Glocal Christianity

Lay Theologians

As part of an assignment for my Christian counseling course I am reading “The Other Six Days: Work, Vocation and Ministry in Biblical Perspective” by R. Paul Stevens and I am enjoying it immensely. This morning I was helpfully reminded that the following people were all non-clerical, non-professional theologians: Tertullian, Clement of Alexandria, Origen, Socrates of Constantinople, Sozomen, John Calvin and C. S. Lewis. Nice to be reminded I'm amongst good company.

Personality and Psi

Been doing some more research on the connection between personality type, tendency towards mysticism and involvement in new religious movements and found an interesting article entitled, "Personality and motivations to believe, misbelieve and disbelieve in paranormal phenomena". Here are some pertinent extracts:

Paranormal beliefs and experiences are associated with certain personality factors, including absorption, fantasy proneness, and the Myers-Briggs intuition and feeling personality dimensions. Skepticism appears to be associated with materialistic, rational, pragmatic personality types. Attitude toward psi may also be influenced by motivations to have control and efficacy, to have a sense of meaning and purpose in life.

Unconscious of the Gospel

Carl Jung once said:

"The Christian missionary may preach the gospel to the poor naked heathen, but the spiritual heathen who populate Europe have as yet heard nothing of Christianity."

I find this statement all the more interesting given the fact Jung was not a Christian.

Hillsong In Trouble Over Mercy Ministries

Hillsong hit the front page of the Sydney Morning Herald this morning with an exposé of Mercy Ministries.

In an article entitled, "They sought help, but got exorcism and the Bible", it was said:

A SECRETIVE ministry with direct links to Gloria Jean's Coffees and the Hillsong Church has been deceiving troubled young women into signing over months of their lives to a program that offers scant medical or psychiatric care, instead using Bible studies and exorcisms to treat mental illness.

Government agencies such as Centrelink have also been drawn into the controversy, as residents are required to transfer their benefits to Mercy Ministries. There are also allegations that the group receives a carers payment to look after the young women.

Read the SMH article on Hillsong for more.

I then took a peek over at the Mercy Ministries website which said:

Mercy Ministries is a national non profit organisation dedicated to providing homes and care for young women suffering the effects of eating disorders, self harm, abuse, depression, unplanned pregnancies and other life controlling issues.

Mercy Ministries is a structured residential based program that provides professional support from psychologists, dieticians, general practitioners, social workers, career counsellors and daily education from program staff to support the young women in our care.

We provide a holistic program that addresses all aspects of a young woman’s well being; physical, spiritual and emotional. Mercy Ministries is a faith based organisation dedicated to the support of young women in crisis.

I am left wondering what to make of this. There has been a lot of scare mongering about Hillsong in the past which, in the fullness of time, turned out to be grounded in only the loosest of facts in a sea of innuendo.

In fact (and this is pure co-incidence) only last night I was having a laugh with my brother-in-law, a Hillsong member, about the Today Tonight's last exposé on Hillsong's alleged manipulation of Australian Idol votes. This exposé turned into a farce once it became apparent that no Hillsong members were actually in the competition - hence my mirth.

So, despite some misgivings that I do have about the way Hillsong operate (I am no apologist for them by any stretch of the imagination) I have learnt not to take these journalist outings at face value. For instance, how "secretive" is a ministry that has a flashy web page? And, would a "holistic" ministry pushing New Age style spirituality have coped the same flack as one pushing Pentecostal style spirituality? So I am left wondering what the real truth of this matter is.

Christian Counseling Results

Just thought I'd share this. I got my results for the semester back just the other day and I was pleased to see I'd been awarded another distinction. Feeling rather chuffed. And I've lined up an interview for January with the course supervisor at Morling College to formally transfer from the Graduate Diploma of Divinity to the Graduate Diploma of Christian Counseling next year. So, all going very well.

Powering Down After Counseling Exam

Well, I finished my Christian counseling exam yesterday and am feeling rather flat now I’ve relaxed. Think I’ll have a relaxing time to myself once the kids go to bed and Donna goes out to her cell group. Maybe get out some incense, candles and the Bible and meditate a bit.

Christian counseling study hiccups

How’s this? I was studying for my Christian counseling exam at Morling College tomorrow evening when my laptop died yesterday. Not sure at this stage if it can be resurrected or not, but it’s looking pretty, well, unresponsive. I’ll keep laying hands on it. Could be looking at an expensive new Christmas present! Fortunately I have plenty of hard copy notes but it’s annoying all the same.

