Gospel Shepherding vs. "Christian Counseling"

At Kaleo Church, we have had the sweet blessing of having a partnership with Soma Communities in Seattle/Tacoma, Wa. They have been training us, as of lately, on Gospel Shepherding. Gospel Shepherding, like all other works of ministry, stems from the view and call that elders are to equip the body of Christ for the work of the ministry (Eph. 4:11-12). Before I compare and contrast Gospel Shepherding with traditional "Christian Counseling," I want to show what equipping the body of Christ means for the body of Christ.

1) This means that the elders/pastors (hopefully you have a plurality of elders) are willing and must love equipping the church for the work of the ministry.

2) This also means that the elders cannot have superiority issues when training up the body of Christ, meaning: There cannot be any arrogance thinking that God has called them (the elders) to handle the whole load of ministry by themselves. Instead, the elders will find joy equipping the body for the work of the ministry.

3) This also means that the body of Christ, when equipped, does not see themselves as having the authority of the elders, but working as a body to serve the body. So, in essence, equipping will continue equipping, which will continue equipping...a cycle that is healthy and matures each part of the body.

So, traditional "Christian Counseling" calls either a pastor or professional counselor to give advice to a person struggling with sin, pre-marital advice, etc. This pastor/counselor will usually meet with a person once a week, at most. Can this really offer a view into this person's life? Most people who are counseling a man/woman struggling with sin are not involved in their everyday life. Their is no solid community that sees the person's struggle, leaving the counselor to use random methods to stop the sinner's behavior. This is because they only see the bad fruit of the sin, not the root.

What about the method of the traditional way? Far too often in Christian Counseling, and all of Christianity, struggling people are counseled with Law. What I mean is that when one struggles with anger, the counselor would respond with, "Be angry and do not sin (Eph. 4:26). Or, someone might be struggling with enjoying their work, to which the counselor might respond, "You need to work for the Lord (Col. 3:23)." Yes, these are from the Word of God, but they are commands that are only possible because of the indicatives that are true of us. These truths are all found in the Gospel. We are a people that deserved to die for our sin, but Christ died in our place. We could not obey the law, so Christ did perfectly for us. By putting our faith in his work, we are given the righteousness and eternal life he deserved. So, when one counsels without reassurance of their true identity and what they are not believing about the Gospel, we leave them trying to "be angry and not sin," or to "work as if working for the Lord."

Gospel Shepherding looks completely different than one on one counseling, although there are times for that. Gospel Shepherding equips the body of Christ, who are actively living in community (this means seeing one another more than at a mid-week Bible study and weekend church service), to encourage or correct one another with the Gospel. You see, when doing life together, people are bound to rub each other the wrong way, making sin habits more visual, and also building a love for one another, resulting in men and women desperate to aid in the sanctification of one another by the Spirit, through the power of the Gospel. Think of how your family knows you and how differently you act around them than you do at a church service. The point is to get the body of Christ living real life together, for the sake of glorifying our God. Gospel Shepherding allows the body to shepherd one another, in real life, instead of seeing a person who does not know how you even live your real life. A person who is involved in your everyday life will be the first to see your struggle with sin, the way your husband/wife, mom/dad would be the first to see sin. Instead of trying to correct the bad fruit (anger, worry, etc.), Gospel Shepherds understand that bad fruit occurs because of unbelief in the Gospel (Hebrew 3:7-4:13). Again, all sin stems from an unbelief in the Gospel. That is why we must constantly remind one another of our identity in the Gospel (Eph. 1-3).

While traditional "Christian Counseling" will give a list of "to-do's," which is Law based, Gospel Shepherding allows sinner's to be restored from disbelieving the Gospel, to a people who are consistently being reminded of who their God is, what He has done, who they are in light of who He is and what He has done, and how they can live as a result. Friends, I beg you, stop seeing the Gospel as a past tense event that gives you a pass to Heaven, but see it for what it is: The means and power of salvation (Rom. 1:16-17) in the PAST (Eph. 2:8), PRESENT (1 Cor. 15:2; Phil. 2:12-13), and FUTURE (Acts 15:11; 1 Peter 1:3-5). The Gospel forms a Community on Mission. Community and Mission cannot happen without the Gospel, so let us see the Gospel as the lifeblood of who we are!

