LOGOS EQUIPPING MINISTRIES DISCIPLESHIP COUNSELING LEVEL TWO Marriage and Family Winter 2018 Instructors: Grace Community Church Elders COURSE DESCRIPTION This course is focused on the specific areas of marriage and the family. Topics covered include the purpose of marriage, divorce and remarriage, roles of husband and wife, physical intimacy within marriage, communication, and conflict resolution, stewardship of time and priorities, and parenting. Case studies are also discussed. COURSE OBJECTIVES A. To enrich and improve the student s personal life and relationship with Jesus Christ. B. To prepare unmarried students for a God-honoring marriage and family life, if that should be part of the will of God for them. C. To help the student view all of life, including problem areas, as part of the worship process that takes place within the heart of man. D. To increase the student s confidence in the sufficiency and superiority of the Scripture for handling all the personal and interpersonal problems of life within marriage and the family. E. To help the student understand the place and role of marriage and family counseling within the local church. F. To encourage a distinctly biblical way of looking at people and their problems within the context of marriage and family. G. To challenge the student to build his/her own counseling/discipleship practices on solid, biblical theology in the area of marriage and family. H. To demonstrate the incredible practicality of good theology as it relates to marriage and family. I. To confirm and illustrate the fact that many, perhaps most, interpersonal problems usually involve and are reflective of insufficient or bad theology. 1
J. To provide an environment where students may bring their questions regarding the relationship or theological convictions to interpersonal problems and situations. K. To equip each student to be a more astute theologian and better counselor/discipler in the Church of Jesus Christ. L. To help the student begin a more exhaustive search into the Scripture concerning several specific issues related to marriage and family. M. To demonstrate to the student just how the change process applies to specific issues within marriage and family. N. To encourage the student to take an active role in the sanctification process within their own life, marriage and family. Summary of Objectives To effectively disciple in a marriage and family context, your instructor believes that you must: (1) have a thorough knowledge of biblical content about marriage and family issues (2) understand how that content applies and relates to real life issues in specific ways (3) develop skills in knowing how to accurately and appropriately instruct people in that truth, inspire and induce them to implement and integrate that truth into their lives and relationships Consequently, all assignments and teaching in counseling courses will be aimed not merely at giving biblical content, but also at developing in students the skill to understand and apply Scripture in very practical and specific ways to the issues of life. COURSE TEXTS REQUIRED READING: 1. Marriage & Family syllabus 2. The Elders Perspective on Divorce and Remarriage 3. Marriage, Divorce, and Remarriage, Jay Adams 4. A, Vol. 2, Wayne Mack 5. Pre-Engagement: 5 Questions to Ask Yourselves, Powlison & Yenchko 6. Shepherding a Child s Heart, Tedd Tripp 7., Gary and Betsy Ricucci 8. Parenting for Life syllabus (Women Only) 8. The Excellent Wife, Martha Peace 9. The Excellent Wife Study Guide, Martha Peace (Men Only) 8. The Exemplary Husband, Stuart Scott 9. The Exemplary Husband Study Guide, Stuart Scott 2
RECOMMENDED READING: A Help to Domestic Happiness, John Angell James A Token for Children, James Cotton Mather A Song for Lovers, Craig Glickman Addresses to Young Men: A Friend and a Guide, John Angell James Age of Opportunity, Paul Tripp Attitudes of a Transformed Heart, Martha Peace Becoming a Titus 2 Woman, Martha Peace Christian Living in the Home, Jay Adams Divine Design, John MacArthur Fidelity, Douglas Wilson Men and Women Equal Yet Different, Alexander Strauch Solving Marriage Problems, Jay Adams Strengthening Your Marriage, Wayne Mack Successful Christian Parenting, John MacArthur Teach Them Diligently, Lou Priolo Tell Me About God, Susan Harding The Complete Husband, Lou Priolo The Crisis of Caring, Jerry Bridges The Gospel for Children, John B. Leuzarder The Fulfilled Family, John MacArthur War of Words, Paul Tripp Withhold Not Correction, Bruce Ray Your Family God s Way, Wayne Mack When Sinners Say I Do, Dave Harvey Marry Wisely, Marry Well, Ernie Baker Being a Dad Who Leads, John MacArthur What did You Expect, Paul Tripp COURSE REQUIREMENTS A. During this course the student will be given reading assignments, which will consist of particular sections of various books and articles. The student needs to read carefully, thinking about how the material applies to his own life. If all the reading is not completed by the end of the course, one s course grade will be affected. Logos students must submit a written statement declaring the amount read. A reading report form will be required from the student on February 14 & March 21 B. For MARRIED students: You will need to complete The Excellent Wife or The Exemplary Husband study guide and A, Volume 2 (assigned sections only; see page 6). This should take approximately one to two hours per week to complete). 3
