Dr. James Wilder and I used to meet each Monday morning, for many years, to keep up with developments at Shepherd’s House Family Counseling Center, and to discuss our ongoing projects. In the mid-90’s we began to compile the life-changing lessons we had been learning. When we invited the other Shepherd’s House counselors to join us on Mondays, a synergism emerged which brought together more than any of us could have imagined. The presence of God made it happen. He helped us to dovetail Psychology and Theology like never before. As we worked and re-worked our developing model for Christian living, this book took shape. No single person could have conceptualized or written The Life Model. It was a joyful endeavor, with five contributors. Many thanks go to Anne Bierling, Rick Koepcke, and Maribeth Poole, whose life-giving contributions light up each page.

Requests soon came in for Spanish editions, headed for thousands of pastors in South America. Then came requests for copies in Russian, and, eventually, Portuguese, Dutch, Indonesian, Korean, German, French, and Chinese translations were completed. The simply laid out ideas in The Life Model seem to reach out in a cross-cultural way. From its earliest edition, we Shepherd’s House counselors hoped to create a book which begs to be discussed. Please read it and discuss it. Expect growth in your family, your relationships, and in your community.

WHAT PEOPLE SAY

“The Life Model is the best model I have seen for bringing Christ to the center of counseling and restoring the disintegrating community fabric within Christian Churches.”

Dr. Dallas Willard, renowned professor, author, speaker, and purveyor of

            wisdom

“The answer given in The Life Model is very real – a combination of healthy spirituality, intellectual insight, a need for community and friendship—all put together to help us become transformed.”

            Dr. Francis MacNutt, founding director, Christian Healing Ministries