Class #16 in our BOLD Course on Christian Discipling & Biblical Counseling. Adapted from Capitol Hill Baptist Church's Core Seminar on Christian Discipling: https://www.capitolhillbaptist.org/sermon/class-4-congregational-counseling Description from SermonAudio: The lesson presents a biblical vision for church-based discipleship and counseling. It emphasizes that every believer bears responsibility to care for one another through God's Word, rather than deferring to professional counselors. Grounded in numerous 'one another' passages and Paul's affirmation of the church's collective ability to instruct one another, it argues that the local congregation is the primary context for spiritual formation and mutual care. It distinguishes three levels of engagement: personal relationships as the front lines, mature believers as mentors, and pastoral care as a last resort for severe struggles. Still, it affirms that all members are called to participate in the work of discipleship. The class addresses common hesitations about inadequacy by affirming that faithfulness, prayerful listening, and Scripture application require no professional training — only willingness and dependence on the Holy Spirit. It concludes with clear guidelines for when to seek pastoral help, stressing that such steps should not replace personal involvement but rather support it. It warns against promising confidentiality, underscoring the importance of trust and wisdom in spiritual care.

Class #15 in our BOLD Course on Christian Discipling & Biblical Counseling. Adapted from Capitol Hill Baptist Church's Core Seminar on Christian Discipling: https://www.capitolhillbaptist.org/sermon/week-3-christian-identity Description from SermonAudio: This class centers on the biblical foundation of Christian identity. It holds that true self-understanding comes not from performance, relationships, labels, or self-perception, but from God's Word, being defined through the lens of creation, fall, and redemption. It emphasizes that identity is shaped by what we ultimately trust—whether the world's opinions, achievements, psychology, or God's truth—and warns that when competing influences become authoritative, they distort our sense of worth and purpose. The lesson draws from Paul's testimony in Philippians of transformation and radical reorientation from self-righteousness to Christian identity; it also calls believers to reject all earthly foundations and embrace the truth that they are image-bearers of God, once fallen in sin, but now redeemed in Christ. Practical application involves guiding others to shift conversations from experiential concerns to theological reflection, helping them discern what truly governs their hearts and reorient their lives around the unchanging truth of Scripture. Ultimately, the class affirms that identity is not discovered in self-analysis but is revealed in Christ, where dignity, purpose, and direction are found in relationship with God.