For SINGLE students: You will need to complete as much as applies to your situation of The Excellent Wife or The Exemplary Husband study guide and A, Volume 2 (assigned sections only; see page 6). Single students should not focus on what they may want in a future spouse, but instead should focus on becoming more like Christ themselves. February 21 (3 4 pages total). C. A 5-page, typed project paper is required on a topic relating to marriage and/or family. Define the topic, identify the key elements involved, and address the appropriate Scriptures, highlighting their meaning and application to the Christian today with special emphasis (1/4 of the paper) upon how it could be used in the counseling of individuals, married couples or families (as appropriate) within the church. Include endnotes and bibliography (separate from the 5-page body). Due March 14 D. A 2 to 3-page, typed summary paper will be due March 21 This paper will be an evaluation of how the course material assisted the student in the change process within his own life, marriage and family (if applicable). The professor will also be looking for the importance of these truths for future ministry (2 Cor. 1:1 7; 2 Tim. 2:2). E. ACBC Questions: Only for those seeking certification 17. Describe the role of repentance in beginning and continuing in the Christian Life. Explain the importance of the doctrine of repentance for biblical counseling. Due 1/3 18. Describe the doctrine of Union with Christ explaining its biblical basis and implications for Christian living. Due 1/10 19. Explain the biblical categories of past, present, and future sanctification. Due 1/17 20. Explain the synergistic nature of sanctification being sure to describe the relationship between God's grace and moral effort in the Christian life. Due 1/24 21. Explain the role of the Holy Spirit in the Christian life describing the importance of this role in the counseling process. Due 1/24 22. Provide your understanding of how the Holy Spirit guides Christians. Due 1/31 23. Provide a biblical description of the church. Due 1/31 24. What role should the church play in the counseling process? 2/7 Counseling Exam 1. What issues should be covered in an introductory session with a counselee regardless of the counseling issue? Explain the importance of each issue. Due 2/7 2. Describe at least six biblical strategies to develop a caring relationship with your counselees. Clearly identify each strategy and ground its use in specific passages of Scripture, explaining its practical utility in building a relationship. Due 2/14 4
3. Provide a biblical theology of emotions. What role should a counselor allow a counselee's emotions to play in counseling? How can one tell the difference between sinful emotions and righteous emotions? How would you use Scripture to help a counselee change improper emotions? Due 2/21 4. List several reasons for concluding a counseling case. For each, describe how you would go about ending the counseling. Due 3/14 5. Describe the role you believe church discipline should play in biblical counseling. Due 3/14 6. Describe what you believe to be the role of confidentiality in biblical counseling. What kind of commitment to confidentiality should a biblical counselor make? What biblical and practical considerations limit confidentiality? What is the responsibility of a biblical counselor to report to civil authorities on matters of domestic violence, sexual abuse, and other illegal matters? How should biblical counselors cooperate with the authorities about these things? 3/21 GRADING My purpose in utilizing the grading process is to challenge you to put in the time and effort needed to do quality thinking and learning. Your life and ministry depend upon your growth in God s wisdom. This will be accomplished as you become more and more bibline in your thinking and living. You will do well in this course if your goal is to know, handle, and walk God s Truth well (Mt. 28:20; Eph. 4:1; Jas.1:25) Percentage of Grade Due Project Paper 45% 3/15 Completing Workbook 10% 2/21 Reading 15% 2/15 & 3/29 Summary Paper 10% 4/5 ACBC Questions 20% Assorted 5
LOGOS EQUIPPING MINISTRIES DISCIPLESHIP COUNSELING LEVEL TWO Marriage and Family Weekly Assignments Winter 2018 Date and Topic(s) Book/Article Chapters/Pages Jan. 3: Biblical Basis for Marriage Premarital Counseling The Excellent Wife or The Exemplary Husband Pre-Engagement: 5 Questions to Ask Yourselves Ch. 1 5, 7 9 Ch. 1 5, 7 8, 13 Jan. 10 Divorce & Remarriage Ch. 1 Marriage, Divorce, and Remarriage Ch. 2 16 Jan. 17: Husbands Who Are Like Christ Jan. 24: Wives Who Are Like the Church Jan 31: Biblical Principles of Communication Feb. 7: Stewardship: Priorities & Finances Feb. 14: Physical Intimacy Feb. 21 : Conflict Resolution Project Paper Due Feb. 28 Biblical Parenting, Part 1 March 7 March 14: Biblical Parenting, Part 2 March 21 Biblical Parenting, Part 3 READING REPORT DUE HOMEWORK MANUAL DUE SUMMARY PAPER The Exemplary Husband The Excellent Wife or The Exemplary Husband The Excellent Wife or The Exemplary Husband The Exemplary Husband The Excellent Wife or The Exemplary Husband The Excellent Wife or The Exemplary Husband Shepherding a Child s Heart Biblical Parenting for Life No Class - Shepherd's Conference Shepherding a Child s Heart Biblical Parenting for Life Shepherding a Child s Heart Biblical Parenting for Life Ch. 6, 9 10, 14 Pp. 35 45 Ch. 2 Ch. 6, 10, 12 15 Ch. 15 Pp. 53 63 Ch. 3 Ch. 16 Ch. 4-5 Ch. 12 Pp. 29 32 Ch. 17 Ch. 6 Ch. 11 Ch. 8 Intro Ch. 4 Lessons 1 3 Pp. 71 72 Ch. 5 9 Lessons 4 5 Pp. 73 76 Ch. 10 14 Lessons 6 7 Pp. 77 80 6
READING REPORT ASSIGNMENT INSTRUCTIONS Read the assigned pages and write (legibly, please) or type your answers to the following questions on 2 3 separate sheets of paper. One report on all assigned reading is due on March 21. Please give concise but relevant answers to the questions. It may be helpful to keep an index card handy while reading the material. REQUIRED FORMAT SAMPLE: Reading Report Name: Date: 1. Did you read all the assignments? Yes No If no, indicate the percentage read %. 2. What important principles did you see concerning the Christian life? (Summarize them.) 3. Was there anything you disagreed with or had questions about? If so, what? 4. What were the most significant challenges or lessons you learned for your own life from the reading assignments? 5. Was there someone you encouraged with what you have learned? If so, please explain. 7