I Do Again: How We Found a Second Chance at Our Marriage–and You Can Too

March 12, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

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“I can’t tell you all the life change that has occurred at The Village because of what our great God and King has done in the lives of Jeff and Cheryl Scruggs. The ripple effect is still roaring through our people. Adultery has
been confessed, restoration sought, and healing attained by so many who heard their words. Their story needs to be heard. It is the gospel in action!”
—Matt Chandler, lead pastor, The Village Church, Highland Village, TX

“Every once in a while a story comes along that makes a pastor’s heart beat faster. Could it be that marriages that have failed miserably still get healed, survive, and flourish? The answer is a resounding Yes! We have seen it happen thanks to Cheryl and Jeff Scruggs. I simply could not recommend them any higher.”
—Pete Briscoe, senior pastor, Bent Tree Bible Fellowship, Carrollton, TX

“Jeff and Cheryl Scruggs’s personal journey of discovering God’s principles of forgiveness and healing is now being used to transform marriages that seem beyond repair. They have been providentially prepared for this.When you read this story of a dead marriage resurrected, you will find hope that any marriage can be brought back to life.”
—Steve and Mary Farrar, best-selling authors and popular couples’ counselors and speakers

“What this couple has to say truly will provide hope for marriages in ways that worldly solutions can’t begin to offer. ApplyingGod’s truth in a unique and powerful way is the core of the Scruggses’ prevailing ministry.”
—Linda Paulk, president and CEO of Sky Ranch Camps, Tyler, Texas

“Have you felt your marriage is beyond hope? Jeff and Cheryl allow the reader to see and experience what this elusive thing called hope looks and feels like in a couple’s life. It is their hearts’ desire to comfort and encourage
others as they have been comforted and encouraged.What a gift!”
—Steve Fischer, MS, MA, counselor, pastor, Stonebriar Community Church, Frisco, Texas

“We have been thrilled to see God using Jeff and Cheryl to reach out to broken and struggling marriages. Their humility and servants’ hearts allow others to feel safe, and as a result, they’re reaching couples with God’s message of hope and reconciliation.”
—Frank and Judy Waterer, FamilyLife, Campus Crusade

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Book Cover

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Family Issues In Christian Perspective

June 17, 2008 By testertwo Leave a Comment

The following books are required reading in the course “Family Issues In Christian Perspective” taught by Roc Bottomly, at Focus on the Family Institute.

Anderson, N. T. (2000). The bondage breaker. Eugene, OR: Harvest House.

Anderson, N. T. (1996). The steps to freedom in Christ. Ventura, CA: Gospel Light.

Arterburn. S. (1998). How will I tell my mother? Nashville: Nelson.

Burkett, L. (1989). The complete financial guide for young couples. Colorado Springs, CO: Victor.

Carroll, Bruce. (1999) Sometimes miracles hide. Howard Publishing.

Chapman, G. (1992). The five love languages. Chicago, IL: Northfield.

Cloud, Henry. (1995). The mom factor. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.

Dallas, J. (1991). Desires in conflict. Eugene, OR: Harvest House.

Dayton, H. (1996). Your money counts. Gainesville, GA: Crown Financial Ministries.

Dillow, L. & Pintus, L. (2002). Gift-wrapped by God. Colorado Springs, CO: Waterbrook.

Dobson, J. (2001). Bringing up boys. Wheaton, IL: Tyndale

Dobson, J. (1983). Love must be tough. Dallas: Word.

Dobson, J. (1989) Preparing for adolescence. Regal Books.

Dobson, J. (1992). The new dare to discipline. Wheaton, IL: Tyndale.

Dobson, J. (1995). The new hide and seek. Fleming Revell Company.

Eggerichs, E. (2004). Love and respect. Nashville, TN: Integrity

Elliot, E. (1984). Passion and purity. Grand Rapids, MI: Revell.

Haley, M. (2004). 101 Frequently asked questions about homosexuality. Eugene, OR:
Harvest House.

Hunt, M. (1996). The financially confident woman. Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman.

Lucado, Max. (1997). You are special. Wheaton, IL: Crossway.

McGee, R. (1993). Father hunger. Ann Arbor, MI: Servant.

Parrott, L., & Parrott, L. (1995). Saving your marriage before it starts. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.

