The Biblical Counseling Podcast

This is a podcast for Biblical Counselors. Each edition of the podcast will provide practical solutions for the problems we face in a fallen world. Anyone who helps people navigate through the trials, difficulties and impossibilities of life will benefit from the content. This podcast also serves Biblical Counseling Academy students and ministry leaders in the Calvary Chapel family of ministries. Did you know we are NOW enrolling in the Biblical Counseling Academy? Check it out at BiblicalCounselingAcademy.com If there are issues you would like us to address or questions you would like us to answer, email and let us know or ask on Twitter at @jchristianson using the hashtag #jeffchristianson Are you blessed by this podcast? If you would like to offer a tax-deductible contribution, do so below. Web Giving: https://iabc.breezechms.com/give/online Text Giving: Text an amount to (716) 271-5247 Simply text the amount you'd like to give to this number. First time givers will be prompted to provide their payment method via a secure web page.

272: Knowing Christ Our Greatest Priority 12/31/2025

272: Knowing Christ Our Greatest Priority What’s the #1 priority in your life—and what does your answer reveal about what truly motivates you? In this two-part teaching through Philippians 3:7–14, Pastor Jeff Christianson calls us back to the highest priority of the Christian life: knowing God. The apostle Paul says everything else becomes “loss” compared to “the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord” (Philippians 3:8). In this episode, we unpack why knowing the Lord is the supreme treasure, how we come to the Father only through the righteousness of Christ, and why real discipleship always flows from abiding—never from anxious busy-ness. You’ll hear: Why knowing the Lord is the believer’s highest priority (Philippians 3:7–8; John 17:3) David’s charge: “Know the God of your father” (1 Chronicles 28:9) How God brings us from darkness to light (2 Corinthians 4:6) The three ways we grow in knowing Him: resurrection power, fellowship of sufferings, and being conformed to His death (Philippians 3:10) Pressing forward with a single focus: “one thing I do” (Philippians 3:13–14) A needed warning for distracted hearts: Mary vs. Martha—the one necessary thing (Luke 10:38–42) This teaching is a fresh call to count all things loss, lay hold of Christ, forget what lies behind, and press toward the upward call—so we can live a visibly resurrected life in a dead world. Scripture Focus: Philippians 3:7–14 Key Supporting Passages: John 17:3; 1 Chronicles 28:9; Jeremiah 9:23–24; 2 Corinthians 4:6; 1 John 5:20; Luke 10:38–42; Ephesians 1:17 “If you seek Him, He will be found by you.” (1 Chronicles 28:9) The Biblical Counseling Academy We train Christians to counsel with Scripture so they can help hurting people find hope in Christ. Many believers want to help others but feel unprepared to counsel biblically. The Biblical Counseling Academy gives you clear and practical training rooted in God’s Word. In as little as 12 months, with just 5 hours per week, you’ll be equipped and certified to counsel with confidence and clarity. Your next step starts with a conversation. Call (828) 707-9034 /episode/index/show/jeffchristianson/id/39575900

