Speak The Truth – Details, episodes & analysis

On the Speak the Truth podcast, the host interviews pastor and SoulCare Consulting International leader Lee Lewis about developing a culture of biblical care in local churches. Lewis argues that care must extend beyond Sunday services and formal counseling to include ongoing one-another ministry, preventative care, and equipping rhythms, with elders casting and sustaining the vision. He highlights common challenges such as siloed ministries, dependence on professionals, and unsustainable pastor-centered models, pointing to biblical patterns like Ephesians 4, Matthew 28, Exodus 18, Acts 6, and 2 Timothy 2:2. Lewis explains SoulCare’s “Transformed” training continuum (T1–T6) from mutual care and small group leadership through coaching, pastoral care, and formal/intensive counseling, including tools like an SOS triage matrix. The episode also describes SoulCare’s church “360” assessment and multi-year roadmap to contextualize and scale care.

00:00 Road Trip Intro
00:24 Meet Lee Lewis
00:57 Why Culture Matters
04:33 One Another Rhythms
08:38 Elders Cast Vision
09:48 Scalability Exodus 18
11:34 From Concept to Tools
13:07 Discipleship Continuum
13:26 Transformed Framework
13:32 T1 Mutual Care
14:23 T2 Small Group Leaders
15:11 T3 Coaching Model
15:46 T4 Pastoral Care
16:10 T5-T6 Counseling Track
16:31 Soul Care Continuum
17:02 360 Health Assessment
19:01 Roadmap and Scaling
20:01 Case Study Success
21:32 Relational Progressions
23:44 Reclaiming Counseling
25:16 Final Encouragement

Episode Mentions
Made to Minister Conference 2025 - Lee's Handout
Soul Care Consulting International
Discipleship Continuum (T2 Material)

This episode of Speak the Truth previews the Pastors and Church Leadership track for the 2026 Call to Council Conference (April 23–25, Fort Worth, Texas, at Doxology Bible Church) through a conversation with track leader Robert Cheong, executive director of Gospel Care Ministries and former pastor of care at Sojourn Church Midtown. Cheong explains the track was born from pastors feeling overwhelmed by counseling resources and uncertain how counseling fits with broader ministry responsibilities. He introduces the track team—Garrett Higbee, Dwayne Bond, Joe Keller, and Cheong—highlighting their extensive ministry experience. The objective is to help pastors and leaders grow in confidence in applying the gospel to personal life, shepherding and ministry issues, and leadership challenges, with Q&A after sessions and a final panel. The track aims to encourage weary leaders and serve pastors, church leaders, and non-counselor attendees.

00:00 Welcome and Conference Intro

01:08 Meet Robert Cheong

01:47 Why This Track Exists

03:37 Pastors and Leaders Track Overview

03:53 Track Team Lineup

05:47 Track Objectives and Format

07:25 What Youll Learn in Practice

08:33 Who This Track Is For

11:39 Register and Closing

Episode Mentions
Register for the Pastors & Church Leadership Track
Check out Gospel Care Ministries - Robert Cheong
Soul Care Consulting - Garrett Higbee 
Proximus Group - Dwayne Bond

Biblical Counseling Africa: Equipping the Church for Gospel-Centered Care in South Africa and Beyond

Recorded on the road at the Biblical Counseling Coalition Global Summit, this Speak the Truth podcast episode features interviews with Kyle Johnston and Jane Kratz from Cape Town, South Africa, about their ministry contexts and the growth of Biblical Counseling Africa. Jane shares how her husband’s death in 2012 led her to pursue a theologically rich approach to grief and loss, moving from prior psychology studies to biblical counseling training through ABC’s Equipped to Counsel material and later studying at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, with additional church experience in Texas before returning to South Africa. Kyle, an ordained minister at Gracefield Church in Fish Hoek, explains how pastoral ministry exposed a gap between confident pulpit preaching and applying Scripture in complex, conversational counseling situations; this led him to training through Wayne Mack’s curriculum in South Africa and a master’s degree at The Master’s University in Los Angeles (2012), while continuing to prioritize pastoral care and counseling in church life.

They discuss why they remain committed to serving in Africa despite opportunities elsewhere, noting both the significant needs in Cape Town and South Africa and the mission field created by migration from other African nations. They describe cultural observations, including hospitality and the value of contextual ministry shaped by South Africa’s historical experience, including navigating multicultural ministry after apartheid.

Kyle outlines how Biblical Counseling Africa began in part to make CCEF training more accessible and affordable in their context and to expand beyond South Africa through online courses. The organization’s aim is to equip local churches across Africa to provide wise, loving, gospel-centered pastoral care that restores Christ to counseling. They describe a three-level approach: (1) grassroots seminars, talks, and workshops (including using ABC conference resources with local case studies and courses such as Jane’s nine-week grief care course); (2) training such as ABC’s Equipped to Counsel offered during COVID and in-person; and (3) advanced CCEF courses, with growing enrollment. Future focus includes helping pastors develop a church-wide culture of care, vulnerability, and mutual ministry beyond sermon-centered expectations.

They explain that Biblical Counseling Africa is a nonprofit and invite listeners to support the work through prayer, financial giving, and volunteering. They emphasize the need for resources to sustain operations, relieve volunteer load, and provide scholarships for students from poorer African contexts. They express gratitude for support from American partners including CCEF, ABC, BCC, and others, noting that courses are offered at about a quarter of the normal cost, and direct listeners to biblicalcounsellingafrica.com for more information and contact.

