Lesser Loves: Exposing Idols of the Heart

Counseling Skills and Tools

SCCI treats persistent sin as a worship problem: something has taken a place in the heart that belongs to God. This course teaches counselors to surface those idols using the Y Diagram and the Desire to Demand progression, and to walk someone through repentance and reorienting worship. It also covers the danger of hunting for idols in everything.

1 hour

10 units

3 sections

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What You'll Work Through

Each unit is a conversation, not a page to read. The tutor asks you to explain, apply, and work with the material until it holds.

Chapter 1: Sin as a Worship Problem

Section 1.1: The Heart That Worships

Persistent sin is a worship problem, not just a behavior problem
Definition of idolatry as a disordered heart affection
An idol is revealed by what we treasure, trust, fear, and serve

Section 1.2: How Idols Take Root

The Desire to Demand progression: a good desire hardens into a ruling demand
The willingness-to-sin test exposes what desire has become a demand

Chapter 2: Tools for Exposing Idols

Section 2.1: The Y-Diagram and Desire to Demand

The Y-Diagram illustrates two clashing kingdoms at a decision point
The Desire to Demand progression: good desire, expectation, demand, disappointment, judge, punish
The diagnostic question 'What am I willing to sin to get?' exposes a demand

Chapter 3: Reorienting Worship Wisely

Section 3.1: Repentance and Reorienting Worship

The six steps of reorienting worship
Why repentance requires godly sorrow, not just behavior change