Parrott, L., & Parrott, L. (1998). Getting ready for the wedding. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.

Penner, C., & Penner, J. (1994). Getting your sex life off to a great start. Dallas: Word.

Reisser, P. (1997) Complete baby and childcare. Wheaton, IL: Tyndale.

Seamands, D. A. (1981). Healing for damaged emotions. Wheaton, IL: Victor.

Stanley, S., Trathum, D., McCain, S., & Bryan, M. (1998). A lasting promise. San Francisco: Josey-Bass.

Thomas, G. (2000). Sacred marriage. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.

Winner, L.F. (2005). Real sex: the naked truth about chastity. Grand Rapids, MI: Brazo Press.

Wolgemuth, R. and B. & Devries, M. and S. (2003). The most important year in a
woman’s/man’s life. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.

The syllabus describes the course as follows – - –

DESCRIPTION:

The purpose of this course is to equip students with personal strategies for promoting healthy families, by specifically focusing on marriage, parenting, and the sanctity of all human life. Students will be exposed to typical issues that most spouses and parents are forced to confront as they attempt to establish healthy marriages and families. Biblical teachings, existing research, and current popular techniques will be reviewed, with the goal of aiding each student in their development of a personal strategy for dealing with these areas whenever confronted by them.

GENERAL OBJECTIVES:

1. To further enhance students’ understanding of the value of children.
2. To help students reflect upon the role that their parents had in shaping their current understanding of truth and love.
3. To help students develop a personalized strategy for conveying truth and love as a parent.
4. To further enhance students’ respect for the sanctity of all human life.
5. To equip students to build a lasting marriage by helping them to…
• Understand God’s design for marriage.
• Recognize the difficulties all couples must overcome to build a lasting marriage.
• Build strong connection in marriage.
• Prepare responsibly for marriage.

TOPICS:

• Family of origin
• Family influences and homosexuality
• Parenting and child discipline
• Parenting and self-esteem
• Parenting teens
• Spiritual training of children
• Divorce’s impact on children
• Parenting disabled children
• Marriage purposes
• Marriages responsibilities
• Gender differences
• Personality differences
• Effects of Supernatural evil
• Effects of Past damage
• Communication
• Conflict resolution
• Money management
• Sexual intimacy
• Mate selection
• Courtship and engagement
• Wedding, honeymoon and first year world

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Case Study Seminar – Counseling

May 17, 2007 By testertwo Leave a Comment

The following book was used during the 2006-2007 academic year at Westminster Theological Seminary, in the course Case Study Seminar taught by William Paul Smith, Adjunct Professor of Practical Theology:

From the seminary catalog:

Case Study Seminar

Purpose:
• To apply theology to the specifics of face-to-face ministry
• To develop more experience by discussing a broad range of counseling case studies
• To receive supervision on counseling cases

Faculty will present counseling cases for group discussion and students will present their own cases for supervision. Along with applying the content of the other counseling courses, topics include professional and ethical issues.

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Counseling Children

May 17, 2007 By testertwo Leave a Comment

The following books were used during the 2006-2007 academic year at Westminster Theological Seminary, in the course Counseling Children.





Counseling Children

Purpose:
• To develop counseling methods for understanding and communicating with children
• To enhance students’ understanding of the dynamics of family functioning that underscore behavioral problems of children
• To understand the present legal issues in counseling children
• To develop biblical models of parenting that students can use in counseling parents to be more effective in training and disciplining their children
• To develop an understanding of the effects of divorce on children and the issues in counseling with step and blended families

This course will focus on counseling with pre-adolescent children. It will provide students with a broader focus on evaluating children’s behavioral and emotional issues in the context of family functioning. The course will give special attention to counseling method and relevant legal issues.

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Counseling in the Local Church

May 17, 2007 By testertwo Leave a Comment

The following books were used during the 2006-2007 academic year at Westminster Theological Seminary, in the course on Counseling in the Local Church taught by Timothy Lane, Lecturer in Practical Theology:



From the seminary catalog:

Counseling in the Local Church

Purpose:
• To broaden students’ understanding of counseling to include all relationships
• To build a thoroughly biblical understanding of the local church as a ministering community where everyone plays a part
• To help students find their place of ministry within the context of the local church and to help others do the same
• To see the importance of both public and private ministry of the Word and how they interrelate
• To examine present ministry opportunities

Topics covered include a biblical foundation for private ministry of the Word; the role of community and relationships in the process of sanctification; developing a practical ecclesiology; and developing an eye for ministry opportunities such as conflict resolution, evangelism,
and church discipline.

