Marriage Archives - Biblical Counseling Institute

“Ask the Biblical Counselor” with Dr. Ab Abercrombie

Beginning Wednesday evening April 15th at 6:30 pm, Faith Family Fellowship in partnership with BCI will offer a series entitled, “Ask the Biblical Counselor” with Dr. Ab Abercrombie. Ab has been a biblical counselor for over 30 years and will accept questions pertaining to all areas of Christian and family life. After April 15th, the … Read More

Biblical Marriage in Unbiblical Times

Dr. Ab Abercrombie will lead and teach a marriage conference sponsored by Faith Family Fellowship in Spanish Fort, AL. The conference will meet on Sunday evenings from 5:30 until 6:45 pm during Sunday evening discipleship classes. There is no cost to the community and everyone is welcomed to attend. Dates: Sunday evenings April 19, 26, … Read More

The Gospel-Centered Marriage

Ab and Karen Abercrombie will lead a marriage retreat sponsored by Redeemer 30A Church in Santa Rosa Beach, FL to be held Friday evening March 6th and all day Saturday March 7th, 2020. Due to the generosity of Redeemer 30A, there is no cost for participants to attend, but preregistration is required. This will be … Read More

Marriage Conference

Dr. Ab and Karen Abercrombie will be speaking at the fall Marriage Conference of New Generation Church, based in Mobile, AL. The conference will be held at the Embassy Suites Hotel in Miramar Beach, FL. We look forward to serving with Pastor Everage Thomas and his wife Laura, teaching the biblical principles of marriage. For … Read More

Love Her Into Submission…

Dr. Ab Abercrombie

Christian men everywhere unite! It is time to help our wives toward biblical obedience once and for all! Women everywhere should answer their scriptural mandate:

Wives, be subject to your own husbands, as to the Lord (Eph 5:22).

I know you have done everything to get these “weaker vessels” (1 Pet 3:7) in line. But in your frustration you have abdicated your responsibilities. In response the women were left to dictate the order in your home, define the family’s spiritual focus, work long, tiring hours away from the children, and run the churches you attend. No matter how much you complain, criticize, yell, sulk, or withdraw, those women just keep assuming control and overriding your authority.

But while you believe that you have exhausted your options, I bring one last hope for turning this mayhem around. It is a tricky maneuver to be sure; they will never see it coming…Let’s love them into submission!

Yes it is challenging and no it won’t happen overnight. But take heart…if we persevere these unique creatures can be transformed into wonderful helpers designed just for us! (Gen 2:18).

Step 1…Become a man under authority…

Submission conveys love, trust, and respect for authority. It depicts a willingness to sacrifice one’s desires in service to another. I know it has been a long time, but think back to high school physics class and recall the most basic physical law: “Every action yields an equal and opposite reaction.”

According to God’s Word, when you learn to submit (conveying love, trust, and respect), your wife will be compelled to do the same. Speaking of Christ, Paul wrote:

And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all (Eph 1:22-23).

All authority belongs to Christ. A submitted man recognizes and honors this truth first and foremost. Seeking surrender and humility before the Lord presents a model for the wife to follow. An obedient man is a trustworthy and reliable leader because his motivations are not selfish, but rather his existence and aim is to the glory of God.

The Homosexual Gospel: According to Rob Bell

Dr. Ab Abercrombie

I think Rob Bell has been eating some bad fruit. As a self-proclaimed spokesman for God and the Christian faith, Bell bears evidence of poor nutrition that has defiled his heart and mind. As Christians we all must be discerning of where we acquire our spiritual food.

When God created the Garden of Eden He planted two types of trees:

The LORD God planted a garden toward the east, in Eden; and there He placed the man whom He had formed. Out of the ground the LORD God caused to grow every tree that is pleasing to the sight and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Gen 2:8-9).

