The Christian Leader's Support Group

_____________________________

“I’m so busy—I have to take the time..!”
The Christian Leader’s Support Group
by Phil Brewer

Your Relational Support System. Ideally, you have a loving family, some good friends you can trust, and respectful regard in your ministerial milieu. But whatever the quality of your support system, you may want to consider organizing a support group of four or five peers. Friends and family are precious treasures and constitute part of our relational wellness. But your own support group, with its focus, accountability, honest feedback, mining of biblical truth, active listening, heartfelt prayer, sincere empathy, and shared vision offers profound benefits. The adventure of a functioning support group run in an atmosphere of courtesy, mutual dignity, and edification awaits you.

Seeking Candidates. Look for persons of like precious faith—who love God, whose lives are dedicated to faithful stewardship of the gospel of Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 4). Look for men who basically share (or feel compatible with) your world view and Christocentric vision. And homogeneity of gender (all men or all women) seems to work best.

Caveat: Discouragement. A good support group takes time. You must resolve to do some ‘research and development’ before your ‘engineering’ is improved. One or two may drop out, or not show up in the first place. But lay all before God in your earnest prayer for a functional support group, be persistent, and He will bring it to pass.

Caveat: “Clones.” Cloned sameness (while appearing to double strengths) may also double weaknesses. Healthy heterogeneity can enrich the gather-ings: an intelligent youth pastor or dedicated music minister enjoying wisdom of older senior pastors; a first time church planter comparing notes with veterans; a liturgical or mainliner with an independent charismatic or classical Pentecostal. Godly representation from different ethnic and multicultural backgrounds can bless your koinonia and bring valuable perspective. A counselor, a chaplain, or parachurch leader can spice up the conversation.

Seek Wisdom. Pray for the Holy Spirit’s guidance to build a group of men/women who are rational, sensible, mentally healthy, and generally easy to get along with. (Someone who is chronically hostile, contentious, inappropriately suspic-ious, emotionally immature, a crank, a 'concrete thinker' who can't think abstractly, a grievance-collector, has a one-issue theology or simplistic hobby horse--usually needs more in-depth therapeutic ministry than the typical support group can offer.) 'High maintenance personalities' require 'high maintenance engineers' (life coaches!).And pray earnestly that your group will be focused: listening—observing, paraphrasing, understanding.

Transference Issues. Even though a pastor can’t have this luxury in his congregation, don’t build anyone into your support group whom you consistently feel uncomfortable or nervous around—or just don’t like. If you have sincerely brought this before the Lord, you may simply have a ‘transference issue’ and should just pray for that person from a distance. A support group can be chilled by transference issues (which often have nothing to do with his or your spirituality). For example, you may remind him (without realizing it) of a Little League coach he didn’t like, or he may remind you (unconsciously) of that prof who gave you a low grade, or that vicious ‘Diotrephes’ type church boss (cf. 3 John) who sabotaged your last pastorate and got you voted out! The typical support group doesn’t provide an appropriate arena for figuring out why you don’t like someone.

Phase One: Proactivity. Seek the Holy Spirit’s management. Make in-person and phone inquiries. Get Email addresses. Scan or snail mail this support group information to persons who may be interested. Invite four to six motivated persons to coffee. Agree to pray corporately regarding the support group. Stay in contact via Email and/or phone with those showing interest.

Phase Two: Organizing. Get together for an early breakfast discussion with the committed. Suggested maximum is six members per support group. Set the date for your first meeting. In the first support meeting, agree on a standard (albeit flexible for holidays or emergencies) time of the month and day of the week. Choose a ‘round robin’ location at the different homes, off-ices, (or comfortable and private church rooms) of group members. A full breakfast, or just snacks and beverages, may be offered as each member hosts the support group on his particular month. Suggested meeting time is from 8:00am to 1:30pm, one day a month—e.g.: second Thursday of each month. Of course, your group may choose a different schedule.

