3/16/18 1312

Abstract

Is Scripture really accurate and authoritative on all subjects on which it speaks? Is it really pragmatic of us as counselors, to put our faith in something so ancient? The answer is an absolute yes! This absolute yes is contingent on whether the Bible is true or not. Thus making believing the Bible to be true the absolute critical starting point for faith counseling. This paper seeks to explain why this is so, and then back up that substantial claim that the Bible is not only sufficient for counseling, but absolutely necessary as a firm and trustworthy foundation for us to stand on as counselors.

“For I know that the Lord is great, And that our Lord is above all gods.”¹

Psalm 135:5 (AMP)

1) Preface to the Research Concept of Biblical Counseling

The central question is this; is the Bible a dependable and practical source of truth and wisdom in mental health counseling today? Is the Bible really still relevant and useful in this day and age? Can we trust counseling that is based on a holy book that is more than two millennia old? Is the Bible really as venerable and trustworthy and without error as some sources claim it is? Is Scripture really accurate and authoritative on all subjects on which it speaks? Is it really pragmatic of us as counselors, to put our faith in something so ancient?

The answer to the central question and all the other questions is an absolute yes! (This absolute yes is contingent on one extremely important factor; is the Bible true or not. If it's not true, then the thesis of this paper is moot.

Thus making believing the Bible to be true the absolute critical starting point for the faith.) In light of truth, professing Christians have two options: either they must yield to its teaching on all matters or they must abandon the idea that the Bible is inerrant and authoritative. It is either inerrant and authoritative and also sufficient or it is none of these things. Given what the Bible teaches about itself, the answer is clear.

This paper seeks to explain why this is so, and then back up that substantial claim that the Bible is not only sufficient for counseling, but absolutely necessary as a firm and trustworthy foundation for us to stand on as counselors.

1.1) Introduction to Biblical Counseling

Spiritual beliefs, beliefs based on love, are a central part of our existence as humans. Our need for love is just as central and as essential as our need to breathe oxygen. Love is arguably what makes life great; like love for our country and our families. The Bible teaches love. The Church teaches love. Even Jesus commanded us to love our neighbors as we love ourselves (Mark 12:31)². The Bible tells us that God loves us all dearly. God’s love extends to all people, across all religious traditions, races/ethnicities, classes, ages, genders and sexual orientation, and that we should too as Christ followers and clinicians, extend that same love to all, regardless of anything, not just the items listed above. So a teaching foundation based on love should be a central theme of therapy.

Now, loving everyone doesn’t mean we love everything. Christians are taught to “love what God loves and hate what God hates” (Psalms 97:9)³. Combine the love and compassion we are taught in the Bible, with the ethical standards of mental health counseling today, and the two work together nicely, not contradicting each other, though the Bible standard of ethical behavior is higher than the average standard.

That said, not all religions are equal, and if the truth is what you’re after, there is truly only one truth, the rest are simply false. There is more than enough evidence that backs up the Bible, while disproving the false teachers, who masquerade as Christian, but they teach a different gospel other than what is found in the unadulterated Holy Bible (like the Mormons (LDS) and the Jehovah’s Witnesses). In the end, the Bible and only the Bible is where we find that truth.

1.2) Counsel Offered Must Be True

Christian biblical counseling believes in the truths of the Bible and thus seeks to teach these truths as part of the counseling process. There is a growing demand for and interest in quality Christian counselors. According to the Pew Research Center’s Religious Landscape Study in 2012, 89 percent of adults in the United States believe in "God or a universal spirit" and eight-in-ten people identify with a religious group (Pew, 2012).

Any Christian who sets out to counsel another individual, whether formally or casually, is aware that the counsel offered must be true. Counseling is by definition a compassionately impulsive serving and helping ministry.

It assumes that someone is confronted with some measure of confusion, disappointment, or despair in their lives and that second person endeavors to help by analyzing the counselee’s situation, sorting out the issues involved, and then offering helpful and healing advice and direction. But the efficacy of all that the counselor undertakes to do is dependent at least on this one thing: that his analysis and counsel is true. (Mack, 1998, p. 68)

Thus it is the responsibility of the Christian counselor to be the vessel of truth for God, and to shine the light of truth on what is false. Thus, to illuminate this truth and wisdom of God in the lives of those who are struggling and seeking wise counsel, the Christian counselor must be a true living Christian themselves.

And of course they must be very well versed in Christian Doctrine and God’s Word. Or as the Apostle Paul poetically puts it in first Timothy, chapter 3 verse 9, when referring to a high-level church leader, he said they must “uphold and fully understand the mystery [that is, the true doctrine] of the [Christian] faith with a clear conscience [resulting from behavior consistent with spiritual maturity” (from the Amplified Bible)⁴. Put simply, he said that in order to lead the church, one must fully understand the essential doctrine with a clear conscience; that clear conscience results from behavior that is consistent with spiritual maturity.

In addition to spiritual maturity, to be a worthy Bible teaching clinician, one must also be knowledgeable about the world and its rich history, while not giving in to their seductive allures, because we serve a Master that is not of this world. Still, in order to be effective counselors, we must know about all of the natural and social sciences, as well as all the other world religions and traditions, their histories and philosophies. Why? We must be aware and know our enemies (Ephesians 6:12)⁵. As there is deception, delusion, and lies on every corner. But what is real and credible? What is the answer? What can people do?

They can turn to Christ—to the truth. Jesus said, “You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:32)⁶. He said, “I am … the truth” (John 14:6)⁷. Jesus did not say, “You shall know a truth” or “any truth” but “the truth.” He’s the embodiment of all truth. Jesus said, “If you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins” (John 8:24)⁸. Jesus Christ claimed to be the ultimate truth. If you don’t believe that and don’t accept Christ, you will die in your sins and you’ll be lost.

