A Step-by-Step Training Manual for Biblical Counselors
The biblical counseling movement has a LOT of resources on a theology of biblical counseling. I’ve written several myself, including Gospel-Centered Counseling and Soul Physicians.
The biblical counseling movement has fewer resources that walk people through a step-by-step equipping process. Gospel Conversations: How to Care Like Christ fills that void.
It is a step-by-step training manual that equips readers/participants to develop 22 biblical counseling skills. With scores of vignettes, 100s of interactive learning assignments, and over 1,000 sample biblical counseling conversations, Gospel Conversations is a unique addition to the biblical counseling movement.
To learn more, and to receive over a dozen free resources, visit the Gospel Conversations page.
But don’t take my word for it. Here are endorsements and descriptions of Gospel Conversations from leading biblical counselors like Julie Ganschow, Ernie Baker, Andrew Rogers, Jim Newheiser, Nicholas Ellen, and many more.
Endorsements for Gospel Conversations
Bob Kellemen has crafted a relational masterpiece with Gospel Conversations: How to Care Like Christ. It is an excellent resource for caring for the souls of hurting people. Bob emphasizes the need to equip by following Christ’s model of disciple making: Training the whole person to be a thoroughly equipped biblical counselor. I have personally benefited from the soul-to-soul, relational counseling style put forth in this book. Truth balanced by love and compassion is the foundation on which Gospel Conversations is based. Rich with applied theology, this book will be required reading for our biblical counseling trainees. —Julie Ganschow, Founder, Reigning Grace Counseling Center, author of Living Beyond the Heart of Betrayal; Biblically Addressing the Pain of Sexual Sin
I really appreciate Bob’s love of people and his desire to teach others how to be relationally wise with a goal of growth in Christ likeness. Gospel Conversations takes “one anothering” seriously and teaches us how to put into practice honest, in-depth, and grace saturated relationships with others. In other words, truly biblical relationships. Thanks, Bob, for guiding us to be more relationally competent to counsel. Don’t just read Gospel Conversations—practice it, and your church can move from Sunday morning surface relationships to truly dealing with the realities of life on a fallen planet. —Dr. Ernie Baker, Professor of Biblical Counseling, The Master’s College; Fellow with The Association of Certified Biblical Counselors; Author of Help! I’m in a Conflict
I am thankful for Bob Kellemen’s Gospel Conversations equipping manual which has been carefully designed to practically apply principles of gospel-centered biblical counseling in a small group setting. What is taught in this book is founded upon careful exposition of Scripture and is rooted in sound theology which has stood the test of time throughout church history. I also appreciate the way Gospel Conversations boils down the key points into “tweet-sized” statements, memorable word pictures (“climb into the coffin”), and lists which summarize the principles he is emphasizing. —Dr. Jim Newheiser, Pastor, Grace Bible Church Escondido CA; Executive Director, Institute for Biblical Counseling and Discipleship
“I’m not a counselor” is an all too common and erroneous statement. We are all counselors. Some of us counsel from behind our steering wheel or from our couch while watching our favorite sport. We offer counsel of some kind every day. The issue is whether we are good counselors. More importantly, are we biblical counselors? Our counsel is only as good as it is biblical. Much of what fosters the thought that we are not counselors is our judgment that we don’t know how to talk to people about their particular trial or sinful habits. Bob Kellemen, in Gospel Conversations, provides the church with an invaluable resource to help people appreciate their fundamental role as a counselor. Not only that, Gospel Conversations also offers the reader training in practical relational skills for becoming an equipped biblical counselor. —Andrew Rogers, Pastor of Soul Care, College Park Church
Gospel Conversations is comprehensive, compassionate, clear, and correct in its insight into to God’s Word and wisdom in the arena of biblical counseling. The book not only explains the “how” of counseling, it does an excellent job in explaining the “what” and the “why.” Gospel Conversations will significantly impact lay people, pastors, and students for years to come in the arena of biblical counseling. —Dr. Nicolas Ellen, Professor of Biblical Counseling, College of Biblical Studies, Houston, Texas. Author of With All Your Heart