Satan encourages us to reject the “tree of life” (Christ) and feast upon the forbidden “tree of the knowledge of good and evil.” In the garden, the serpent tempted Eve to doubt and question God’s Word concerning sin:

The serpent said to the woman, “You surely will not die! “For God knows that in the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make one wise, she took from its fruit and ate; and she gave also to her husband with her, and he ate (Gen 3:4-6).

Eve’s desire soon became her truth. She, and her husband, answered their craving for beauty, taste, and wisdom rather than heed God’s instruction. How could something so appealing to the flesh be sinful? As Satan had whispered… “You surely will not die!” With the ingestion of the illicit fruit, the spirit of the antichrist (1 Jn 4:2-3) advanced its position and has been offering a counterfeit version of “truth” ever since.

Growing Families: Two Kinds of Seed

Dr. Ab Abercrombie

Parenting is a challenge. In fact, it might be one of the most demanding aspects of the Christian life because the potential ramifications are so great. And, when we consider the condition of our world and the deterioration of our culture, the task is even more daunting.

If we look at the research concerning children, we could become very discouraged. Psychiatrists and psychologists tell us we are approaching an epidemic of childhood mental illness. Learning disabilities, clinical depression, attention deficit disorder, bipolar conditions, violent assault, disregard for authority, suicide, sexual promiscuity, and teen pregnancy are all on the increase according to the professionals.

And what explanations do the experts offer? They tell us that there is an explosion of biochemical imbalances, genetic vulnerability, and organic illnesses to blame.

Their answer: medication management. Today, 40 out of every 1,000 children are taking anti-psychotic medications to control their behavior. And this doesn’t include the millions who are taking medication for depression and anxiety! Notice I said medication management not medical cure. In truth, psychiatry and psychology has never cured anybody. The best they can offer is to help someone remain comfortably sick while subduing their behavior.

But Scripture offers a very different explanation, and a different answer, for these problems. In God’s Word, there is a precise order for the home. There is a clearly defined role for the husband and father; an explicit function for the wife and mother; and a system of training and structure for the child. Scripture even goes so far as to prescribe a cure for disobedient, sinful conduct…His name is Jesus Christ!

An Empowered Life

Dr. Ab Abercrombie

The biblical counselor often meets with individuals and families who feel “powerless.” In their horizontal orientation, they look about frantically for stability through people and life circumstances that fail answer their most basic need. Too frequently the counseling approach taken unwittingly perpetuates this process by addressing these external influences first, instead of seeking to alter the spiritual orientation of the counselee. Put another way, the solutions needed are not found in this world, but in the constant, abiding security of Christ.

In speaking of God’s Servant (Jesus), the prophet Isaiah invited Israel to “come” to the only sufficient source of provision, comfort, function, and life:

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Circumstantial Spirituality

By W.P. “Ab” Abercrombie, Ph.D.

Recently I have noticed a trend in my counseling ministry I refer to as; “circumstantial spirituality.” In other words, many counselees become very spiritual at the time their sins are uncovered, only to return to the secular life when the crisis has passed. These are individuals who seek support because of exposure rather than conviction of conscience.

The challenge for the biblical counselor comes in helping this briefly spiritual person, stay in the light long enough for the true heart condition to be revealed. But such counselees are often intolerant of the glare of this heavenly illumination. Jesus spoke of this reality stating:

The Problem of Anger

By:Dr. W.P. “Ab” Abercrombie

Anger has become so commonplace in our world that we have fallen prey to the idea that it is a normal, even useful, condition. We have slowly shaped its definition into something more palatable and acceptable, while ignoring its seductive and controlling capacities. Regrettably, like many other elements of the world, anger is considered a reasonable and ordinary human reaction within the Body of Christ. But how has something so physically and relationally toxic, been weaved into our daily standard?

The psychological notions of health and normalcy have hypnotized Christians. Many issues that were previously addressed within a biblical context now are infused with humanism based upon the experience and report of the world and its authorities. Regarding anger, many Christians have come to believe that: