The Barnabas Center

09/09/2026

Triad counselor Kristin Leathers examines the common occurrence of an intrusive thought and how we might better manage them when they happen: "An intrusive thought is a commonplace experience for most people. They’ll be driving down the road and suddenly become aware they have the power to drive off a cliff. The thought is involuntary, unwanted, and often deals with some kind of danger or harm, but has nothing to do with the actual intentions of the person having the thought. The thought really happens, but the content is not to be trusted."

08/25/2026

Triad Director Ben Jones confronts the issue of looking to AI for guidance in a world that looks to technology more and more and faith systems less and less: "As you look for someone to wisely guide you in your life and in your faith, would you go to someone who does not know Jesus? If you turn to a Chatbot for this guidance, that is what you are doing. The fact is, anything AI powered is 'crunching numbers' even if those numbers are words. An article from the Oxford College of Marketing puts it this way: 'AI mimics reasoning by making educated guesses based on data patterns. It doesn’t "think" or "understand" like we do but creates responses based on probabilities.'"

I don’t want to sound like a curmudgeon when it comes to new technology, although I probably am. I do not want to minimize some of the truly incredible and helpful things AI can do. It looks like AI is not going to go away, so can we Christians talk about how our worldview should inform how we int...

08/20/2026

We still have plenty of room at this upcoming training. Hope you'll join us!

We're offering a Barnabas Training Basic next month! Do you ever think to yourself, “I want to have deeper conversations and friendships, but where do I begin?” or “How can I facilitate better conversations among my friends, neighbors or small group?” or “There has to be more to friendships than what I’m experiencing.” If you desire deeper friendships, to be a better and more intentional friend, or to grow in facilitating conversations that get past the surface, Barnabas Training Basic could be just the thing to begin to address your thoughts and questions.

Saturday, September 26, 2026 at Westminster Presbyterian Church
Click to find out more!

If you want deeper friendships & to grow in having conversations that get past the surface this training could be just the thing for you.

08/11/2026

Triad counselor Emmett Richardson reflects on the past year grieving the loss of his baby boys and what God has revealed to him through his pain: "If physical pain protects our bodies, I began wondering whether emotional pain serves a similar purpose. What if grief is doing something for us instead of simply happening to us? Today marks the one-year anniversary of losing my twin sons Everett and Lewis the day after they were born. Over the past year I’ve been trying to figure out if there’s anything good about the pain I’m feeling and will most likely carry for the rest of my life. "

Everything in us wants to avoid pain. But what if pain is one of God’s greatest gifts? Dr. Paul Brand spent decades treating patients with leprosy and made a surprising discovery. The disease itself wasn’t responsible for many of the devastating deformities people associated with it. Instead, th...

08/06/2026

We're offering a Barnabas Training Basic next month! Do you ever think to yourself, “I want to have deeper conversations and friendships, but where do I begin?” or “How can I facilitate better conversations among my friends, neighbors or small group?” or “There has to be more to friendships than what I’m experiencing.” If you desire deeper friendships, to be a better and more intentional friend, or to grow in facilitating conversations that get past the surface, Barnabas Training Basic could be just the thing to begin to address your thoughts and questions.

Saturday, September 26, 2026 at Westminster Presbyterian Church

Click to find out more!

If you want deeper friendships & to grow in having conversations that get past the surface this training could be just the thing for you.

07/28/2026

As she prepares for the birth of her second child, counselor Mary Patterson shares what it takes to raise kids who are confident in themselves and in the world: "There are so many factors working against cultivating capability in our children. However, the good news is that capability isn't something children are simply born with—it's something that can be cultivated over time. Every age-appropriate responsibility, every challenge worked through, and every disappointment survived becomes evidence that these kids are stronger than they realized."

07/14/2026

Counselor Megan Erdmann reflects on the impact that a forced rest had on her life and what she discovered in the process: "Being 20 weeks pregnant, a mere cold totally took me out; I was unable to function, forced to cancel clients, and couldn’t cook dinner or care for my 3 year-old. I just had to be in bed for several days. The forced rest made me extremely uncomfortable, because the truth is that when I’m sick, I usually can push through. I work part time and I am a toddler mom and wife, so I am always juggling a lot. Life doesn’t stop just because you’re sick, I tell myself, and I keep going."

I recently learned something new about myself. After being sick for 2-3 weeks, I realized how surprised I was by my emotional reaction to it. Being 20 weeks pregnant, a mere cold totally took me out; I was unable to function, forced to cancel clients, and couldn’t cook dinner or care for my 3 year...

07/01/2026

Counselor Kurt Zuiderveen examines the difference in how we treat the past and how we should treat it, not necessarily as something to merely have survived, but to have learned from for the future: "The other error is to dwell on the past and never take intentional action. If we fixate on our history, we cease to be responsible or response-able (the ability to choose to respond). This happens regardless of if the fixation is on positive or negative events. Seeing with rose colored glasses ceases to take seriously the actual challenges that have happened."

What does it mean to remember? According to AI, the primary Hebrew word for “to remember” is Z***r (זָכַר). In Hebrew, this signifies more than just mental recollection; it represents an active, “body-and-soul” remembrance—recalling something to mind and subsequently taking action bas...

06/29/2026

Please note: The Barnabas Center will be closed this Friday, July 3rd for the holiday.

01/13/2026

Counselor Laurie Hobbs reflects on the past year and all the ways that it left her feeling adrift, after months of disruptions and unrest: "I have searched for words to name how I feel. I have never been a sailor, but the word “unmoored” comes to mind. The definition is “to be no longer attached to a mooring (an anchor for boats)” or, when speaking of a person, to be insecure, confused, or disconnected. That is exactly the way I have felt this last year: lost, uneasy, uncomfortable, and adrift without stability."

As the year ends and a new one begins, I take time to review the past year and anticipate the one coming. I go through my calendar and photos and think about the events, highlights, and struggles. And every year a theme emerges as I contemplate the close of the year. The time is well spent, as it of...