Summary of workshop, ‘Friday Night Roundtable with CCEF Faculty’ (CCEF Conference Live Blog)

(I am writing these little summaries in between the live blog entries to let you know how Fred and I experienced the conference–and to give you just a flavor of the live blogs in case you were scared off by the 60,000 word count. 🙂 )

The last session Friday night was a roundtable discussion by CCEF Faculty of the case study about “Robbie” who has been “laid low and his family destroyed by two addictions: gambling and prescription pain meds.’

There were so many great nuggets in this session that I had a very hard time picking out just a few for you to review. Please do consider reading the entire Live Blog transcript—I really think that you will enjoy it.

In the interim, here are just a few snippets:

DAVID POWLISON: As I think about this man, the image that comes to my mind is that he is wandering around in a very dark wood at night and he has two predators after him. But rather than responding wisely, he is whistling in the dark, just hoping they will go away … I would take Robbie to Psalm 25 because it puts feet on both predators and it points Robbie to the Savior … This will not be an easy sell. It is not one of those, ‘here’s a Bible verse, hope this helps’ kind of things. No. We need to persevere with Robbie to help him to see that God is intervening in his life. God is helping to lead Robbie from darkness into light.

JULIE SMITH-LOWE: I would try to figure out, ‘What would hope look like for Robbie?’ Here is a man who has tried so many things and failed at them. What gives him hope right now? Why is he coming into counseling? How do I talk about hope? How do I talk about the gospel in a way that gives him fresh hope?

MIKE EMLET: I was struck by this sense of impending death. 2 Corinthians 1:8 … ‘This happened so that we would not rely on ourselves but on God Who raises the dead.’ Robbie really needs a resurrection. He’s thinking too small about what really needs to happen. When he’s at the end himself, he can see and taste the resurrection power of Christ Himself. This is not automatic. It takes time.

WINSTON SMITH: He’s talked to everybody. So I’d like to ask some responsibility-generating questions. “So, Robbie, how is it that I can help you? Why me? What do you hope to hear from me that is different?” If I see him at the CCEF, more than likely I’ll hear something like, “People say that God is the answer. So I’m talking to you.” One of the things that struck me is that the way he talks about God is the way you think about a drug/medication. “I call out to Jesus and nothing happens.” So I’d draw him out to understand what he means. I’d ask about what Scripture he reads; Serenity Prayer; the “Our Father.” Has a “magic formula feel” to it. ‘But one thing you need to realize, Robbie, is that God is a Person. He chooses to respond in the way He chooses to respond. He’s not a thing, a pill, an experience. He’s a real Person. So let’s pray for something different. Let’s not pray for an experience. Let’s pray for wisdom and discernment.’

TIM LANE: One thing I have found helpful is finding out when someone’s life-dominating sins started. Age 11 or 25? That’s when their maturation stopped. If someone started using at 14 and they are now 40, you’re probably still dealing with a 14 year old. So I want to know when Robbie started this addictive lifestyle. Another thing that strikes me: This is a guy who vacillates between despair/failure and renewed sense to do moral reform. Whole motivation is driven by guilt. Guilt is a terrible long-term motivator for permanent change. Works short-term, but not long-term. The message of the gospel is what brings permanent change. I want to help Robbie to become shocked by grace.

WINSTON SMITH: How does the church approach someone like this?

(Oooooh! Can you believe I’m stopping there? Don’t you want to read on in the Live Blog transcript? 🙂

Hope these notes are helpful to you.

Blessings and joy,
Tara B.)