VALUES & BELIEFS

Thank you for reaching out to Four Oaks Midtown for counseling and care. Finding a counselor can feel overwhelming, so with that in mind, our aim is to help you through this process. We believe counseling is an aspect of discipleship that should take place within the context of the local church. Therefore, our desire is to walk alongside you. Below is a summary of what guides the leadership of Four Oaks Midtown in its counseling and recommendations but we also encourage you to talk with someone.

  • Christ-Centeredness

    Healing and growth are dependent on our union with Christ. He loves us and gives us the Spirit, who is the ultimate source of all improvement. Care encourages movement toward him in communion.

    The Bible

    All care is based on the Word of God and focused on the good news of Jesus Christ.

    Holistic Care

    Sin affects everything—our thoughts, feelings, and actions—and Christ redeems it all. We recognize the differences between sin, suffering, brokenness, and God-given limitations. We also acknowledge the need for specialized care that focuses on spiritual, mental and physical health.

    Community

    Our lives and stories are woven together on the journey toward wholeness. We encourage people to invite friends, family, and other relationships into their story for the sake of immediate and long-term encouragement, care and support.

    Honesty

    The foundation of lasting change is honesty with ourselves, God, and one another. We foster honesty by leading with grace, living transparently and upholding confidentiality.

    Patience

    All change takes time. God is patient with his children and that compels us to be patient with one another.

    Humility

    We emphasize dialogue and collaboration between the person receiving care, the one providing care, and God. We don’t have all the answers and can’t change people, so we work together to celebrate signs of God’s presence and promote healing and growth in his name.

  • The Bible Speaks

    We believe the Bible is more than a book of facts. It is God’s words to us, inspired by the Holy Spirit. Its truths are meant to touch and transform every area of our lives. But everyone faces moments when the truths of the Bible don't seem to make a difference. "Can the hope that the Bible offers really speak to my depression?" "Can the peace that the Bible promises really help my anxiety?" "Can the love that is revealed in the Bible change even my marriage?"

    At Four Oaks Midtown, we believe that the Bible speaks into all of life's problems, and in certain seasons of life, each of us may need the careful thoughts and prayerful wisdom of another to help.

    It's About a Relationship

    The Bible speaks to every area of our lives, but the Bible isn't simply a recipe book for happiness. Ultimately, the Bible points us to a relationship with a person—Jesus Christ. The Bible was given to reveal Christ as the one who is able to make all things new. We believe real and lasting change occurs when people know themselves and their problems within the context of a living and vital relationship with Jesus Christ.

    Counselors Can Help

    The most important qualification of any counselor we recommend is that they have come to know Christ out of their own experiences of need. They bring the understanding and compassion experienced in their own relationship with Christ into their care for those who come to them for help. Furthermore, they have formal education and training in counseling and in the Bible

FIND A COUNSELOR

We hope the following resources are helpful to you. Please remember, we cannot officially endorse any particular counselor outside of our church. Although these counselors have been trained through organizations that we know and respect, we cannot answer for their development of counseling theory and practice or guarantee that they are practicing in a manner with which we would agree. These recommendations were provided by members of Four Oaks Church, CCEF, The Harbor Network and Reformed Theological Seminary.

GET HELP

Remember that God works through His Word, His Spirit, and His Church to bring about progressive sanctification in the lives of his people. As you prayfully consider your next steps, consider the following:

  • We realize that cost is often a barrier to seeking help. Four Oaks Midtown is committed to assisting its members in offsetting the cost of counseling. We offer reimbursement on a sliding-scale case-by-case basis and will happily discuss this as part of the counseling plan. You may be asked to complete the Financial Assistance for Counseling form if you are requesting financial assistance.

  • If you have not already talked to a pastor or ministry leader from the church, please reach out. Whatever you might be experiencing, we want to listen, pray with, and encourage you. You are not alone and we long to bring the compassionate love of Christ into this difficult season.