Author’s Background:

J.W. Phillips received his masters and doctorate degrees from Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Kansas City, Missouri and completed a pastoral clinical counseling internship at Central State Hospital in Milledgeville, Georgia. Dr. Phillips pastored for twenty-five years in both Southern Baptist and Foursquare churches.

He was also credentialed by the Child and Adolescent Mental Health Division in Hawaii to provide therapy for DOE diagnosable students. As well, he served as a therapist for Child and Family Services in Hawaii before opening a private counseling practice that served referrals from many churches in Hawaii.

Early in Dr. Phillips’ life he aspired to concentrate on apologetics. Pursuant to that desire, he was accepted to study for one year with Francis Schaeffer at L’Abri Fellowship in Switzerland. However, God redirected Dr. Phillips to focus on pastoral care instead. This redirection, though certain, was difficult for him to accept, due to his preference for the analytical excellence that apologetics required. Nevertheless, God made it clear that analytical excellence was also needed, and could be acquired, in the area of pastoral care.