Phase Three: Management. Over the years several standard questions have proved helpful. Each member should try to manage his time in dealing with each question, while at the same time feeling relaxed enough to express himself candidly and fully. A support group member also has the privilege of deferring on a particular question (perhaps “all is well” in that category or he just may not want “to go there” at this time). One question might take forty-five minutes to go around the circle. Another question might be dealt with in a shorter period of time. In some meetings a particular member may need more focused empathy and time from the rest of the group. If profound issues emerge which seem beyond the scope of a support group, the member may want to talk privately with a qualified Christian consultant. Generally that life coach shouldn’t be in the same group, I think. While the support group has a very healing and encouraging purpose, it may not be able to function as psychotherapy or group therapy. Christian trust, based on absolute confidentiality, of course, is a must. Priority requires a prayerful sensitivity to the Holy Spirit’s leading (e.g.: “themes” for the day) and proper orchestration (i.e.: no domination of time by one of the members).

Phase Four: Suggested Support Group Questions.

(“During this past month…)

1. …What has God been saying to you in His Word? (devotional Bible study and prayer-journaling—not just Sunday’s sermon if a pastor)

2. …How have you been using your time? (schedule, pacing, recreation)

3. …How are your relationships going? (family, friends, staff, ministry)

4. …How are things going personally? (stress, motivation, decisiveness, inertia, effectiveness, frustration, worry, anger, thinking, obsessions, perceptions, confidence, creativity, calling, hope, humor, health)

5. …What spiritual leadership principles have you learned--or desire to? (Are you growing in leadership-effectiveness & problem-solving?)

6. …How may we pray with you?” (wellness needs: physical, mental, spiritual, relational, economic, career-satisfaction--ministry, calling)

Support Group ‘peer-feedback’ can help one realize things like…

1. Life (& ministry) is a marathon not a fifty-yard dash (pacing, more time with the 'strong' than 'weak', sabbaticals, 'time-out'--not just 'time off').

2. Clearly defined boundaries, limitations, and 'compartmentalizing'--stall burnout.

3. Religious institutions were made for man (not vice versa) (“The sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath”). Don’t be too 'religiously-pre-occupied'.

4. One must not derive too much self identity from 'role-image: “...have a life.”

5. Idealistic expectations can be blunted and lowered (accurate reality-testing).

6. Creativity, self-care, healthy humor, being flexible—help maintain wellness.

7. Difficult people and problems can be coped with (or seek God and move on!).

8. "The battle is the Lord’s"--become a Satisfied-Satisfier instead of a Frustrated-
Satisfier. (Frustrated-Satisfiers can backslide into Frustrated-Frustraters).

9. Your own handicaps & perceptual distortions may be managed and corrected.

10. Inspiration & encouragement from your group is available during blah times.

11. Support during personal struggles--e.g.:loneliness, alienation, sickness.

12. Build an enduring close friendship or two perhaps from your Support Group.

13. Develop insight re: how you come across to others (e.g.: facial expressions, mannerisms, habits, personal hygiene, communication style). Do you need voice-coaching to help you project properly with intercostal diaphragmatic breathing—because you preach with an effeminate, high, squeaky-squawky voice--torturous to listen to? [Many leaders have no insight regarding how tedious it is to listen to their perhaps good material—because of poor voice projection and lame rapport! Sadly, others may just be boring--blunt 'affect', emotionally cold, with impoverished and uninteresting no listen-no study-no pray lives--droning on-and-on--superficial and self-absorbed--with no depth of rich humor, satire, irony, paradox, or metaphor. Some are judgment-impaired magical thinkers--or secret-lifers*--some feel compelled to be on TV.]

14. Not trying to do God’s work--without God’s power. Like it or not (cf. Acts) the effective Christian leader must walk in the Spirit (as the leaders go--so go the people). The Spirit stops 'policy wonks', 'control freaks', 'toadie collectors', and attention-seekers. The Pneumatic (Spirit-empowered--Zech. 4:6) minister of Christ must not only have a healthy Christology but experiential knowledge and practice of a sound Pneumatology. (Who is in charge here?)