2.) Concept of Biblical Counseling

This paper discusses the general concept of Bible-based Christian counseling, as it relates to the field of mental health counseling today. The definitions, duties, responsibilities, licensure requirements and training requirements of the following are examined; Christian counseling, Biblical counseling, pastoral counseling and counseling Pastors.

What is Pastoral Counseling? Pastoral counseling is a mode of clinical mental health care that integrates the knowledge of psychology and the behavioral sciences, with the wisdom of spirituality, religion, and theology. According to the American Association of Pastoral Counselors (AAPC), pastoral counseling is a therapy that aims to alleviate the painful symptoms of mental illness, while increasing coping skills, assisting with positive behavioral changes, promoting spiritual awareness, encouraging Christ-like behavior, emotional maturity, intellectual grounding and physical well-being. More specifically, pastoral counseling is a type of therapy that integrates biblical principles, beliefs, and practices as part of treatment. The spiritual wellness of the client is of great importance, and thus biblical discipleship is part of the therapeutic process. Discipleship and fellowship are further discussed in section 9 C of this research paper. (Snodgrass 2015)

In the article “Why Pastoral Counseling”, Reverend Jill Snodgrass, Ph.D., of the AAPC, defines the term Pastoral Counselor as a clinical mental health professional, who is dedicated to serving clients of any, all or no religious affiliation. She says that pastoral counseling can be for anyone and everyone at any time. Whether someone is in crisis or looking for personal development, a pastoral counselor can provide the guidance, skill, relationship, and information needed to promote psychological and spiritual growth and wholeness. According to Snodgrass, pastoral counseling serves individuals, couples, families, and community systems in an effort to foster healing, renewal, reconciliation, and transformation. (Snodgrass 2015)

3.) Purpose of this Research Paper and Summary of Reviewed of Scholarly Literature

The primary purpose of doing a literature review in the first place is to describe and compare selected scholarly articles on the subject that is to be studied. This is done to get a grasp of what has already been discovered by other academics in that field. Once the literature has been reviewed, its methods and theories are then evaluated and discussed. And finally, drawing from those scholarly articles, this paper evaluates the arguments and conclusions that are drawn from them. Because this paper is about Biblical counseling, it is fitting that the Bible is referenced to in addition to academic sources.

Primary Sources - The Holy Bible, various versions, listed in Bible Reference Section 15.

Other Scholarly Sources - Listed in Reference Section 14.

4.) The Need for Pastoral Counseling Today

From the book “Understanding Pastoral Counseling”, Reverend Snodgrass, and as the director of the American Association of Pastoral Counseling, she cites statistics that answer that question why Biblical counseling, of all the options out there? (Snodgrass 2015)

That 2012 Pew research poll cited earlier, that found that 89 percent of adults in the United States that believe in "God or a universal spirit" sounds like a good thing. Unfortunately, two years later, the same Pew research found that only 59 percent of participants indicated feeling a sense of spiritual well-being at least once per week. That statistic is supposed to be representative of the entire US population. Put another way, 6 out of 10 people are spiritual in some way, and that’s a good start. Problem is that many people have been church abused, have been led astray by false teachings, or something else. While about seven in 10 Americans identify with some branch of Christianity, the share of U.S. adults who describe themselves as Christians dropped by nearly 8 percent between 2007 and 2014, according to a survey by Pew Research Center. But while Americans as a whole have become somewhat less religious in recent years – largely due to an increase in the share of people who do not belong to any organized faith – those who are religious are even more devout than they were a few years ago, according to the Pew report. (Pew 2014 Religious Landscape Study)

Therefore it is not surprising then that tremendous interest in spiritually-integrated counseling and psychotherapy today, and the number of clinicians must increase to meet the demands of new generations of clients. Spiritually-integrated mental health care has been shown through empirical research to be effective for individuals experiencing grief, depression, anxiety, and a variety of other presenting problems. To meet the need of this growing field of spiritually-integrated mental health care, the landscape of pastoral counseling is changing in two main ways. Firstly, how pastoral counselors are being trained has shifted towards integrating modern psychology and proven clinical practices. And secondly, pastoral counselors utilize evidence-based therapeutic practices in combination with the Bible. (Marshall, J. 2015)

There are already many mental health professionals today, people who are trained as social workers, marriage and family therapists, counselors, and psychologists. They are already engaging in spiritually-integrated practices. The AAPC welcomes all these professionals into the association and simultaneously endorses the distinctive training that many pastoral counselors possess given their education in theology, spirituality, and religion as well as psychology and the behavioral sciences. (Snodgrass 2015)

4.1) Pastoral and Biblical Counseling - Are pastoral counseling and Christian counseling the same discipline? What is a Counseling Pastor, and how is that different from Pastoral Counseling? What does a counseling pastor do? The following answers the above questions.

A ‘pastor’ is a minister in charge of a Christian church or congregation. Anyone who wishes to be a pastor must learn about the disciplines and must have a heart for helping people. Counseling clients is not easy, and may not always be quite helpful. The following discusses the differences between them. Pastoral counseling and Christian counseling are not the same discipline, but they are related.

