Bill Acton :: Romans 15:14 - The Christian as a Counselor

Sermon Outline for Romans 15:14

The Christian as a Counselor

1. The First Important Factor in Counseling Is to Recognize that Christ Is the Counselor
   1. His indwelling presence – Eph 3:14
   2. His work in and through the believer – Phl 2:13
2. The Second Important Factor in Counseling is the Fact that Christ Equips the Believer for the Ministry of Counseling – Col 3:16; Col 1:11; 2Th 2:13-17; Heb 13:20-21
3. The Third Important Factor in Counseling Is the Personal Life of the Counselor – 1Ti 1:5-6
   1. Pure heart
   2. Clear conscience
   3. Sincere faith
   4. Love as the purpose
   5. Love as the motivation
4. The Fourth Important Factor in Counseling Is Simply Telling Each Other How God Helps Us
5. Analysis of Romans 15:14
   1. The basic thought of the verse
      1. Direct verbal confrontation
      2. By the Spirit
      3. From the Word
      4. Through the believer
      5. About something God wants changed
   2. The basic equipment of the believer
      1. Knowledge from Scripture
         1. What the believer knows about man
         2. What the believer knows about the world
         3. What the believer knows about God
         4. The believer’s knowledge enables him to evaluate problems
         5. The believer’s knowledge enables him to discover God’s solutions
      2. Wisdom – common sense
         1. Application of knowledge
         2. Application of truth
      3. Goodness
         1. Personal relationship with the Lord that brings inner purity
         2. Personal relationship with Christ that produces desire to help others
6. Qualities that Help Others
   1. Sincerity
   2. Confidence
   3. Relaxed
   4. Unhurried attitude
   5. Undivided attention
   6. Approachable
   7. Open
   8. Unshockable
   9. Humble
   10. Trustworthy
   11. Acceptance
   12. Loving
7. Discovering Solutions
   1. Minimize – “I have the answer”
      1. Stay away from quick answers
      2. Consider silence
   2. Emphasize – the impact of God’s Word
8. The Vital Ingredient – Listening
   1. Listening requires energy
   2. Listening requires endurance
   3. Listening requires patience
   4. How to listen
      1. To what is said – content
      2. To how it is said – feelings
      3. To what is not said – omissions
   5. Listening brings healing