This semester we have been brushing up on different therapy models, such as psychodynamic, cognitive behavioral, Rogerian and family systems, as well as the Christian therapy models of Cloud and Crabb. As part of the course we’re been looking at them from both a practical and theoretical standpoint as well as exploring the theology issues. Guess I’ll be cramming in a less technological way this evening.

Grace and Truth: Towards True Intimacy

One of the things I like about the Christian counseling course I am presently working through is the way it brings both theology and psychology together in both a practical and theoretical way. The course is specifically aimed at helping us develop practical experience and a working theology in concert with one another, an approach that gels very well with own my holistic orientation.

This weekend I was studying my class notes on Dr Henry Cloud in preparation for my upcoming exam, and one of the key issues Cloud raises is the way both grace and truth apply work in the counseling process. I particularly remember one comment, that both grace and truth are necessary for true intimacy. Without grace, truth only brings experience of judgment and shame. But without truth, there is no meeting of the true self.

I have long held that legalism (truth without grace) and license (grace without truth) are equal and opposite errors, and have been critical of those who regard the first as the lesser evil, but this comment about finding true intimacy really struck home. Separating truth from grace and grace from truth is not just a theological error; it is also a practical error of the most serious kind. In a sense, we cannot find true love unless there is truth in love. This takes me back to the beginning of the gospel of John: “For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.” Simple words, profound impact.

• Have you experienced loveless truth?
• Have you experienced truth-blind love?
• Have you experienced the qualitative difference?

Christian Counseling

My wife handed me my academic record thingy from Morling College this morning. It has finally arrived. So I opened it and seems Ive earned a distinction for my first semester's work in Foundations of Christian Counseling. Not bad for a first effort methinks. Feeling quietly chuffed. :-)

Oh, I should mention if I haven't already that I have taken the next counseling subject this semester, as I am looking at transferring from the Graduate Diploma of Divinity across to the Graduate Diploma in Christian Counseling.

Counseling and different models for change

Well, this is the final entry for my reflective journal before I submit it for examination.

In finishing off transactional analysis and Egan stage III on Tuesday I took note of the comment, "The instinctive pull is often the wrong one." This takes me back to discussions I've been having with others online over the past week about the limitations of purely intuition based approaches in local mission. An interesting synchronicity. Maybe what I need to work on developing is more of a reverse intuition; a sense for what feels wrong in a right kind of way.

This transactional analysis approach speaks to me on so many levels cause I can now see the dynamics in so many of my personal relationships. Putting it into practice, not reacting to the transition crosses, is the hard part.

So, now were on to some alternative models for facilitating change: attachment theory and development theory. I haven't finished reading all the handouts yet but so far am finding them equally fascinating. Attachment theory has some really wonderful things to say about the healing power of relationships, of just providing warmth and contact and companionship. Of course it also has some pretty horrible things to say about the trauma ripping those things apart causes, but the thing that has struck me is how just bonding with others is inherently healing. It causes me to pause and reflect: how deeply do I truly understand my relationships? There's a magic in them that transcends understanding. It's like a Mandelbrot set, the more I look, the more I find.

Note: This thread, College Reflections, is to be submitted for assessment as part of my coursework in The Foundations of Christian Counseling at Morling College at the end of Semester 1, 2007. If you would like to speak to me about issues I raise in this thread, but are concerned about privacy, please email me privately  instead of leaving a public comment.

Transcribing for the Counseling Assignment

Started transcribing the video taped counseling session for my assignment today. Tried to start yesterday but the DVD copy I had received was corrupted. Gobbledegook. Got another copy this morning and started watching. O dear - I think I have plenty of material for my self critique. Found this copy was also corrupted half way through but found one section that I can work with. Not happy though as I had thought the second half was better. O well - as I said, just as well it's a self critique. I'll get back to it now.

Note: This thread, College Reflections, is to be submitted for assessment as part of my coursework in The Foundations of Christian Counseling at Morling College at the end of Semester 1, 2007. If you would like to speak to me about issues I raise in this thread, but are concerned about privacy, please email me privately  instead of leaving a public comment.

Counseling and Viable Goal Setting

Well, we got onto Egan stage II this week - exploring future possibilities.

Did a bit of recapping on transactional analysis as well as directive vs. non-directive approaches to helping. This was helpful for me as it clarified that I can potentially use my knowledge and skills with meditation and relaxation therapy in a counseling context. The ethical issue - if I could put is simplistically - is to be careful to differentiate between (a) assuming my skills will be helpful for people and (b) asking people whether it could be helpful for them, and respecting their response if the answer is no. I feel a lot more comfortable with that now.