4.2) What is a Counseling Pastor? A counseling pastor is usually someone who works in a church ministry full-time, and provides counseling to their flock as part of their duties. The average pastor has a master of divinity, and they are ordained by their denomination to lead their church. Most pastors are qualified to provide biblical counseling. They generally offer what is needed for their congregation, like marriage counseling, premarital counseling, etc. This ensures that the church members have a place to go for practical and spiritual help, from the people they trust when they need it. (Best Counseling, 2017)

4.3) What are Christian Counselors? Christian counselors typically are licensed professionals who have advanced degrees in counseling and psychology from accredited institutions, colleges and universities. Many secular people who are counselors for secular clients, usually refrain from directly addressing Christian counseling concepts. Most simply add a Christian component to their services, but they fail to ask their clients to do anything or make specific changes. They fail to push clients towards one particular faith or another, out of fear or social norms regarding religion.

This “hurt no one’s feelings” strategy of counseling is not faithful Christian counseling. Faithful Christian counseling embraces the truth and the truths found in Scripture. Christian counselors care more about the client’s salvation than their feelings. Of course, tack and great care are exercised, we do not merely "throw out Bible verses" or "shove Scripture down people's throats." That kind of "biblical" counseling is patently not biblical. The majority of Christian counseling patients are active Christians belonging to a local church, but they need not be. (Best Counseling, 2017)

4.4) The Christian Counseling Difference - As a general rule, both Christian counseling and secular counseling share the same desire to help people overcome their problems, find meaning and joy in life, and become healthy and well-adjusted individuals, both mentally and emotionally, the difference is that secular ignores the spiritually. Most counselors have graduate degrees and have spent years learning their craft. The word "counseling" can have multiple meanings, including offering advice and encouragement, sharing wisdom and skills, setting goals, resolving conflict, etc. Counselors usually probe the past (whether the problem happened a week ago or during childhood) in an attempt to repair the present. Sometimes they explore possible affects of physical and chemical imbalances that can cause physiological problems. A major part of counseling is resolving and restoring conflicts between people. (AAG, 2017)

4.5) The Foundation of Christian Counseling - Christian counseling is distinct from secular counseling. Christian counseling rises to another dimension. "In contrast to psychologically-integrated systems, Biblical counseling seeks to carefully discover those areas in which a Christian may be disobedient to the principles and commands of Scripture and to help him learn how to lovingly submit to God's will," reports the International Association of Biblical Counselors. (AAG, 2017)

Christian counselors are able to do that because they have an absolute standard by which to measure their objectives and evaluate their counselee's lifestyle. They see the Bible as the source of all truth. 2 Timothy 3:16-17⁹ says, "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work." The secular counselor has no such standard, but instead, they use the latest psychological findings or societal norm, both of which change with the winds of time.

Therefore, a secular counselor has no absolutes with which to judge morals and the choices people make. Christian counselors understand that the Bible has a lot of practical wisdom about human nature, marriage and family, human suffering, and so much more. By using biblical concepts in counseling, they can instruct people in the way they should go and also hold them accountable. (AAG 2017) Although Christian counselors often use skills from the field of secular psychology and counseling, they recognize that the Bible, not psychology, is the final authority. Believers take great joy from obedience to God’s commands for us, like Psalm 119:24¹⁰ says, "Your statutes are my delight; they are my counselors."

4.6) Biblical Counseling - Biblical Counseling is the process where the Bible, God’s Word, is related individually to a person or persons who are struggling under the weight of personal sin and/or the difficulties with suffering, so that he or she might genuinely change in the inner person to be pleasing to God.

4.7) Three Key Beliefs of Biblical Counseling - First, we believe that the Bible, given by God, is sufficient for life in that, when properly interpreted, it reveals to the believer all the data necessary for one to understand his need for Christ, how he can please the Lord, and how to live in a God-honoring way regardless of the circumstances whether comfortable or oppressive.

Second, the Bible is also the authoritative source with which all truth claims—including claims made by science and history—must be evaluated. As a result, we reject all counseling theories that use presuppositions, principles, and/or methodologies that are inconsistent with the proper interpretation of the biblical text.

Third, we believe that genuine heart change is totally dependent on the ministry of the Holy Spirit. Thus, our view of counseling practice includes the importance of prayer, dependence on God, a thorough knowledge of the Word of God, and an understanding of ministering to people. (Goode, Smith 2015)

In simple terms Biblical Counseling is ministering Scripture to those who face struggles in life or who desire wisdom or God’s direction. Biblical Counseling is not a new concept. There are examples throughout the pages of Scripture where God’s Word was cited in instructive and corrective ways to both individuals and groups. There are also examples throughout the history of the church of the utilization of Scripture by pastors and others to provide encouragement and admonition to members of the flock. (Goode, Smith 2015)

4.8) What are the Differences Between Fields? The fields for Bible based counseling has grown and become quite different. When they are examined as they relate to their licensure, the differences become clear. Pastoral counselors are not required to have licenses in every state, and they may often work as lay counselors after registering with the state. Christian counselors are usually licensed by their respective states, and they must receive quite a lot of continuing education to maintain their licenses. Someone who has taken a look at the field will note the amount of training for a pastoral counselor is far lower, and they are providing a different sort of service. (Best Counseling, 2017)

5.) The Sufficiency of Scripture in Counseling

In the article “The Sufficiency of Scripture in Counseling”, published by the Master’s Seminary Institute, they insist that not only are secular psychological principles unnecessary in counseling, but that they may even be harmful in trying to understand and help people. We’re reminded that there is no authority that is higher than that in Scripture, and that wherever and on whatever subject the Scriptures speak, one must regard them as both inerrant and authoritative.

