Location via proxy:   [ UP ]  
[Report a bug]   [Manage cookies]                
Skip to main content
Michael Gembola
  • Roanoke, Virginia, United States
Marital restoration from infidelity follows the biblical pattern of Christian discipleship, involving specific action steps and progress of insight in a relational context. The teaching of Jesus that adultery comes from the heart provides... more
Marital restoration from infidelity follows the biblical pattern of Christian discipleship, involving specific action steps and progress of insight in a relational context. The teaching of Jesus that adultery comes from the heart provides a central guiding insight for conceptualizing infidelity and marital restoration. A framework is presented for the varied helping efforts required for the spouse who was unfaithful, for the spouse who was betrayed, and for the marriage. KEYWORDS: Pastoral counseling, infidelity, adultery, affairs, marriage counseling, divorce, marital reconciliation
A review and comparison of Scot McKnight and Laura Barringer's A Church Called Tov, Chuck DeGroat's When Narcissism Comes to Church, and Diane Langberg's Redeeming Power.
On the surface, assertiveness appears to contradict Christian ideals of self-sacrifice and concern for the interest of others (Phil 2). Yet rightly conceived, assertiveness is part of the image of God, as an expression of personhood and... more
On the surface, assertiveness appears to contradict Christian ideals of self-sacrifice and concern for the interest of others  (Phil 2). Yet rightly conceived, assertiveness is part of the image of God, as an expression of personhood and God-given voice. In this article, biblical texts and a pastoral care insight from Gregory the Great is  brought into brief dialogue with Ivan Nagy's contextual therapy for a fresh look at assertiveness.
This article brings a Christian counseling perspective into engagement with the Christian virtue ethics tradition of Evagrius of Pontus, John Cassian, and Gregory the Great, as represented by Dennis Okholm's excellent work on the seven... more
This article brings a Christian counseling perspective into engagement with the Christian virtue ethics tradition of Evagrius of Pontus, John Cassian, and Gregory the Great, as represented by Dennis Okholm's excellent work on the seven deadly sins. Like Thomas Oden, Okholm makes the provocative claim that modern psychology has in many cases merely rediscovered insights previously offered in the history of Christian pastoral care. Okholm even argues that the medieval monastic writers in particular cases offer us a more holistic and advanced conception for some personal problems.
Research Interests:
Research Interests:
This article confronts a widely-accepted, rarely-examined social value—the “Extrovert Ideal.” Our society, and even the church, values and rewards those who are comfortable in the spotlight and gregarious by nature—and overlooks quieter,... more
This article confronts a widely-accepted, rarely-examined social value—the “Extrovert Ideal.” Our society, and even the church, values and rewards those who are comfortable in the spotlight and gregarious by nature—and overlooks quieter, reflective types. But was this always the case? And is this value supported by the Bible? These questions are examined, the priority of quietness is traced through various church fathers and the Bible, and some implications of both extroversion and shyness in interpersonal ministry are discussed.
Research Interests: