Gospel Conversations: How to Care Like Christ

by Robert W. Kellemen

How does a person learn to counsel others with the truth of God s Word? Bob Kellemen believes that the best way to learn counseling is by doing it by giving and receiving biblical counseling in the context of real, raw Christian community.

Gospel Conversations explores the four compass-points of biblical counseling:


Sustaining: It s Normal to Hurt. Healing: It s Possible to Hope. Reconciling: It s Horrible to Sin, but Wonderful to Be Forgiven. Guiding: It s Supernatural to Mature.
These four compass points combine to equip readers to develop twenty-two ministry relational competencies the how to of caring like Christ. This book serves as a practical training manual that can be used for lab and small group interaction.

Gospel Conversations is the second volume in The Equipping Biblical Counselors Series, a comprehensive relational training curriculum for the local church that provides a model for equipping God s people to change lives with Christ s changeless truth. This two-volume series weaves together comprehensive biblical insight with compassionate Christian engagement."

Genres: Counselling, Christian

400 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 2015

About the author

My passion is to write, speak, and consult on Christ-centered comprehensive, compassioante, culturally-informed biblical counseling and spiritual formation that changes lives with Christ's changeless truth

My web site is: www.rpmministries.org

I have authored:

Beyond the Suffering: Embracing the Legacy of African American Soul Care and Spiritual Direciton

Soul Physicians: A Theology of Soul Care and Spiritual Direction

Spiritual Friends: A Methodology of Soul Care and Spiritual Direction

Sacred Friendships: Celebrating the Legacy of Women Heroes of the Faith

My wife, Shirley, and I have been married for 28 years. We have a married son, Josh (to Andi), and a young adult daughter, Marie, who is a college Senior.

Reviews

[Abbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book!! Probably my new favorite biblical counseling book. It is a must read for growing counselors and church leadership alike.

We don’t want just a church with biblical counselors, but a church of biblical counseling. This practical book is a great place to start for moving towards a counseling mentality.

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a volume that I will return to again and again. Dr. Kellemen is biblical in his approach to counseling the sufferer, sinner, and saint. There is a LOT of information in this book, so I highly recommend moving through it s-l-o-w-l-y, taking the time to answer the questions as you go along.

[Judy G · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great information! It takes time to digest the information in this book but is worth it. I expect to be referencing the information in this book many times as a resource.

[Heather Hart · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gospel Conversations is a great book for Biblical Counselors. Each chapter took me 1-2 hours to go through minimum. However, they varied in length. Chapter 1 was only 13 pages where chapter 2 was 30. I absolutely loved it, however, when it comes to practicality there are a few things I wanted to note:

1. The pages are thin enough that highlighters bleed through if you aren't careful.
2. Some of the questions are only applicable for active counselors vs. counselors in training.
3. Some of the question sections were inserted in weird places that didn't really make sense, and it didn't tell you when to stop and answer them. I was trying to do them as they came, and sometimes they interrupted text that should have went together. I just wish they would have said, answer these questions now. Or something to give you a better idea of when to do them.

Okay, now for a couple of the things I loved:
1. Wide margins for note taking.
2. The books content overall. It is a fabulous resource to have, and I have tons of notes to help me going forward.

Conclusion:
This book is awesome. It would be great to go through with an experienced counselor or small group. A new or inexperienced counselor may have issues doing some of the self-counseling questions on their own.

[Marie "Notcheva") · Rating 5 out of 5]

https://marienotcheva.wordpress.com/2...

“Gospel Conversations” is the second in Zondervan’s Equipping Biblical Counselors Series, following “Gospel-Centered Counseling” (which I reviewed here). This project came out of a seminar author Bob Kellemen gave for decades in local churches, “What to Do After the Hug”. Kellemen noted that attendees certainly didn’t lack a heart to care for the hurting, but that “they often feel ill equipped to know how to care in a Christ-like way”.

Kellemen caught my attention in the Introduction: “Through [Gospel Conversations] you will develop twenty-one biblical counseling relational skills so you can care like Christ.” Terrific! I like to give hugs. I often feel inept to help my friends in their struggles; let alone formulate an agenda for a formal counseling session. So reading not only about our end goal (helping counselees apply the whole Gospel narrative to their whole lives) but also organized, nuts-and-bolts advice on relational skills promised to make me a better counselor.

