How People Grow: What the Bible Reveals about Personal Growth

In the spring of his sophomore year in college, the future Henry Cloud had envisioned for himself dissolved into questions too pressing to ignore about his career path and his relationships. This time of personal turmoil set him on a path of inquiry and discovery into the heart of the Bible—a journey that Dr. Cloud and his partner, Dr. John Townsend, have taken together through the years. What they found out about how God produces change and growth in our lives did more than surprise them. It has formed the bedrock for their entire approach to counseling. In How People Grow, Drs. Cloud and Townsend give you age-old keys to growth from the Scriptures, with life applications that may be different from what you’ve always thought and were told. Whether life is going well or whether you’re struggling in some area, the insights in this book are essential to progressing spiritually, relationally, and emotionally. How People Grow shows you why all growth is spiritual growth, and how you can experience such growth in ways you never thought possible. Our desire to grow runs deep. Yet the issues in our lives and relationships that we wish would change often stay the same, even with our best efforts at spiritual growth. What does it take to experience increasing strength and depth in our spiritual walk, our marriages and family lives and friendships, our personal development—in everything life is about? And how can we help others move into growth that is profound and lasting? In How People Grow, counselors and Gold Medallion Award-winning authors Henry Cloud and John Townsend address our gut-level issues with insight and hope. This book will do more than revolutionize your understanding of Christianity—it could very well change your life. How People Grow is the result of the authors’ own journey of discovery, personally and professionally, as they began to compare various “Christian” approaches to growth with what they found really works—and what the Bible really says. Unpacking the practical and passionate theology that forms the backbone of their counseling, Drs. Cloud and Townsend shatter popular misconceptions about how God operates and how growth happens. You’ll discover · What the essential processes are that make people grow · How those processes fit into a biblical understanding of spiritual growth and theology · How spiritual growth and real-life issues are one and the same · What the responsibilities are of pastors, counselors, and others who assist people in growing—and what your own responsibilities are in your personal growth Shining focused light on the great doctrines and themes of Christianity, How People Grow takes you to the heart and the power of faith. It shows why all personal growth is spiritual growth—and best of all, it helps you understand the Bible in a way that will help you head with confidence down the high road of growth in Christ.