15. An honest Support Group can be an arena for the soul-healing confession--that artificial charm, secular market-driven purposes, programs, and the strange fire of carnal charisma have failed miserably to reach souls in the stewardship of Jesus Christ. My dear minister-Father told me about the deacons in a rural Kentucky church, who, when asked, “What is the anointing of the Spirit?” replied, “We don’t know if we could define what it is…but we sho-do-know-what-it-ain’t…”

EMMAUS
Christian Leadership Assistance Program
Philip C. Brewer, Director
(e) CounselPro@gmail.com
(Online LifeCoaching): http://christianleaderlifecoaching.com

Copyright © 2002-2003-2004-2005-2008 by Philip C. Brewer All Rights Reserved

Executive and Christian Leader Life Coaching via Skype.com

Skype.com name: CounselPro

Limited Online Appointments Available for confidential Online Christian Executive Life Coaching.

{Competent Christian Life Coaching could be analogous to 'preventive medicine': offering proactive, pedagogic, and a priori help--before a personal, relational, or career crisis or emergency occurs.}

Are you a Christian executive or businessperson?

Are you a Christian leader? Pastor? Associate pastor? Para-church leader? Missionary?--or staff member in a Christian ministry organization..?

{Christian leaders often seek sponsorship by their denominational headquarters, organizations, or mission agencies. Past consultation has included Southern Baptist, Assemblies of God, The Episcopal Church, Southern Baptist, Missionary Baptist, Freewill Baptist, United Methodist, Mennonite Brethren, Plymouth Brethren, the Church of the Nazarene, charismatic Catholic, independent charismatic churches, Youth With a Mission, Church of God (Anderson), Church of God (Cleveland), Pentecostal Church of God (Joplin), and Pentecostal Holiness.}

Have you considered the benefits of convenient and confidential Online life coaching?

(Or do you know someone (in the above categories) you'd like to refer? Who might benefit?

A Convenient Online consultation (or regular coaching with an experienced and credentialed Christian life coach) is just a Skype.com call away.

My commitment is to be your competent, compassionate, coach and consultant.

(Emergencies requiring professional psychiatric and/or psychotherapeutic intervention, psychotropic or other medications, or danger to others or self, are referred to professionals in your area--and/or are advised to call 9-1-1.)

Issues may involve stress, indecisiveness, ineffectiveness, inertia, career frustration, ethics and character, misconduct, compulsivity (e.g. gambling), grievances, relational difficulties, personality traits, chronic anger, anxiousness, or obsessiveness.

Executive Life Coaching Appointments are arranged initially at convenient times via e-mail contact to CounselPro@gmail.com.

Light vs. Darkness

Light vs. Darkness
"What is truth..?" --Pontius Pilate

(People ask me:)
"How can I know who is speaking the truth to me (and what is Truth and what is Falsehood and Deception)--in my everyday conversations, and in the written, radio, TV, film, (media) news, polemics, politics, and propaganda..?" "And how can I know that what I am thinking and believing is the Truth--and not a Lie, not some 'doctrine (teaching) of devils' and evil deception--that, even though it might sound convincing, reasonable, and logical at first, will lead me, nevertheless, into the'broad way that leads to destruction'...the 'road to hell' that is paved with the proverbial 'good intentions'...?

I reply: "First of all (lay aside your past political brainwashing, your 're-education camps', the propaganda and secular philosophies of your past) is your mind redeemed? Are you transformed in Christ by the renewing of you mind according toRomans 12:1-2..? "Are you liberated by the Holy Spirit of God from the unsaved, perishing, sin-enslaved paradigms, world-views, and near-sightedness of sin-sick humanity--and the sin-virused soul...?"

I always remind folks that they must have more than some solipsistic emotional experience or cerebral 'aha' to become a regenerate born-again Christian--(Study John) because the Bible states that "The carnal mind cannot perceive the things of God." One must be sure that his unregenerate-non-born-again-sinful nature and the god of this world (Satan) has not cognitively and spiritually blinded his (spiritual) eyes.

