A Theory for Counseling Biblically

On occasion, someone will either ask in counseling or approach me in some other setting to ask about my personal theory of counseling. They won't ask in those exact words, but at bottom, this is the question their asking. 

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

Mental Health Counseling and the Church

If John the Baptist walked into your church next Sunday morning, would he be welcomed, or would his apparent lack of mental stability frighten the body, and cause noses to be turned up toward the sky?

I open with this question not to offer commentary on John’s mental health, but to press in on our ability and willingness to understand and minister to those who dress in animal skins, eat bugs for dinner, and reside in less than desirable conditions.

By all accounts, John the Baptist would fit today’s description of an emotionally disturbed person (EDP). With a ruddy complexion, and an appearance that would make some good Christians uncomfortable, his entrance into a packed sanctuary would leave just a few clutching their children tightly, and secretly praying, “Oh, dear Lord, don’t let him sit by me.”

But, this example is too easy. It’s too much of a cliché. While there’s always a group of us in the body who secretly desire John to sit elsewhere, there’s also a group of us who revel in the opportunity to show how spiritual we are—sitting with John, it turns out, is sometimes our way of proclaiming our fast to the masses (Matt. 6:16).

Here’s a challenge: If we invite John to sit with us in church on Sunday, but wouldn’t think of inviting him to dinner on Monday, what does this really say about the direction we’re moving in as God’s people, in relation to those with apparent mental health disorders?

In a broad sense, the church in America is still too distant, but growing closer to those with these and similar concerns. Some generations ago, as modernity took control of society’s understanding of man’s condition, it gave up the proper place of counseling within the church almost entirely to the field of secular psychology.

The end of this is that, today, if you want to get well, you go see your psychiatrist, begin a regimen of psychotropic drugs, and only then, if you still desire a little entertainment, you talk to a naive pastor about God. Considering that the field of psychology is founded upon the work of men who denied the very existence of God and man’s need of the Gospel, this reality shouldn’t come as a surprise.

Things are changing though.

Thanks to the good work of some of God’s most gifted men and women in our own time, folks like David Powlison, Brad Hambrick, Ed Welch, and Elyse Fitzpatrick, the body/soul connection is being re-established in the middle of a culture bent on the denial of Christ. Once again, the word of God is being elevated to its proper place in our anthropology—and that place is not in subjection to man’s theories about the causes of behavior and the appropriate remedies.

We call this movement Biblical Counseling.

Not to be confused with the field of Christian Counseling, Biblical Counseling is re-discovering for the church at large the many and diverse ways that the Bible speaks with precision to our sin and suffering. Once again, sense is being made of the condition of man. Where modernity distorted truth, and left us gasping for answers it promised but never delivered, God still speaks.

In past generations, Christians were told to move away from those who suffered from various mental health maladies. Conditions like depression, anxiety, fear, worry, anger, bitterness, and even more complex mood disorders, it was said, can only be understood by learned men in white coats. With increasing intensity, the church was informed that it had little or nothing to offer those who needed help.

The experts couldn’t have been farther from the truth (2 Tim. 3:16).

Today, armed with the inerrant, infallible, and authoritative word of God, a growing consensus within the church is seeing to it that we’re once again moving toward those with mental health concerns, instead of drifting away. As long as we have the word of God, we will have a word from God to deliver to those who are struggling. And none of this precludes or denies the good work and contributions of modern science.  

With confidence, the church is being empowered to help the weak, admonish the unruly, and encourage the faint hearted (1 Thess. 5:14). Here is the work of ministry as it was intended in the beginning, moving toward those in need, and extending the hope of healing and restoration to the hopeless.

We do this for John, because Christ did it for us (Romans 5:8).

A Resolution on Mental Health Concerns

Baylight Counseling is not affiliated with or supported by any particular Christian denomination. Further, Baylight is designed to serve the Christian community at large, and welcomes those of various denominational or theological backgrounds.

That said, I have received much of my training in biblical counseling at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, and have pastored within the Southern Baptist Convention.

As a biblical counselor, I take great encouragement in the support given to the biblical counseling process and movement by way of the SBC seminaries embracing and providing degrees in this form of ministry.