00:00 Welcome to Speak the Truth (Podcast Intro)
01:09 Meet Jane: From Grief & Loss to Biblical Counseling
02:30 Texas Culture Shock & Accent Stories
03:39 Meet Kyle: Pastoral Ministry Path into Counseling
06:12 Why Stay & Serve in Africa? Calling, Need, and Gifts
08:23 Jane’s Perspective: Returning Home, Mission Field in South Africa
10:56 Culture Notes: Hospitality, Affection, and Multicultural Ministry
12:53 What Is Biblical Counseling Africa? Origins, Partnerships, Vision
15:20 Equipping the Church: Training Levels & Accessible Resources
16:35 Level 1 Training: Seminars, Consultations & Explaining Biblical Counseling
17:16 Grief Care Course & Topic-Based Workshops (Burnout, Anxiety, Depression, etc.)
17:53 Using ABC Conference Content: Videos, Workshops & Local Case Studies
18:41 Advanced Training: Equipped to Counsel & CCEF Courses
19:14 Next Step: Building a Churchwide Culture of Care (Pastors + One-Another Ministry)
20:31 Beyond the Pulpit: Equipping the Saints & How Counseling Shapes Preaching
24:10 How to Support Biblical Counseling Africa: Prayer, Giving & Website Info
26:08 Funding Needs: Affordable Training, Supporting Students & Volunteer Capacity
29:04 Volunteering with BCA: Gifts, Admin Help & Partnering via Email
30:05 Wrap-Up: Invitation to Visit South Africa, Gratitude & Final Thanks

Episode Mentions
Biblical Counselling Africa
The Comfort of God in Grief - A Nine Week Grief Care Course by Jane  

In this episode hosts, Mike, Shauna, and Jeremy continue their mini-series, counseling through the Psalms. A verse by verse breakdown of Psalm 19. They discuss, as shown in the text, God's general, special, and applied revelation of himself and why this matters in the counseling room.

Episode Resources Mentioned:
Counseling Through The Psalms - ABC Resource
Reformed Systematic Theology Vol. 1 - Joel Beeke 

• Applied Revelation 
  • mentioned throughout chapters 10, 11, 12, 16, 23
  • Ch. 25 - Applied Revelation for Practical Fruit

In this episode hosts, Mike & Shauna Van Dyke and Jeremy Lelek are back to kick off this mini-series, "Counseling Through the Psalms" an ABC resource written to help counselors use the psalms in session or as growth assignments. In this episode, Jeremy covers how he'd use Psalm 139 in a counseling session to help a counselee struggling with paralyzing anxiety. How God's omniscience and omnipresence can be used to navigate anxiety. 

Episode Resource:
Counseling Through The Psalms

In this episode, host Mike Van Dyke is joined by special guest, Colten Taylor to share his testimony from being a practicing homosexual to following Jesus Christ. In part 2 Colten shares how he experienced God's love through his people and not in the way the cultural narrative expresses. He shares God's gracious pursuit and his consequent faith in Jesus Christ. He concludes with what his life in Christ looks like now and the work that the Holy Spirit is doing in him now. 

In this episode, host Mike Van Dyke is joined by special guest, Colten Taylor to share his testimony from being a practicing homosexual to following Jesus Christ. In part 1 Colten shares the origin of his story of growing up, being sexually abused, and working through the confusion in his formative years. He navigates through the notion of being born with same-sex attraction what that meant in his experience and its physiological and psychological impact.  

Episode Summary:
In this episode, host, Mike Van Dyke is joined by special guest, Adam Sandlin, founder of Covenant Biblical Counseling to discuss how he pursued licensure, being an LPC-S, and launching his biblical counseling center, Covenant Biblical Counseling.

Episode Resources:
Covenant Biblical Counseling
Redeemer Church Denton
North Texas Christian Counseling

In this episode host, Mike Van Dyke is joined with special guest, Robert n' Nate from Watermark Community Church to discuss two discipling ministries within Watermark, re|engage(marriage enrichment) and re:generation(recovery ministry), that have been fruitfully successful within Watermark and how they help equip the universal church with these two ministries. Robert n' Nate shares the history of the ministries, their nature and scope, and the pathway to help the local church be equipped with these ministries within the local church context - from building to growing the ministry, their availability in coming alongside church leaders to equip and execute these ministries. Check out these resources here at watermark resources.  

Show resources: 

• watermark resources. 

Episode Notes:
In this episode, host Mike Van Dyke is joined by special guests, author and pastor, Robert Cheong and his wife, Karen Cheong to discuss his heart in writing his new book, "Restoration Story". We all have our own back story—our sometimes unconscious beliefs—that have been shaped by our families, relationships, and life experiences. Our stories shape the personal narratives we live out: “I am not loved.” “No one cares for me.” “I have to be better than everyone around me.” “How I look is the most important thing about me.” Our back story guides us in how we relate to God and others. But are these beliefs true? And how are they affecting our lives today? Cheong helps readers unpack their stories and learn to live out of God’s new story. Readers will discover how to retell their story out of who God is, what he’s done, and the call to love him and others. Learn how the dynamics of creation, fall, redemption, and consummation shape our present struggles, confirm our future hope, and ensure our ability to live in God’s power today. At the intersection of God’s story and your own, you’ll find that his love sustains you in your weariness, guides you in your confusion, and comforts you in your suffering. The story of his love will compel you to live for him. Restoration Story can also be used alongside Cheong’s Restore: Changing How We Live and Love Study Guide. 

Episode Resources:
Restoration Story: Why Jesus Matters In A Broken World
Restore: How We Live And Love, Study Guide With Leader's Notes