A man or woman must be wooed, coaxed, drawn, convicted by the Holy Spirit. And s/he must respond in faith, trust, wholehearted and sincere belief in Jusus Christ--the Anointed One of God. There must be an authentic I-Thou Encounterwrought by the supernatural empowerment and 'connection' of God, the Holy Spirit--this is not some rhetorical--some philosophical-some psychological change of attitude, some baptist signing of a membership card, some political shift, some genuflecting, religious mumbling of a Christianized four-spiritual-laws formula--or result of a 'heaven-chilp implant.

Salvation of the soul is a divinely-wrought supernatural miracle. It cannot be culterized, tribalized, philosophized--or psychologized. (Sadly, this is why mega-churches and the so-called Emergent Churches are bursting in attendance. (You preach the truth of "Narrow is the way and strait is the gate, and the reality of persecution that comes to any true believer in Christ--and you'll not get a big crowd of twenty-something boppers...in fact they'll run away from you...as even the disciples did at first from Jesus when they realized, 'Hey, this guy's gonna get himself crucified...!')

And I also ask, "In your psycho-social support system--who are your cronies--who do you hang around with and feel comfortable with..? Do you try to get your fellowship with sinners...? i.e.: Are you (Psalm 1) "Sitting in the seat of the scornful..?...Standing in the way of sinners..?...Listening to the counsel of the ungodly..? Remember, the Bible states that"There is no fellowship (participation in the Holy Spirit) between (spiritual) light and (spiritual) darkness." And the Biblealso states, "Evil cronies have a corrupting influence."

1. Affirm and confirm your belief in Jesus Christ and trust in His Sacrifice on the Cross for the remission and cleansing of your sin, and confirm your sincere hope in Christ's Resurrection from the grave and defeat of Satan, Death, and Hell.

2. Pray: Seek the Heavenly Father God for the gift of the Holy Spirit (John). The Father will bestow the authentic gift of the Spirit--not a 'scorpion' or 'stone'--but a 'nourishing fish'--the 'true Bread' of the Holy Spirit.

3. Ask God for wisdom according to the Book of James: "If a man lack wisdom, let him ask of God."

4. Pray--seeking God that Jesus Christ will baptize you in the Holy Spirit--so that you may have the mind of the Holy Spirit--with which the Bible says is life and peace (Romans). (The Father is the Giver of the Holy Spirit, Jesus Christ is theBaptizer in the Holy Spirit.)

5. Study Jesus' instructions about the Holy Spirit in the sixteenth chapter of the Gospel of John. The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Truth. The Holy Spirit will lead the sincere seeker of Jesus Christ into all truth. The Spirit will convict and convince the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment. Falsehood and lies and deception will not stand in the light of the truth of the Holy Spirit.

6. Study the principles Jesus laid down in Matthew: e.g.: "A bad tree cannot produce good fruit." Apply these principles when you hear any street-corner philosopher gab, any social engineer speak, any politician, any 'conspiracy theorist'present his views, any media pundit or talk show host, or even TV preacher--pontificate.

7. Listen carefully--sometimes (especially with a politician on TV) turn off the sound--look at his non-verbals, his facial expressions, his eyes... But seek always for 'the mind of Christ...for the 'mind of the Holy Spirit'...for the Spirit of Truth--to discern between truth and error, deception, falsehood, and lies. We live in a world of psychopathy (cf. the writings ofMeloy and Hare).

8. And don't forget, God is on His Throne. Jesus Christ is Lord. All things are Christ's. 'Every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord'. All things are ours in Christ. Yet, until Christ returns for the community of the redeemed, we still live in a fallen, sinful world dominated by evil control freaks and of 'people of the lie'.