Further, I'm encouraged by the resolution passed by the SBC in June 2013 concerning the right and duty of the church of Jesus Christ to be fully engaged in counseling. I affirm the words contained in this resolution, and offer it here for your review:

ON MENTAL HEALTH CONCERNS AND THE HEART OF GOD
June 2013

WHEREAS, God made all things perfectly good in design for His glory and the good of humanity (Genesis 1–2); and

WHEREAS, Adam and Eve rebelled against Him, choosing their own way and the way of the Evil One, and consequently ushered sin and disorder into our world and the whole human race (Genesis 3; Romans 5:12–21; 8:22); and

WHEREAS, As a consequence of this Fall, humanity is subjected to many kinds of mental health problems including autism spectrum disorders; intellectual disability; mental health conditions like schizophrenia, clinical depression, anxiety disorders, bipolar disorders, and eating disorders; and diseases of the aged such as dementia and Alzheimer’s disease; and 

WHEREAS, God did not abandon fallen humanity but loved the world (John 3:16–17) and launched a plan of redemption—a restoration that is incomplete in this age but will be perfected in heaven (1 Peter 1:3–9); and

WHEREAS, Those with mental health concerns, like all people, are crowned with honor and dignity, being made in the image and likeness of God (Psalm 8:4–6; James 3:9); and

WHEREAS, Those with mental health concerns are disproportionately represented among the homeless and in our correctional systems, indicating a tragic neglect of these persons who are made in God’s image; and

WHEREAS, Those who are struggling with mental health concerns often feel isolated, stigmatized, and rejected, sometimes resorting to self-destructive behaviors, including suicide; and 

WHEREAS, Suicide is a tragedy, leaving heartache, pain, and unanswered questions in its wake; and 

WHEREAS, Recent events in our nation and among God’s people have underscored the tragedy of mental health concerns and their devastating toll within our families, our churches, and our culture; and

WHEREAS, Jesus Christ spent time with and healed some of the most marginalized members of the culture of His day; and

WHEREAS, God has appointed His people to be the main representatives of His heart and values to the world; and 

WHEREAS, God has called us to share the Gospel of Christ with all people, including those suffering various mental health concerns; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That the messengers to the Southern Baptist Convention meeting in Houston, Texas, on June 11–12, 2013, affirm that those with mental health concerns are of immeasurable value to God; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the mission Jesus described as His own in Luke 4:18-19 should also be the mission of His church, namely to proclaim liberty to those who are oppressed by means of godly biblical counsel; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we commit to affirm, support, and share God’s love and redemption with those with mental health concerns; and be it further 

RESOLVED, That we oppose all stigmatization and prejudice against those who are suffering from mental health concerns; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we support the wise use of medical intervention for mental health concerns when appropriate; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we support research and treatment of mental health concerns when undertaken in a manner consistent with a biblical worldview; and be it further

RESOLVED, That families who have lost a member to suicide deserve great care, concern, and compassion from Christians and their churches, including the assurance that those in Christ cannot be separated from the eternal love of God that is in Christ Jesus; and be it finally 

RESOLVED, That we call on all Southern Baptists and our churches to look for and create opportunities to love and minister to, and develop methods and resources to care for, those who struggle with mental health concerns and their families.

One of the great myths of biblical counseling is that those trained in its practice employ a "take two verses and call me in the morning" approach. This is a gross misunderstanding not only of clinically-informed biblical counseling, but of the very real and present help afforded believers who struggle with problematic emotions and relationships in the pages of Scripture.

Hopefully, this resolution will help instill a growing confidence in those considering biblical counseling for themselves or those they care about, that this model for soul care is both trustworthy, and effective. With an eye toward our physical brokenness and need of the medical communities assistance, we can indeed turn to the One who is both Designer and Redeemer of human souls (Prov. 14:26).

Your Past Experience Doesn't Excuse Your Current Sin

Joseph greets his brothers.

One of the many by-products of modern psychological theory (and there are many theories) is the muddied waters of cause and effect. Where does human behavior come from, is the question so many are trying to answer. Presumably, the better we understand the cause, the better we can understand and manipulate the effect.

