LBU School of Christian Counseling Newsletter
July 2008
A Word from Dr. Mark Crook
Dean of the School of Christian Counseling
This semester I am having a fantastic time teaching two outstanding courses using two tremendous text books. One book is Competent to Minister by Martin and Deidre Bobgan and The Complete Works of E.M. Bounds on Prayer.
Competent to Minster calls Christians back to the Bible and to the biblically ordained ministries and mutual care in the Body of Christ that have effectively cared for souls for almost 2000 years.
Bobgan contends that "the ordinary believer, who is indwelt by the Holy Spirit and has found the Lord and His Word sufficient in his life, is equipped to minister to a fellow believer who is struggling with personal issues of the soul. The high calling of the care of souls is also a common calling for all believers. As we emphatically state in Against Biblical Counseling: for the Bible: "Any person who can be used by the Holy Spirit to lead another to salvation or along the way of sacntification is competent to be used by God to give wise counsel without needing speciallized biblical counseling training."
While I may not agree with everything Bobgan states in his book, I do agree that we have allowed the philosophy of the world in regards to Counseling keep us from ministering through the power of the Holy Spirit the words of life to individuals whose so called psychological problems really stem from a spiritual problem.
Even though some who come to us for help may have some physical issues going on that may require some sort of prescription, I believe that many if not the majority really need an encounter with the living God, Jesus Christ.
Counseling for the most part becomes, ministering, pastoring, evangelising, teaching, discipling, encouraging, exhorting, admonishing, advising, edifying, equipping, nuturing, coming alonside, giving wisdom, and helping another find help in God's Word.
In Christ!
Dr. Mark
Center of Restoration
Louisiana Baptist University’s school of Christian Counseling will launch a new Christian Counseling Center called the “Center of Restoration” this Fall.
The term restoration connotes returning something to its original condition. The English word literally means bringing back to a former, normal, or unimpaired state or condition as in a "reconstitution of health." The word used in the Greek New Testament for restoration is apokatastasis, which means a reconstitution or to restore a thing to its former state. When we go behind the Greek to the Hebrew in which the New Testament was either written or thought, we find a very illuminating truth. The Hebrew word translated "restore" or "restitution" is shalam meaning to be whole or entire, healthy, secure, tranquil. It is more commonly known as the Hebrew word for peace, a greeting that is used when one meets or leaves a friend. It means peace in the sense of absence of conflict.
The Center of Restoration exists to proclaim the glorious life changing truth of the gospel of Jesus Christ in full cooperation with the Holy Spirit in bringing peace to the lives of those who are in inner conflict.
The Center will begin dealing with addictive behaviors’ and then expand its ministry as needed. It will use the Celebrate Recovery model developed by Saddleback Church in Lake Forest, California. The purpose of Celebrate Recovery is to encourage fellowship and to celebrate God’s healing power in our lives as we work our way along the road to recovery. It is a recovery program based on eight principles from the Beatitudes.
Small groups will address the following areas of recovery: men’s sexual addiction (lust to homosexuality), men’s chemical addiction, men’s pride and anger, women’s food issues, victims of abuse, women’s co-dependency (fear of man), and women’s chemical dependency.
Students desiring to earn three hours practicuum credit for the Fall semester should email or call Jill Lewis and request an enrollment packet. Her email is jlewis@lbu.edu and her phone is 318.686.2360.
Individuals desiring to become a Center volunteer should also contact Jill Lewis.
Please help us get the word out about the Center and Celebrate Recovery.
Center of Restoration Fall Schedule
Schedule Beginning on September 8th
6:00 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. Staff, Student and Volunteers Prayer Time
6:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. Light Refreshments & Time of fellowship
7:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. Worship Time and Master Teaching Time
8:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. Small Group Time
The Center of Restoration is now inviting students to apply for the fall semester of the Celebrate Recovery Practicum. Students will earn three hours credit. LBU students are required to take at least one semester for course credit before they can become part of the volunteer staff. All students wishing to apply for the Practicum must go through the following process:
- Fill out and return Student/Volunteer Application.
- Get their Pastor to complete and return the Pastoral Recommendation form.