Counseling should be fundamental, conscientiously and comprehensively centered in these three areas; Christ-centered, Church-centered, and Bible-centered. (Mack, 1998, p. 60)

5.1) Secular Disciplines - Secular disciplines may serve us well as they describe people; they may challenge us by how they seek to explain, guide, and change people; but they can seriously mislead us when we take them at face value; because they are secular. Secular disciplines, by definition explain people without any consideration of God; they define what people ought to be like, and try to solve people’s problems without considering God and man’s relationship to God. Thus there are many secular disciplines and practices have made a systematic commitment to being wrong, because they are not rooted in the wisdom of God’s Word. (Mack, 1998, p. 66)

Hence, we have no standard by which we can evaluate whether something is true or false except the Word of God. Therefore we can be completely confident that whatever we share with our counselees is true, if it is from the Word of God is. This level of understanding of Scripture takes a tremendous amount of devotion, time, work and discipline to achieve, usually four years or more of seminary, and many more years of faithful service to others.

We as Christian counselors do appreciate and respect all scientific disciplines and practices, while staying true to His Word and maintaining a healthy skepticism about any theory or insight that does not proceed from the sixty-six books of Holy Scriptures (the Old and New Testaments) found in your standard Bible.

Psychology and biblical counseling have a history of opposition. However, there are Christian counselors who use certain techniques found in psychological theories while still giving biblical counsel. The key is to critically evaluate the psychological theory against the truth of the Bible to determine what may be helpful and what is clearly opposed to God. We must “test the spirits,” as it were (1 John 4:1)¹¹.

Psychology is a vast field, and a Christian counselor will need to examine a variety of psychological theories. Any kind of "reverse psychology" is unacceptable for the biblical counselor. It will only create barriers to his desired involvement with the counselee.

6.) Conscientiously and Comprehensively Christian Counseling

Briefly stated, Christian therapy and Bible based counseling, if to be faithful to the faith and true in spirit, it is to always be conscientiously (in a thorough and responsible way) and comprehensively (meaning that it deals with all elements and aspects of Jesus); Christ-centered, Church-centered and Bible-centered. The following explains.

6.1) Christian Counseling is CHRIST-CENTERED - Any counseling worthy of the name “Christian” should be conscientiously and comprehensively Christ-centered. It focuses on who and what Christ is, what He has done for us in His life and death and resurrection and in sending the Holy Spirit. These are extremely important theological concepts that need to be clarified in the client's’ mind.

Once these facts are understood and believed, then the focus is on what He is doing for us right now in His session at the Father’s right hand, and what He will yet do for us in the future. Resolving those sin-related issues in their lives is of utmost importance. This includes being redeemed and justified through Christ, receiving God’s forgiveness through Christ, and acquiring from Christ enabling power to replace unchristlike (sinful) patterns of life with Christlike, godly ways of life. (Mack, 1998, p. 62)

Jesus said very clearly, “I and the Father are one.” - John 10:30¹²

6.2) Christian Counseling is CHURCH-CENTERED - Counseling is to be conscientiously and comprehensively church-centered. The Scriptures clearly teach that the local church is the primary means by which God intends to accomplish His work in the world. The local church is His ordained instrument for calling the lost to Himself. The church is also the context in which God sanctifies and changes His people into the very likeness of Christ.

According to Scripture, the church is His household, the pillar, and ground of the truth, and the instrument He uses in helping His people to put off the old manner of life (that is the pre-Christian habit patterns and lifestyles, ways of thinking, feeling, choosing, and acting) and to put on the new self (a new manner of life, Christ-like thoughts, feelings, choices, actions, values, and responses. - Ephesians 4:1-32)¹³. (Mack, 1998, p. 70)

And thus Christian counseling must be connected to a church body. This often means that church members receive priority in getting counseling first, and regular church attendance is often required as part of the therapy process. Those unwilling to attend church are not serious about biblical counseling.

This family tree of Christian denominations generally summarizes the history of some of the faithful Churches that compose the “body of Christ” today. There are many faithful Christian denominations and many more faithful non-denominational churches today. (Chart 1)

Chart of Christian Denominations (Chart 1)

6.3) Testing Prophetic Claims - False Teachers and False Prophets - Over the last 200 years a number of people have claimed to be religious prophets with special spiritual authority from God. These include Charles Taze Russell (Jehovah’s Witnesses), Ellen G. White (Seventh-day Adventists), Mary Baker Eddy (Christian Science), and Joseph Smith Jr., founder of Mormonism and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

The problem is that each started an organization which claimed to be the one true Christian Church, each had unique teachings, and each appealed to the Bible to some degree as their basis for spiritual authority. Yet, each "prophet’s" teachings contradict those of the others and contradicted the Bible in some way. And all either added to, mistranslate or altered the Bible in some way, like the Jehovah’s Witnesses faulty translation of the Bible called the “New World Translation”. Or as in Joseph Smith's case, he added an entire fictional book of scripture called the Book of Mormon.

6.4) Christian Counseling is BIBLE-CENTERED - The idea of the sufficiency of Scripture is paramount. The grounds for rejecting the idea that Christian counselors need extra-biblical insights to do effective counseling is that the Bible says God has given us—in our union with Christ and in His Word—everything that is necessary for living and for godliness (2 Peter 1:3)¹⁴.

Scripture clearly says that it contains all the principles and practical insights that are necessary for understanding people and their problems. For example, in Psalm 19:7¹⁵, it says that God’s plan is perfect. There are no ideas or theories of man that anyone would seriously consider perfect. This assertion is what sets the Bible in a class all by itself—statements that unmistakably demonstrate the Bible’s sufficiency and superiority over any of man’s theories.

Our assumption as believers is that God’s Word is perfect, that means that it is whole, complete, sufficient, and lacking nothing, and therefore it is able to restore (meaning transform, renew, and restore) the soul (the inner person, the real self). There is nothing else like the Bible in the world, and there never will be. Thus making the Bible good ground to work from.