The plethora of human psychological theories that have emerged and continue to emerge since the days of Freud, Rogers, and Jung, all attempt to answer the origins of human behavior. One of the many troubles, and what we're not told by the secular academy, is that these many theories are often in direct conflict with one another. For example, one theory will explain human behavior as largely emanating from the brain's biology. Another will see human behavior as the by-product of past experience.

It's that second thought that I want to address in this post.

This issue is important for us to consider, because it's a common assumption in our culture, that Experience A necessarily causes Behavior B. One of the venues in which we see this theory played out most often is in the criminal justice system. In my seventeen years of law enforcement, the last two being in the courtroom, I watched this behavioral system applied over and over again.

One time, I sat through an appeal to overturn a death sentence, in favor of a life term. The defendant had brutally murdered a man with a knife as the two walked out of a night club. The argument, which was quite compelling, I must admit, went like this: because the defendant had been exposed to extreme physical abuse as a child, and because those experiences drove him into substance abuse, he necessarily grew up into an adult who could not, therefore, control his anger and rage.

His past experiences were to blame for his murderous ways. Therefore, his death sentence must, it was argued, be overturned.

Although many practitioners of this psychological theory would deny it (and based on what, I do not know), the logical end of this thought process is that the defendant had not actually committed any sin for which he could justly be held accountable. He had committed a heinous act that ended tragically in the death of another man, but he had merely responded to the sin that had been committed against him, years prior.

His death sentence, based upon these facts alone, was therefore unjust!

From a biblical perspective, this theory fails miserably, because it excises individual human responsibility for sin, and therefore, removes our need for a Savior. The theory itself is anti-Christ and anti-Gospel. This shouldn't come as a surprise to us, though, because the roots of this man-made psychological system were set in place by people who denied the Gospel, and were largely Darwinian evolutionists.

The Bible says that all have sinned, and fallen short of the glory of God. The Bible does not deny, however, the influencing affect of past experience. This is why, for example, God commands parents to raise up children in the way that they should go. Clearly, the experiences of our children in our homes will bring shape to the adult person they become.

Past experience is indeed formative, but it's not determinative.

The child molester does not molest because they themselves were molested. They molest because they respond sinfully to the sins that were committed against them. While their past experience is tragic, and large amounts of help and grace are needed, God does not and will not give them a hall pass on their behavior. This is true for you, and it is true for me.

How can we know that the child molester does not molest because he or she was molested? Because not all children who are molested grow up into child molesters. This is an inconvenient truth for those who wish to hang sinful behavior on past experience, alone. In fact, their own numbers don't even come close to supporting the theory, and the explanations offered are woefully insufficient.

Still, why should we be having this discussion?

Running in the background, behind the scenes, is our understanding of the Gospel, who we are, and who God is as our greatest hope. In the context of biblical counseling, it's common to hear a husband blame his wife for his hard heart. "I hit her because she..." is how the explanation begins. Or, "I had the affair because when I was a child..." the theory goes.

King David would have, and did indeed reject this flawed understanding of his own adulterous and murderous ways. According to David, his sin was his own, and God himself was the ultimate target.

Unlike modern psychological systems, the Gospel provides both the bad news of human behavior, and the great message of hope. It's true that we've all sinned and fallen short of God's glory, but it's also true that the free gift of God is forgiveness of sin and eternal life in Christ Jesus, by grace, through faith.

And, rather than leaving negative past experiences in the hands of chance, unreconciled and without purpose or meaning, the Gospel fills in the gaps of our limited understanding, and helps us to see that those things which were meant for our harm, can and will be used for our good, to the glory of God, and for our ultimate joy.

Scripture references: Romans 3:23; Proverbs 22:6; Romans 1:18; Psalm 51; Genesis 50:20; Romans 8:28; Romans 6:23.

In a World of Pain and Suffering, Our Churches Must Be Counseling Churches

All ministry is counseling ministry.

In a recent, informal poll that I conducted all by myself, 2 out of three pastors that I spoke with disagreed with the preceding statement. I offered no explanation as to what the statement meant, nor did I receive feedback as to why the pastors disagreed with me. All I know is that they apparently saw some percentage of Christian ministry as not related to counseling.

