Sometimes, people ask this question or others like it simply because they have a curiosity, other times it's because they can't believe that the Bible actually provides for the church a model for counseling. They can't believe that, as Dr. David Powlison has said, "Christianity is a psychology."
In an effort to further communicate to those who have such an interest, I'm placing within this blog post a link to an academic paper I wrote for one of my master's level courses just prior to graduating from SEBTS this past May. Far shorter than a book (or even a booklet), but longer than a blog post, I'm publishing it here in order to answer the questions of some and (hopefully) provoke dialogue in others.
Truly, it may not be of much interest to those who are seeking counseling for themselves, but for those who are searching for a trusted, biblical counseling resource for people within their care (i.e. pastors), it may be of some value.
As with any document of this nature, I would call it a "living document," because in the spirit of the Reformation, none of us have arrived. Not theologically. Not philosophically. Not even scientifically.
We are "always reforming" (semper reformada), but so far as the essentials of the faith are concerned, those things that make biblical counseling biblical, I dare say you shouldn't expect much change any time soon.
Just this morning, I learned that the ACBC is planning to adopt its revised Standards of Doctrine later this year, at its annual conference. I've read this revised statement, and believe my theory for counseling (what we employ here at Baylight Counseling) stands in agreement with both ACBC's Standards, and the BCC's Confession of Faith (counselors at Baylight either are or will be ACBC certified; Baylight is a partner of the BCC).
It is to God's glory, and our joy that we have His unchanging, inerrant, authoritative, and sufficient word for the purpose of bearing one another's burdens in the pursuit of discipleship and counseling.
Speaking the Truth in Love: A Personal Theory for Counseling Biblically
SDG