Church Discipline: A Necessary Means of Grace

The words "church discipline" might make some just instantly stop reading, but I highly suggest you read the lyrics of this song by Stephen the Levite. I have been part of a church that does not practice biblical church discipline and I am now part of a church that does. I always saw it as such a necessary means of grace in the Bible, but never saw it played out. Over the last 9 months I have watched what it looks like to be in a truthful community that practices church discipline as a means of grace, for the purpose of restoration, and I can honestly say it is very necessary in the local church and every believers life. One of the most dangerous things a local church can do is avoid church discipline to make their members feel more comfortable, or avoid it for keeping "numbers. Check out these lyrics and let me know what you think about this topic:

This idea started back in the garden/ when Adam and Eve sinned and God sought to pardon them/ He discharged them, placin' a flamin' sword at the gate along with the cherubim charged to guard it// One could argue it started back even farther with Satan/ I see what you're sayin' but please peep the point I'm makin'/ there's a basic distinction that separates them/ the goal of man's displacement was restoration// We see the contrast in Gen. 3:15/ the serpent's eternally cursed, but The Seed redeems/ In conjunction with judgment we read of a dream/ of a world free of the enemies schemes// But there's a process proceeding the promise/ it's hard, yes, but by His mercy it's not death/ 'cause if they would've ate from the tree of life in their dyin' state/ their resurrection could never take place// And that's the Lord's grace and sanctification/ that shapes men and claims a nation so pagans praise Him/ the big picture I'm givin' is/ mentioned throughout scripture when sinners are driven out for dissin' Him// so keep listenin'/ the topic is not a popular one but you know how we get it in/ it's church discipline, the grace is doubted/ but the body of Christ has A.I.D.S. without it// yeah

"Authority and Church Discipline" x3 "If excommunicated what body would they be missin' in"

If a brother or sister offends you talk to 'em/ if the issue is in scripture then walk through 'em/ if they still ain't listenin' bring witnesses/ prayin' the evidence of the 2 or 3 is convincing, if// it still doesn't work, take it to the church/ the Lord's official spiritual judicial system on earth/ and they'll determine whether to bind or loose them/ scrutinizing the proof for a final resolution// to loose 'em is to render a dudes sin forgivin'/ due to viewin' the true fruit of repentance/ binding 'em means finding 'em guilty/ drawin' a line between the fly and the filthy// 'cause when a few of 'em gather in His authority/ He's in the midst of them, judging and ruling accordingly/ So the Lord is takin' responsibility/ making Himself the true object of hostility// 'cause when you're handing a man over to Satan/ for the destruction of his flesh in order to save him/ and the whole church cuts communication/ cats with punkish views of love start hatin'// but true love is to hate sin/ trustin' that God provides through his prescribed means to break men/ but they'll see when the prodigal comes back/ and they slaughter a beast and the party is dumb phat//

"Authority and Church Discipline" x3 "They turn to the steeple and return to the sheepfold, isn't that just like God's people?"

A few more things for us to consider/ unforgiveness over time becomes bitter/ and bitterness can spread just like a virus/ infecting the whole body with plank in the iris// it blinds us of our own sin, then close friends/ have to tell us we're lunchin' and if we don't listen/ then the whole process is starting up again/ the sin that we tossed out leavens the whole lump again// another counter-productive part of the process/ is the broadcast of slanderous gossip/ even if all the information is true/ the resulting view, of the person or issue is skewed/ then you feel strange and ought'a confront them/ but pride reminds you where your info comes from/ and who wants to be caught in hypocrisy?/ nobody. so you lock your thoughts away and you toss the key// but that won't stop the beef/ cause sooner or later, what you believe becomes your behavior unless you plot for peace/ it's hard not to see, somebody's got to speak/ if not the sin cycle repeats, it's got to cease// The process done properly shows love to everybody/ and the gospel is preached inaudibly/ The God of Peace squashed the beef at the cross of Jesus/ modeling peace-making for the whole flock to see//

Church Membership: What it is and is not

I have always struggled with the fact of what church membership is because it seems to be a check mark on a box, a couple classes, and not much past that. The Scriptures show that membership is giving of all things and all of ourselves to one another for the good of the body...not for the good of a church service! I have been experiencing true gospel community and membership for the last 6 months and there is nothing more encouraging that pushes me to adore Jesus Christ more and more. One of my favorite rappers is Stephen the Levite, and he addresses the topic quite well. Here is the link to the song and the lyrics are below. Peace

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_DZydYuElzg

Listen, this is written for long term visitors/ non-committers who get the word, but never get to work/ at least not in conjunction with a church/ they stay away and say they afraid of getting hurt// but pain is never excuse for disobedience/ church wasn't created to cater to your convenience/ And God didn't give you gifts to be greedy with/ mission without the church is missing a main ingredient// I know I rushed in without much of an introduction/ but membership is what we're discussin'/ committing to a community through a covenant/ and doing the 'one another's of scripture with brethren// (membership!) it actually happens at salvation/ but practically it happens in active participation/ if 1 is a fact then 2 the demonstration/ for the maturing Christian nothing should separate them// If 1 is the truth, then number 2 is the proof/ if it's aloof, then number 1 is a lion without a tooth/ If not the elect, who's inspecting your fruit?/ Just a select group of heads from your crew? (that's not a test dude!)// It's more like a bad science experiment/ with no control groups in the lab and bias experiences/ It's foolish to laugh denyin' it's serious/ when the only proof that you have is kinda mysterious//