I needed a practical guide for pastors, counselors, and laypeople to help them understand the dynamics of gospel rich conversations with struggling Christians. Now I’ve found it! Both rich in theology and Scripture, and at the same time very practical, Bob Kellemen’s Gospel Conversations is a powerful tool for everyone who wants to think more carefully about how to help others. It skillfully equips God’s people to have heart-felt, empathetic, engaging, Christ-like, servant-hearted, thoughtful, and gospel-centered conversation.” —Dr. Deepak Reju, President, Biblical Counseling Coalition; Pastor of Biblical Counseling and Families, Capitol Hill Baptist Church, Washington, DC
Everyone has favorite authors; people whose books you’ll read because you know the content will be solid, innovative, and biblical. Bob Kellemen is one of those authors for me. Gospel Conservations: How to Care Like Christ is the book I need every counselor, every Christian in my church to read. Drawing on over three decades of pastoral and counseling ministry, Bob has dedicated his life to equipping biblical counselors for the work of ministry in the church. The work you hold in your hands is the fruit of Bob’s labor and ministry which seeks to honor Christ and see others transformed into His image. From personal and private preparation for conversation to the actual engagement, Bob skillfully, compassionately, and biblically navigates us through everyday conversations aimed at Christlike change. In a culture dominated by technologically-mediated conversations, Bob’s call to gospel conversations is both refreshing and convicting. Read this book, work through it with a small group of people committed to interpersonal ministry, and watch as the Spirit works through our conversations to transform us into the image of Christ. Could there be any more important work for you and I as we labor until Christ comes? —Jonathan Holmes, Counseling Pastor, Parkside Church; Author of The Company We Keep: In Search of Biblical Friendship
As a pastor who strives to equip others in the church to do what is covered in Gospel Conversations, I was affirmed, enlightened, challenged, and encouraged by Bob’s winsome and relentless gospel focus revealed in this incredible work. I highly recommend Gospel Conversations for your library and as a field guide for your ministry. Gospel Conversations displays the very best of Bob Kellemen—the instruction of a coach, the love of a pastor, and the wisdom of a teacher. —Dr. Robert K. Cheong, Pastor of Care, Sojourn Community Church, Louisville, KY; Author, God Redeeming His Bride: A Handbook for Church Discipline
Bob Kellemen is a master trainer of counselors and Gospel Conversations is a training masterpiece. Distilling 30 years of counseling training, this book is much more than a training manual. It is a treasury of wise biblical soul care. Bob’s approach to counseling is clear, comprehensive, compassionate, and compelling. I found his Four Dimensions of Counseling Equipping (Character, Content/Conviction, Competence, Community) and the wealth of helpful self-counseling and other-counseling questions especially helpful. I plan to re-read Gospel Conversations soon as I seek to improve my own counseling training at my church. I enthusiastically recommend Gospel Conversations to everyone who aspires to counsel fruitfully and help others do the same. —Pat Quinn, Pastor of Counseling Ministries, University Reformed Church, East Lansing, MI
Gospel Conversations is a gift to the counseling community at large. It is theologically- rich, gospel-soaked, hope-filled, and practically presented. As a Christ-centered approach to counseling, it offers anyone interested in reaching the hearts of hurting people a solid opportunity to be equipped to do so. I highly recommend it to pastors, churches, educators, and missionaries as well as anyone wanting to be equipped or to equip others. I am grateful for the privilege to apply this in my church. —Dr. Dwayne R. Bond, Lead Pastor of Wellspring Church, CEO & Founder of Proximus Group
Bob Kellemen’s book, Gospel Conversations: How to Care Like Christ, is a robust, relational comprehensive training manual. While you can work through it on your own, this manual has much to offer in a group setting to grow all participants to be equipped to compassionately, biblically counsel for Christ. Even if you have been counseling for years, Gospel Conversations offers significant insights from the Scriptures about how to counsel that will help a veteran counsel in a more soul-to-soul manner in accordance with the Scriptures. I’ve been counseling for decades and am being greatly helped by Gospel Conversations. —Ken Long, Executive Pastor, Grace Fellowship Church, Florence, Kentucky, Contributing author to Christ-Centered Biblical Counseling.
Gospel Conversations is just what pastors, local church leaders, and compassionate laywomen and men need as we serve and minister to those God has placed around us. We come in contact with people who are suffering and struggling each and every day. Gospel Conversations by Dr. Bob Kellemen will equip us all to better speak both truth and love in a way that is winsome and wise.” —Dr. Steve Viars, Senior Pastor, Faith Church, Lafayette, IN; Author of Putting Your Past in Its Place