Respectfully, I disagree with their assessment, and I want to persuade them, and all believers, pastors and non-pastors alike, that all of Christian ministry is in fact some form of counsel, and that all of our churches, particularly here in America, must become congregations that counsel.

To be a church that has a counseling ministry is one thing. To be a church that counsels is something quite different.

The field of mental health is receiving much needed attention in the land of Evangelical Christianity these days, and rightfully so. Although the attention isn't always marked by educated, and informed dialogue, the days of mental and emotional health issues being relegated to quiet meetings in the pastor's office are slowly giving way to openness and transparency.

As I build Baylight Counseling here in the Tampa Bay area, a para-church resource for clinically-informed, biblical counseling, I am slowly piecing together a number of loose observations that speak to a number of issues. Some of my thoughts are critical of what I'm seeing in churches generally, but I'm reminded that we stand at what may be a tipping point in changing a church culture that has been sold variously on two lies: 

1. There are no organic diseases of the brain that affect cognition and behavior, therefore good Christians do not take medication, but read their Bibles and pray, or
2. The Bible has little to say about obvious mental health issues, therefore only secular trained "experts" can help those in need.

I wrote about these two issues in my last post, which you can access HERE.

These two chronically advanced, malignant thoughts are kept alive through misinformation, false assumptions, and a general lack of education. These conditions permeate the church at large. But, it's OK. We don't need to rage against the machine, as much as we need to begin the process of reclaiming this most important piece of disciple-making that in truth, has always belonged to and in the church: counseling.

Long ago, at least by the early 20th century, as liberal theology and modern science gained an ear in the culture, the church was bullied (and it acquiesced) into believing that human thought processes and behavior were biologically rooted. The Bible, which was said to be a mere collection of man-made stories that weren't meant to be taken "literally," was therefore a poor source of information for providing counseling and therapy to those plagued by problematic behavior and emotions.

Slowly, but surely, the church cow-toed to these allegations, hung her head in shame, and bowed out of one of the most important pieces of work she was originally called to perform: to dispense the full counsel of God to a world of pain and suffering.

The tragedy in this fact is that suffering is a universal, human language. All humans suffer in a myriad of ways. We suffer from our own sin, and we suffer from bodies that break down and die. Furthermore, we all suffer to varying degrees from the effects of sin committed by the people around us. Sometimes we're the intended victim, and other times we're just in the wrong place at the wrong time.

No matter what truths the details bear witness to, suffering is a universal human language on this side of glory. 

If this is true, and I believe it is, then what are the implications for our churches? What are the opportunities given to the church by God in the midst of suffering that provide incredible opportunities to introduce (or reintroduce) people to their Creator, who alone holds the keys to a transformed life?

This discussion is much bigger than any one blog post can bear, but I do want to submit one idea that I'm certain must be of interest to pastors and believers who desire to see the lost come to know Christ, and that's this: In our post-Christian culture, learning how to listen to, understand, and subsequently minister to the emotional, mental, and spiritual suffering of the people around us, regardless of the cause, is vital, if we're going to fulfill the Great Commission.

Rob Green and Steve Viars, in their chapter from the newly released book, Christ-Centered Biblical Counseling, wrote the following:

Churches may talk about evangelism, but counseling offers a tremendous opportunity for folks to do evangelism rather than talk about doing evangelism. When an unbeliever seeks biblical counseling, it's an opportunity to present Christ as the answer to their needs. Instead of us going to them and giving them a message they don't want, our non-Christian counselees come wanting an explanation for the challenges they are facing in their lives. They are coming on our turf and wanting our answers because no one else has been able to provide satisfactory answers to their deepest questions. (p.231)

As social justice issues have gained traction in recent years, even or especially within the Evangelical church, I'm proposing that the work of building credible, trust-worhty, clinically-informed, biblical counseling ministries into the fabric of our churches become a front-burner topic.

According to the US Government, the field of counseling is expected to grow by a whopping 20-30% over the next decade, and with millions upon millions of Americans now taking psychotropic medications for a host of issues, why would the church not seize this God-given opportunity to minister to the hurting and broken people among us?

