What is this rare bird called Biblical Counseling????
Novice bird-watchers could easily
confuse a red-bellied woodpecker for a
red-headed woodpecker. They both have red heads,
but they aren't the same bird! The same is true
about biblical counseling and what passes under
the label of Christian counseling. They aren't
necessarily the same thing. But what is biblical
counseling and what distinguishes it from other
counseling approaches?
First, what is NOT necessarily biblical
counseling:
1. Simply attaching the
word Christian to the counseling approach
does not make it biblical. Much counseling
that draws on psychological and therapeutic
concepts is presented as Christian when in
fact it is Christian in name only.
2. A Bible perched on the counselor's desk
corner or on an end table doesn't mean the
counsel being given conforms to the
Scriptures.
3. Just because the counselor is a
born-again Christian or even a Pastor does
not mean his counsel is biblical. He may
have been trained in any of a myriad of
popular counseling systems that are not
derived from Scripture, but rather from
secular sources.
4. Using Bible verses to support the counsel
being given does not mean the counsel is
biblical. A Bible passage can be taken out
of context and misused to support something
the Bible simply does not say. For example,
it is popular today to use Jesus' command to
love our neighbor as ourself to support the
unbiblical counsel that we must first love
ourselves before we can love others.
5. Handing out books authored by Christian
leaders is neither guaranteeing biblical
counsel in the counseling session nor
biblical counseling in the book assigned.
6. A simplistic dispensing of Bible verses
and prescribing prayer is not biblical
counseling.
7. A kind, loving, accepting stance on the
part of the counselor should not be
interpreted as necessarily biblical
counseling. It may be reflecting a
non-directive counseling methodology that
helps the counselee feel better but doesn't
solve the problem God's way.
Then what
IS Biblical
Counseling????
How do you spot the real
thing? The following will help you identify
counseling that is truly biblical:
1. The counselor functions
on the presupposition that Scripture is
God's inspired, inerrant, and sufficient
Word. He views the Bible as the textbook for
everything pertaining to life and godliness
(II Timothy 3:16-17; II Peter 1:3-4).
2. The counselor knows there is always hope
for change based on God's promises and power
in Jesus Christ (I Corinthians 10:13;
Ephesians 3:20).
3. Appropriate portions of Scripture are
investigated and discussed to shed God's
light on the problem. (E.g. - marriage
problems: see Genesis 2; Ephesians 5; I
Peter 3).
4. Biblical directives derived from these
passages are applied to the problem.
Practical ways of implementing those
directives are assigned to help put off
sinful thinking and behavior and put on
godly thinking and behavior (Ephesians
4:22-24).
5. The counseling process includes the need
for regeneration (John 3:3), the recognition
of the sinful propensities of the heart
(Jeremiah 17:9), the human capacity of habit
(I Timothy 4:7), the importance of
motivation and thought as well as behavior
(Romans 12:2; I Corinthians 4:5), the
individual's responsibility before God to
obedience (I John 5:3), and the sufficiency
of God's grace for every life problem (I
Corinthians 10:13; II Corinthians 12:9).
6. Biblical counseling emphasizes a
God-centered approach to solving problems.
The goal is first to be concerned about
pleasing God. Deliverance from the problem
is secondary to seeing God in the problem
and at work in the person's life (Romans
8:28-29).
7. Biblical counseling is a ministry of the
local church. The local church is God's
ordained agency to help His people grow and
change into the likeness of Christ. In fact,
while church leaders are especially
responsible (Hebrews 13:17), God has called
ALL believers to counsel one another to some
degree (Romans 15:4).
Confused about red-headed and
red-bellied woodpeckers? No big deal - unless
all your friends belong to the local bird
watching society! But when you need help with a
life problem, the kind of counsel you receive IS
a big deal! Proverbs 14:12 says there is a way
that seems right to men, but it ends in death.
Only biblical counsel honors God and leads to
change that pleases God and helps us grow into
the likeness of Christ. At Plainfield Bible
Church, we desire to provide this kind of
counsel for one another. As such, the Senior
Pastor at PBC, Kevin Kottke, is a certified
counselor associated with
The National
Association of Nouthetic Counselors (NANC).
(Nouthetic is a Greek word derivative which
means to warn, admonish or instruct).
COUNSELING AT PBC -
If you are interested in
counseling at PBC the following forms need to be
filled out and returned by snail mail (please do
not return by e-mail):
Please print out the
Counseling Consent Form, the Personal Data
Inventory, and either the Pre-Marital Counseling
or 5 Questions form and send to:
Plainfield Bible Church
752 N Dan Jones Road
Plainfield IN 46168
Or you may fax these filled
out forms to (317) 838-7535.
Once the forms are received in
the church office, a counselor will contact you
to set up your counseling sessions.
For further information or assistance please
contact us.
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