Welcome, Roar Nation! We are covering meaty topics in today's conversation, most notably how Jesus manifests His love for us in the care of our souls and why the Church often falls short in the counseling arena. Jon is joined by Rush Witt, the lead pastor of Paramount Church in Bexley, Ohio, which he planted 11 years ago. He and his wife are homeschooling parents of five kids, ranging from 8-19 years old. Rush has written several books, and he regularly partners with New Growth Press in the publishing industry.

Rush gives us a glimpse into his background and how he came to know Christ at a Christian basketball camp in 1995, soon feeling God's clear call into ministry. From his personal experience, Rush explains how God is most glorified when our hearts seek ultimate happiness in Him and how we experience "soul care" as we grow into a deeper relationship with Jesus.

Jon and Rush discuss the void in the Church regarding biblical counseling, loosely defined as "a ministry which brings Christ and His answers into the areas of our lives where we struggle to understand." Rush outlines his passion for Christian counseling and why he partnered with New Growth Press and Lifeway to help produce the Life Counsel Bible. This unique Bible helps meet the counseling needs and bridges the gap in the Christian community in dealing with the hardest issues. With any struggle we seek to overcome, we can't look for the "quick fix" but have to trust the process of falling in love with Jesus to bring our healing and transformation. Jon closes the conversation by asking Rush about a time when he felt most desperate for God to show up, his strengths and weaknesses, and what he would say to his younger self. Rush's parting advice is for us to stop "thinking small" in light of the infinite God who lives in us, to give ourselves grace, and to invite God into our stories and journeys.

Resources:

Connect with Rush Witt: Website and Life Counsel Bible

Explore our podcast episodes and find resources at areyoureal.org.

207: Soul Care and Biblical Counseling with Rush Witt