July 8, 2009
Interview with David Clark
David Clark reflects on “Grace that Heals,” explaining how God’s grace restores wounded souls, confronts hidden brokenness, and invites people into prayer, humility, and lasting spiritual healing.
Care & Counseling
Care & Counseling gathers Christian Standard articles that offer biblical hope and practical guidance for seasons of pain, confusion, and personal struggle. Here you’ll find resources on grief and loss, anxiety and depression, trauma, addiction, relationships, forgiveness, and spiritual burnout—along with pastoral wisdom for walking with others who are hurting. These articles aim to encourage healing, strengthen resilience, and help individuals and churches provide compassionate, Christ-centered care.
May 25, 2008
Friends in Need: Preventing Homelessness Before It Starts
Jan Johnson reflects on helping a friend near homelessness and offers practical ways Christians can recognize danger signs, provide encouragement, locate resources, and serve with wise boundaries.
March 9, 2008
Confidentiality in a Counseling Setting
A Christian counselor explains why confidentiality matters, when accountability requires broader involvement, and what church leaders should know. Practical policy recommendations help protect pastoral care while encouraging healing, trust, and healthy communication.
March 9, 2008
Confidentiality: Always Helpful or Not?
By Tim Woodroof and Leland Vickers You are serving as an elder (or minister, volunteer leader, Bible class teacher, or pastor) for your local congregation and you are approached on Sunday by a longtime member””let”s call her Susan””who says she would like to talk with you about a “personal problem.” You agree to meet her for coffee, but Susan prefaces her discussion with a request, “This must stay only between the two of us. Can we agree that our discussion be completely confidential?” What is your response? The current church culture leads people to assume they have the right to
March 9, 2008
Policy on Confidentiality (a Proposal)
A proposed church confidentiality policy explains how leaders seek to care for people who are hurting, while clarifying legal and practical limits on confidentiality and the steps leaders may take to offer wise, discreet support.
March 9, 2008
Your Church’s Confidentiality Policy
Churches and ministers face increasing legal pressure, making confidentiality policies more important than ever. Practical guidance includes consulting an attorney, reviewing insurance coverage, involving the congregation, and maintaining referrals to professional counselors.
December 23, 2007
“˜Carols” for any Season of Suffering
By Matt Proctor Max Lucado tells of Mrs. Smith, an elderly widow who loved her parakeet Chippy. His songs brightened her lonely days. One day while vacuuming, Mrs. Smith noticed Chippy”s cage was dirty. Opening the little door, she inserted her vacuum hose . . . when the phone rang. As she turned to pick up the phone, the hose shifted slightly and””slurp!””sucked poor Chippy down into the sweeper”s bowels. Horrified, Mrs. Smith dropped the phone, tore open the sweeper bag, and dug through the dirt until she found the now-brown little feathered lump. Chippy wasn”t breathing, so she did
November 21, 2007
Interview with Dawn Prendes
After Sgt. Henry Prendes was killed in the line of duty, his widow, Dawn, shares how God sustained her through grief and how Henry’s testimony sparked gospel impact across Las Vegas and beyond.
November 11, 2007
The Secret That Must Be Told
By Faith Ingraham I have lived with a secret for the majority of my life. Many others are living with the same secret and they, like me, are suffering from the damage and pain it causes. I was born into a pastor”s home, the sixth of nine children and the only girl. We attended church regularly and seemed to be the normal pastor”s family. My mother worked full-time as a secretary to support the large family. My father pastored several small churches. I accepted Jesus Christ as my Savior when I was 5 years old. I wanted to please God,
February 4, 2007
Personal Journeys
After sudden tragedy reshapes a family’s path, this reflection traces grief’s sharp turns and the hope found when God leads. Stories of Sam and Dorothy show how loss can become ministry.
December 20, 2006
Interview with Bill Pile
In this candid interview, minister Bill Pile reflects on living with stage four prostate cancer, the support of his family and church, and why faith changes the way he thinks about suffering, treatment, and death.
December 3, 2006
The High Cost of Marital Counseling
Marital counseling can be “free” for couples but costly for ministers. Phil LeMaster outlines the risks and offers wise limits—preaching the Word, referring when needed, counseling couples together, and guarding one’s own marriage.
September 13, 2006
Interview with Doyle Roth
After a head-on collision left Doyle Roth with severe injuries, he faced a long recovery filled with pain and discouragement. In this interview, he shares how his church cared for him and what he learned about hope, heaven, and hospital visits.
August 20, 2006
Why Do I Live in a World Filled With Pain?
By Tim Harlow I fulfilled a long-standing promise to my wife and took her to Hawaii for our 20th anniversary. We had never been to Hawaii together, and I have to tell you it is everything we expected. It is the Garden of Eden, as best I could imagine. It was like some kind of dream””perfect weather, tropical fruit, and hula people. But we had to come back to Chicago in February. There was something about the 100-degree shift in temperature (it was 15 below zero wind chill when we landed) that caused me to ask myself, How did this
August 20, 2006
Beyond the Puppet and Puppeteer
When prayers don’t unfold as expected, it can shake confidence in God’s power. Paul E. Boatman contrasts two common errors and points to God’s presence and work “in all things,” even in deep suffering.
April 2, 2006
Saying the Last Good-bye to My Dad
By Paul E. Boatman I write these words at my dad”s bedside in early November. It is Tuesday morning at 5, and Russell Boatman”s death is expected within hours. He has seemed close to death several times in the past year, but this time the end of life seems imminent. His 91-year-old body is yielding to the inevitable outcome of living in a fallen world. He is resting fitfully, breathing in shallow gasps, and talking to himself about needing to “get going.” He clings to life with the tenacity of one who prizes life as God”s gift, yet he has
March 15, 2006
Interview with Brian Jones
In this interview, pastor and author Brian Jones discusses trials, doubt, and spiritual growth as he reflects on his book Second Guessing God and why honest questions can deepen faith.
December 31, 2005
Obituaries from 2005
An alphabetical collection of obituary and memorial notices honoring ministers, missionaries, and Christian leaders. Each entry shares key life details, ministry service, surviving family, and (when available) service locations and memorial giving information.
December 4, 2005
I Marvel at His Blessings
A Mayo Clinic chaplain shares how spiritual care meets patients and families in fear, grief, and uncertainty—while also supporting staff through crises, teaching, prayer, and moments of hard-won joy.
November 20, 2005
GRIEF RELIEF (Part 3 or 3): Widows and Grief–How to Show You Care
When someone you know is grieving, it’s easy to feel unsure what to say or do. These practical do’s and don’ts offer compassionate guidance for showing up, listening well, and staying present long after the funeral.
