Biblical Counseling

Encouraging Women to Pour Out Their Hearts to God

If you minister to women, you may find them seeking guidance on how to change their thinking, or what they can do to “feel better” when they’re anxious, angry, or afflicted in heart. While Scripture teaches how God produces Christlike change, we need to remember—and teach the women we care for—that sanctification is not a self-help program but a lifelong process of divinely enabled change (Philippians 2:12-13). Our aim in biblical counseling is not simply to help women feel or think differently about their troubles, but to help them turn to the Lord more readily in the midst of them. One way we do this is by counseling them to pour out their hearts to God—to cry out in faith with both authenticity and reverence.
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6 days ago

Hope + Help for Engaging Church Hurt with Tim St. John

In this episode of the Hope + Help Podcast, host Christine Chappell interviews Tim St. John about his book, After Church Hurt: Healing in the Care of the Good Shepherd. During the conversation, Tim discusses the complex issue of church hurt, how to identify it, and how helpers can compassionately support those affected. He shares practical insights from his book and biblical perspectives to guide counselors and discipleship leaders.
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1 month ago

When It Could Be Worse—But It’s Still Hard

How does God’s Word help us think more deeply about responding to hardship—especially when it seems “lesser” than “worse” possibilities? Are we wise to pit actual suffering against hypothetical outcomes? And does doing so help people draw near to God in their need? As we care for people in these situations, Scripture shows that we needn’t bypass reality for the sake of thanksgiving. We can help them to acknowledge what’s hard in their life without betraying gratitude for God’s grace.
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3 months ago

Video: Lament in Counseling Care

How do we walk with people through suffering without minimizing their pain or misrepresenting God? This webinar recording explores how biblical lament equips us to care well for hurting people—honestly, faithfully, and with Christ-centered hope.
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5 months ago

Hope + Help for PTS Care with Neal Grogran

In this episode of the Hope + Help Podcast, host Christine Chappell interviews Neal Grogan about the topic of post-traumatic stress care. During the conversation, Neal shares his personal journey through trauma, his ministry work with Mighty Oaks, and a practical biblical counseling framework for walking alongside those who suffer from PTS. Neal also offers suggestions for avoiding common pitfalls in this soul care context, and highlights the importance of fostering hope through biblical principles. This interview serves to introduce IBCD’s newest observation case study series—“Counseling Care for Post-Traumatic Stress”—which is now available exclusively on IBCD Connect.
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5 months ago

Counseling Through Grief and Lament: TGC Online Cohort

This cohort seeks to empower ministry leaders, counselors, and friends in how to effectively walk along-side grieving people with tenderness and hope. Over six sessions we’ll explore a biblical theology of sorrow while learning how to use lament as a helpful prayer language and counseling tool for processing grief. We’ll not only learn what lament is, but also how it can be practically used to lead people through their sorrow. What’s more, we’ll also consider the implications of unique scenarios and contexts of grief. Featuring live teaching sessions by Mark Vroegop, Bethany Bernard, Tim Challies, Christine Chappell, and Jeremy Pierre. Runs April 15th through May 20th, 2026.
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6 months ago

What Do We Do After Lament?

Lament is a faithful response to suffering, but it is not the end of the believer’s fellowship with Christ. After we’ve poured out our hearts to God in prayer, how then do we walk forward “in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him” (Col. 1:10)? Even when our burdens are not immediately lifted, we can still pursue what honors Christ in our bodies and with our time. In His Word, God gives practical guidance for our next steps: wait patiently, work faithfully, and watch expectantly as we entrust ourselves to His care.
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7 months ago

Help for the Holidays: 2025 Virtual Event for Women (Replay)

Embracing the joy of the season can be challenging, especially when fractured family ties or unfulfilled longings for companionship exist. What might it look like to navigate these difficult dynamics in a wise, God-honoring way? During this free 75-minute live webinar for women, authors and counselors Camille Cates, Christine Chappell, Julie Lowe, and Lainey Greer host a helpful conversation about experiencing relational tension, family estrangement, and singleness during the holiday season.
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9 months ago

Engaging Sorrow According to Ecclesiastes

As we read through Ecclesiastes, we see that sorrow is symptomatic of what we lost in Eden. It isn’t exclusively a fruit of personal sin—it’s also what we feel as we suffer the unavoidable effects of original sin. This category is key to engaging sorrow wisely. It explains why life is so hard to begin with and leads us to look to our Redeemer for hope.
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1 year ago

Hope + Help for Listening Well with Joe Hussung

Why is listening well an important part of loving people well? What makes it an essential skill for biblical counselors? And what Christlike characteristics do we mimic when we listen well to the people we care for? Joe Hussung addresses these questions and more in this new episode of the Hope + Help Podcast!
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1 year ago

11 Recommended New Books from 2024

This past year, I issued endorsements for eleven new books specific to biblical counseling and Christian living. Not only did I personally benefit from reading these resources, but I believe they each make a valuable contribution to the respective topic they each address. I'm thankful to have had the privilege of previewing these manuscripts and am glad to commend the finished products to you.
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2 years ago

