A number of months in the past, I posed the query of what makes biblical counseling counseling?
That article was primarily for these coming into this work from a church background. If that’s you, likelihood is you’ve got a good suggestion of what the biblical a part of biblical counseling means, however would possibly have to shore up on what counseling entails.
This text poses the query of what makes biblical counseling biblical? It primarily targets these with a extra scientific background who’re discovering biblical counseling and need to counsel from such a framework. If that’s you, likelihood is you’ve got a good suggestion of what the counseling a part of biblical counseling means, however you would possibly have to shore up what the biblical half entails since most scientific coaching is predicated on a secular understanding of individuals and options to difficulties. A single article received’t be exhaustive about this matter. Right here I pose 5 questions to assist take into account what makes biblical counseling biblical.
1. What’s your foundational goal in counseling?
Counseling is biblical when our foundational goal is to assist somebody develop in Christ amid specific struggles. That doesn’t imply there aren’t secondary goals like acknowledging the influence of somebody’s struggling, confronting somebody’s sin, or discussing practicalities. Slightly, all of these serve the first goal. Feeling higher, having much less battle, or overcoming a hardship might be outcomes of counseling, however they don’t seem to be the foundational goal.
2. What’s the authoritative lens you utilize to view a counselee and his or her presenting points?
Counseling is biblical when the authoritative lens we use to know folks and their presenting points comes from a biblical perspective. Contemplate the next issues that often come up in counseling and the way the lens a counselor makes use of will form the trajectory of that counseling:
- What’s the goal of our hardships, relationships, and feelings?
- What are we to do with our needs, cash, and time?
- Why do folks do what they do or need what they need?
Scripture speaks into all of the above issues. Extra particularly, God views folks as picture bearers able to reflecting Him, as sinners able to opposing His methods, and as victims impacted by life in a fallen world.[1] Watch out of counseling theories that omit any of those three sides. Counseling is biblical after we assist our counselees view themselves and others via all these sides, respect how every influences the opposite, and use discernment to find out which side wants extra consideration for a given season.
3. What’s your understanding of the position of the native church in a counselee’s life?
Counseling is biblical when it counsels folks towards significant dedication to a gospel-preaching native church. Native church buildings present the biblical instruction, relational connections, and accountability crucial for long-term change and perseverance in a manner that no counselor in personal apply can ever accomplish. Whereas personal apply counselors come alongside somebody quickly, pastors and fellow members have the longer-term duty for the care of souls (Heb. 13:17; Matt. 18:15-20; Eph. 4:15-16).
As a counselor, you’ve seemingly seen individuals who have been negatively impacted by not being meaningfully plugged into church or attending one which isn’t wholesome. For these causes, our counsel would possibly embody serving to somebody perceive what significant dedication to a church entails[2], what components contribute to a wholesome or unhealthy church,[3][4] and whether or not staying to assist a church develop right into a wholesome one or discovering a brand new one is greatest.[5] Serving to somebody course of church harm and reintegrate into church life might also be wanted.[6]
4. How do you take into account the tradeoffs of utilizing scientific language over the language of Scripture?
Counseling that’s biblical favors using biblical terminology over scientific wording. That doesn’t imply each phrase used needs to be taken from Scripture or that our phrases can by no means be scientific, as scientific phrases might be useful in describing somebody’s experiences. However take into account:
- If nearly all of phrases we use are extra scientific than biblical, how would possibly that steer folks to view themselves primarily via a scientific lens quite than a biblical one?
- For instance, “treating a affected person” has completely different connotations than counseling, encouraging, equipping, or exhorting a fellow follower of Christ.
- Counselees could also be helped to know scientific analysis for numerous situations, however they nonetheless have to view themselves via a biblical lens. Our job in biblical counseling is to take somebody’s context into thoughts whereas serving to them develop in godliness amid such context. Virtually, which means working to know the influence of somebody’s hardship on day-to-day life and contemplating what changes must be made for find out how to fulfill instructions in Scripture. For instance, a husband with Asperger’s nonetheless wants to like his spouse and dwell together with her in an understanding manner (1 Pet. 3:7). How he does which will look completely different than somebody with out Asperger’s (examples could embody texting his appreciation for her as a substitute of verbal communication). Serving to each events respect that may assist steer away from excuse-making for the husband’s seeming lack of affection whereas avoiding unreasonable expectations from the spouse.
- How would possibly biblical terminology assist a counselee go additional in making progress?
- Take the phrase cope, as in studying to deal with one’s hardships. Now take into account what saying steward your hardship communicates to a counselee. It implies a sure duty and communicates that God has given us hardships for a goal; our difficulties aren’t wasted (James 1:2-3, 16-17). Steward, then, can provide hope in ways in which cope doesn’t; on the very least, it could be extra clear about how a Christian is to view and reply to struggles.
- What isn’t just permissible, however most useful?
- Even when a specific time period is permissible, given the finite period of time we have now with a counselee, how do you most need somebody to view himself or herself and their struggles?
5. How does your dependence on God’s grace present in your counseling?
Counseling is biblical when it’s primarily based on biblical reality and completed in a manner that displays our dependence on God’s grace. This implies we use a humble tone over harshness. It means we pray after we don’t know find out how to assist somebody. It means basing our knowledge on biblical ideas and viewing this work as a privilege, not a nuisance or entitlement.
Questions for Reflection
- What would you add to the factors above about what makes biblical counseling biblical?
- Which of the traits above is an space you could develop in?
1 Michael R. Emlet, Saints, Victims, and Sinners: Loving Others as God Loves Us (Greensboro, NC: New Development Press, 2021).
2 Thabiti Anyabwile, “What Does a Dedicated Church Member Look Like?” Crossway, February 20, 2022. https://www.crossway.org/articles/what-does-a-committed-church-member-look-like/?srsltid=AfmBOooWoon_kWKMJdu3z6iiMoWls2oNAqcF-zBoY5AnF20YPpjDYm6r.
3 Simona Gorton, “What Precisely Ought to We Be Trying For? Reflections on My Latest Seek for a Church,” 9Marks, December 7, 2020, https://www.9marks.org/article/what-exactly-should-we-be-looking-for-reflections-on-my-recent-search-for-a-church/.
4 Kevin DeYoung, “9 Marks of An Unhealthy Church,” The Gospel Coalition, March 10, 2015,
https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/kevin-deyoung/9-marks-of-an-unhealthy-church/
5 Mark Dever, “Ought to You Keep or Go?” 9Marks, April 26, 2016, https://www.9marks.org/article/should-you-stay-or-go/
6 Church Harm Sequence, Biblical Counseling Coalition, October 2021, https://www.biblicalcounselingcoalition.org/tag/church-hurt/