271: Standing Strong in the Lord as a Christian Home 12/15/2025

270: When God Builds a Family for His Church and His Glory 12/09/2025

269: God the Master Builder of Our Homes 12/06/2025

268: The Centrality of Christ in Worship 10/28/2025

267: Flee from Idols: Equipping Leaders in Biblical Counseling 10/02/2025

266: Guarding Families Against Idolatry in the Home 09/17/2025

265: Worldly Threats To The Family 08/30/2025

264: Counseling Ministry For All Believers 07/14/2025

263: Is God's Word Sufficient? 07/09/2025

262: Forward and Upward - The Biblical Direction for Transformation 06/13/2025

261: Equipping for the Counseling Ministry 05/02/2025

260: The Spirit's Power in Biblical Counseling 04/21/2025

259: The Spirit-Renewed Mind: Key to Christlike Counseling (Part 3) 04/14/2025

258: The Spirit-Renewed Mind: Key to Christlike Counseling (Part 2) 04/07/2025

257: The Spirit-Renewed Mind - Key to Christlike Counseling (Part 1) 04/07/2025

256: Conviction of the Holy Spirit - Pastor Jeff's Testimony 02/12/2025

256: Conviction of the Holy Spirit - Pastor Jeff's Testimony If you are a biblical counselor, you have come face to face with many forms of human brokenness. It is overwhelming at times to see the effects of human sinfulness and depravity in the world. Men and women live in circumstances touched by suffering, substance abuse, anger, conflict, bitterness, depression, grief, sexual immorality, and shame. The secular world cannot see the spiritual realities behind these manifestations of sin. In each circumstance, Christians perceive that manifestations of sin and suffering are the results of death and bear witness to the absence of spiritual life among humanity. This podcast begins a new series of theological talks addressing one of the most vital doctrines for biblical counselors, the doctrine of the Holy Spirit. If the sin and suffering counselees experience in the world is a result of sin and suffering, then the Holy Spirit is central to the work of biblical counseling. In this podcast, Jeff Christianson argues that the Holy Spirit plays a vital role in the work and ministry of biblical counseling. The Holy Spirit gives and sustains spiritual life in both the ministry of the biblical counselor and the spiritual lives of counselees. In Scripture, we see that the Holy Spirit plays two major roles in the believer’s life. First, the Holy Spirit gives spiritual life to the believer (John 3:3–8). Paul writes that we were dead in our trespasses and sins (Eph 2:1). Our spiritual life begins when the Holy Spirit fully indwells our hearts at conversion. Second, the Holy Spirit not only gives us spiritual life, but he also remains within us as our continual source of spiritual life. Once we are born again, we continue to walk in step with the Spirit (Gal 5:25). Christians must remember that as they commute, work, travel, rest, fellowship, and engage in the different activities of life, they are constantly drawing upon the spiritual power of the Holy Spirit to sustain their spiritual life. Many Christians struggle with understanding the nature of the spiritual life. They feel defeated by sin. They see their affections for God withering. They feel powerless in evangelism. For how common these experiences can feel, Jeff Christianson reminds Christians that they must not look to their own efforts to grow and sustain spiritual fruit. But Christians must look to the Holy Spirit to sustain their spiritual lives. Christians face a difficulty when discussing the Holy Spirit. There are many crazy ideas about the Holy Spirit floating around the church world today. Many Christians struggle to maintain the biblical balance on the doctrine of the Holy Spirit. On the one side is “Charismania.” Many Christians can become overwhelmed by experiences or ideas that they think are biblical. Sadly, the Holy Spirit can easily become an excuse for fleshly and humanistic hype. The key to discerning the work of the Holy Spirit is recognizing the authority and sufficiency of the Scriptures. God’s Word must govern and regulate our understanding of the Spirit’s work (1 Jn 4:1). On the other hand, many Christians respond strongly against the abuses of the Spirit’s work and swing too far the other way. People see the abuses of the Spirit and embrace a dead or dry approach to the Spirit’s work. In trying to prevent the abuses, they adopt a lifeless spirituality. Instead of falling into either the ditch of “Charismania” or the ditch of lifeless spirituality, Christians must embrace the full teaching of the Word of God on the doctrine of the Holy Spirit. God’s Word clearly teaches that there is life, hope, and peace for believers found in the work of the Holy Spirit. Christians must be careful when approaching the work of counseling. Many times, counselors have a background in some sort of mechanical field. Maybe you have a craft or a skill that has been cultivated over time. Jeff Christianson in this podcast shares his past as a car mechanic. Jeff spent many years in the 1980s working on hot rods and cars during the “Rock ’n’ Roll” years in Los Angeles, California. He still remembers the formula and processes of constructing engines, bodywork, and styling cars. Christians with backgrounds in mechanical fields can take a mechanical approach to counseling. They are tempted to treat people like machines and view the change process as a series of formulas. Christianson reminds counselors that counselees are much more complex than cars or equipment. Many times, counselees lives are messy and complicated. The complexity of counseling forces counselors to rely upon the Holy Spirit in the transformation of their counselees. Jeff Christianson ends this podcast with his own personal testimony. If there was ever an example of a messy counselee, Jeff fit the picture! Jeff shares how 2022 marks thirty years of his spiritual life as a Christian. If someone traveled back thirty years to Los Angeles, they would find a young Jeff Christianson with long hair, a cool car, and an empty soul. Jeff pursued everything the world had to offer, drugs, girls, and fun. His work on hot rods gave him access to celebrities and rock stars during the height of rock music in LA. One fateful day in 1992, Jeff went to see the band Motorhead and their new opening act, a band called Guns N’ Roses. During the concert, Jeff attempted to smoke in the concert hall and was kicked out. Drunk, Jeff went behind the theater to urinate only to be arrested. He spent the night in the Pasadena jail. Once he was released, he found his car impounded. A long walk to his car gave Jeff time to think about his life. His hot rod business was falling apart. His girlfriend had left him. He was empty. He was broken. His life was falling apart. Soon after, Jeff found a Gideon’s bible and God changed his story. Jeff believes in the power of the Holy Spirit because thirty years ago the Holy Spirit took a young and empty Jeff Christianson and gave him spiritual life. Jeff Christianson Biblical Counseling Academy  PO Box 3021 Glenwood Springs, CO 81602  Admissions Office: (828) 707-9034 Make An Appointment: Join the Academy: Make A Donation: Now Enrolling: /episode/index/show/jeffchristianson/id/35263820

