Helping Hurting People

Wisconsin Bookwatch, August, 2004

Helping Hurting People

Asa R. Sphar III & Argile Smith

University Press of America

4720 Boston Way, Lanham, MD 20706

www.univpress.com

0761824774 $46.00 1-800-462-6420

The impressively collaborative and erudite work of Asa R. Sphar III and Argile Smith, Helping Hurting People: A Handbook On Reconciliation-Focused Counseling And Preaching is deftly organized into two major sections: The first is "Introducing The RFC Model"; the second is "Applying The RFC Model". Beginning with a comprehensive presentation of the pastoral counseling challenges (including a theology of emotional and relational problems as revealed in the Biblical creation story), Helping Hurting People covers the twelve basic principles in reconciliation focused counseling as well as the necessary counselor qualities and the characteristics of redemptive counseling and relationship restorative goals. The focus then changes to the application of RFC principals to pastoral counseling and preaching. Expertly enhanced with an extensive number of appendices, notes, bibliography, and a thoroughly "user friendly" index, Helping Hurting People is most especially recommended to the attention of ministers and clergy who engage in marital, family and pastoral counseling with their parishioners.