(excerpt: unpublished work-in-progress):
What Is Truth?
The Question of Pontius Pilate
Copyright 2009 by Philip C. Brewer
All Rights Reserved

LIFE COACHING & ULTIMATE CONCERNS

Blog Discussion: LIFE COACHING PRINCIPLES
The Priestly Solution: Part One

Ultimate Concerns, Intercession, & the Efficacy of Earnest Prayer

"Who shall free me from the body of this death..?" --the Apostle Paul

"And you shall seek Me, and you shall find Me, when you shall search for me with all your heart. And I will be found of you..." --the Prophet Jeremiah

The human personality is not a closed system--but an open system--and synergistic--made to interact interpersonally with others--and created to engage in the ultimate concerns of prayer.

One may infer from the symbol of Christ's Cross that horizontal communication, community, and communion hangs on the core truth of the vertical--every human being's God-bestowed ultimate concern for vital faith (the only saving faith --which clings to and trusts in its Object, Jesus Christ--because vital faith is not some metaphysical force--or even trust that one's chair will not break under him as he sits down) in communication , community, and communion with God the Father--in the wisdom, power, and love of the Holy Spirit.

Yet it is the rare Christian individual, couple, or family--who listens and responds wholeheartedly--when I prescribe a regular practice of intimate prayer timestogether every week.

I usually get a "Huh?" look--as they twitch impatiently waiting for me to get out of the way so they can watch American Idol, True Crime road chases, or listen to late-night-talk-radio conspiracy theories.

One-dimensional shallowness is pandemic.

And even among the so-called intellectual community, there is a rabid, mindless willingness to turn to Pop culture and then often on to Naturalism, Metaphysics, Eastern Mysticism, Middle Eastern Mysticism, Occult Mysticism, Pantheism--or even (within Christian aberrations) to Charis-magic--or cults like Peoples Temple.

"Demas has forsaken me--having loved this present world..." ---The Apostle Paul

Secular Naturalism (which rejects all supernatural implications or resources--when generating solutions for problems of living and problems of loving) is a closed system philosophically, psychologically, and, of course, spiritually. Naturalistic solutions can only be generated via the closed-system tools of Rationalism, Empiricism (truth is revealed by the five senses), Reductionism, Materialism, and Pragmatism (if it works--it's right).

Naturalism can only flail about in self-absorbed conspiracy theories, Collectivism, or some version of human and social engineering (because so many want to be taken care of by a centralized nanny or papa-fuhrer government)--reaching out for totalitarian and Orwellian solutions . Naturalism also appeals to Christ-rejectors who entrench themselves in any version of smug evolutionary theory--whether Darwinian or otherwise.

Metaphysics (Gnosticism, the mind sciences, EST, TM, Emersonian Transcendentalism, Transpersonal Psycholog y, Rosacrucianism, and their ilk) while housing many doctrines of devils--may appear to reach out beyond the solipsism of the human self --but hangs somewhere in the intellectual ghetto between navel-nuzzling Naturalism and tree-worshipping Pantheism...and remains a closed system--a bridge to nowhere.

Eastern Mysticism ( sacred cow worshipping gurus--with the cow's holy dung rubbed into their hair, Hinduism, Buddhism, Shintoism, Korean and Chinese Folk Religions--and their ilk)--is a faux open system--in truth only a door to the Occult. (Hey--dial 4-1-1 and ask the Bangalor operator if I'm right and she'll tell you I am.)

Middle-Eastern Mysticism, another gateway to the occult--includes the Jewish Cabala, and--surprising to many, the Muslim Religion. (Islam--actually a psycho-social, interpersonally-reinforcing-modernity-resisting-atavistic-radical-ludite movement--also bridges across to a form of Pantheism--because Allah is actually considered to be the Moon God--a pantheistic entity--not the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

Occult Mystici sm (OM) is a 'bridge' to an evil somewhere with its lies of Spiritualism, Necromancy, Fortune-Telling, Palm-Reading. Tea-Reading, Tarot Card Reading, Ancestor Worship, Soul Travel, Ghost & Monster Quest, Astrology, Primitive Tribal Religions (put your Dream-Catcher Mitt on Chief Running Bare...), the American Hollywood Star System--ad nauseum. Albeit an open system--OM is a devilish back-door-left-open system--a gateway to the Dark Side.

Pantheism (held together by its own separate philosophical glue) is a spiritual detour (away from Christian theology) offered to the superstitious-but-ultimately-concerned soul. The latest come-on from Pantheism (after the heaven-through-chemistry drug, LSD, psilocybin, crank, coke, opiate movement) is the Earth Mother Worship (planet-saving-tree-hugging-Earth Liberation Front, Vegetarian,Vegan,Veggie Tales, Globalist, global warming , etc.) Movement.

Walt Whitman, the great American poet, was known to remark that if only one person grasped the meaning of one of his poems--that was who he'd written it for. Christian Life Coaching often fails to connect to the counselee's heart and mind because the counselee (client) may not possess the gravitas--the profundity of understanding--the substantive qualities of personality--the emotional, intellectual, and spiritual depth --which are the essential requirements of effective Life Coaching--in my approach. Not that failed attempts at Life Coaching is pearl-casting--or teaching pigs to sing--and honestly that's not necessarily why I don't do prison or drug-rehab ministry--but I do exit stage left as quickly as possible from the shallow and the insubstantial-of-spirit.

(excerpt: unpublished work-in-progress)
Life Coaching & The Psychology of Ultimate Concerns
Copyright 2009 by Philip C. Brewer
All Rights Reserved

PRAY FOR THE OFFICE OF PRESIDENT

The Office of President

Once again, as a new president is elected, I am studying the Life of the Psalmist David in the Old Testament scriptures--and reviewing David's relationship with Saul (cf. I, II Samuel).

Even though David was well aware of the pathology in Saul's personality--Saul's danger-to-others and danger-to-self, and Saul's rebellion against God--David still honored the Office that King Saul held.

In the books of I, II Samuel we find that rebellion against God is tantamount to the sin of witchcraft. One may find out that his commander-in-chief is toxic, engages in power abuse, and perhaps must be impeached or censured--but to destroy the Office of executive authority would, of course, be anarchy.

Consider the bloodbaths of the French, Marxist, Maoist revolutions ("The revolution devours its own children.") and you see the occult spiritual (Rwandan or Red Guard type) rebellion of anarchy, tearing down of government, and toxicrebellion.

As a counselor and life coach in my community for many years, I've had to listen to many a church member complain about his or her pastor. I've always directed them to a study of the life of David, his relationship with Saul, and, and even though he had to flee from Saul--David's respect for the Office of King.

From a clinical-assessment-of-failing-leadership viewpoint, it is interesting to me to study the life of King Saul as his mental and spiritual health deteriorates. As his carried-and-buried anger and narcissistic entitlement build--his paranoid auspiciousness, jealousy, and delusional grandiosity metastasize like a cancer. He descends further into Occult Mysticism,as he consults the Witch of Endor--seeking ungodly counsel--(consider a similar melt-down with Hitler)--sinking deeper and deeper into depression--until he becomes a homicidal maniac and then self-destructive. Working in a 5150 acute psychiatric unit I saw this life-pattern embodied in distressed people--a news anchor, a clinical psychologist, a professional football player, the head of a hospital, a minister, a teacher, an administrator, a politician.

From my youth in the JFK days to the present I've always prayed for the Office of the U.S. Presidency--whether or not I liked the policies, personality, philosophy, or practices of a particular leader. For example, even though I thought the Seventies were horrible years, and I was literally allergic to everything about Jimmy Carter, I still prayed for the Office of the Presidency. LBJ, I also thought was atrocious, and thought that JFK, Nixon, and Clinton each dishonored the Office of the Presidency they held. Personally and with presidential gravitas, I believe Reagan honored the Office of the American Presidency, but I also really liked his personality, philosophy, and policies. Ford, and the Bushes, I believe, honored the Office of the Presidency--even though they made many mistakes and can be criticized for shortcomings regarding the effectiveness of their leadership, decisions, and policies.

I believe that God will take down any leader who dishonors his Office ("Vengeance is mine says the Lord.").