In all of his writing, Kellemen’s emphasis on personal involvement and caring for the counselee comes through, and “Gospel Conversations” is no exception. We are not, as he says, like the “UPS deliveryman”, simply delivering the hope of the Gospel and leaving fellow believers there. Detachment is not a biblical principle – like the author of Hebrews, we exhort, encourage and point one another back to Christ with our whole lives. Each chapter is concluded with probing questions for counselors in training, designed for use in a small-group setting. Kellemen also includes his trademark “Tweet-sized summaries” of each chapter’s main theme.

To Give Biblical Answers, We Must Ask Biblical Questions

In the earlier book, “Gospel-Centered Counseling”, Kellemen outlines eight questions to answer the biblical counselor’s foundational question: “What would a model of biblical counseling and discipleship look like that was built solely upon Christ’s gospel of grace?” The starting point is, of course, the Word of God – the end goal, progressive sanctification. Sandwiched between these “bookends”, we need to examine our view of the Triune God; who we are in the grand narrative of Scripture; the root source of our sin problem; how redemption changes us; the role of the Church community; and how our future hope of glory changes how we struggle with suffering and sin.

Once we have the foundational questions in mind and understand that our role is to be “dispensers of Christ’s grace”, we can turn our attention to developing “Biblical Counseling Relational Competencies”.

“Relational competence is our ability – given by grace and cultivated by our dependence on the Spirit – to express the character of Christ in our relationships with people so they experience our love as a small taste of Christ’s grace and are changed by His grace.”(p. 129).
Kellemen then devotes a full section to each of the following: sustaining, healing, reconciling, and guiding.

“Competent to begin counseling, we now have someone sitting in front of us whose world has caved in on them. In their suffering, how do we help? What do we do after the hug? How do we care like Christ?” (p. 120).
Sustaining – Meeting Counselees on Their Road to Retreat

Counsel that is biblical sustains people by encouraging them to face suffering face to face with Christ and His Body. It doesn’t deny doubts (about God’s personal interest; His goodness) but rather “climbs into the casket” with the counselee and confronts their doubts. It embraces the sufferer and reminds them of God’s ever-present care, even in the midst of their fears. To help counselors sustain their fellow believers, Kellemen uses the acronym “GRACE”. Over the course of two chapters, he lays out the importance of Grace Connecting; Rich Soul Empathizing; Attuned Gospel Listening; Comforting Spiritual Conversations, and Empathetic Scriptural Explorations. Listening well to both Scripture and our counselee’s story enables the heart attitude that sustaining another’s face demands. As Kellemen explains, connecting with our counselees graciously is not a counseling intervention; it is a mind-set of personal involvement with deep commitment to their maturity.

Healing – Where is Jesus in Our Faith Story?

In several of his books, Kellemen discusses the need to “crop Christ back into the picture” of a counselee’s devastated life. In “Gospel Conversations”, he explores ways to help believers find Christ’s healing hope: Redemptive, Relational Mind and Soul Renewal; Encouraging Communication; Scriptural Treatment Planning; Theo-Dramatic Spiritual Conversations (how we interact in the “drama of redemption”); and Stretching Scriptural Explorations (RESTS). Spiritual healing “involves journeying with people back to the heart of God”, and enabling them to understand anew, through the Gospel narrative, that His heart is good.

“Rather than going astray, and thus moving far from God and becoming less like Christ, Christ’s prayer for us in our suffering is that we would conform to His image. As His suffering in the garden led Him to cling to His Father, so our suffering can lead us to abide in Christ. Our suffering can bring us to the humble realization that without Christ we can do nothing (15:5). As we abide in Christ, we become like Christ, and we produce much fruit through Christ for the glory of the Father.

Jesus models in His life and ministry that suffering well involves honestly facing, and deeply feeling the pain of life in a fallen world, which drives us to cling desperately to the Father of all compassion and the God of all comfort…” (pp. 186-7).
In this section, Kellemen effectively paints a portrait of the God Who truly understands, is ever-present, and fully empathizes with us in our sufferings. As in his previous books, we come to see the God of All Comfort so intimately that we want to make others know His healing love as well. (True story: while reading this chapter, I typed several pages-worth of his discussion of John 10, and sent it to a struggling friend through Facebook Messenger.) His reflections are just that moving.

