In Person Only
We meet in one of the conference rooms on the far right of the restaurant when you enter.
November 13, 2026
1:00pm to 2:30pm
Come and socialize with us as we create gratitude and forgiveness scrap books. Come and gather, connect, and wind down with us as all are free to attend.
When it Hurts To Pray: Lament, Worship, and Hope
in the Midst of Pain
With Dr. Patrick Stewart
1-08-27 1:00pm to 2:30pm
Longhorn Cafe or Virtual
12311 Nacogdoches Rd., San Antonio, TX 78217
1.5 CEs
When suffering disrupts a person’s life, prayer can begin to feel like reopening a wound. Grief, trauma, loss, and unanswered questions may unsettle not only emotional well-being but also a person’s understanding of God, faith, and divine presence. Drawing from the Psalms, Lamentations, the Gospels, Romans, Hebrews, and Revelation, this workshop explores the biblical theology of lament as the language of faith when faith is in pain. It examines how Scripture gives wounded people permission to name grief, express difficult questions, confront the experience of divine silence, and bring their pain honestly before God. Particular attention will be given to lament as an expression of worship, Christ’s participation in human sorrow, the Spirit’s help when words fail, and the hope of God’s present and future restoration. Participants will gain a theological framework for understanding the spiritual struggles that can accompany grief and trauma, including the tension between what a person believes about God and what suffering has made difficult to experience. The workshop concludes with a five-movement framework for faithful lament and contemplation that makes room for honest pain while remaining grounded in the character, presence, and promises of God.
Ordering ahead highly recommended. We will start promptly at 1:00pm to receive full credit for CEUs.
Dr. Patrick Stewart is a biblical scholar, author, and ministry educator whose work explores biblical lament, worship, covenant, suffering, and the presence of God. He holds a PhD in Bible Exposition from Liberty University and has served in teaching, preaching, and pastoral-care contexts. He is the author of When It Hurts to Pray: Lament, Worship, and Hope in the Midst of Pain, which examines how Scripture gives wounded people language for grief, difficult questions, divine silence, and faithful hope. His doctoral dissertation, From Divine Absence to Eternal Presence, explores the biblical treatment of abandonment, lament, restoration, and divine presence, with particular attention to Jeremiah, Lamentations, and the fulfillment of God’s restoring presence in Christ. Dr. Stewart’s work seeks to make rigorous biblical theology clear, accessible, and spiritually formative for people navigating suffering and the complexities of faith in real life.
The CE is free for CCT members. For non-members there is a $10 fee payable when you register. The Zoom link will be sent in the registration confirmation email.
2027 CCT Annual Conference
Keynote Speaker
Dr. Gary Sibcy II
Dr. Gary A. Sibcy II is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist with a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from The Union Institute & University. He currently serves as a Professor at the Center for Professional Psychology at Liberty University and has previously directed the Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology there. As Vice Chair of the Virginia Board of Psychology, Dr. Sibcy brings extensive clinical experience, including his roles as a consultant for psychological services, professor, and Clinical Psychologist at Piedmont Psychiatric Center. An accomplished researcher and speaker, he has contributed to the field through numerous publications and presentations at professional conferences. Dr. Sibcy has published numerous works focusing on topics such as attachment-based treatments, neurobiology, and depression, panic disorder, and trauma. While the specific titles of his books and articles aren't detailed in the document, his contributions span academic publications and presentations at professional conferences, reflecting his extensive expertise in clinical psychology.
Helping People Change: The Secure Base System
An Attachment-Based, Transdiagnostic Framework for Christian Counseling and Psychological Interventions
Helping People Change introduces the Secure Base System, an attachment-based, transdiagnostic framework designed to help clinicians understand the core processes that underlie lasting change. Rather than promoting a single treatment model, the Secure Base System equips counselors to build tailor-made treatments by integrating the most empirically supported counseling approaches and psychological interventions according to each client's unique needs. Throughout the series, contemporary psychological science is filtered through a scripturally grounded Christian worldview that affirms both the authority of Scripture and the responsible use of psychological science, providing a practical framework for faithful, evidence-based clinical practice.
See Conference Schedule
Human Trafficking: Training for Healthcare Professionals
Muriel Lanford, MSN, RN, TCRN
We meet in one of the conference rooms on the far right of the restaurant when you enter. Please arrive EARLY to receive full credit as we will begin promptly at 1PM. Ordering ahead highly recommended.
April 9, 2027
Hybrid (In person and Zoom) 1.5 CEs
Understanding the world of human trafficking (HT) is essential for healthcare providers who interact with patients. This training covers HT facts, as well as common misconceptions, and guides personnel to provide appropriate patient-centered responses within various practice settings. This presentation is a state of Texas-approved Human Trafficking Course for Health Care Practitioners.
Muriel Lanford holds both bachelor’s and master's degrees in nursing from the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. Ms. Lanford has an extensive background in trauma, in which she is board-certified. She has served in multiple roles over her 40+ year career. Ms. Lanford has been through specialized training on Trauma-Informed Care and Trust-Based Relational Intervention (TBRI®). Since 2016, she has volunteered with Ransomed Life of Texas, a San Antonio-based non-profit that serves underage survivors of sex trafficking and other sexual exploitation. Her focus at Ransomed Life is training medical and other clinical professionals on human trafficking and sexual exploitation.
The CE is free for CCT members. For non-members there is a $10 fee payable when you register.
The zoom link will be sent in the registration confirmation email.
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