If I were pastoring a church today, I wouldn't wait one more second to begin a dialogue about this issue with my leadership team. The need within the culture is glaring, and its presence and effect within our churches is undeniable. To our glorious benefit, we live in a time when, by God's grace, the resources to efficiently and effectively train teams of lay counselors is in place.

The only questions that remain to be answered are whether or not we'll continue to be satisfied by the status quo, exchanging potentially nuclear-powered disciple-making resources for more concerts and short-term, feel-good programming, or will the church get serious about infiltrating the culture with the hope of Jesus Christ, at the point of the culture's pain?

If we don't actually believe that the Bible is sufficient for all of life, which by the way is not to deny the proper place of good medical science, then we'll do nothing. We'll keep sending Christ's sheep to the disciples of Freud and Darwin, who are perfectly willing to shield their eyes from a view of the cross, while we do whatever it is we've been doing.

Counseling is the business of the church, and in a world of mental and emotional pain and suffering, our churches must become places of refuge and hope for the hurting.

Note: If you or your church would like to investigate this opportunity further, please contact me at Baylight Counseling for an appointment (727-433-0682). It would be my pleasure to serve you, and to help craft a way forward for you or your church to build its own counseling ministry, and in so doing, make disciples of Christ by fulfilling the Great Commission.

Rising Awareness of Mental Health Issues Among Evangelicals

On April 5, 2013, the evangelical church in America, known for its generally strong belief in and commitment to Biblical inerrancy and sufficiency, was rocked from its slumber on mental health issues when the son of beloved pastor Rick Warren tragically committed suicide.

Matthew Warren, 27, had struggled for years with issues such as a borderline personality disorder and depression. According to his parents, Rick and Kaye, they had engaged these battles for years with Matthew, loving on him, and ensuring that he had access to quality mental health care and counseling.

Still, the day they had long feared would come, finally arrived. Their son had taken his own life. 

In the aftermath, they were left not only with the task of prayerfully mending their broken family, but, they were compelled to see to it that Matthew's death would become a point of constructive dialogue for Christians in America. 

The evangelical church in America, with exceptions of course, has proven its commitment to "rightly dividing the word of God," but it has had difficulty rightly dividing the issues that surround mental health and mental illness.

LifeWay, a research and publishing arm of the Southern Baptist Convention, recently issued a report in which it said that 48% of evangelicals in America believe that "Bible study and prayer alone can heal people with serious mental illnesses, such as depression, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia." In the same report, respondents also indicated a majority belief that the church in America should, "do more to prevent suicide."

While I applaud LifeWay for taking up this issue, and for investigating the general mood of evangelicals in America, I have some thoughts concerning the report that I'd like to add:

1. The report, in my estimation, reflects a continued lack of understanding of the issues surrounding mental health and mental illness. For example, according to the report, well over half of evangelicals believe that bible study and prayer alone can bring healing to those who suffer from mental health issues, while a majority also believe that the church should do more to prevent suicides that are presumably linked to mental illness. Is this to say that a majority of evangelicals in America believe that those afflicted with mental illness must simply pray harder, and study longer?
2. The most loaded question in the report, in my opinion, is the one that addresses Bible study and prayer as the hope for those struggling with mental health issues. I didn't like the wording or the presentation of the question, because it takes an incredibly complex issue and reduces it to a dangerously simple question. Evangelicals, rightly committed to the word of God, but not always well versed in mental health issues, are almost certainly going to affirm that Bible study and prayer alone can heal mental illness. This is not a surprising outcome, and furthermore, not an incorrect belief, in and of itself. What the question seems to convey, but does not clarify, is whether the respondents believed that only prayer and bible study should be applied where mental illness is present. In other words, one can believe that prayer and Bible study alone can heal mental illness, while not believing that these are the only two options which ought to be applied.
3. The LifeWay report repeatedly uses the term "mental illness," and, for the purposes of the survey, groups depression, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia into one category that it describes as "serious conditions." This, in my opinion, is an over-simplification of the named conditions, particularly where depression is the issue. For example, a person may suffer from what appears to be depression with underlying biological causes, or they may suffer from a depression which was brought about by circumstantial factors, where there is no reason to suspect a biological cause. Furthermore, the depression may or may not be "serious" in terms of the level of suffering. Therefore, to group depression into the same category as bipolar disorder and schizophrenia, two conditions which are indeed serious, and which are believed to be organically driven issues, is too loose of an approach, and feeds into the ongoing unfamiliarity with the issues.
4. Evangelicals in America have been sold, in my opinion, on two grievous errors which originate in two distinct camps: a) the anti-organic Christian camp, which denies the organic component of mental health issues, because it fails to grasp the relationship between body and soul, and b) the secular approach to mental health which finds its roots in a Darwinian theory of evolution, and a "disease-only" model of psychology which seeks, therefore, to excise the reality of sin, its effects, and the corresponding need for a Savior.