Reconciling: Facing Sin Head-on; Being Changed by Grace

As we move forward through the counseling process, sin is exposed. Repentance and the familiar “put off/put on” practical exhortation of Ephesians 4 becomes part of the counselees’ homework. The need for grace becomes apparent, and we counselors, as Kellemen writes, have the privilege of being “dispensers of grace”. True to form, he gives us a helpful acronym to outline the relational competencies needed for reconciling: Probing Theologically; Exposing Heart Sins; Applying Truth Relationally; Calming the Conscience with Grace; Enlightening Spiritual Conversations; Empowering Scriptural Explorations (PEACEE).

Correct theology is crucial to understanding the heart-motives behind our behavior, and every social or relational problem ultimately points back to our relationship with God (p. 247). Before we diagnose or correct issues that arise, we need to probe the root cause of “spiritual adultery”. There are a number of reasons one may be “drinking from broken cisterns” to replace fellowship with God, and these are the points Kellemen explores – with the end goal of reconciliation between Christ and counselee.

A very important point is that repentance is between the counselee and God – “our job is to care-front” (p. 261). This is a crucial distinction in understanding biblical confrontation correctly, and Kellemen spends several pages on the goal and spirit in addressing sin in another. Our role is to assist the counselee to put on the armor of God and attack Satan him or herself; not to attack the counselee. We are not able or called to “play Holy Spirit” to another; but rather, as Kellemen points out, to “leave the conviction to God”. In this way, our counselees can ultimately receive the message that they are forgiven, welcomed home, renewed and empowered to live holy lives.

Guidance that Fans Struggling Faith into Flame

In the final section, Kellemen cautions counselors against seeing reconciliation (dispensing grace; seeing change) as the end of counseling, or viewing counseling itself as a “problem-centered reactive response to trouble”. He characterizes biblical counseling as a form of discipleship, which I thoroughly agree with. Therefore, ongoing discipleship which focuses on progressive sanctification (guidance) is the ideal model for the local church. His acronym for guidance entails: Fanning into Flame the Gift of God; Authoring Empowering Narratives; Insight-Based Action Plans; Target-Focused Spiritual Conversations; and Heroic Scriptural Explorations (FAITH). This is not “Take-Two-Scriptures-and-Call-Me-In-the-Morning” biblical counseling; it is shepherding a fellow sojourner on to vibrant, life-long, Christ-following.

“To grow in Christ, we must understand and apply who we are in Christ,” Kellemen states at the outset. Underlying any real soul-transformation is a deep recognition of our identity and position in Christ, whether the struggle is adultery, social anxiety, or addiction. Remembering who we are (and Whose we are) is the cornerstone of ongoing guidance. Kellemen also cites the distinction between Christians’ “universal” identity in Christ, and their “unique identity in Christ. A large part of offering guidance – the “one-anothering” work of discipleship – is affirming both types of biblical identity.

Throughout Gospel Conversations, Kellemen focuses on maturing as counselors before and while providing Christlike soul-care to fellow believers. Far from listing a litany of “principles and practices”, he skillfully demonstrates, through historical anecdotes and case studies, how to expose the heart issues present in different scenarios, and how to empathize fully and presently. Knowing how to listen well; see how the whole Gospel narrative relates to the counselee’s whole life, and ‘crop Christ back into the picture’ lays the groundwork for ongoing discipleship that is truly biblical.

By working the “relational competencies” Kellemen discusses into all encounters, biblical counselors will be more effective ministers of the Gospel in all of their relationships – both inside the counseling office and out. Gospel Conversations is a comprehensive and much-needed book that addresses the whole person – empathetically; compassionately; and perceptively – just as Christ would.

[Theron John · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review from my site: https://entrustedbygod.org/2015/11/13...

When you hear the word counseling, what first comes to your mind? Most likely for many, when they hear such a term their mind races to a formal type of counseling in an office. While there is no problem with that, it is a narrow view. Counseling is not only formal but manifests itself in informal ways. They come through gospel conversations. Caring like Christ is not just for the certified biblical counselors. Caring like Christ is a call all Christians must answer. It is more than simply comforting with your presence but it is not less than that. It is more than speaking words of counsel; it is being there for another person. This is all brought to the view in Gospel Conversations by Dr. Bob Kellemen. In the second work of Equipping Biblical Counseling series, Christians are equipped by means of a robust biblical framework with a relational mindset.

