Customer Reviews

Competent to Minister: The Biblical Care of Souls

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The question raised in this book is, how did christians minister to suffering souls before psychology was developed? The author says that knowing and using psychology in caring for souls is not the biblical or best way to help people. He writes to Christians and raises many important issues that need to be looked at long and hard. You will either hate this book or love it, for it forces us to look at things that we have be avoiding. Mr. Bobgan sould be commended for his courage to take on the "Christian/Psycology" movement. He is blunt and yet give a positive alternative that is clearly needed and easily applied. It should set people free to love and help those that are hurting.

After coming out with one of the greatest Christian books on why psychology should not be used in the Church (Psychoheresy: The Psychological Seducation of Christianity) he now teaches us what it trully means to minister to other believers.

This book reaches far beyond what we would call 'counseling.' All believers are called to minister to one another. Some are called to cook meals for those who cant, paint the houses of the elderly, some have been called as teachers, evangelists, ect. All Christians have a part to play in the mutual care of one another.

If you enjoyed "Psychoheresy,' you will enjoy this book as well. See what it trully means to care for one another in a biblical sense and see why 'counseling' does not fit into this work.

This book is an excellant resource for learning how you too can be a minister to the hurting . Anyone who has a love for the Lord and a love for people should read this book .

The authors of this book have first hand knowledge of the subject and what they say may surprise you ; also encourage you .

The Bobgans have written a book that intends to bring the Church to where she began and needs to return--to the care of souls. Pointing out that--with the help of the Holy Spirit--any believer can be used by God to minister to the brethren and their problems. Of all their books, this one is the most practical--and needfull.

Martin and Deidre Bobgans have consistently and faithfully sounded the alarm on the dangers of psychology in the church. But this is the book I believe God has wanted them to write. While there are negative warnings concerning psychology, this book overall has a positive tone, meant to encourage Christians not only to minister to each other but to believe they are capable of doing so, regardless of where they're at in Christ.

I will admit here that I have an anabaptisic outlook on church structure -- I believe that every Christian is called on by God and is given a ministry and thus there is in God's eyes no clergy/laity division. This book supports what I've always believed, which includes:

1. Any believer is capable of ministering, encouraging, and guiding a fellow believer;

2. Each local church is equipped with the Spirit-filled people to meet the needs of the congregation without a need to refer them outside the church;

3. A person with no training who is available at no cost to take as much time as needed whenever it is needed and can develop a true friendship not limited to the "counseling" meetings may accomplish more than a paid professional who can see you for an hour (that is, 50 minutes) at a time and take your money for it, but doesn't really know you; and

3. It is better for men to minister to men, women to women, and couples to couples.

One negative about this book, which is not really major. They propose at the beginning of replacing the term "counsel" along with its derivatives ("counselor, counseling") with other terms that are not connected with psychology, such as ministry. I feel that is a little too reactionary and throwing the baby out with the bath water, because the Bible uses the terms "counsel" and "counselor". Again, this is a minor issue, which does not dominate the book.

Every pastor should purchase and read this book, and probably use it in a Christian education setting. It helps believers believe they are able to make a difference in other lives.