255: Helping Others Cultivate a Life of Prayer 01/17/2025

255: Helping Others Cultivate a Life of Prayer Podcast Episode for Biblical Counselors in Training Helping Others Cultivate a Life of Prayer As a Biblical counselor, have you ever wondered how to equip those you serve to develop a meaningful and effective prayer life? This week’s episode of the Biblical Counseling Podcast with Pastor Jeff Christianson dives deep into the essential role of prayer in the Christian life and provides you with the tools to help others make prayer a consistent and transformative part of their daily walk with God. Prayer is more than just asking God for help; it’s about fostering a deep, personal connection with Him that shapes hearts and lives. Drawing from Scripture, such as 1 Thessalonians 5:17, which exhorts believers to “pray without ceasing,” Pastor Jeff explains how prayer can be integrated into the busyness of life. This episode offers practical strategies for Biblical counselors to guide others in understanding what it means to live in constant communication with God. Through prayer, individuals learn to share their thoughts, emotions and needs with God while embracing His guidance, peace, and presence. As Jesus taught in Matthew 6, prayer is an act of praise, trust, and humility before the Father. In this episode, Pastor Jeff shares how Biblical counselors can effectively model and teach this perspective on prayer to those they disciple. This episode equips Biblical counselors with practical accountability tools to: ● Encourage those they counsel to prioritize daily prayer. ● Teach the foundational importance of prayer in their relationship with God. ● Guide others in building a sustainable, vibrant prayer life that fosters spiritual growth. ● Use prayer as a means to point people back to God’s transformative power. Prayer is vital in Biblical counseling because it reflects our dependence on God as the ultimate Counselor. By teaching others to pray and holding them accountable to prayer, we help them experience His love, guidance, and restoration in their lives. It’s through prayer that true heart transformation occurs, as we connect with the One who heals and renews. As you listen to this episode, take a moment to reflect on your own prayer life and how you can encourage those you serve to make prayer a daily habit. Whether it’s a quick prayer in the middle of a busy day or an extended time of conversation with God, remember that He is always listening. Prayer not only brings peace and guidance, but it also deepens our relationship with Him and aligns us with His will. Tune in to this episode and be inspired to make prayer a cornerstone of your Biblical counseling ministry. Equip yourself to help others discover the joy and power of a life centered on prayer! Jeff Christianson Biblical Counseling Academy  PO Box 3021 Glenwood Springs, CO 81602  Admissions Office: (828) 707-9034 Make An Appointment: Join the Academy: Make A Donation: Now Enrolling: /episode/index/show/jeffchristianson/id/34899405

