What defines “Christ-centered people-helping”? Does it include specific features? How do we know it when we see it?

Based on our experiences over the years, here are our underlying assumptions about this approach. Let us know how they fit with your views and practices, and what, if anything, we've left out.

1. Christ is the center of the entire process.
   
   Not only is the process modeled after Jesus’ thoughts, feelings, teachings, and actions, He’s an intimate part of the helping experience as it’s unfolding. His power, through the Holy Spirit and the human helper, makes the helping work.
   
   
2. The overarching goal is thriving (not just surviving or even striving) in the pursuit of Christ-likeness.
   
   God’s intent for His children is that they accept and become more and more like Christ. The overall aim of Christ-centered helping is to encourage people to thrive (not just survive or even strive). They can do this through knowing Christ intimately, obeying and praising Him, becoming more competent in life knowledge/skills/attitudes, and helping others follow a similar path.
   
   
3. Helpees can improve in one or more areas of their lives.
   
   Jesus models healthiness in all life areas. These include: spiritual, physical, intellectual, emotional, social, and career/calling. A Christ-centered helper generally assists a helpee with one area then, perhaps, commits to assist in one or more other areas.
   
   
4. God can help people handle and even grow from pain.
   
   God makes provision for all levels of people’s needs, not only to survive painful experiences but also to grow as a result of them. One of our tasks as helpers is to encourage people as they pursue this truth. Avoiding, reducing, or escaping from pain isn’t the sole purpose of a Christ-centered helping approach. For some people, the only option is constructive pain management.
   
   
5. Some but not all suffering is caused directly by people’s sins.
   
   Some reasons for suffering aren’t obvious or avoidable (although they’re somehow part of God’s big plan). Always attributing pain to sin can add to people’s burdens. At the same time, sin does cause pain, and people often contribute to their problems because of poor decisions they make.
   
   
6. Effective helpers need certain knowledge, feelings, and skills.
   
   Christ-centered people helpers must be equipped with important knowledge (e.g., scripture, legal and ethical practices, community resources) and develop appropriate feelings (e.g., patience, optimism, sadness) and skills (e.g., listening actively, resolving conflicts) in order to respond effectively to people who want assistance.
   
   
7. Christ-centered helping can draw from many fields of expertise.
   
   Useful Christ-centered people-helping principles, processes, and tools can be found in diverse fields, not just theology and psychology, provided they're compatible with scripture.
   
   
8. This approach can be used by a variety of helpers.
   
   The methods and tools of a Christ-centered helping approach can be useful to anyone seeking to help others. The approach will be most useful and effective when applied by helpers who have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
   
   
9. Helping-related language is important.
   
   Words like counseling, therapy, psychotherapy, psychoanalysis, lay counselors, diagnostic categories of disorders, victims, patients, and clients aren’t useful when using this approach in church or parachurch settings. It’s usually better to use such terms as caring, helping, helpers, assisting, guiding, encouraging, challenges, and obstacles.
   
   
10. Christ-centered helpers should first help themselves.
    
    Before helping others, prospective helpers should effectively apply to their own lives the concepts, methods, and tools of this approach. Doing so will help them become healthier, learn to use the resources, and develop empathy for others going through change.

    Christ-centered helping is powerful and exciting. It also requires expertise. We hope you’ll expand your knowledge, feelings, and skills as you continue to affect people’s lives in positive ways. Let us know if we can help in any way.

God doesn’t promise that our lives will be easy. He doesn’t promise that we’ll have good health, attractive looks, successful children, or financial prosperity. But, fortunately, we can experience contentment and “abundance” through our relationship with His Son. . . . I came that they may have life and have it abundantly (John 10:10).