So, apart from the question of whether it is possible to integrate the ideas of man with the truths of God’s Word, is the issue of whether or not it is necessary. On this matter, the Scripture’s own testimony about its sufficiency, adequacy, and superiority is abundantly plain and convincing. The Word of God is totally adequacy for all our problems, it is totally sufficient for all our needs, and it is totally superior to anything else man has ever so cleverly devised on his own. It is everything we need all in one place. Now we just need to learn it, share it with others and most importantly apply it to our own lives.

6.5) The Four Essentials of Bible Counseling - 1) Biblical counseling is based on the conviction that the Bible is sufficient for the counseling task and superior to anything the world has to offer (2 Timothy 3:16¹⁶, Hebrews 4:12¹⁷, 2 Peter 1:3-4¹⁸, Psalms 119¹⁹).

2) Biblical counselors realize the significance of sin (Romans 3:23²⁰, 6:23²¹), and after self-confrontation (Matthew 7:5²²), lovingly confront those who are in sin (Luke 17:3²³) and call them to repentance (2 Timothy 2:24²⁴).

3) Biblical counselors also realize that in a fallen world people can face significant crises that are not a direct result of their own personal sin (Job 1-2²⁵).

4) Biblical counselors purposefully and patiently walk with, serve, love, encourage and help people in these cases (1 Thessalonians 5:14²⁶) and also call upon others in the Body (that is the Church) to assist based on their gifts and roles (1 Corinthians 12²⁷). (Babler, 2012)

7.) Questioning the Sufficiency of Scripture

At this point, many individuals, both believers and skeptics alike, question the sufficiency of Scripture to solve all our problems, even the toughest kinds of problems. Many people who consider Christian counseling for the first time ask the same question, “Well, what you’re saying is nice, but what do you think should be done when people have really serious problems?”

Is the Bible really adequate and sufficient for all problems, even serious mental health issues? There are a few points of view of this matter; they are the Two-Book Approach, the No-Book Approach, and the Filtering-Device Approach.

7.1) Two-Book Approach, the No-Book Approach, and the Filtering-Device Approach

7.2) The first is the Two-Book Approach. In this approach, which suggests that we rely on both the Bible and accepted worldly knowledge such as the sciences. When most people, including most Christians, who do not believe in the sufficiency of Scripture for counseling, actually do regard and use God’s Word in counseling in conjunction with modern-day psychology. (Mack, 1998, p. 71)

7.3) The second is the No-Book Approach. In this approach, which suggests that we cannot really be sure that our understanding of the Bible is accurate because our interpretive efforts are always colored by our own perspectives. This implies that we can never be absolutely sure what’s true, and thus nothing is truly reliable. This is the most agnostic approach. (Mack, 1998, p. 72)

7.4) And third is the Filtering-Device Approach. In this approach, which suggests that we use the Bible as a filter, testing everything against it. Some Christians who are not comfortable with either of the previously mentioned perspectives assert that the Bible should be used as a rule book or filtering device for identifying counseling truth (Mack, 1998, p. 73). This is the “test the spirit” idea.

Though proponents of these three major approaches to Christian counseling differ on some issues, they are all agreed on one major point: the traditional non-biblical resources for dealing with man’s problems are not enough; they simply are not adequate. We therefore may use insights and ideas and techniques that are not taught by nor found in God’s Word, as long as they do not contradict the principles of the Bible.

7.5) Christian Apologetics; Defence of the Faith - Christian apologetics is a branch of Christian theology that aims to present historical, reasoned, and evidential bases for Christianity, defending it against objections. Christian apologetics have taken many forms over the centuries, starting with Paul the Apostle ²⁸ in the early church and Patristic writers (Google). This is incorporated into the therapy process. Therefore apologetics and sharing one’s own testimony is also part of the process.

8) Shortcomings of Extra-Biblical Insights

8.1) Limitations of Human Knowledge - The following argument is the basis for rejecting the idea that Christian counselors need to rely on extra-biblical insights to do truly effective counseling. The main reason is related to the finiteness of man’s knowledge. The fact that man is finite necessarily limits the extent and validity of his knowledge. Even Adam, the first man, was a finite human being who needed God’s revelation for a correct understanding of God, himself, what was right and wrong, what was true and what was false, what should be believed and what should not be believed (Gen 1:26-28)²⁹.

8.2) Depravity of Human Nature - Why We All Need God - The depravity of human nature is but just one reason that people need wise counseling in the first place. The depravity of our nature as humans is not just some inconquestial existencial factor that we must consider, but rather it is the reason that all people need God in the first place. The Bible teaches us that we are utterly helpless on our own, like the blind leading the blind (Matthew 15:14)³⁰. No matter how hard we try, we cannot save ourselves by ourselves.

8.3) We Cannot Save Ourselves - This is the grounds that supports the rejection of the idea that man by himself can fix his own condition. We need help. Thankfully we are not alone.

The idea that Christian counselors need to depend on extra-biblical insights and therapies is erroneous. The Bible teaches about the depravity of man’s nature since the fall of Adam in Genesis 3³¹. This means that man’s character, speech, and behavior have all been perverted and compromised, as well as his emotions and desires, his conscience and will, his intellect, his thought processes, his goals and motives, the way he views and interprets life. None of man’s faculties has escaped the corrupting, corrosive, perverting, and debilitating impact of sin. (Mack, 1998, p. 75)

Thankfully there is a solution. The only way we can truly think rightly is to believe what the Bible teaches, and allow the Holy Spirit to renew our minds so that we will learn to look at, interpret, and understand life through the lens of Scripture (Psalm 119:104³²; Romans 1:18-25³³, 26-32³⁴).