The points above are not exhaustive, but serve as brief examples of the issues that the church faces in America. The LifeWay report and its respondents are right to identify the need for a broader, more comprehensive response to mental health and mental illness issues. Regardless of the identifiable causes of problematic emotions and behaviors in people, it is undeniable that the church ought to be a place of refuge and unsurpassed hope for both the sinner and the sufferer, as it learns to better embrace the realities of the brokenness of our bodies, and the hope that the Gospel of Jesus Christ offers to those in despair.

I am convinced that counseling rightly belongs to and in the church, but my conviction goes well beyond the woefully insufficient "take two verses and call me in the morning" approach. 

For biblical encouragement in all of this, I look to passages such as 1 Timothy 5:23, where Paul instructs Timothy, concerning some physical ailments, to not drink only water, but to also drink "a little wine" in seeking relief. In raising this point, I'm not inviting a debate on alcohol. I am, however, acknowledging that Paul did not tell Timothy to simply attend another Bible study, and pray harder in seeking a cure for what ailed him. Instead, Paul acknowledged a physical ailment, and identified a potential source of physical relief. Why would the church today refuse to extend a similar form of relief to sufferers of true mental illness, where appropriate?

The good news for us today is that there is a movement within the evangelical church, otherwise known as the "biblical counseling movement," which is, with increasing precision, seeking to better understand the connection between body and soul, true mental illness versus problematic emotions and behaviors brought about by sin, and the appropriate forms of relief and treatment. At its best, it's neither given to naivety, nor given to a Freudian worldview.

Within this counseling model, is a growing source of hope for those locked into seemingly inescapable patterns of sin, or seasons of intense suffering brought about by a host of causes for which they had little to no control. Regardless of the position, the Gospel is held out as the ultimate source of compassionate hope and healing, whether there is a need for medical intervention, or not.

For these and other reasons, I'm grateful for the courage of the Warren family in confronting the church with the realities we face. I'm grateful for organizations such as LifeWay, which are refusing to ignore this once frowned upon topic. And, I'm grateful for the grace of God in the biblical counseling movement, which is increasingly lifting from the pages of Scripture a truly biblical approach to counseling, psychotherapy, and mental health issues.

For too long, the church has submitted herself to the secular sciences in near humiliation, behaving as a bride who is ashamed of her husband, when all along, He held the keys to hope for not only the age to come, but also the age in which we presently live.

While we have not yet arrived, there are indications of a movement in the right direction. And, that movement may begin with a rising awareness not only of the need, but of the hope found in the Good News, properly joined together with a more accurate understanding of the body and soul.

For the sake of our testimony, the glory of God, and the souls of the people for which we are called to provide care, let's pray that we can finally start to get this right.

What Is Biblical Counseling?

Here's the answer, as defined by the Association of Biblical Counselors:

"Below is the definition of biblical counseling developed by and agreed upon by experts in the field of biblical counseling via Dr. Jeremy Lelek's (our president) Ph.D. dissertation:

Biblical counseling endeavors to build a relationship with another person in which God’s work of change can thrive. It is therefore dependent on the Word of God, the work of the Holy Spirit and the grace of Jesus Christ. It seeks to build a contextualized understanding of the counselee (past and present) and will view that data through the lens of Scripture. The Biblical counselor rests in the knowledge that he is not the change agent, but a tool in the hands of the One who is. The biblical counselor does not ignore physical issues or emotional data, but seeks to integrate them into a holistic understanding of the person and where change needs to take place. The biblical counselor is not adversarial in his relationship to the psychologies of his culture, but examines research and insights through the lens of Scripture. In his work with the counselee the biblical counselor always recognizes the sovereignty of God, the transformative grace of Christ, and the insight-giving and conviction-producing ministry of the Holy Spirit. In all of this the biblical counselor sees himself not as an isolated instrument of change, but one whose work is intimately connected to God’s primary tool of change; the church, with all of its God-ordained, duties, structures and means of grace."