Robust

In Gospel Conversations, Dr. Kellemen gives a balanced and biblical approach to counseling. In chapters 1 and 2, he lays out the Bible’s equal couplets: “truth/love, Scripture/soul, Bible/relationship, true/grace” (Kellemen 33). He shows how the Bible not only provides the Christian with the ‘what’ of counsel but the ‘how’ of counseling too. The book is robust as it is wholistic in its purpose and it addresses both suffering and sin in a broken world. Counseling that is robust must include sustaining, healing, reconciling, and guiding. Kellemen is vivid, not vague, in his writings so the reader is not left to wonder what it would look like in real life. It is other-centered and the emphasis on the local church is to be commended. Counseling is best done in the context of Christian community.

Relational

The community aspect of Gospel Conversations brings us to the second characteristic of the book. The priority of being before doing is an exhortation for the Christian to not only be counseling but to be modeling what they say. Kellemen’s description of trialogue, between the counselor, counselee, and the Divine counselor through the Spirit and Word, helps Christians form gospel conversations. Kellemen’s elaboration on gospel conversations as “the whole Bible story impacting the whole person’s whole story” (Kellemen 51) clarifies what he means by the term. “Jesus with skin on” reminds the Christian their counsel and walk must be Christlike. The most powerful term Kellemen uses is the picture of “climbing in the casket”. Such a picture vividly portrays the relational necessity of biblical counseling.

If there is any glaring weakness in Gospel Conversations is the context in which you read it. If you plan to read this book alone, you will not grasp all the purpose of this book serves. It is made for a small group context ideally and the “Maturing as a Biblical Counselor” sections throughout contribute to that. Still, you can read it on your own but you will not get as much out of it. In addition to that, in order to get the most out of Gospel Conversations, it is best to first read Gospel-Centered Counseling. Reading just one or the other will benefit you as much unless you read them both.

All in all, Gospel Conversations by Bob Kellemen is a robust and relational work. The balanced and biblical approach to biblical counseling will equip any Christian to encourage, exhort, and edify their friends and family to live out the will of God by the Word of God.

I received this book for free from Zondervan via Cross Focused Reviews for this review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own and are my honest review of the book.

[Erica · Rating 2 out of 5]

A wordy, highly complicated practical application manual for academic Biblical counselors. Every chapter is a new set of acronyms, multi-step processes, and key words to remember how to apply the simplicity of the Gospel to people’s lives. The resources in the appendix may be worth the price of the book.

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

When your friend is hurting, what comes after the hug? Truth? Love? Have you ever wondered what people need from you first? Gospel Conversations shows the reader how the Bible answers this, and many similar, relational questions. While "The Bible never pits truth against love" (pg. 33), it is often hard for us to find a wise balance between the two. Gospel Conversations is a tool that can help.


What is a "Gospel" conversation, you may ask? Dr. Kelleman writes: "Gospel conversations promote personal change centered on the person of Christ through the personal ministry of the Word" (pg. 16). As a result, the reader of Gospel Conversations, will find that Kelleman keeps the grand redemptive narrative of Scripture central, demonstrating how, "In biblical counseling, the whole Bible story impacts the whole person's whole story" (pg. 74).

Essentially, "Gospel Conversations is a local church curriculum map…for equipping God's people to care like Christ" (pg. 17). "…the big idea of Gospel Conversations…" is that "We learn to become competent biblical counselors by giving and receiving biblical counseling in the context of real and raw Christian community" (pg. 17) and the design is such that this book seeks to foster "…real and raw, vulnerable and open relationships among your equipping group members" (pg. 17). Thus, it is ideal for small group use with members gaining experience in biblical counseling as they engage one another. To this end, Dr. Kelleman supplies almost 200 multi-part, thought-provoking personal reflection/discussion questions for self-counsel and group or partner interaction making Gospel Conversations a useful equipping manual of sorts. Furthermore, Gospel Conversations contains concrete, measurable objectives and suggested schedules for each section, as well as, useful section outlines and "tweet-sized" summaries at the conclusion of each chapter. There are also a number of forms in the Appendixes for more formal counseling ministries.

