ACBC Conference

Our biggest promotion and training opportunity of the year was in Dallas this year. We (the Brewsters and the Masseys) had the opportunity to participate in the Association of Certified Biblical Counselors Annual Conference in Dallas this month.

We had many opportunities to network and connect with friends and professionals in the biblical counseling movement.  Our display table drew in people for great conversations of hope amidst terribly difficult situations.  Our time there was a great encouragement for us, that our ministry is an important resource for the pastors and counselors who are working with hurting families.
 
The theme for the conference was ministering to the abused.  We had sessions designed to help us minister Truth and the hope of Christ to those who were abused and to the abusers.  We heard many stories of the freedom through Christ of many hurting, abused people.  Scripture was opened and the biblical accounts of abuse and being abused gave light to the dark situations of abuse that many deal with on a daily basis.  We were also challenged with the overwhelming lack of response by the church.
 
Looking at the life of Joseph was a highlight as Heath Lambert walked us through the physical, emotional, and sexual abuse that he endured and flourished in.  Putting Second Samuel 11-13 in modern terms of abuse opened my thinking of other passages and the pressures and terrible injustices that people in the Scriptures went through.  In many cases we can see God’s plan and sovereignty at work in using the hard, sinful actions of people to reveal His glory and grace.  We see such things in the lives of David, Bathsheba, Hagar, and Jesus.  Though we can’t comprehend all the reasons why all the bad things happen, we can confirm that, whatever the situation or issues at hand, God is doing His work of redemption in the midst of it all.
 
“For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” –Romans 8:38-39–