We explored skills for helping people explore possibilities for a better future. I found this amusing as, being so future orientated myself, if I have a deficiency it's getting stuck in the future and not paying enough attention to the now. I asked a question along those lines, but overall I came away feeling this aspect of the counseling process seems fairly natural for me. I thought the "if you were brave enough, want would you do..." question was very interesting in given that it could be a very effective way to draw out what people are afraid of doing. But I feel it would very much need to be within the context of a deeply empatheic relationship though.

We did some practical exercises in transactional analysis which helped shed some light on some personal issues for me and also gave me a taste for what using it in a counseling situation could be like. I always find the prac work helps things sink in.

Oh, and of course, I should mention, I spoke to the course director about last weeks "reframe" and had a brief chat about the possibility of switching from a Graduate Diploma in Divinity to a Graduate Diploma in Christian Counseling. I seems there are no barriers of any significance. I have arranged to have a deeper discussion with him next week about counseling as a career choise - I want to explore what that would mean. I don't think I'll bother to attempt to articulate what's going on in my head about a decision of that magnitude. Am I brave enough? Is that a viable goal? Don't know yet. "I choose" to explore it though.

Note: This thread, College Reflections, is to be submitted for assessment as part of my coursework in The Foundations of Christian Counseling at Morling College at the end of Semester 1, 2007. If you would like to speak to me about issues I raise in this thread, but are concerned about privacy, please email me privately  instead of leaving a public comment.

Counseling and Quality Time

I had a moment of self realization the other day. I realize why I am drawn to counseling as a way of helping people. It basically has to do with my love language.

For those that haven’t read Gary Chapman’s book, “The Five Love Languages”, the basic thrust of his book is that there are five basic ways we show love; and that knowing your own preferences and the preferences of those you love can help you negotiate a whole host of relational issues (see here for more).

Well, I’ve known for some time that my primary love language is spending “quality time” with people, particularly in terms of D&M conversations and that sort of thing. I don’t know how I missed joining the dots before but I now see that counseling is an extension of that. Counseling involves loving through deep conversation, the way I like to show love most.

The curious thing is I remember praying for the gift of healing about six months ago after realizing I really needed to be empowered in that way given the sorts of situations I get involved in. I had in mind the more flashy stuff. Now, flashy stuff has happened as you’ll see from my earlier posts, but that was sort of a once off. But now I am wondering if God has answered that prayer in a bigger way still, just not in a way I recognized it. He confronted me last year about my reticence in going to college and led me here despite long standing opposition. I sense God is revealing to me that he will empower me to heal when it is needed, but for me it will more likely be through deep conversation than other ways. I still don’t know if this is just to be an adjunct to what I already do or become more central. Guess I’ll have to wait and see. In the meantime I can see the effects.

Note: This thread, College Reflections, is to be submitted for assessment as part of my coursework in The Foundations of Christian Counseling at Morling College at the end of Semester 1, 2007. If you would like to speak to me about issues I raise in this thread, but are concerned about privacy, please email me privately  instead of leaving a public comment.

Leverage and Transactional Analysis

Things I am mulling over after the lesson - procrastination is about avoiding responsibility.

Did some work on transactional analysis. Very interesting. In what ways am I being "parental" - focusing on "should" and "must"? In what ways do I need to be more "adult" - and say "I choose"?

Note: This thread, College Reflections, is to be submitted for assessment as part of my coursework in The Foundations of Christian Counseling at Morling College at the end of Semester 1, 2007. If you would like to speak to me about issues I raise in this thread, but are concerned about privacy, please email me privately  instead of leaving a public comment.

Taped counseling session

Well, no college last Tuesday so nothing to right about there but I did the video taped counseling session with my partner from class on Sunday. Now I just have to do the self critique – looking at my strengths, weaknesses and potential areas for improvement. I think this was a very valuable exercise.

Preparing for the video forced me to do a lot of work on integrating what I had learnt so far, from fragments of information into a more coherent mind map. I can see there is a fair bit of unlearning I have to do though. During the session I continually felt the pull to slip from counseling mode into pastoral care mode. Now I know in the more Biblical sense why distinguishing between counseling and pastoral care was such a major part of our first assignment.

Note: This thread, College Reflections, is to be submitted for assessment as part of my coursework in The Foundations of Christian Counseling at Morling College at the end of Semester 1, 2007. If you would like to speak to me about issues I raise in this thread, but are concerned about privacy, please email me privately  instead of leaving a public comment.