where biblical wisdom and sound psychology come together for lasting change
Are you a frustrated Christian . . .
. . . struggling with the disconnect between what Scripture says about your problem and what you actually experience?
If our 33-year counseling practice – as well as our own personal experience – shows us anything, it’s how frustrating it can be as a Christian to know what the Bible says but not see it work in your own life.
It’s certainly not because you don’t believe what Scripture teaches. You do. And it’s not because you don’t pray for God’s help. You do that too.
But you still inwardly struggle with problems like fear, doubt, forgiveness, worry, marital discord, or self-image.
And on top of it all, you then secretly feel like a failure. As one person recently put it, “I just can’t seem to pull off what I know the Bible teaches.”
In fact, we’ve found that if a believer struggles like this long enough, they usually end up in one of two camps:
1. “There must be something wrong with me or my faith because I can’t overcome these problems [like worry] – even though Scripture speaks directly to them.” — OR —
2. “I’ve really tried, but it just doesn’t work for me . . . and I’m beginning to secretly fear whether it really works at all.”
The Heart of the Matter
For 20 years I wrestled with a question that caused me a great deal of intellectual curiosity and more than a little frustration. Simply put, my question was this: Why is it that Scripture tells us what to do, but rarely includes how to do it?
And I’m being honest when I tell you that I struggled with this on and off for 20 years before (finally!) getting clarity.
Let me save you 20 years and give you that insight right here…
The reason Scripture gives us the what but not usually the how is this:
The Bible is a book of precept, not process.
That is to say, it tells us what to do, but seldom how to do it.
A precept is a general principle intended to regulate thought and behavior. The Bible is full of precepts. Let me give you just three examples:
- "do not provoke your children to anger" (Ephesians 6:4)
- "if you have anything against anyone, forgive them" (Mark 11:25)
- "do not be afraid or discouraged" (Joshua 8:1)
There are probably a number of reasons why we are given the what and not the how, but I think two are primary:
1. If it gave us the process for each precept, the Bible would be about the size of an old-school set of encyclopedias!
2. This absence of process encourages us to pursue wisdom, seek insight, and discover application. In short, it encourages growth.
But HOW?
This is where psychology enters the picture. Psychology can help with the how. Psychology offers insights about Process.*
And the right processes can help me apply the Precepts found in God’s Word to my situation and through my unique personality.
At Growth Resources Online (GRO), we talk a lot about psychospiritual growth. We believe this is the ideal term, as it encompasses both the spiritual (the universal Precepts of Scripture) and the psychological (the Processes aiding the successful integration of biblical truth into our life).
*Please understand that we are by no means equating the status of psychology with that of God’s revealed Word. We are simply saying that the science of psychology can be a useful tool to facilitate application of the life-changing precepts and truths found in Scripture.
GRO seamlessly integrates sound psychological processes with timeless biblical truths to establish, build, and support your psychospiritual growth and maturity.
And here’s how we do it . . .
Christians Who Thrive Membership
An emotionally safe, professionally supported, and spiritually inspiring membership that systematically guides you in understanding and mastering your personal struggles, whether they’ve been with you since childhood or only more recently.
As a Member you learn how quickly you can put biblical precepts into action when you combine them with proven psychological processes that are both effective and easy to implement.
Because we are so fiercely passionate about providing you with the best and most rewarding experience possible, the only way to access our courses,* podcasts, mp3s, group coaching, and more is through membership.
*Unlike all our other materials, courses are made available on a quarterly schedule to non-members as well as members. However, members get first option to register (limited number of registrations), and members who opt in qualify for a significant discount off the non-member price. (See our Courses page for more info.)
Personal Coaching
If you prefer to work one-on-one with a coach or counselor to directly target specific challenges, you can take advantage of our personal coaching packages.
As a coaching client, you benefit from our solution-focused approach using the proven methods we’ve field tested over our 30+ years in private practice working with people just like you.
While personal coaching is available for both members and non-members alike, GRO Members receive a generous discount.
Phone, email, and video coaching options are all available, depending on your preference.
While we offer membership and coaching, we like to believe that our real product is HOPE. So if you’ve tried and failed so many times that you’re a little short on hope, you’re in the right place.
You see, it’s just as Proverbs 25:2 says . . .
God delights in concealing things; [precepts]
scientists delight in discovering things. [process]
Precepts and Process — This is our focus at GRO
The Message translation
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