- Schedule an interview through Dr. Crook’s office. (318.686.2360)
- Submit their $30.00 book and course fee upon acceptance into the Practicum.
- Begin class on Monday, August 4th at 6:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m. for training.
- The Actual Celebrate Recovery Program will begin on Monday, September 8th from 6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. (must be able to attend all three hours)
- Class will end on Monday, December 15, 2008
Dr. Richard Perez joins LBU Staff
The big news this month is the arrival of Dr. Richard Perez to become the Associate Dean of Bible at LBU. Dr. Perez is joining the LBU faculty on July 1, and we look forward to working with him to serve the students of this Department. Let me use this means to introduce you to our new Associate Dean.
Dr. Perez is a first generation Cuban-American raised in a Christian home in South Florida. He Came to know the Lord at the age 16, under the ministry of the late Eugene Gonzalez at North West Spanish Baptist Church in Hialeah, Florida. He immediately felt a call to full time ministry, and this call was confirmed by 2 mentors/ professors in Bible College (Dr. Norman Sellers and Dr. Gary Cohen) of the former Miami Christian College. During Bible College, he worked with children and youth ministries and was given the responsibility to preach on a regular basis.
In 1995 he married his wonderful wife Jackie and was ordained to full time ministry that same year. Dr. Perez comes to LBU from Fellowship Baptist Church in Southwest Kansas where he served as Hispanic Pastor and worked hand and hand with Senior Pastor Michael McVey. This Hispanic ministry started with twelve families and has experienced phenomenal growth under his leadership. That ministry is now a fully organized congregation.
Dr. Perez has a passion for expository preaching and the training of men and women for ministry and is fully bilingual. He and his wife, Jacqueline have two children: 11 year old daughter Sara and 6 year old son Ethan.
He is currently enrolled in his third Doctorate studies program through Temple Baptist Seminary in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
Not only does he bring an excellent academic background to this position but also a commitment and diligence that has been demonstrated in his ministry. Although Dr. Perez will be available to all of our students, his primary work will be with our undergraduate students. His bilingual capabilities will also be an asset in serving our Hispanic students in the various programs of study offered.
Bro. Richard has been a friend to LBU for many years and has willingly given of his time and talents to assist in the development of the Spanish program offered through the university and it is a pleasure to welcome him to the faculty.
IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER
July 4 2008 Independence Day
July 14-16, 2008 Modular: Good Stress - Dr. Neal Weaver and
Dr. Steve Pettey
August 4, 2008 Training for Center of Restoration Begins
August 25–28, 2008 Final Exams for On-Campus Summer Semester
Labor Day September 1, 2008
September 8, 2008 On Campus Fall Semester and Celebrate Recovery
October 15-17, 2008 LBU Prophecy Conference in Branson, Missouri
I want to welcome our new students who enrolled in the department of Christian Counseling during the month of June.
Felicia Henry, Cheryl McEown, Tracy McEown,
Charles Purvis, Carter Thompson
I want to personally wish each of our students celebrating a “JULY” birthday a very special “HAPPY BIRTHDAY” – Curtis Anthony-Bey, Linda Ballard, John Batson, Alice Black, James Boyce, Jr., Jenny Carpenter, John Christensen, Joseph Connell, Doris Counts, Kimberly Dorsey, Brian Evelich, Brian Gantz, Joseph Hamilton, Mary Hamilton, Derrell Hudgins, Powell Johnson, Dennis Little, Michelle LoVerde, Eddie Mills, Charles Ross, Ralph Speers, David Spivey, Wendy Stocking, Terry Taylor, Paul Whitton. LaShanda Wright
PLEASE JOIN THE LBU STAFF IN PRAYER FOR:
President Bush, military leaders, and our men and women in uniform
The families of those who have lost their lives in war for the cause of freedom
The Lord’s choice for the next President of our United States of America
Rev. Richard Fisher – has a serious rare hereditary blood disorder
Rachel Humphry – cancer
David Self – bone cancer
Danny Wyatt – has lymphoma and in very serious condition
Nolan Hunter – Six year old boy just diagnosed with the first onset stages of MS
Dr. Sandra Cory’s mother - cancer
Dr. Bill Sheffield’s mother - cancer
LBU students, staff, faculty and administration
