Kitchen Table Counseling Within Your Local Church

Melissa Kruger and Courtney Doctor talk about how to seek out the counsel of wise friends and how to respond well when friends seek your counsel. They discuss how to ask good questions, how to deliver a gentle rebuke when necessary, how to follow up on requests for accountability, and how to point someone to Scripture without treating it like a Bible Band-Aid. Listen prayerfully to prepare yourself for opportunities that arise to bear one another’s burdens.Recommended Resources:I’m Praying for You by Nancy GuthrieCount It All Joy by Helen RoseveareRelated Content:7 Things to Say to a Hurting Loved OneWhy Mentoring Is Better Than Asking AlexaThe Neglected Ministry of Asking QuestionsDiscussion Questions:1. Considering examples of people who have supported you in difficult seasons, what qualities do you appreciate most in them?2. In what ways have you struggled to balance extending both grace and truth in your own “kitchen-table counseling”?3. How can we ensure any necessary rebukes we deliver are given with gentleness?4. What helps you determine whether someone is “safe” to confess a burden or sin to?5. In what ways could you make yourself a more approachable and available source of counsel for those who need your support?6. How can your discussion partners pray for you as you point others to God in difficult situations? Pick up a copy of Stand In Awe wherever books are sold or visit crossway.org/standinawe to learn how to get 30 percent off with a free Crossway plus account. Get 20% off a course of your choice when you use code DEEPDISH20 at checkout. Learn more and register now at lifeway.com/academy. That’s lifeway.com/academy Click here for more information about Women's Initiatives at The Gospel Coalition!Click here to sign up for notification of on-demand access to keynotes and breakout sessions from our recent conference, TGCW26! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.