Session 10 Lay Counselling Training Session | October 10, 2026

Key Outcomes

The session established that the family is the primary ministry for any believer, emphasizing that spiritual leadership at home must precede public ministry 1. Participants discussed the importance of unconditional love and the need for corrective emotional experiences to support children who have experienced the loss of a parent 23.

Biblical Examples of Attachment

• Sarah and Isaac: Highlighted as an example of long-awaited attachment 4.
• Rebecca and Jacob: Used to warn against favoritism, which creates emotional unfairness among children 4.
• Mary and Jesus: Exemplified the "Holy Family" and the importance of not rushing into public ministry, as Jesus waited 30 years 45.
• Lois, Eunice, and Timothy: Demonstrated the power of family-led scriptural education in preparing a child for ministry 5.
• The Prodigal Son: Illustrated the necessity of unconditional love and the role of a father in maintaining an unbreakable emotional attachment 25.

Principles for Parenting and Ministry

• Priority of Home: Leaders must manage their own families effectively to be fit for church or mission work; the family is the "first member" of one's ministry 16.
• Spiritual Responsibility: Based on Genesis 18, fathers are responsible for directing their households to keep the way of the Lord 2.
• Balance: Believers must balance family and ministry to prevent children from viewing the church or God as a "rival" 6.
• Spiritual Warfare: The family that fears God is a primary target for Satan, who seeks to steal joy and destroy relationships 7.

Guidance for Fatherless Children

• Corrective Emotional Experience: For children missing a father, it is recommended to find a positive male role model (e.g., a relative, church leader, or neighbor) to provide emotional strength 38.
• Non-Biological Support: Support does not have to be blood-related; "adopted" spiritual parents can serve as corrective emotional figures 3.
• Handling Grief: Children, especially eldest children who had strong bonds with a deceased parent, may require more time and patience to develop new attachments 910.