Gospel Rest for Downcast Moms: 2024 CCEF Conference Audio

Audio recordings from the 2024 CCEF National Conference are now available for purchase! Get access to my session, "Mercy in Darkness: Gospel Rest for Downcast Moms," and explore the care and compassion of Christ for mothers who are walking through depression.
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2 years ago

Hope + Help for Redeeming Sex in Marriage with Scott Mehl

In this episode, I chat with my friend and IBCD colleague, Scott Mehl, about his new book, Redeeming Sex in Marriage: How the Gospel Rescues Sex, Transforms Marriage, and Reveals the Glory of God. I love Scott's respectful and reverent approach in this book, particularly since the topic is often fraught with confusion and hurt.
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2 years ago

15 Free Biblical Resources (and One Book) for Mental Disorders

Do you know what it is for a psychiatric diagnosis to throw you into a tailspin? I do. But I also know a God who offers stabilizing truths for the post-diagnosis journey—a God who makes his people fruitful in the land of their affliction (Gen. 41:52). In this post, you will find a collection of resources that seek to apply the gospel of Jesus Christ to the lived experience of issues labeled as mental disorders, as well as a new counseling card entitled "5 Gospel Realities to Remember When You've Been Diagnosed with a Mental Disorder."
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2 years ago

5th Anniversary Episode of the Hope + Help Podcast

In this episode, host Christine Chappell reflects on five years of Hope + Help Podcast conversations and shares clips from past interviews with guests who are also speaking at this year’s Summer Institute & Pre-Conference in La Mesa, CA on June 20th-22nd.
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2 years ago

Voices of Encouragement • Video Compilation

In this video recording from the 2023 Midnight Mercies Virtual Summit, we hear closing remarks from Christine as well as encouraging words from a variety of respected authors, bible teachers, pastors, and experienced biblical counselors such as Brad Bigney, Cameron Cole, John Crotts, Iain Duguid, David & Krista Dunham, Zack Eswine, Gloria Furman, Alasdair Groves, Nancy Guthrie, Brad Hambrick, Marty Machowski, Esther Smith, Curtis Solomon, Paul Tautges, Steve Viars, Mark Vroegop, Ed Welch, Lauren Whitman, and Rush Witt.
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3 years ago

BCC Blog: Why I Wrote Midnight Mercies

My intent is that any mother who knows what it’s like to groan, "I feel depressed" will find comfort and counsel in these pages. As featured at the Biblical Counseling Coalition.
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3 years ago

Three Benefits of Audio-Based Homework

In this article, I suggest three benefits for utilizing audio-based assignments, particularly in situations where counselees are suffering from the kind of cognitive impairment that makes concentration and comprehension extremely difficult.
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3 years ago

Top 5 Friday: Books on One-Another Ministry

In this broadcast, I share my Top 5 books on one-another ministry. These recommendations are for those who desire to learn more about one-another ministry (who/what/where/when/why/ & how,) grow in their ability to help people both BIBLICALLY and COMPASSIONATELY, and chat about helpful biblical resources that offer gospel hope and help for some of life's most challenging problems—like caring for others well!
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5 years ago

Hope + Help for One-Another Care with Scott Mehl & Josh Stephens

In this episode of the Hope + Help Podcast, Christine Chappell interviews Pastors and biblical counselors Scott Mehl and Josh Stephens on the topic of one-another care. Topics covered in the conversation include: counseling adjustments in the wake of COVID-19, what makes biblical counseling unique, how the church is positioned to minister to people in the midst of global pandemic, how lay people can get themselves equipped to provide soul care for others, and suggestions for pastors interested in exploring what's needed to start a biblical counseling ministry at their church.
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6 years ago

8 Facebook Live Videos on Counseling & Christian Living

I'm thankful to have had the opportunity to host a number of helpful conversations via Facebook LIVE over the past three months on a variety of topics related to Christian living in general, as well as biblical counseling in particular. This post offers the collection of previously recorded Facebook LIVE conversations in one spot, where you can watch the replays! Scroll below to view the guest names and topics addressed.
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6 years ago

Hope + Help for Domestic Abuse with Chris Moles, Joy Forrest, & Ann Maree Goudzwaard

In this episode of the Hope + Help Podcast, Christine Chappell interviews authors and biblical counselors Chris Moles, Joy Forrest, and Ann Maree Goudzwaard via Facebook LIVE about domestic abuse care in today's COVID-19 context. Together, the panel discusses cautions for victim/counselor communications, the danger of handling domestic abuse situations as marriage counseling cases, various ways to get equipped for one-another care when face-to-face contact with high-risk women and children is restricted, the basics and importance of developing a safety plan, and much more.
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6 years ago

An Interview with IBCD Podcast Host Christine Chappell

As the podcast completes its transition from The Hope + Help Project to IBCD's Hope + Help Podcast, this episode features a discussion between IBCD Director of Communications Ann Maree Goudzwaard and podcast founder Christine Chappell, exploring the various ways biblical counseling has personally impacted Christine's life and ministry.
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7 years ago
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