9.) Godly Education and Training

The best way to learn about the Bible and God’s plan for you is to go to your church, listen to your pastor’s sermons, apply what the Bible teaches to your life, and serve others.

9.1) Seminary - Where Biblical Christianity is Taught - The Master's Seminary take on the subject. Dr. Scott of The Master's Seminary teaches a course on pastoral counseling. Dr. Scott urgently stresses that pastoral counseling is not an optional ministry for believers. It is a kind of discipleship that encourages others to be live a Christ-like life. It is about helping people identify sin in their lives, and overcoming the selfish destructive behavior that it causes. It’s not just about sin, it is also about helping people with the trials in their lives. In the book of Revelation ³⁵, five of the seven churches struggled with sin problems. The other two struggles with various trials. It is all about teaching our utter dependence on God and our interdependence on each other. No one is meant to be totally self-sufficient. (Scott 2013)

9.2) Pastoral and Christian Counseling Training - Pastors receive degrees in school that are focused on pastoring a church, and they may take a singular course on counseling their flock. Christian counselors are put through a two to three-year period of training that includes an internship. They are expected to learn every aspect of the field, and they train in psychology, research and statistics.

The pastors and counselors who wish to help others will find there are many avenues to offer assistance. The training for each job involves an advanced degree, and both sets of professionals will find continuing education helpful. They are putting a Christian angle on what they are doing, but they are doing so in two different ways. Pastors are leading a flock, and a counselor is helping clients every day with a battery of training. (Gula, 1996)

9.3) Discipleship and Fellowship - What is Christian discipleship? By definition, a disciple is a follower, one who accepts and assists in spreading the doctrines of another. A Christian disciple is a person who accepts and assists in the spreading of the good news of Jesus Christ. Christian discipleship is the process by which disciples grow in the Lord Jesus Christ and are equipped by the Holy Spirit, who resides in the hearts of believers, to overcome the pressures and trials of this present life and become more and more Christlike. This process requires believers to respond to the Holy Spirit’s prompting to examine their thoughts, words and actions and compare them with the Word of God. This requires that we be in the Word daily—studying it, praying over it, and obeying it. In addition, believers should always be ready to give testimony of the reason for the hope that is within us (1 Peter 3:15)³⁶ and to disciple others to walk in His way. (Gula, 1996)

10.) Spiritual and Religious Needs in Mental Illness - The Case for Spiritual Care

Religion plays an integral part in the lives of many Americans. Patients everywhere, those in acute health crisis situations, trauma survivors, families who have lost loved ones, and the list goes on and on, they all have spiritual and religious needs. Special training is needed to provide for these needs. (McCaffrey 2004). Understanding and resolving all of the non-physical personal and interpersonal sin-related difficulties of man.

11.) What the Reviewed Research Shows - There is significant support for patient’s reliance on spirituality and religion and patient’s need and desire for spiritual support, often from a chaplain or pastor. Evidence for the importance and prevalence of spiritual struggle is overwhelming. There is also evidence that spiritual needs are often not met.

There are some research gaps. The religious and spiritual needs of patients and families in who are coping with illness in general is lacking. The spiritual needs associated with specific diseases are often complicated. The spiritual struggle and the search for meaning has been found to be common in people who are ill. Care that includes the spiritual dimension increases patient and family satisfaction. Sadly, the spiritual needs of many patients in health care institutions are not being met. (McCaffrey 2004)

12.) Downside of Pastoral Counseling - There are some downsides of pastoral counseling. One downside is that the average, modern-day pastor is overwhelmed with many tasks and must be careful not to take on more than he can handle. Many churches spread counseling out among associate pastors or elders who are equally equipped to counsel from the Word of God. Some churches hire counseling pastors whose primary role is to counsel those in need in the congregation, freeing the preaching pastor for sermon preparation and teaching responsibilities.

Another issue to be conscious of is that care must be taken to avoid counseling situations that can lead to sin. Male pastors and counselors should not counsel women individually without another person present, preferably another woman, or perhaps the pastor’s wife. Discernment should also be exercised to be certain a dependent relationship doesn’t occur between the pastor and his counselees.

Dependence upon God and His Word should be sought and stressed in each session, not dependence on the pastor, counselor or therapist to meet every emotional and spiritual need, an impossible task for anyone, let alone a pastor or therapist. (McCaffrey 2004)

12.1) Privacy Concerns - Pastoral and Christian counselors are tasked with keeping all information about their clients private, and they are required to secure their records to ensure they’re protected and there is no loss of data. There are federal laws that control how all licensed counselors must manage their records, and pastors musto abide by the same rules. Even those who are not licensed as a traditional counselor,are required to keep records properly. (Gula, 1996)

12.2) Ethical Issues and Others Concerns - Ethics in respects to Christians involve the study of good and evil, right and wrong. What constitutes good, virtuous, healthy character? How does one discern and do the right thing in various ethical dilemmas? How do Christian moral values play out in a diverse, multicultural, multi-faith world? How does one teach and promote moral character and action?”

Every Christian is an ethicist on a moral quest for virtue and character. It is not enough to identify and support ethical behavior, but we need to set the virtuous example living the Christian life ourselves. (Gula, 1996) The Bible removes all the ambiguity of morality.