With so much material, this is not a book to read hastily, but rather, one in which to camp out for some time…preferably with a friend. Some may be dissuaded by some of the terminology (ex. "twenty-one biblical counseling relational competencies") and the numerous acronyms as they can make this book seem more formal and textbook-y and less relational. However, the reader will find that Gospel-Conversations is solidly grounded in Scripture and contains much useful content for groups and individuals. In particular, I was helped by Kelleman's idea of a "trialogue". He writes:

"This book is called Gospel Conversations for a reason. The gospel -- Christ's victory narrative, the story of our redemption from sin through Christ's grace -- is the meta-narrative, the grand story, that shapes every conversation…Counseling is not a monologue -- one-way teaching at. It's not even just dialogue. It is a trialogue, a three-way communication between the counselor, the counselee, and the Divine Counselor through God's Spirit and God's Word" (pg. 161).

Gospel Conversations contains hundreds of sample conversations which are intended to stir the imagination of the reader (pg. 164), showing us how to explore Scripture together and demonstrating how we can effectively use questions to draw people out in conversation.

Another aspect of Gospel Conversations that I love is that Kelleman highlights the importance of knowing God rightly and helps the reader to label dominant doubting-God lies, recognizing that:

"The relational battle to win our heart is won or lost in the relational battle regarding the heart of God. Puritan Pastor Richard Sibbes explains the root source of our battle. 'It was Satan's art from the beginning to discredit God with man, by calling God's love into question with our first father Adam. His success then makes him ready at the weapon still'

It was also Martin Luther's conviction that attacks on God's holy love were a staple of the Devil. 'This, then, is the most furious and sudden of all attacks, in which the devil exerts to the full extent all his powers and arts, and transforms himself into the likeness of the angry and ungracious God' (pg. 195).

Like Luther, Gospel Conversations seeks to move people toward a gospel-centered, Christ-focused faith in God:

"In Luther's eyes, therefore, spiritual counsel is always concerned, above all else, with faith--nurturing, strengthening, establishing, practicing faith--because 'faith cometh by hearing,' the Word of God (or the Gospel) occupies a central place in it. The ministry to troubled souls is a ministry of the gospel. It is a ministry to those who have or who lack faith" (pg. 207).


Gospel Conversations concludes with the reminder that biblical counseling is "…not a side ministry done by one or a few…biblical counseling is the one-another ministry calling the body of Christ" (pg. 354). If you're looking for a resource to equip you for that ministry, you might consider this one. I, for one, look forward to spending more time with this book and plan to reference it regularly as I seek to grow in asking good questions, offering truth and love as I minister the Word to those closest to me.

*Many thanks to Cross Focused Reviews for a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion!

[Craig Hurst · Rating 5 out of 5]

For much of the history of the Christian counseling movement the professional counselor, who has spent hundreds of hours in class and in counseling sessions in order to be certified as a counselor, has been the go-to person for counseling. Whether it is a local church pastor, educated layman, or a counselor with an independent practice, a certain mindset about what makes one a qualified counselor and what qualifies as preparation has dominated the practice.

But is this the only way? Must one spend hundreds of hours and thousands of dollars on classroom and hands on training in order to be a qualified Biblical counselor? Has the professionalization of the Christian counselor taken counseling right out of the church? Who was competent to counsel before contemporary competencies were developed?

Robert W. Kellemen, executive director of the Biblical Counseling Coalition and author of and contributor to several biblical counseling books like Gospel-Centered Counseling and Scripture and Counseling, has written Gospel Conversations: How To Care Like Christ as part of the Equipping Biblical Counselors Series (Zondervan, 2015). This is a hands on manual for equipping members of local churches to be biblical counselors. Kellemen is trying to help churches move from being “a church with a biblical counselor to a church of biblical counseling.” (353)

Gospel Conversations is about equipping willing Christians with the tools necessary to become competent biblical counselors. These tools center on what Kellemen calls The Four Dimensions of Comprehensive Biblical Counseling Equipping as found in Romans 15:14:

1. Christlike Character – This is the person who Paul says is “full of goodness” in heart and being.

2. Biblical Content/Conviction – This is the person who Paul says is “complete in knowledge” in their head.

3. Counseling Competence – This is the person who Paul says is “competent to instruct” with their hands.

4. Christian Community – The “one another(s)” are the other Christians to whom Paul says biblical counselors are ministering to.

