Plenary Sessions
God's Word: Our Sacred Delight (Psalm 119)
Plenary One: Our Blessed Way - Jeremy Lelek
Plenary Two: Our Comfort in Affliction - Jeremy Pierre
Plenary Three: Our Piercing Lamp - Ed Welch
Plenary Four: Our Awe-Inspiring Truth - John Henderson
Pre-Conference
Counseling through Romans
“The Hour Has Come” - Romans 13:11-14 - Tim Challies
“Dying to Self” - Romans 12:1-2 - Julie Lowe
“Making Peace with Romans 8:28” - Brad Hambrick
"Rejoice in Hope" - Romans 5:1-5 - Lee Lewis
Track Options
ABC offers specialized tracks taught by leading practitioners in the field. Each of the following tracks will include eight insightful sessions. Attendees will choose one track during registration, and will attend all sessions in that track throughout the duration of the conference.
Note: Track sessions are listed in the order that they will be delivered.
Track A - Holistic Soul Care
Objective: To provide attendees with a biblical perspective that targets both the physical and the spiritual dimensions of our makeup, and how both apply to counseling others. While the spiritual will always take precedence when it comes to biblical care, God has given us an abundance of research that helps us to understand how the brain, the heart, and the gut impact our emotional states. Therefore, drawing from this data as an adjunct to our care for others can prove quite helpful. A framework will be given that will foster a counseling context that reflects the counsel of Paul who wrote, “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” (1 Cor. 10:31).
"Counseling and the Body: First Steps for Holistic Care" - Ed Welch
"Embodiment: Theological Consideration of the Body" - Lainey Greer
"Inherited Damage: How Our Family Shapes the Body" - Matt LaPine
"The Soul-Body Connection" - Jeremy Lelek
"Covering Shame: Humility and Belonging" - Matt LaPine
"Stewardship: Practical Care for the Body" - Lainey Greer
"A Practical Approach to the Body and Wellness" - Eliza Huie
"Conclusion with Q&A" - Panel
Track B - Trauma
Objective: True, lasting healing from trauma requires wise, tender counselors who can access and apply biblical truths to the complex effects of terror upon an embodied soul. Through eight sessions together, the trauma track aims to equip counselors at a basic level for perceiving, thinking, and responding to the experience of trauma. After establishing a biblical anthropology of trauma, we will define trauma and trace how traumatic experience develops in a human being before presenting an approach to ministering the gospel of Christ and word of God to various aspects of traumatic experience. The experience of trauma involves a quality of grief, terror, anxiety, confusion, painful reliving, guilt, and shame that only Christ, His Spirit, and His word can remedy.
"A Biblical Anthropology of Trauma" - Curtis Solomon
"Describing the Nature and Development of Trauma" - John Henderson
"Describing the Experience and Expression of Trauma" - Darby Strickland
"Entering Their World Marked by Trauma" - Darby Strickland
"Remembering, Reliving, Retelling, and Reinterpreting" - John Henderson
"Grief, Lament, and the Mercies of God in Christ" - Curtis Solomon
"Guilt, Shame, and the Covering of God in Christ" - Darby Strickland and Curtis Solomon
"Conclusion with Q&A" - Panel
Track C - Fundamentals of Biblical Counseling Methods
Objective: As believers, our call is to care for each other’s souls. But how do we do that? This track is designed to equip you with foundational truths on how to facilitate and cultivate a culture of one another care within your church or ministry. Together we will discuss things such as how to get a counseling session off to a good start, learn how to ask good questions that engages the heart, understand the importance of listening, and knowing the dynamics of the heart. We will also spend time sharing how to bring the gospel into every session, foundational scriptures in caring for others, and the importance of confession and repentance. Lastly, we will address common mistakes and the value of personal stewardship. It will be informative, relational, and interactive…so don’t miss out!
"Theology of Care" - Lee Lewis
"Caring Well by Wise Assessment" - Emily Dempster
"Dynamics of the Heart" - Lee Lewis"
The Gospel in Counseling" - Emily Dempster
"Sharing Scripture in Counseling" - Shauna Van Dyke
"The Importance of Confession and Repentance" - Jason Kovacs
"Care for the Caregiver" - Lee Lewis
"Counseling Process and Common Mistakes" - Panel
Track D - Addictions
Objective: Delivered by a team of people who have walked through various addictions and been transformed by God’s Word, the Addiction Track seeks to help people understand the fundamental nature of addiction as a worship disorder. True transformation is only possible when the gospel opens eyes and transforms hearts to worship the only One who truly deserves all worship. We provide foundational truths relevant to all addictive issues and demonstrate how they practically apply to particular situations like substance abuse, eating disorders, and sexual addiction.
