In His Image #ACBC2022

This past week I had the privilege of attending and teaching at the Association of Biblical Counselors 2022 conference with the theme “In His Image.” The Bellevue Baptist Church in Memphis, Tennessee served as this year’s conference host. As in the past, this conference did not disappoint. What a joy to spend time with friends, listen to Christ-centered, biblically-faithful content, and participate in fruitful conversations. This year I made the following three observations from my time there.

How You See People Matters

No matter the issue or life difficulty, how you see other people matters. Over and over the plenary and workshop speakers kept reminding us as attenders of the importance of understanding people and their plight in terms of the image of God. As those made in the image of God with and for His purpose, we have a responsibility to see and understand others in light of that image. To see our family, friends, coworkers, or enemies as less than image bearers sets us up to underserve them. However, when we see others for whom they truly are, as Jesus, we are moved with compassion toward them.

What a joy whenever we can serve others in faithfulness to Jesus Christ. In a world radically effected by sin, filled with significant suffering, and under the power of the evil one, God calls us to use our energy, our words, and our actions to serve those around us. Each day we face the growing opportunities to listen, love, learn from and about, and seek to serve those around us. God provides us these opportunities; we are privileged to take them.

God Provides Us Wisdom in Christ for Image Bearers

Thankfully, God provides us wisdom in Christ to serve other image bearers well. Our challenge is to walk with Christ, learn Him, and grow in wisdom. We get to share in our relationship with God and Christ together, “in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Col 2:3).

What a joy to hear speaker after speaker connect their relationship with Christ, with what they understand about the Bible, and how they understand individuals in the image of Jesus Christ. As I sat and listened, I was encouraged to hear wisdom from God’s Word applied to life’s suffering. Counselor after counselor described their own experience of both how Christ through His Word has sustained and enabled them to live life for the glory of God, as well as, how God has granted them the opportunity to walk with so many others through life’s hardest moments.

We Must Intentionally Help Others

The third takeaway from this year’s conferences is the simple fact that we must intentionally help others. As we have opportunity, we need to step up by God’s grace and walk with those who struggle, suffer, and sin. Intentionality means that we act responsible in moments of ministry. We think. Ask questions. Listen long. Interpret what we hear by God’s grace. Ask more questions. Offer biblical hope and help. And, provide ways people can move forward in grace.

This type of intentionality requires us to learn and live God’s Word first. We read, study, memorize, and meditate on God’s Word. As we keep our gaze fixed on God’s Word, we recall how it maps out onto our own experience of living. We further consider all those around us who also need its wisdom. Learning and applying the Bible does not come easy. There is a cost. In no way can we minimize the meditation on the Word as we also seek to become casewise in its application.

Along the way, we strive to follow God’s wisdom rather than the culture’s wisdom (cf., James 3:13-18). The Apostle Paul warned, “As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving. Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ. For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power” (Col 2:6-10).

Grateful for Partnership

Sonrise and Baptist Bible College and Theological Seminary have been certified training centers with ACBC for years and years. Alongside Bill and Mary Ann Piatt and many others, we seek to serve our community well. Our next training event is our spring conference – information here.

Saying hello to Christine Chappell

Great meal with Chad and Maggie McKinley

Proud of Austin and Crysta Harris, who both were certified this year.

Wonder panel on abuse and trauma

Posing for a picture with my friend CJ McMurry from the Refuge

Wonderful to catch up with Phil C

Beautiful venue

I was surprised during lunch to see Nathan Allcorn.

JESUS

Record crowd this year

We celebrated so many wonderful things during the business meeting.

Bellevue Baptist Church, Memphis, TN

Joni Eareckson Tada taught on disabilities.