Essentially, Kellemen believes that competent biblical counselors can be developed in the context of the local church community without the need for hundreds of hours and thousands of dollars of professional training. This is the heart of this book. Citing the research study conclusions of J. Durlak comparing the effectiveness of professional counselors to that of paraprofessionals (laypeople), Kellemen believes that professional training is not the primary means for developing competent counselors. The primary means are the personal characteristics of the counselor themselves (83). As such, these personal characteristics can be taught and can be taught in the local church. “We learn to become competent biblical counselors by giving and receiving biblical counseling in the context of real and raw Christian community.” (17)

The way these character traits are taught is through a small group of people who are willing to develop and use them. That is what the structure of this book is centered on. It requires one person to lead a small group of laypeople who want to be Romans 15:14 counselors in their local church. At the heart of the book is the idea that equipping Christians to be counselors is best done relationally. This allows the trainees to be shaped by the very principles of counseling that they are seeking to help others with. They are shaped by what they are sharing.

Gospel Conversations is a go-to training manual by which church leaders can develop and equip Christians to do the work of the ministry through counseling. Kellemen is not trying to replace professional Christian counselors but, rather, enable the church to develop more counselors to work within the church. There will always be a need for professional counselors who can deal with trauma, severe depression, deep seeded addictions, etc. However, there is much that can be done by brothers and sisters in Christ who know the Word, know people, and are shaped by the counsel they seek to give. This is a must have tool to help pastors train lay-Christians to be competent to counsel.

I received this book for free from Zondervan through Cross Focused Reviews for this review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gospel Conversations is designed to help biblical counselors care like Christ for those we counsel. Navigating the compass points of the counseling coveration, Robert Kellemen explores how counselors bring healing through sustaining, healing, reconciling and guiding. Kellerman is the executive director of the Biblical Counseling Coalition and CEO of RPM ministries. He sees his role as a counselor as bringing people face to face with the truth of God's word and encounter with Christ. Through this book, he imparts tools that biblical counselors can use to grow in their competencies to comfort the afflicted and challenge the comfortable.

Kellerman suggests twenty-one competencies for biblical counseling, Sustaining relational competencies involve the counselor growing in their ability to connect, empathize, listen, comfort, and share scripture emphatically, Healing competencies include growing in our ability to effect relational mind and soul renewal, encourage, compose a 'scriptural treatment plan,' lead counselees in a Theo-dramatic conversation and in stretching scriptural explorations. Reconciling competencies probe issues theologically, expose heart sins, apply truth relationally, calm the conscience through grace, enlighten and empower. Guiding competencies involve fanning into flame the gift of God in people, helping them author empowering narratives, constructing insight-based action plans, and having target focused conversations.

Because of the place of the Bible in the healing process, Kellerman's model is different than the contemporary therapeutic model. Kellerman (and other biblical counselors) urge us toward a thoughtful Christian model for soul care which differs from that of secular psychology (p. 98). There may be some antagonism towards psychology here, but the hope is that the Christian alternative is every bit as rigorous and comprehensive in dealing with what ails the human heart. Kellerman focuses on helping people get to the root of their problems (sin and suffering).

This is a helpful textbook and handbook for growing as a counselor. I have no antagonism towards psychology, per se, but my competency to counsel is different from that as a therapist. What I want people to do is to see themselves as God sees them, pursue a right relationship with Him and allow the Spirit of God to do the work of sanctification in them as they give their heart and mind to Him. Every Christian model of counseling (including a more psychologically oriented one) wants this. While I personally think other forms of counseling are tremendously helpful in the healing process, this model approximates what I do as a pastor when I meet with those in need. I have a Master's of Divinity (that pastor degree), but the extent of my training in pastoral counseling is this: know when to punt to a more qualified counselor; nevertheless pastors play an important role in the healing process, reminding people of God's presence, his work of salvation through Jesus and His ongoing ministry of reconciliation. Kellerman writes an engaging text for help students learn biblical counseling better and I think it is a great resource for anyone who engages in the ministry of pastoral counseling. I give this four staIrs.

Note: I received this book from Cross Focused Reviews (and Zondervan) in exchange for my honest review).

