In September, as a part of my Continuing Education, Meg and I were able to 
go to Nashville, Tennessee to the “Grace & Truth” World Conference 
of the American Association of Christian Counselors, attended by 6,000 lay 
and professional counselors and ministers from every state in the union and 
around the world. It was held at the Grand Old Opry, in multiple ballrooms 
for break out groups. For the first time, I was able to get the spouse’s rate! 
Besides being able to get away with my wife, and spend a couple of days with 
my sister, Angie, and her family in Brentwood, here are a few highlights 
from the conference. 

The Rev. John Piper, author & pastor, preached a wonderful message on God’s 
Grace and Truth & how the natural and human way to respond to God’s grace 
is through Praise and Worship. The Rev. John Ortberg also preached on Grace 
and Truth which was the theme of the conference.

Gary Chapman, author of The Five Love Languages, shared with us some insights 
about the seven traits of love, which are 1) Kindness  2) Patience  
3) Forgiveness  4) Courtesy  5) Humility  6) Generosity and  7) Honesty. 

Gary Smalley, well known author and psychologist, shared how spending time 
with family, even in times of chaos (#1 on the list, camping!) might seem 
disastrous at the moment, but in the process builds incredible bonds of love 
and trust as well as great memories! Gary’s son, Greg Smalley, also a 
marriage therapist and author, shared about ways to create safety and trust 
in a marriage relationship. Gary and his wife write a number of books 
together to help couples in marriage and are very good at what they do. 

Chuck Colson, founder of Angel Tree Prison Ministries and famous author and 
radio commentator, shared about his experience going from imprisonment, as a 
result of Watergate, to his Prison Fellowship Ministries. Chuck shared his 
conviction about our culture’s bent toward a Secular Humanistic world 
view and our need in America to re-teach the Christian world view.

Joni Erickson Tada, author and speaker shared her awesome witness of growing 
from the tragedy of a diving accident that left her quadriplegic to becoming 
a world speaker for the Christian faith. Joni received an award of witness 
from the AACC during the conference. 

John Townsend and Henry Cloud, well known authors and counselors, talked about 
boundaries, coaching and learned helplessness.

Dr. Diane Langley shared a moving speech about the trauma she has witnessed in 
Rwanda, Africa as a result of the recent genocide. Diane first went to Africa 
on a trip through World Vision and now is challenging the AACC to send 
counselors and missionaries to be healers to the traumatized people of Rwanda 
in the “worst situation of trauma she had ever seen.” 

Throughout the conference, we heard seminars on marriage patterns, conflict 
resolutions, brain chemistries, caring for wayward teenagers, addictions and 
mental illness. We were able to obtain many resources of information for 
referrals from helping centers around the nation. We also heard from a 
variety of churches in the U.S., including one church in California that is 
training other churches in the art and gift of “Lay Counseling” 
for the local church and community. 

Honestly, the conference was a bit overwhelming. With speaker after speaker, 
many of notoriety, their information and ideas to make better counselors, 
teachers and followers of Christ, was almost too much to take in. With so 
many psychiatrists and counselors in one setting, I, as a preacher, felt in 
the minority! Yet, I thank God for the AACC, and other Christian counselors, 
who fully give of themselves, day after day, for the healing of the hearts 
and minds through Christ, in God’s hurting world. Truly, there is so 
much brokenness in the world, and on the remedy we agree. His Name is Jesus. 
May God, through his Holy Spirit, continue to minister to the hurting and 
broken of this world, through His Grace and Truth, and in the process, give 
strength and wisdom to those who will go out to be agents of that healing.

							Joy and Peace ~ Rev. Tommy Wilkes 

PS. Heartfelt thanks to the Taylor, Fox, Harmon and McCary families for 
lodging and Loving our kids so we could go and to my family, the Gages, 
for lodging us in TN.