13.) Conclusion - The Value of Biblical Counseling is Clear

What is the value of biblical counseling? Christian counseling must be biblical counseling, as opposed to psychological counseling. Secular psychology or psychotherapy, based primarily on the teachings of Sigmund Freud, Carl Jung, and Carl Rogers, and others, have no place in biblical counseling. (Koenig, 2012)

While biblical counseling can be obtained outside the church, pastoral counseling has unique benefits not to be gained elsewhere. The counselor can have a relationship with his counselee in the church community that continues outside the counseling sessions. He is in a position to observe and follow the progress of the church members he counsels. He can also solicit the prayers and advice of others in the church such as elders, always keeping in mind whatever confidentiality agreement he has with the counselee. There is also the accountability factor that the Bible can bring to bear during counseling sessions. (Koenig, 2012)

Scripture is comprehensive, containing everything necessary for one’s spiritual life. Scripture is surer than a human experience that one may look to in proving God’s power and presence. Scripture contains divine principles that are the best guide for character and conduct.

You will find biblically based information on counseling related issues such as the overcoming problems in one’s the past, self-esteem problems, chronic fatigue, demon possession, chemical imbalance, victimization, suffering, human defensiveness, women in menopause, women and PMS, crisis counseling, guilt, panic attacks, inordinate fears, psychological testing, ADHD, rebuilding a marriage after adultery, counseling various kinds of marriage and family problems, and many other counseling issues. The Bible directly addresses a number of clinically relevant subject matters of interest in counseling, such as child abuse, incest, homosexuality, transvestism, transexualism, slavery to pornography and lust; depression; anxiety; anger; bizarre, schizophrenic behavior; drug abuse, including slavery to alcohol; and what secularists would call obsessive compulsive disorders. (Mack, 2016)

Biblical and pastoral counseling uses the truths of Scripture, explaining and applying them to the individual’s life—exhorting, rebuking, correcting, and training—so that practical help is gained through the understanding and application of God’s Word (2 Timothy 3:16)³⁷. The Word of God has a power not gained from textbooks or taking courses in psychology, it has the power to “penetrate [the heart] even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12)³⁸.

The Word is the Christian counselor’s primary tool in counseling, and, because of years of study and service to others, we are in a unique position to wield the sword of truth, which is sharper than any double-edged sword.

"For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword,

it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow;

it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart"

• (Hebrews 4:12).

14. References

Babler, John, (2012), Ministerial Counseling at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Biblical Counseling in the School of Church & Family Ministries. theologicalmatters.com/

Best Christian Counseling, 2017 from the site Best Counseling Degrees 12/5/2017 ttps://www.bestcounselingdegrees.net/faq/are-pastoral-counseling-and-christian-counseling-the-same-discipline/

Goode, Bill (Pastor) and Smith, Bob (Dr.), 2017, Faith Biblical Counseling Ministries, www.faithlafayette.org/

Gula, Richard M. “Ethics in Pastoral Ministry” (Mahwah, N.J.: Paulist Press, 1996), cra.org.au/category/research-materials/ethical-issues/

Koenig, H. G., Larson, D., & Larson, S. (2001). Religion and coping with serious medical illness. Annals of Pharmacotherapy, 35(3), 352-359.

Mack, W. A. (1998). The Sufficiency of Scripture in Counseling. The Master's Seminary Journal, 9(1), 63-84. TMSJ 9/1 (Spring 1998) pages 63-84

Marshall, J. 2015. Futures of a past: From within a more traditional pastoral counseling model, published in E. A. Maynard & J. L. Snodgrass (Eds.), Understanding Pastoral Counseling (pp. 435-448). New York, NY: Springer Publishing Company.

McCaffrey, A. M., Eisenberg, D. M., Legedza, A. T. R., Davis, R. B., & Phillips, R. S. (2004). Prayer for health concerns: results of a national survey on prevalence and patterns of use. Archives of Internal Medicine, 164(8), 858-862.

Pew Research Center. (2012). The global religious landscape.

Pew Research Center. (2015). Religious landscape study.

Piper, John, 2001, “Toward a Definition of the Essence of Biblical Counseling”, Desiring God.org

Scott, Stuart W, 2014, Associate Professor of Pastoral Counseling of The Master's Seminary, 13248 Roscoe Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 91352

Snodgrass, J. L. and Maynard, E. A (Eds.). (2015). Understanding Pastoral Counseling. New York, NY: Springer Publishing Company.

(AAG 2017) https://www.allaboutgod.com/christian-counseling.htm

Appendix 1

14.) Bible References - Translations Used

NLT - The New Living Translation

AMP- The Amplified Bible

NIV - New International Version

ESV - English Standard Version

VOICE - The Voice Bible

MSG - The Message Bible

Appendix 2

1. Psalm 135:5 - For I know that the Lord is great, And that our Lord is above all gods. (AMP)

2. Mark 12:31 - And here is the second: ‘Love others as well as you love yourself.’ (MSG)

3. Psalms 97:10 - You who love the LORD, hate evil! He protects the lives of his godly people and rescues them from the power of the wicked. (NLT)

4. 1 Timothy 3:9 - They must be committed to the mystery of the faith now revealed and must live with a clear conscience. (NLT)

5. Ephesians 6:12 - For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world… (NLT)

6. John 8:32 - Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free. (NIV)

7. John 14:6 - Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (NIV)

8. John 8:24 - That is why I said that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I Am who I claim to be, you will die in your sins. (NLT)

9. 2 Timothy 3:16 - Every Scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for convincing, for correction of error, and for instruction in right doing; (Weymouth New Testament)

10. 2 Timothy 3:16 - There’s nothing like the written Word of God for showing you the way to salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. Every part of Scripture is God-breathed and useful one way or another—showing us truth, exposing our rebellion, correcting our mistakes, training us to live God’s way. Through the Word we are put together and shaped up for the tasks God has for us. (MSG)

