Book Review: Scripture and Counseling: Part Two: The Richness and Relevance of God's Word

The following is part two of my chapter-by-chapter review and interaction with the individual parts of Scripture and Counseling, the newest offering from the Biblical Counseling Coalition, and Zondervan Academic.

Scripture and Counseling: Chapter One: The Richness and Relevance of God's Word: Kevin Carson

The sufficiency of Scripture may be one of the most unifying principles for those within the biblical counseling movement. And, it may be one of the most divisive for those who stand opposed to its objectives.

But, what would we say about the necessity of Scripture, or its relevance to life? Is the Bible written clearly enough so as to be useful in counseling? Does it even have enough depth to reach the deepest levels of modern suffering? 

Or, as secularists would have us believe, is it merely an ancient book written to an ancient people, thereby rendering it obsolete in the face of more modern, sophisticated psychotherapy?

For the Living About the Living

Speaking to this issue, Kevin Carson opens Scripture and Counseling with a chapter that fulfills the books stated goal, which is to help the reader "regain [their] confidence in God's word as sufficient to address the real issues we face today." Simply put, Carson writes, "The Bible is addressed to the living about living" (p.29).

The title of Carson's chapter, "The Richness and Relevance of God's Word," reveals a clue as to the substance of his writing. It is the right opening salvo in a book dedicated to lifting up the centrality of the Gospel in biblical counseling. In this chapter, Carson lays a foundation for the chapters that follow.

While offering a wealth of theological reflection concerning the role of God's Word in counseling, tied together with a variety of biblical passages for the reader to consider, Carson helpfully provides a series of real-life counseling scenarios that bring home four critical points, namely, that Scripture is necessary, relevant, clear, and profound (p.31). 

Indeed, if Carson is correct in saying that the Bible is addressed to the living about living, then those who struggle with the effects of sin and suffering in a broken world must find hope for healing in its pages. Were this not possible, were it not true, then the argument for the Bible's sufficiency would be a broken cistern.

Unique Content and Character 

Carson, however, builds the readers trust in the sufficiency of Scripture for counseling by showing how both its content and character are unique (p.31). Concerning these two issues, Carson writes: 

1. Without the Scriptures, it would be impossible to know our purpose in life or how to live out that purpose. 
2. The supernatural character of the Bible highlights the Bible's authority, inspiration, infallibility, and inerrancy.

As to the believer's purpose in life, Carson shows how God, working through the Bible in the power of the Holy Spirit intends for Christians to be transformed into the likeness of Christ. But, what Carson has to say on this issue isn't ethereal, but tangible, and therefore hope-giving:

The Bible plus circumstances provide the believer with the ultimate opportunity to grow and change. It is in these individual, yet essential, moments of life where the follower of Christ chooses between bringing glory to God--which is Christlike--or not. (p.34)

Rich and Relevant

This opening chapter to Scripture and Counseling provides the reader with an encouraging view of the Bible as God's special revelation of both Himself, and His counsel. It justifies the title, and affirms for the reader that Scripture is, in fact, both theologically rich, and utterly relevant for all of life, and all of life's problems.

For the counselor, Carson reminds that, "The Bible teaches us about God, people, and problems" (p.46). For the counselee, Carson encourages that, "God is doing more than just wanting us to change a thought or a behavior" (p.46). And, for the church, he exhorts, "The depth of God's wisdom given to us as believers surpasses the knowledge and insight that can be gained from any other source" (p.43).

A Needed Reminder

As a biblical counselor, Carson's chapter has re-filled my heart with enthusiasm for God's Word by reminding me of its necessity, relevance, clarity, and profundity. It is a chapter that reorients the heart away from "the nomenclature of secular psychotherapies to real, dynamic, true, and significant issues of life in Christ" (p.45).

Thanks to Carson, the biblical counselor can once again pick up the written Word of God, confident that what they hold in their hand is indeed sharper than any two-edged sword, and uniquely capable of discerning the thoughts and intentions of the human heart (Heb. 4:12).