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Methods of Biblical Change

May 17, 2007 By testertwo Leave a Comment

The following books were used during the 2006-2007 academic year at Westminster Theological Seminary, in the course on Methods of Biblical Change taught by Paul D. Tripp, Adjunct Professor of Practical Theology:

From the seminary catalog:

Methods of Biblical Change

Purpose:
• To help students develop a functional biblical counseling worldview
• To help students understand the importance of heart change as a methodological goal
• To develop an understanding of the role of Scripture in biblical counseling
• To highlight and practice the critical skills for effectiveness in biblical counseling

Topics covered include how to build a counseling relationship, how to gather and interpret data, how to function as an agent of repentance, and how to guide and assist others as they seek to
apply change to daily life.

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Counseling Problems and Procedures

May 17, 2007 By testertwo Leave a Comment

The following books were used during the 2006-2007 academic year at Westminster Theological Seminary, in the course on Counseling Problems and Procedures taught by Edward T. Welch, Professor of Practical Theology:






When God Weeps

From the seminary catalog:

Counseling Problems and Procedures

Purpose:
• To identify the essential features of biblical counseling
• To identify current counseling issues that are apparent in the church
• To appreciate Scripture’s depth as it addresses common problems such as suffering, anger, and anxiety
• To prepare students to move toward people with any type of struggle in a way that is helpful and Christ-centered

Topics covered include abuse, guilt and legalism, fear, anger, bipolar, schizophrenia, anorexia and bulimia, and addictions.

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Introduction to Psychological Assessment

May 17, 2007 By testertwo Leave a Comment

The following books were used during the 2006-2007 academic year at Westminster Theological Seminary, in the course Introduction to Psychological Assessment taught by William Paul Smith, Adjunct Professor of Practical Theology:














From the seminary catalog:

Introduction to Psychological Assessment

Purpose:
• To develop students’ understanding of how to wisely engage contemporar y cultures with a specific focus on psychological research literature, both Christian and secular
• To introduce students to the strengths and limitations of social scientific research
• To give students practice in evaluating research from a Christian worldview in a compelling and winsome manner that keeps ministry in view
• To give experience generating the necessar y elements of a literature review on a topic of choice

Topics covered include Christian interaction with culture, a Christian philosophy of science applied to issues of Christian-psychological integration, interpreting elementary descriptive and inferential statistics, basic research design, data presentation in tables and charts, and literature reviews and library research.

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Theology and Secular Psychology

May 17, 2007 By testertwo Leave a Comment

The following books were used during the 2006-2007 academic year at Westminster Theological Seminary, in the course on Secular Psychology taught by David Arthur Powlison, Adjunct Professor of Practical Theology:






















From the seminary catalog:

Theology and Secular Psychology

Purpose:
• To teach students how to understand psychologists’ observations, theories, and practices, and how to engage them critically, humbly, and lovingly
• To reinterpret through a redemptive gaze the things that psychologists see most clearly and care about most deeply
• To understand where biblical counseling fits in our cultural context, both within the evangelical church and within the surrounding mental health system

Topics covered include the skills of reinterpretation and redemptive interaction; historical over view of the biblical counseling and the evangelical psychotherapy movements; the lay of the land in contemporary counseling; assessment of motivation theories and self-esteem theory; and primary source readings from a half dozen representative psychologists, ranging from high culture to self-help.

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Pastoral Counseling

May 10, 2007 By testertwo Leave a Comment

The following books were used during the 2006-2007 academic year at Westminster Theological Seminary, in the course on Pastoral Counseling taught by Paul Trip, Adjunct Professor of Practical Theology:

According to the seminary catalog:

Orientation to Pastoral Counseling

Purpose:
• To help students develop a functional, biblical counseling worldview
• To help students understand the importance of heart change as a methodological goal
• To develop an understanding of the role of Scripture in biblical counseling
• To highlight and practice the critical skills for effectiveness in biblical counseling

Topics covered include how to build a counseling relationship, how to gather and interpret data, how to function as an agent of repentance, and how to guide and assist others as they seek to
apply change to daily life.

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