Diets, Exercise, Food: A Biblical Perspective

When it comes to diet and exercise, there are two extremes.  One is to exercise too little at eat too much.  The other is to exercise too much and eat too little.  While it's unhealthy and sinful to be a lazy glutton, it's also unhealthy and sinful to be an exercise addict who is a…

The Thin Idol (Or: The Idolatry of Being Thin)

We would be wrong if we thought that eating disorders and obsession with weight and size were things that only teenage girls struggled with.  In fact, many adult women struggle with these things, as do men of various ages.  In our superficial culture where outward appearance is everything, it's easy for us to become obsessed…

Hearing the Gospel (Over and Over!)

 Here's a book that church leaders need to get - pastors, elders, deacons, and other Christians who help God's people in different ways: Counsel from the Cross by Dennis Johnson and Elyse Fitzpatrick.  In a word, this book is a lesson on the gospel and how it applies to Christians on the pilgrim way - fighting sin and…

Women Counseling Women

 As I mentioned last fall, the church I pastor is using Women Helping Women: A Biblical Guide to the Major Issues Women Face ed. Elyse Fitzpatrick and Carol Cornish (Eugene: Harvest House Publishers, 1997) for our women's counseling classes. In chapter one, Elyse Fitzpatrick discusses the philosophy of biblical counseling.  It is a nice orientation to…

Women Counseling Women

We (the church which I pastor) recently chose a few mature Christian women from the congregation to counsel women when different needs arise.  We're still in the middle of this process, but one place we're starting as we consider some training is Women Helping Women, edited by Elyse Fitzpatrick and Carol Cornish.  The book is…