Christian counseling

This is Transformed.

And now your host, Assistant Professor of Biblical Counseling at The Masters University, and certified biblical counselor, Dr. Greg Gifford.

Welcome back to Transform.

My name is Dr. Greg Gifford, and believe it or not, I just got off of a CBN interview.

So let me start with John Piper.

He's a trusted theologian.

He wrote a chapter in Christ-Centered Biblical Counseling.

This book was published by Harvest House, I thought in the early 2000s.

I might add, too, here, is that I don't like the idea, I shouldn't be saying that that much, of having... secular on one hand, and Christian philosophers, or however they call it, the Christian-based or faith-based psychotherapists on the other hand, it seems like you are willing to or have a plan for how you work with people, bringing together the Bible and biblical concepts with your training.

I think when Christian counseling is used, what that is specifying is that the therapist or counselor will be comfortable talking about certain Christian doctrines, potentially, or items of Christian life or walking in Christian faith or the way.

So if a therapist is saying that they are Christian, like a Christian counselor, they might pray in session.

They might be comfortable doing that.

He's in the San Francisco Bay Area and the church is North Creek Church.

He's the author of When Sleep Won't Come and Redeeming Memory and is a contributor to the Christian Counselor's Medical Desk Reference.

Medicine, faith, scripture all in one.

This is going to be a super duper conversation.

Dr. Matt Rayer is our guest.

He's an emergency medicine physician in the San Francisco Bay Area, also a pastor at North Creek Church.

And he has written Redeeming Memory and is a contributor to the Christian Counselor's Medical Desk Reference.

And his newest book is entitled When Sleep Won't Come, Help and Hope for Body and Souls, written by a doctor who loves the Lord, serves the church, written specifically for Christians.