11. Psalm 119:24 - Your laws are my greatest joy! I follow their advice. ( Contemporary English Version)

12. Psalm 119:24 - Your instructions give me pleasure; they are my advisers. (Good News Translation)

13. 1 John 4:1 - Dear friends, do not believe everyone who claims to speak by the Spirit. You must test them to see if the spirit they have comes from God. For there are many false prophets in the world. (NIV)

14. 1 John 4:1 - My dear friends, don’t believe everything you hear. Carefully weigh and examine what people tell you. Not everyone who talks about God comes from God. There are a lot of lying preachers loose in the world. (MSG)

15. John 10:30 “I and the Father are one.”

16. Ephesians 4:1 - Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God. (NIV)

17. 2 Peter 1:3 - By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence. (NLT)

18. Psalm 19:7 - The instructions of the LORD are perfect, reviving the soul. The decrees of the LORD are trustworthy, making wise the simple. (NLT)

19. Psalm 19:7 - The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple; (English Standard Version)

20. 2 Timothy 3:16 - All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: (KJV)

21. Hebrews 4:12 - For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires. (NLT)

22. 2 Peter 1:3-4 - By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence. (NLT)

23. Psalms 119 - This psalm is 176 verse about the Law of God.

24. Romans 3:23 - For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God's glorious standard. (NLT)

25. Romans 6:23 - For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord. (NLT)

26. Romans 6:22-23 - But now that you’ve found you don’t have to listen to sin tell you what to do, and have discovered the delight of listening to God telling you, what a surprise! A whole, healed, put-together life right now, with more and more of life on the way! Work hard for sin your whole life and your pension is death. But God’s gift is real life, eternal life, delivered by Jesus, our Master. (MSG)

27. Matthew 7:5 - You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye. (NIV)

28. Luke 17:3 - So watch yourselves! "If another believer sins, rebuke that person; then if there is repentance, forgive. (NIV)

29. 2 Timothy 2:24 - A servant of the Lord must not quarrel but must be kind to everyone, be able to teach, and be patient with difficult people. (NLT)

30. Job 1-2 - There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job; and that man was blameless, upright, fearing God and turning away from evil. (NASB)

31. 1 Thessalonians 5:14 - Brothers and sisters, we urge you to warn those who are lazy. Encourage those who are timid. Take tender care of those who are weak. Be patient with everyone. (NLT)

32. 1 Corinthians 12 - Now about the gifts of the Spirit, brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be uninformed. (NIV)

33. Paul the Apostle - Paul the Apostle commonly known as Saint Paul and also known by his Jewish name Saul of Tarsus was an apostle (though not one of the Twelve Apostles) who taught the gospel of the Christ to the first century world.

34. Matthew 15:14 - so ignore them. They are blind guides leading the blind, and if one blind person guides another, they will both fall into a ditch. (NLT)

35. Genesis Chapter 3 - The serpent (Lucifer) deceives Eve—She and then Adam partake of the forbidden fruit

36. Psalm 119:104 - Your commandments give me understanding; no wonder I hate every false way of life. (NLT)

37. Romans 1:18-25 - 18 God's anger is revealed from heaven against all the sin and evil of the people whose evil ways prevent the truth from being known. 19 God punishes them, because what can be known about God is plain to them, for God himself made it plain. 20 Ever since God created the world, his invisible qualities, both his eternal power and his divine nature, have been clearly seen; they are perceived in the things that God has made. So those people have no excuse at all! 21 They know God, but they do not give him the honor that belongs to him, nor do they thank him. Instead, their thoughts have become complete nonsense, and their empty minds are filled with darkness. 22 They say they are wise, but they are fools; 23 instead of worshiping the immortal God, they worship images made to look like mortals or birds or animals or reptiles. 24 And so God has given those people over to do the filthy things their hearts desire, and they do shameful things with each other. 25 They exchange the truth about God for a lie; they worship and serve what God has created instead of the Creator himself, who is to be praised forever! Amen.

38. Roman 1:26-32 - 26 Because they do this, God has given them over to shameful passions. Even the women pervert the natural use of their sex by unnatural acts. 27 In the same way the men give up natural sexual relations with women and burn with passion for each other. Men do shameful things with each other, and as a result they bring upon themselves the punishment they deserve for their wrongdoing. 28 Because those people refuse to keep in mind the true knowledge about God, he has given them over to corrupted minds, so that they do the things that they should not do. 29 They are filled with all kinds of wickedness, evil, greed, and vice; they are full of jealousy, murder, fighting, deceit, and malice. They gossip 30 and speak evil of one another; they are hateful to God, insolent,[a] proud, and boastful; they think of more ways to do evil; they disobey their parents; 31 they have no conscience; they do not keep their promises, and they show no kindness or pity for others. 32 They know that God's law says that people who live in this way deserve death. Yet, not only do they continue to do these very things, but they even approve of others who do them. (Good News Translation)

39. Revelation - The Book of Revelation, often called the Revelation to John, the Apocalypse of John, The Revelation, or simply Revelation or Apocalypse (and often misquoted as Revelations), is a book of the New Testament that occupies a central place in Christian eschatology. (Eschatology is a part of theology that deals with what happens after mortal death.)

40. 1 Peter 3:15 - Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about your Christian hope, always be ready to explain it. (NLT)

41. 2 Timothy 3:16 - All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: (KJV)

42. Hebrews 4:12 - For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. (KJV)

Note to Professor LaCure

Student: David W. Coon

Class: Fall 2017 CCP 518 (SP99) Research Design and Evaluation

Professor: Dr. Jeffrey R. LaCure. Psy.D, M.S.W.,LICSW

Cambridge College, Springfield, MA