[Harold Cameron · Rating 5 out of 5]

Author, Pastor, Biblical Counselor and the executive director of The Biblical Counseling Coalition Robert Kellemen has written what might very well be one of the best “how to” books for training and equipping Biblical Counselors I have read. Building on what is referred to as 4 “Compass Points,” (1). Sustaining, (2). Healing (3). Reconciling and (4). Guiding, Dr. Kellemen provides us with the information and practical tools needed to Biblically and effectively counsel anyone with any spiritual counseling need. Though the book is extremely practical, author Kellemen stresses the importance of love, grace and compassion – the expression of appropriate emotions and concern in the counseling process. The book is not process oriented only, but rather, is deeply personal, communicating the need for being personal when counseling someone with a spiritual need.
Gospel Conversations is loaded with specific personal counseling illustrations so the reader and potential soul care counselor can get a firsthand look at how certain situations can be addressed Biblically. Also Dr. Kellemen’s book is interactive with several different pages throughout the book providing questions for thought which are beneficial for personal, group or one on one counseling with a person with a spiritual counseling need. As the book is about “Gospel Conversations” (Biblical Counseling) there are numerous Biblical references provided to help the reader grasp the Biblical truth behind what author Kellemen is stating…so be prepared to have your Bible next to you when you read his book as you will need it.
After masterfully revealing the “how to” to effective Biblical Counseling Dr. Kellemen provides helpful Biblical Counseling Resources at the end of his book, including forms you can use when counseling someone, which you will find to be invaluable in your counseling ministry.
Gospel Conversations is a most helpful book for anyone interested in learning how to Biblically and effectively provide true life transforming Spiritual Counseling as well as for someone already involved in the ministry of counseling – offering them plenty of helpful insights to improve as a counselor.

“Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Cross Focused Reviews and Zondervan Publishing as part of their Book Review Blogger program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

[Steven · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was excited to get the opportunity to read and review Gospel Conversations: How to Care Like Christ by Robert Kellemen. I would like to clarify that this book isn’t just for pastors at its heart biblical counseling is discipleship which is the responsibility of every maturing believer. With that being said I am grateful for the large number of resources available in the area of biblical counseling.

The book contains twelve chapters which are divided up over five sections. One of the most useful aspects of this book is that it can be used individually for self-directed training or in a more structured group setting. This is significant as those in smaller churches and communities need to have the option of being self-directed in their training and this book allows for that flexibility. Like biblical counseling itself what you get out of the book will depend upon what you put into it. Each chapter has a scriptural background which is to be read, meditated upon, and studied. The first section lays the foundations for biblical counseling. The following sections elaborate on what Kelleman considers to be the compass points of biblical counseling, sustaining, healing, reconciling, and guiding.

At the beginning of chapter one a common attitude found especially among pastors is challenged. Those in ministry can often develop an attitude said or unsaid that we just deliver the package/mail/message of God’s word and as long is we deliver it how we deliver it doesn’t matter. The character in which we communicate the truth does matter. Kelleman puts it well when he says, “If my character does not increasingly reflect the Christlike relational love of a brother, mother, father, child, and mentor, then I need to “switch chairs.” I need to become the counselee, the disciple (45). This guides the focus of every chapter growing in or putting on the Christlike character of a counselor while also internalizing it as well.

This is a good resource for one starting out in biblical counseling, as noted there is flexibility in how it is used. The additional resources in the appendices help make this book useful for the implementation of biblical counseling ministry throughout the church. I heartily agree with Kelleman’s hope that readers would, “Catch and cast the vision of every member being a one-another minister who speaks the gospel truth in love (354).”

A special thanks go to Zondervan for allowing me to review this book.

[Sherry Lynn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was excited when offered this book to review.
I want to care like Christ
The first thoughts I had when I received it was 'Deep' and 'Text book'.
Before the book arrived I did a little research and found this on Amazon . . .
How does a person learn to counsel others with the truth of God 19s Word? Bob Kellemen believes that the best way to learn counseling is by doing it 14by giving and receiving biblical counseling in the context of real, raw Christian community.
The following is an endorsement found in the front of the book . . .
. . .
Gospel Conversations is just what pastors, local church leaders, and compassionate laywomen and men need as we serve and minister to those God has placed around us. We come in contact with people who are suffering and struggling each and every day. Gospel Conversations by Dr. Bob Kellemen will equip us all to better speak both truth and love in a way that is winsome and wise. 1D 14Dr. Steve Viars, Senior Pastor, Faith Church, Lafayette, IN; Author of Putting Your Past in Its Place

For me this book reads like a text book. I think for a lay person it is a very, very deep read.
With my highlighter in hand and notebook I am slowly delving in chapter after chapter.
The author suggests using the book in a group setting. I tend to agree that it is much better suited for a group study.