254: A New Year: Following Jesus as a Disciple 12/30/2024

253: Immanuel, God With Us 12/16/2024

253: Immanuel, God With Us The season of Christmas is a memorable time for many people. The special holidays and decorations accompany festive gatherings and events, especially those events centered around the incarnation of the Son of God, Jesus Christ. Yet, some people do not see Christmas as a time of celebration but a season of pain. Consumer Christmas and social media consistently remind us about the items we lack or the events we missed. Many people experience Christmas as a season of loneliness, anxiety, and depression. What truths can we remember during the Christmas season and the rest of the year to fight against depression, isolation, and worry? In this week’s episode of the Biblical Counseling Podcast, Pastor Jeff Christianson draws the listener’s attention to one of the greatest miracles ever performed: the incarnation. The Christmas season is a special time for reflecting upon the descent of the Son of God into our fallen world as God’s Son took on human nature. Fully God and fully man, Jesus Christ is Immanuel, God with us. Pastor Jeff reminds us that the truths of Christmas should stagger us. Not only did the Son of God humble himself in an unfathomable manner, he promises to remain with us and abide within us. Jesus says in John 14:3, “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.” Biblical counselors must remind counselees of God’s amazing promise to abide in his people forever. Christ’s condescension and his perpetual identification with us in our humanity will forever bear witness to Christ’s continual presence among his people. All other religions propose that we may dwell with God only after producing enough works to gain his pleasure; only Christianity speaks of a God who dwells among the lowly and secures as salvation at his own expense. At Christmas time, many sing the beloved hymn “O Come, O Come, Immanuel,” O come, O come, Immanuel, and ransom captive Israel that mourns in lonely exile here until the Son of God appear. Rejoice! Rejoice! Immanuel shall come to you, O Israel. There are many people who struggle with feelings of loneliness, anxiety, and depression from being isolated from others. They may feel as if they are mourning in lonely exile. For example, many people who survive suicide attempts concede that they felt alone and believed that no one cared about them. While biblical counselors cannot promise to make themselves available to every counselees whenever a need arises, counselors can point counselees to the one who never leaves them nor forsakes them. The truth of Christ’s perpetual presence among his people comforts the distressed soul. Furthermore, counselees can find repose from the fact that Christ understands feelings of loneliness and isolation, as he experienced abandonment of his friends at his most pressing hour. Struggling Christians can identify with their crucified savior who intimately knows the feelings of loneliness. Christians are responsible for making themselves available to those around them. During the business of the holiday season, events and checklists can overshadow real people who need company or a phone call. This holiday season or any time of year, who needs the comfort of your presence? Who needs your condescension into the mess of their lives? As Christians, do we model Christ’s willingness to open himself up to the pain and suffering of others at the personal cost to himself? We who are rich in Christ, do we make ourselves poor out of love for others? Want to learn more? Listen to this podcast to hear Pastor Jeff address: An explanation and application of Jesus’s name, Immanuel An analysis of loneliness, depression, and anxiety during the holiday season An encouragement toward making yourself available to the promptings of the Holy Spirit for ministry opportunities Jeff Christianson Biblical Counseling Academy  PO Box 3021 Glenwood Springs, CO 81602  Admissions Office: (828) 707-9034 Make An Appointment: Join the Academy: Make A Donation: Now Enrolling: /episode/index/show/jeffchristianson/id/34470430

252: The Sufficiency of God's Word in Counseling 12/03/2024

252: The Sufficiency of God's Word in Counseling Biblical counselors face criticisms for believing that Scripture contains everything that we need for counseling others. Many psychologists label this thinking as simplistic. Are biblical counselors simplistic by believing in the sufficiency of God’s Word? How do we think about the complexities of secular psychology and the simplicity of the Christian message? In this week’s episode of the Biblical Counseling Podcast, Pastor Jeff Christianson defends the sufficiency of Scripture from the assaults of secular voices and opinions. Many Christians have been deceived by the allures of psychology’s insights and models. Pastor Jeff reminds listeners that the greatest threat to the church is the temptation to abandon Jesus Christ, the wonderful counselor (Is 9:6). Scripture speaks of the constant temptation to abandon God as the source of life for lesser substitutes which never satisfy our hearts (Jer 2:13). Teaching from James 1:21-22, Pastor Jeff reminds listeners that the Word of God alone can save our souls. Humility defines every biblical counselor’s posture. We must come humbly to God’s Word and seek his wisdom. While secular psychology offers many observations and hypotheses, only God’s Word takes us from death to life. Also, we must put God’s Word to practice to avoid self-deception. The counselee who hears God’s Word but fails to put these words into practice is deceived and puffed up. We must devour God’s Word, absorbing its truths into our hearts. Then, we must apply God’s Word, fully convinced of Scripture’s authority. If God has called us to serve as his counselors, we must prepare ourselves with his Word to function as his instruments. Secular psychology impresses many people with its observations and studies. In 2 Corinthians 11:3, Paul warns us to watch for Satan’s deceptive tactics, which lure us away from the simplicity of Christ. While psychology parades around its complexities and insights, we know that psychology cannot penetrate the depths of our hearts. Only the true and simple message of Christ gives life to our souls. The gospel is not simplistic or non-substantial, it is simple yet profound, that God would send his Son into the world to redeem sinners and rebels. Yet, psychological theory is one of Satan’s most crafty tactics to hurt the church since it presents a way to life and self-modification without God. Many Christians are caught up in the pursuit of psychological training and submit themselves to the world’s standards of becoming a good psychotherapist. But the riches of wisdom and insight are only found in the gospel of Jesus Christ (Eph 3:8). Want to learn more from Pastor Jeff? Listen to this podcast to hear Pastor Jeff address: The greatest assault facing the church today The proper posture for submitting to God’s Word The deceptiveness of psychotherapy’s complexity Jeff Christianson Biblical Counseling Academy  PO Box 3021 Glenwood Springs, CO 81602  Admissions Office: (828) 707-9034 Make An Appointment: Join the Academy: Make A Donation: Now Enrolling: /episode/index/show/jeffchristianson/id/34263665