March 3, 2023,  9 a.m. — 5 p.m.

Grand Parkway Baptist Church (12000 FM 1464, Richmond, TX 77407)
Online Streaming Available

Over the past three decades, Christian counseling author Dan Allender and Old Testament scholar Tremper Longman III have shown the fruitfulness that can come from bringing biblical and therapeutic wisdom together to address the big issues of life. Together they have written Bold Love, The Cry of the Soul (on the Psalms), Intimate Allies (on marriage), Breaking the Idols of your Heart (on Ecclesiastes), and God Loves Sex (on the Song of Songs). Join us for a celebration of their unique collaboration.

After telling the story of their friendship and the joys and challenges of uniting two disciplines that seem to so many to be so different, they’ll respond to reflections on each of their co-authored books, given by some therapists and scholars, and wrap up the day with some personal reflections on their collaboration and current relations between American culture and the church.

3 free CEUs are available for the day.

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Conference Schedule

8:30 a.m.                Coffee, donuts, and fruit
9 a.m.                       Welcome – Michael Cook, Director of the Gideon Institute
9:10 a.m.                 Relating Scripture and therapy in a way that changes lives – Eric Johnson, Asst. Director of the Gideon Institute
9:40-10:15 a.m.    To Be Told – Allender & Longman tell the story of their friendship
10:15-10:30 a.m.  Break
11 a.m. – 12 p.m.   A series of half-hour conversations about their books

  1. The Cry of the Soul (on the Psalms) (1994) – Adam Young, therapist and podcaster
  2. Bold Love (1992) – Jeremy Lelek, licensed biblical counselor, Director of ABC

12 – 1:30 p.m.        Lunch
1:30 – 3:00 p.m.  Book conversations, continued

  1. Intimate Allies (on marriage; 1995) – Cathy Loerzel; co-author and colleague of Allender’s at the Seattle School and The Allender Center
  2. Breaking the Idols of Your Heart (on Ecclesiastes) (2007; formerly Bold Purpose, 1998) – Emily Bullion, Gideon Institute student
  3. God Loves Sex (on the Song of Solomon) (2014) – Tim Mavergeorge, therapist, Director of the Houston Center for Christian Counseling

3:15-3:45 p.m.     Interpreting the Bible for Wisdom – Jeff Dryden, Biblical studies scholar
3:45-4:15 p.m.     Reflections on Christian friendship and their growth together – Allender & Longman, with Q & A
4:15-4:45 p.m.     The relation between Christian formation and Christian therapy – Allender & Longman, with Q & A
4:45 p.m.               Concluding remarks and prayer

About the Speakers

Dr. Tremper Longman III is Distinguished Scholar and Professor Emeritus of Biblical Studies at Westmont College.  In addition to his books with Dan Allender, he has written over thirty books, including commentaries on eleven books of the Bible, as well as Confronting Old Testament Controversies: Pressings Questions about Evolution, Sexuality, History, and Violence, The Bible and the Ballot: Using Scripture in Political Decisions, How to Read Daniel, and Revelation through the Eyes of the Old Testament. He was also a senior translator of the New Living Translation of the Bible.

Dr. Dan B. Allender taught Christian counseling for 15 years before co-founding The Seattle School of Theology & Psychology, where he has been teaching ever since. In addition to his books with Temper Longman III, he wrote The Wounded Heart, The Healing Path, and To Be Told, and he recently co-authored Redeeming Heartache: How Past Suffering Reveals True Calling, with Cathy Loerzel. Dan has pioneered a unique, Christian approach to trauma, story, abuse therapy, and recovery. and travels extensively to speak on these topics. His weekly podcast with Rachael Clinton Chen has had more than 2 million downloads.