To point out shortcomings of a U.S. president if his tenure in office reveals them, does not dishonor the Office of the Presidency--it is because we do honor and respect the Office that we have the human right to address characterological flaws and failings of politicians and leaders--or to be afraid of their thinking if we find that they hold dangerously despotic, social-engineering, Smother-Mother-Government, or terrorist-appeasing world views--or want to trash our country's borders, language, and culture.

(excerpt: unpublished work-in-progress):

SAUL, DAVID, & PRESIDENTIAL OFFICE
Human Rights vs. Rebellion
Copyright 2009 by Philip C. Brewer
All Rights Reserved

CULTBUSTERS!

"Hey...it's Kooks & Kool-Aid--or Your Kin..."
Cultbusting / Rescuing / Debriefing / Exit Counseling
"Who ya gonna call for God's sake...?"

Yeara ago, I started CULTBUSTERS!

I'd done a lot of Cult Exit Counseling (Children of God, The Way, The Walk, Moonies, Scientology, Mormons, the Mind Sciences & Modern Gnosticism, JW, 7th Day, Eastern Mysticism, Authoritarian Mind-Control, Charis-Magic Faith, EST, Faux Faith Healing, Eighth Street Commune, A Course In Miracles, Latter Rain, NLP, Transpersonal Psychology, Emersonian Transcendentalism, E. W. Kenyonism, Peoples Temple, T.U.L.I.P.ism, Papalism, Mariolatry), Dominion Theology, Superstitious Animism, Earth Mother Worship, PMA, Charismatic Clairvoyance, Late-Sixties-Early-Seventies-Radicals-Masquerading-as-Evangelicals, and Aberrations of Deliverance and Demonology (illustrated by the faux guidance of the book, Pigs In the Parlor by Frank & Ida May Hammond),

I'd read books by the following: Margaret Singer, Ph.D., e.g.: Cults In Our Midst, Dr. Jacques Ellul, e.g.: On Propaganda, Walter Martin, Ph.D., e.g.: Chaos of Cults, Ronald Enroth, Ph.D., e.g.: Churches That Abuse and Youth, Brainwashing, and the Extremist Cults, Robert J. Lifton, Ph.D. Mind Control, Brainwashing, and Totalism, Dr. Farah, e.g.: From the Pinnacle of the Temple, and other books, e.g.: How to Cult-Proof Your Kids, Toxic Faith, and The Subtle Power of Spiritual abuse--and had seen The Amazing Randy (albeit an agnostic magician himself) expose the faux healer, Peter Popoff, on The Tonight Show.

These days CULTBUSTERS! exit-counseling would include The Emergent "Millennials" Church Postmodern Aberrations, The Secret, Recycled Latter Rainism, Revivalist Charis-Mystical Subjectivism, Kansas City Prophets, Mega-Church Millenial Paradigm-Shiftrers, Pop Culture Groupies, Radical Fundamentalists, the Prophetess Movement, Intimate-Connection Spiritual Dancing, Eco-Green Radicals, Marxist-Maoist Lib Theology, Prosperity Gospelers, Gangbangers, and contemporary Thought Reform Authoritarians.

In the intial years there was no 'Deprogramming'' a la Ted Patrick...all of these folks were 'ego dystonic' in that they each signed off with notarization that they had each desired in compis mentis that they wanted out--desired a complete break from and mental healing from--their respective cult. They would have ten Marathon Days (10:30am--3:30pm) of voluntary Christian-based-but-professional psychotherapy, counseling, and life coaching. I saw very few 'reversions' and little recidivism after the ten Marathon Days, along with a follow-up treatment program.

After years of this (with no financial remuneration on my part), I thought about starting a fee-scheduled (or economically-sponsored) 'rescue, exodus, and spiritual wellness intervention program' named CULTBUSTERS!

A busy traditional counseling practice caused me to set this plan aside.

Now...I'm considering a jump start of CULTBUSTERS!

I still need to get it organized and get all the legal clearances, etc....a little like bounty hunters--or even car repo companies have to do...yet, our approach would be one of dignity, therapeutic wisdom, and professional respect for the individual--and for human rights.