Hook: This may be bold to say/ but if you're not a part of a church, how do you know that you're saved?/ the chances are you're prob'ly not a bit/ the objective evidence is sayin' the opposite// A body without biblical membership/ is sick, and their health depends on them getting' it/ so though you claim to be in it kid, please consider this/ if you is, then show us (How you livin' it?)//

We live in the days of the consumer/ shopping's a coveted skill and bloggers write reviews up/ no one commits, people leave when they choose 'cause/ ain't nobody tryin' to be tied down, with too much// labor only lasts as long their passions/ cats dip sayin' they feel bad with no sadness/ they want the good stuff without the attachments/ like friends with benefits of the ecclesial fashion// playin the church like the girls that you date then/ you criticize her like you're Seinfeld (or Satan!)/(explain) You sit in the back makin' your accusations/ but you ain't willin' to aid in her sanctification?!// (hypocrite.) I know that I'm gettin' a little hype but/ you gotta understand the church was purchased by Christ's blood/ And if Levi got jealous for Dinah/ of course the Levite's gon' be zealous for the Bride cuz// we see that Haggai and Zechariah/ were willin' to work wit Israel, not just prophesy stuff/ You can check for yourself in Ezra 5:1/ then wrestle with verse 2 until you're ready to die (What!?)//(Yup) I didn't stutter, you heard me right bruh/ dyin' is the price for being up in the cypha/ It's all or nothin', cat's are puttin' their life up/ but you be isolated like you don't even like us//

Hook

Membership is not a check in a box/ or an altar call response when the sermon is hot, it's/ privileges bought with His blood on the cross/ and it separates the flock from the world that is lost kid/ membership is being a part of the body/ but how can you be a body part when apart from the body?/ (and furthermore) How could you possibly think it's godly/ when God is 1, or even 3 in 1, but He's not 3?!/ I know the reality's universal/ but practically it has to be tangible to the world too/ so how do we gather to spur the virtues/ when our anatomy has been scattered throughout the Earth dude?// the local church has entered the picture/ the form of the assembly most mentioned scripture/ this is what you were given spiritual gifts for/ to Voltron with a squad and add your steez to the mixture// They're also the tools used to fix ya/ iron sharpens iron, sparks flyin', it's sick stuff/ but don't try to punk out when it gets rough/ Satan's like a roaring lion tryin' to vic' ya// He's waitin' for you faint when it gets tough/ straggle at the back of the flock and you might be his lunch/ Or maybe you'll prove you were never His bruh/ 1 John 2:19 homie, you with us?//

Hook

Filling the Voids

This last Saturday my pastor was preaching on Eph. 2:14-21. He taught how we all have these massive voids in our lives, and they can only be filled with the love of Christ. According to Paul, Christ's love "surpasses knowledge" and we can be "filled with ALL the fullness of God. (v.19)." Also, in v.17, Paul says that "through faith Christ can dwell in our hearts." This was big for me! We all say things like, "I need Jesus." Or, "I love Jesus with all my heart." However, what happens when we are filling down, anxious, needy, depressed, etc.? We start grabbing the first thing that goes by to fill our voids. Right? Most people do this with people or possessions.

Think about it. When you are feeling needy or unwanted, what do you do? If you have a spouse, fiancee, best friend, whatever it may be, we fill our voids with them right? And what is bound to happen? They will prove every time that they cannot fill us. They will let us down because they are sinful just like us. So, we end up filling our voids with them, they let us down, and we have another void and want it filled again. It is a vicious cycle!

What Paul is trying to do here is to get the Ephesian church, and us, to understand the "breadth and length and height and depth" of this love that can fill us every single time. Last night as we discussed this at missional community, my pastor made a sweet point: If we go to God to be filled with this love that surpasses knowledge, do we really believe that He won't fill us. Do we believe that if someone else is seeking to be filled with this love, God will be like, "Uh, sorry Wes, wait til Jenny is done using my love?" No way!!! He wants us to be filled with nothing but His love. THIS IS BEAUTIFUL!

In a culture where we need everything as fast as we demand (thanks to high speed internet, iPhones, etc.) we have become a demanding, impatient people. However, this love that fills with all the fullness of God is right at the foot of the cross if we would just approach the graceful God who willingly died upon the cross. At the cross He poured out his love on the undeserving, why would He not want to pour it out on us still?

Whatever your false Savior is: spouse, fiancee, friend, gadgets, money, let it go because it will only cause a bigger void. However, if you fill the voids with Christ, you can love the people in your life unconditionally and not get angry, sad, anxious when they fail you. Be filled with His fullness. Peace.