Kevin Carson serves as pastor of Sonrise Baptist Church, professor of biblical counseling at Baptist Bible College, and is certified by the ACBC.

Book Review: Scripture and Counseling: Introduction

The following is part one of a chapter-by-chapter review of "Scripture and Counseling: God's Word for Life in a Broken World." The book is the latest publication from the Biblical Counseling Coalition and Zondervan Publishing. Dr. Bob Kellemen is the General Editor, and Dr. Jeff Forrey is the Managing Editor. 

My intent for this review is to create a series that interacts with each of the book's chapters, and their main ideas. I've chosen this format because of the importance of each chapter. 

Scripture and Counseling is a book that draws upon the knowledge and expertise of twenty leaders from within the biblical counseling movement. It seeks to help the reader regain confidence in God's Word as sufficient to address life's issues. The book is a critical addition to the greater body of work concerning biblical counseling, and one that every counselor, pastor, and small group leader should possess.

Scripture and Counseling: Introduction: The Preacher, The Counselor, and The Congregation

by Kevin DeYoung and Pat Quinn

As the Founder and Executive Director of a still-new biblical counseling ministry, in an area relatively unfamiliar with biblical counseling, one of the most important tasks I've faced in introducing pastors to the ministry is sharing with them the ways in which biblical counseling complements their pre-existing pulpit and teaching ministries. 

In the Introduction to Scripture and Counseling, authors Kevin DeYoung  and Pat Quinn have provided not just another superfluous opening act to an otherwise good book, but a chapter that answers questions like how counseling and pulpit ministry coalesce in a local church, and, perhaps most importantly, what is the basis for counseling and pulpit ministry being joined together.

In the Introduction, DeYoung and Quinn provide the reader with four pillars upon which the partnership of pulpit and counseling rest. Concerning God's Word, those pillars are the necessity, authority, sufficiency, and relevance of Scripture. Each of these are explained in brief, and connections made between the office of preacher and counselor. 

In making their argument for the local church embracing biblical counseling ministry, DeYoung and Quinn show that, contrary to the common view that separates what the pastor does on Sunday, from what the counselor does on Monday, the work of these two disciple-making ministries are intricately linked because of their shared reliance upon Scripture, that is, where Scripture is in fact the basis for ministry.

In the opening paragraph, DeYoung and Quinn write that, "The ministry of the preacher and the ministry of the counselor are not different kinds of ministry, but rather the same ministry given in different ways in different settings. Both are fundamentally, thoroughly, and unapologetically Word ministries."

To this point, and within their explanation of the necessity of Scripture for preaching and biblical counseling, DeYoung and Quinn show that, "The care of souls requires revelation from the Maker of souls. We preach and we counsel from the Scriptures not simply because they help us see a few good insights, but because they are the spectacles through which we must see everything."

DeYoung and Quinn then share specific case examples of how their ministries have complemented one another in the local church where they serve, beginning with the preaching of DeYoung, followed by the one-another ministry of Quinn's counsel. 

DeYoung and Quinn write that their unique ministries have been mutually supportive because of a "shared commitment" to the pillars of Scripture for "helping people work through suffering and sin issues in a way that glorifies God and brings spiritual growth."

From my perspective, as someone who's reaching out to local pastors in a community not accustomed to church-based, clinically-informed biblical counseling, the Introduction to Scripture and Counseling serves as an excellent opportunity to encourage pastors and church leaders to consider how biblical counseling promises to enhance disciple-making, promote lasting life transformation within the congregation, and enhance existing pulpit ministry.

DeYoung and Quinn rightly point out, "We do not need to be afraid to preach and counsel from the Word of God into the deepest places of the human heart." And, through their Introduction to Scripture and Counseling, we also learn that the church can embrace preaching and counseling as complementary ministries of the Word, each emanating from confidence in the necessity, authority, sufficiency, and relevance of Scripture.

Kevin DeYoung is the Senior Pastor of University Reformed Church, serving alongside Pat Quinn, who is the Pastor of Counseling Ministries.