"Understanding Addiction: A Worship Disorder" - Michael Snetzer
"Understanding a Person’s Story: The Fertile Ground of Addiction" - Michael Snetzer
"Addiction and Habits: Addiction as Voluntary Slavery" - Dave Dunham
"Captivating and Reordering Our Hearts: How the Gospel Provides Hope and Help for Addictions" - Michael Snetzer
"Responsibility and Change" - Krista Dunham
"Restructuring and Change" - David Dunham
"Addiction and Related Issues: Shame, Trauma, Grief, Anger, etc." - Krista Dunham
"The Church and Relapse Prevention" - Michael Snetzer
Track E - Counseling Children and Teens
Objective: Knowing how to approach children and teens in counseling can be a challenge. Learning how to enter their world and draw them out can sometimes feel difficult. The goal of this track is to begin by providing attendees with a biblical framework for counseling children and teens - and parents. As we build a biblical foundation for understanding the needs of families, we will then demonstrate practical approaches for working with youth in counseling.
"The Importance of a Biblical Worldview for Families" - Ron Jones
"Significance and Role of Parents" - Julie Lowe
"Developing a Counseling Philosophy for Kids, Teens, and Their Parents" - Garrett Higbee
"Critical Issues Younger Children are Facing Today" - Full Team
"Critical Issues Teen are Facing Today- Garrett, Julie" - Ron Jones
"A Biblical Rationale for Expressive Therapies" - Julie Lowe
"Practical Labs – A Case Study With A Younger Child" - Full Team
"Practical Lab – A Case Study With a Teen" - Full Team
Track F - Grief
Objective: Participants in this track will be better equipped to guide the people they counsel through the grief that accompanies the loss of loved ones. They will learn how the Bible speaks to grief and how they, as counselors, can lead others toward hope, peace, and perseverance.
"When Through the Deep Waters I Call You To Go" - Tim & Aileen Challies
"When Sorrows Like Sea Billows Roll" - Rachel Rosser Schulte
"Marching to Zion" - Tim Challies
"Strength for Today and Bright Hope for Tomorrow" - Rachel Rosser Schulte
"We Shall Meet on That Beautiful Shore" - Paul Tautges
"When Other Helpers Fail and Comforts Flee" - Paul Tautges
"In ev’ry Change He Faithful Will Remain" - Panel
"Bear Patiently the Cross of Grief or Pain" - Paul Tautges
Track G - Gender and Sexuality
Objective: Few topics generate conversation and confusion as much as gender and sexuality. Are clarity, compassion, conviction, and civility even possible within this conversation? The Gender and Sexuality track will seek to offer biblical clarity on topics related to gender and sexuality from both a pastoral, discipleship, and counseling lens. From understanding how an LGBTQ person’s story and background impact their struggle to how the church, parents, friends, and others can better help and address strugglers. Our presenters will seek to offer biblically faithful truth while helping the attendee grow in wisdom and discernment.
"A Scripture-Shaped Story of Human Sexuality & Gender " - Jonathan Holmes
"Identity: What Is It and How Is It Formed? " - Jonathan Holmes
"Understanding the Landscape of Sexual and Gender Identity " - Andrew Dealy
"Addressing Struggles with Gender and Sexuality: A Biblical Counseling Framework Part 1" - Andrew Dealy
"Addressing Struggles with Gender and Sexuality: A Biblical Counseling Framework Part 2 " - Ellen Dykas
"Story and Suffering: Understanding how a painful world impacts our hearts and beliefs " - Ellen Dykas
"Desires and Life Expectations: How they work together to shape beliefs and behavior " - Ellen Dykas
"Question & Answer Panel " - Ellen Dykas, Andrew Dealy, Jonathan Holmes
Track H - Conflict Resolution
Objective: The Conflict Resolution track traces conflict resolution from good (what allowed the relationship to initially build trust) to bad (what went wrong) to hard (why conflict is difficult to navigate) back to good (a restored, healthy normal). Participants in this track will gain an appreciation for the journey each of their counselees is taking and biblical concepts / skills necessary to effectively walk alongside their counselees on that journey.
"A Full Journey Perspective on Conflict Resolution" - Brad Hambrick
"Preparation for the Journey" - Beth Broom
"The Perspective of Each Person in Conflict" - Jeremy Pierre
"Conducting a Session of Conflict" - Beth Broom
"Forgiveness: A Pivotal Point in the Story" - Brad Hambrick
"When A Conflict Can’t Be Resolved: Experiencing Peace in the Hurt" - Greg Wilson
"The Redemptive Value of Conflict Done Well" - Full Team
"The Experience of the Counselor When Counseling Conflict" - Panel