There would be, of course, a Fee Schedule and up-front Retainer Fee, special insurance, and appropriate qualifiers and disclaimers--operated under a non-profit organization.

What think ye...? Would you consider joining me in this important work...? There is a great need for Life Coaches--trained to do Cult-Exodus Intervention.

(CULTBUSTERS!...It's a dirty job...but somebody's gotta do it...!)

____________________________
"We Bust Cults Best...!"
CULTBUSTERS!TM
Spring Your Kin...Before They Drink the Kool-Aid!
"Who ya gonna call for God's sake..?"
P.C. BREWER & ASSOCIATES
Copyright 2009 by Philip C. Brewer All Rights Reserved

GOING SANE: YOUR MEANINGFUL LIFE TASK & THE LOGOS IN LIFE COACHING

Dr. Viktor Frankl (Man's Search For Meaning), the Jewish survivor of a Nazi Concentration Camp, and later psychotherapist and founder of LogoTherapy (think "Logos") focused his counselees on discovering The Meaningful Life Task. (As a Christian Life Coach, I utilize this concept and also teach the person to center on its synonymous parallel, the Call of God--think "Jonah.")

Truth (as Harry Blamires wrote) is a rock--not a consensus. Every thoughtful person desiring to live the reflective life (the all-too-rare-it-seems-nowadays) reader, thinker, and truth-seeker will hopefully come to grips with the profound meaning of The Logos, encapsulated in The Anointed One--the Christ. Man needs the Rock upon which (Whom) to cast his anchor.

In my too-short-two-year study of First Century Greek, I began to uncover, in the Gospel of John, the Word--the Logos of God ("In the beginning was the Word (Logos), and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."). The Logos, Who holds the universe together by His power, the Logos, the central, organizing force--Who also cerebrally leads the sincerely-seeking thinker into His clear thinking--His Logic--into His boundaried arena of 'reasoning together' walling out toxic irrationality (thought disorders), red herrings, rabbit trails, virulent anxiety, mood swings, impulsivity, tribal customs, illusionality--even delusionality.

There is a super-rationality in The Call of God and its consequent Meaningful Life Task which is (albeit a 'going sane' spiritually) may appear 'crazy and foolish' to the uninitiated--to the pagan or spiritual philistine onlooker living outside the system of the Christian's purpose, raison d'etre, and Call. For a follower of Jesus, this is not the disorder of integrity and disease of responsibility of the schizophrenic or schizotypal--but the sensible, ordered thought process of "Christ in you the hope of Glory."

Studying the history of scientific researchers, inventors, writers, artists, composers--some may not have discovered the Logos--but I find the key to their creative sanity to have a common denominator--their centering on a meaningful life task--the wisdom of an organizing focus (",..this one thing I do..." --think the Apostle Paul).

Jesus called His disciples to meaningfulness Pneumatologically (think the Holy Spirit and the Book of Acts) because God created the human personality to be a Pneumatic instrument--dynamically Wind-powered--Holy Spirit driven. The human personality is not to be driven by ideas, ideologies, or templated concepts (think Marx--or perhaps even Warren..?) but by the mind of Christ and the "life and peace" of the "mind of the Spirit." In Dementia, we see a breakdown of Executive function--planning, organizing, prioritizing. Executive functions (cognitively) lie within the domain of the Holy Spirit's work in the human mind.

"In Him e live and move and have our being." --the Apostle Paul

All one's necessary wisdom and knowledge rests in Christ, our Lord and Savior. But without the mind of Christ the psyche remains deceived, irrational, anchorless. Powerless without the wisdom of the Holy Spirit, the human being cannot discover his meaningful life task, his reason to be--cannot achieve the escape velocity to defeat the gravitational pull of sin and evil.

One cannot 'go sane' cognitively and spiritually and find his meaningful life task--without the mind of Christ.

(excerpt: unpublished work-in-progress):
GOING SANE:
Your Meaningful Life Task
& The Logos in Life Coaching
Copyright 2008-2009 by Philip C. Brewer
All Rights Reserved