For more helpful information, navigate to their webpage HERE.

Wise Counsel: All That Glitters Is Not Gold

“Plans are established by counsel; by wise guidance wage war.” Proverbs 20:18

Throughout Scripture, we find the life we now live described in part with the language of war and combat. Speaking to the ongoing battles for our hearts and minds, we’re commanded to “put to death the deeds of the body [sins of the flesh]” (Rom. 8:13). Elsewhere, we’re told, “Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil” (Eph. 6:11).

Some people in our post-Christian age find this language offensive, but it speaks to the gravity of what hangs in the balance, namely, our souls and their eternal destiny.  When we carelessly enter the theatre of spiritual warfare having refused the wisdom of God given to us in His word, we become a liability to ourselves and to every good soldier of God around us.

In recent days, I’ve had multiple encounters with people who, by their own foolishness, have been and are being sifted by the “father of lies” (John 8:44, Luke 22:31). On separate occasions, followers of the World Mission Society Church of God, as well as a follower of Joseph Prince, one of the Word-Faith movement’s up-and-coming darlings, have approached me to share their non-gospel.

I found their nebulous arguments to be utterly confusing because they were based upon eternally damning interpretations of the word of God. They also broke my heart, because standing before me were human souls who had been deceived by the spirit of antichrist (1 John 2:18).

The one confidently (and heretically) proclaimed that the “mother of god” must be received by faith if we are to enter the kingdom of God. The other falsely presumed that they were elevating the grace of God by denying the sinfulness of man—and otherwise worshipping the creation rather than the Creator.

These conversations served as critical reminders of the need for wise counsel in the life of the Christian. Counsel that, as the Apostle Paul said, does not, “shrink from declaring to you the whole counsel of God” (Acts 20:27).

But, how can we know that the counsel we’re receiving is based upon the whole of God’s counsel—that it’s truly biblical?

One way that we can know this is by becoming competent students of the word ourselves (2 Tim. 2:15). If we’re not diligently pouring over the Scriptures, and applying sound principles of interpretation in our study, then how will we know a fraud when we see one?

Don’t be confused: left to its own devices, the mind is prone to pragmatism (believing what seems right), and understandings of Scripture that feed, rather than combat, idols of the heart (exegesis vs. eisegesis).

Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary is now providing a tremendous resource, free of charge, to the entire body of Christ. It’s called MOOC—Massive Open Online Course. This trending format allows for people all over the world with Internet access to receive seminary level training and preparation for ministry. SEBTS first offering addresses the issue of hermeneutics—or how we interpret the word.

I would encourage anyone who takes an interest in their faith to take advantage of this or other such offerings. The principles of biblical interpretation that are offered in this course not only help individual Christians walk as Jesus walked, but they strengthen the church at large, and build discerning Christians—rather than the type who are fooled when “mother of god” or “prosperity gospel” arguments are set before them.

It’s been said that "all of ministry is counseling," and I believe that’s true. The Sunday sermon is a public exposition of the counsel of God; small group discipleship applies that counsel in a more accountable setting, and one-on-one biblical counseling sorts through the details of our lives where the symptoms of sin and suffering are more acute.

The Bible teaches us that community is an essential element of the faith. As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another (Prov. 27:17). The sharpening that Scripture speaks of can largely be seen through a counseling paradigm, whether formal or informal. A major task for the believer, then, is to know good counsel when they see it, and to flee from the rest.

In this life, there is plenty of counsel to go around. The question is, will you wage war by wise guidance, or will you succumb to the ways that seem right to men, but in the end, lead to death (Prov. 16:25)?

Questions:

1. From what sources are you seeking guidance and counsel?

2. By what standards do you evaluate the counsel you receive?