of itself, regardless of personal greatness, fulfillment, or success. He lays out the biblical case and practical guidance to help all Christians live out their foundational call of being a servant of God in all areas of life. Tan's focus on servanthood alone--in contrast to the many books on servant-leadership--will appeal to pastors, church leaders, and all Christians interested in a biblical perspective on servanthood.
Today's psychology with increasing openness to spirituality, multiple ways of knowing, cultural diversity, and community emphases and provides a promising context for studying Christian communities. And today's church with increasing reliance on technology and science, growing engagement with contemporary culture, and a willingness to elevate various Christian psychologists to a near-prophetic role may be more open to the influence of psychology than ever before. This book highlights exemplars who are blending the strengths of the church with the skills of psychology in applied settings to promote psychology and spiritual health. The volume is divided into five sections. The first section includes three survey and interview studies assessing psychologists' and clergy perspectives on collaboration. Each of remaining sections is comprised of three to six vignettes demonstrating how psychologists are working with the church, organised by congregation-based collaboration, clinically-focused collaboration, research-focused collaboration, and community-focused collaboration.
"Come to Me all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." Bringing a distinctly Christian perspective to the subject of finding true rest in the midst of daily pressures, Siang-Yang Tan diagnoses what ails us and provides thoroughly practical steps to help us respond to Jesus' invitation. "In this book, Siang-Yang Tan draws from a richness of experience to write with warmth and compassion. Since he himself knows the difficulty of slowing down in these hyperactive times, he is able to give practical guidelines to others, drawn from a wealth of information found in the Scriptures, empirical research, and psychological reports. . . . If rest is not easy for you to put into practice, learn from an author who is growing at a healthy pace and willing to bring others along on the journey." -from the Foreword, by Dr. Gary R. Collins SIANG-YANG TAN is professor of psychology at Fuller Theological Seminary. He also serves as Senior Pastor of First Evangelical Church in Glendale, California. He has authored or co-authored eight previous books, including Disciplines of the Holy Spirit and Understanding Depression. He is an associate editor of The Journal of Psychology and Christianity.
This comprehensive textbook on pastoral ministry for pastors, church leaders, and students articulates a biblical model for shepherding God's people. Written by a leading psychologist and seminary professor who has served as a pastor for more than two decades, the book covers twelve major areas of pastoral ministry, highlights the essential work of the Holy Spirit, and focuses on the personal and family life of the pastor. It includes cross-cultural perspectives of special interest in our diverse world and a foreword by John Ortberg.
This substantially revised and updated edition of a widely used textbook covers the major approaches to counseling and psychotherapy from a Christian perspective, with hypothetical verbatim transcripts of interventions for each major approach and the latest empirical or research findings on their effectiveness. The second edition covers therapies and techniques that are increasing in use, reduces coverage of techniques that are waning in importance, and includes a discussion of lay counseling. The book presents a Christian approach to counseling and psychotherapy that is Christ-centered, biblically based, and Spirit-filled.
Caring for People God's Way presents Christian counseling in a systematic, step-by-step manner that outlines the process as practically as possible. It then applies the process to the most common issues faced by Christian counselors: personal and emotional issues, trauma, grief, loss, and suicide.
Trauma, from the fall of Adam and Eve forward impacts human lives in overpowering ways. A review of the lives of biblical personalities and missionaries reveals shared traumatic experiences. In addition to the stress of cultural adjustment, missionaries often live in contexts of violence, political unrest, economic instability, natural disasters, and relational conflict. The examined biblical personalities faced similar issues, yet a majority coped with trauma in ways that led to well-being. The proposed biblical theory of well-being assists missionaries to move deeper in their trust of God by utilizing the coping skills of the biblical personalities including asking God for help, lifting up their praise and worship to God, standing on a sense of call, working with God, lamenting/venting to God in healthy ways, embracing a theology of suffering, and accepting assistance from friends and family. The adherence to the constructs of this theory protects missionaries from the ravages of psychological trauma by avoiding negative coping and developing positive coping skills that lead to trusting in the only One who gives hope in seemingly hopeless situations.
I bestow upon you a Kingdom, just as my father bestowed upon me, that you may eat and drink at my table in my Kingdom (Luke 22:29-30 NKJV). YOUR PLACE IS SET AT HIS TABLE You can live for more than the immediate bread of perishable religious movements - you can live an everlasting God-breathed life of amazement, starting today! Living the God-Breathed Life is more about becoming rather than doing. It reflects a Jesus worldview that disdains religious zealotry and mere orthodoxy in spiritual experiences. Learning to be present with Christ at His table of bounty brings you a life full of peace, power, and presence. You are invited to dine in His presence of acceptance where you can let go of all your burdens and meet Him face-to-face for a heart-to-heart relationship. Living the God-Breathed Life is divided into three inspirational parts: The Conversation - spiritual confirmation The Table - personal transformation The Encounter - with your living Christ The God-Breathed Life removes "What if", “I should”, and “ought to” and invites us to a more face-to-face and hand-on experience of God; Living the God-Breathed Life is scripturally sound and consistent. It is the realm of life and living God always intended to enjoy with you. Insightful “Join the Journey” questions at the end of each chapter and an interactive final chapter guide you in experiencing the truths presented through powerful personal times with God. (Group facilitation Guide included for use with small or large groups encounters and retreats.)
Connect with the life-changing ministry of the Holy Spirit. Disciples of the Holy Spirit shows how a dynamic, close walk with God can be yours each day through the ministry of the Holy Spirit. As the energizer of your faith, the Spirit wants to bring you into a transforming communion with Christ. He wants to empower you to love your enemies, live without fear, and give generously out of an inner abundance. Your part? Simply yielding to him through the following spiritual disciplines: Solitude--helping you draw near to God for spiritual growth and vigor Surrender--helping you surrender to God's will and purpose for your life, preparing you for effective ministry Service--helping you move into fellowship with others and partnership with God in reaching a broken world As you practice the spiritual disciplines, your concept of what it means to be a Christian will acquire a new, life-changing dimension. You'll grow closer to Jesus--and your life will increasingly reflect the power and presence of the Holy Spirit. "Dr. Tan always has something worthwhile to say. His passion for people, life, and God, combined with his extensive professional knowledge make this book an important read." - Larry Crabb Jr., PhD, counselor and bestselling author "A passionate, fresh guide for how Christians can grow in Christ through the traditional spiritual disciplines. Believers of differing theological backgrounds will find encouragement and wisdom." - Stanton L. Jones, PhD, author of the God's Design for Sex book series Dr. Siang-Yang Tan is senior pastor of First Evangelical Church in Glendale, California. He is also associate professor of psychology at Fuller Theological Seminary, a licensed psychologist, and the author of Lay Counseling: Equipping Christians for a Helping Ministry. He lives in Arcadia, California. Dr. Douglas Gregg is former director of the Office of Christian Community at Fuller Theological Seminary and a training specialist with InterVarsity Christian Fellowship. He is the coauthor of Inner Healing: A Handbook for Helping Yourself & Others and lives in Los Angeles.
Eric L. Johnson proceeds to offer a new framework for the care of souls that is comprehensive in scope, yet flows from a Christian understanding of human beings--what amounts to a distinctly Christian version of psychology. This book is a must-read for any serious Christian teacher, student, or practitioner in the fields of psychology or counseling.
