25. What does it mean to minister the Scriptures in counseling? Contrast a "ministry of the word" model and a "professional medical" model.
Medicine
has a more-or-less agreed approach.
While doctors may differ on certain remedies, it is typically agreed
that a biological problem must be found based on biological tests. Psychology does not have this
uniformity. There are over 250 different
viewpoints of psychology that contradict each other in cause and remedy. Psychiatry ought to stay medical by looking
solely at biological problems and solutions.
Psychotherapies have found their way into psychiatry because they have included
psychological practices and it has since become a form of teaching secular
ethics without God. Psychology is not a
science the way that medicine is.
Nouthetic counselors have an agreed approach. Ministering the Scriptures in counseling means that God is active among the two or three believers and He uses the counselor to administer His truth to nouthetically confront people over their personal sin. The goal is not to make people sorrowful for sorrow’s sake but to bring them to repentance for Christ’s glory and their benefit (2 Cor. 7:8-10). It’s already been stated that Biblical counselors ought to work with biological doctors.[1] However, our help and counsel is different than their model.
All Christians are called to admonish one another and build one another up (Rom. 15:14, Rom. 14:19). In this sense, Christian counseling is not just for elders, deacons, or pastors. All Christians ought to be counseling the body. The task is to minister the word through preaching and counseling so that weary, heavy-laden sheep are revived within the sheepfold. It is obvious that the pastor (whether he realizes it or not) is an automatic counselor. He has the sole job of preventative counseling through his preaching. By using God’s word as the double-edged sword that it is (Heb. 4:12), the one who responds has his/her lusts toward sin prevented before it conceives based on the application of His truth. Most all other forms of medicine or therapy can only deal with the problem once it has already grown, surfaced, and caused other problems.
A ministry of the word model is not intended to fix someone’s teeth, cancer cells, or broken leg once the problem has been identified. That is the work of medicine. The call of the Christian counselors is to get Christians out of their self-love practices from psychological treatment and into a denial of self for God. Ministering the word means exposing people to their personal sins and illustrating for them the Biblical connection between their suffering, their disobedience to God, and His authority. Perhaps the most unique aspect about Biblical counseling is that discipline can be enforced through the person’s church. When a person refuses to heed the advice of his doctor to take blood pressure medicine or refuses to follow all of the theoretical steps his therapist outlined there is nothing left for the counselor to do as consequence. But in the Bible God has laid out steps for the leadership of the church to follow to keep a confronted church member accountable over his/her repentance (or lack thereof) (Matt. 18:15-18). Failure to do so ultimately results in a removal from church membership and causes the person to be treated as an unbeliever (separated from the Lord’s table – communion).
The final difference worth pointing out is that the ministry of the Scriptures is different in terms of authority vs. opinion. Medical models offer hope based on what works best for most people and yet often say that it may not work the same for you. This is because they are fallible people using fallible opinions and research. However, the Biblical counselor is able to offer the hope that God promises. He promises to give rest to all who come to Him wearied (Matt. 11:28). He promises to never cast out anyone the Father gives Him (John 6:37). God uses fallible men and women to counsel his infallible word to people with promises that none other can give.
[1] See response to Counseling question # 20.
Nouthetic counselors have an agreed approach. Ministering the Scriptures in counseling means that God is active among the two or three believers and He uses the counselor to administer His truth to nouthetically confront people over their personal sin. The goal is not to make people sorrowful for sorrow’s sake but to bring them to repentance for Christ’s glory and their benefit (2 Cor. 7:8-10). It’s already been stated that Biblical counselors ought to work with biological doctors.[1] However, our help and counsel is different than their model.
All Christians are called to admonish one another and build one another up (Rom. 15:14, Rom. 14:19). In this sense, Christian counseling is not just for elders, deacons, or pastors. All Christians ought to be counseling the body. The task is to minister the word through preaching and counseling so that weary, heavy-laden sheep are revived within the sheepfold. It is obvious that the pastor (whether he realizes it or not) is an automatic counselor. He has the sole job of preventative counseling through his preaching. By using God’s word as the double-edged sword that it is (Heb. 4:12), the one who responds has his/her lusts toward sin prevented before it conceives based on the application of His truth. Most all other forms of medicine or therapy can only deal with the problem once it has already grown, surfaced, and caused other problems.
A ministry of the word model is not intended to fix someone’s teeth, cancer cells, or broken leg once the problem has been identified. That is the work of medicine. The call of the Christian counselors is to get Christians out of their self-love practices from psychological treatment and into a denial of self for God. Ministering the word means exposing people to their personal sins and illustrating for them the Biblical connection between their suffering, their disobedience to God, and His authority. Perhaps the most unique aspect about Biblical counseling is that discipline can be enforced through the person’s church. When a person refuses to heed the advice of his doctor to take blood pressure medicine or refuses to follow all of the theoretical steps his therapist outlined there is nothing left for the counselor to do as consequence. But in the Bible God has laid out steps for the leadership of the church to follow to keep a confronted church member accountable over his/her repentance (or lack thereof) (Matt. 18:15-18). Failure to do so ultimately results in a removal from church membership and causes the person to be treated as an unbeliever (separated from the Lord’s table – communion).
The final difference worth pointing out is that the ministry of the Scriptures is different in terms of authority vs. opinion. Medical models offer hope based on what works best for most people and yet often say that it may not work the same for you. This is because they are fallible people using fallible opinions and research. However, the Biblical counselor is able to offer the hope that God promises. He promises to give rest to all who come to Him wearied (Matt. 11:28). He promises to never cast out anyone the Father gives Him (John 6:37). God uses fallible men and women to counsel his infallible word to people with promises that none other can give.
[1] See response to Counseling question # 20.
26. Write a short paragraph on each of the following: healing of the memories, visualization techniques, 12-step and other recovery programs, self-image. In your answer, define and give a biblical analysis of each concept. (Do not guess. Research these concepts)
Healing
of the memories began in the 1940’s by Agnes Sanford and has since grown into a
popular practice to attempt to bring “inner healing”. The principles come mainly from depth
psychology, wrong views of Christianity, and mysticism. The view states that undesirable aspects of
one’s life are caused by repressed memories (whether conscious or unconscious)
that affect the “inner child” (Carl Jung’s influence).[1] This “inner child” idea becomes the mechanism
to rationalize sin because these theories state that hurting people are victims
of other people’s sins against them (though they wouldn’t call them sins). The Biblical truth is that people are responsible
for their own sins. People are not
inwardly wounded children in need of blame-shifting (though we do experience
great suffering at the hands of others’ wrong-doings). We must humbly recognize our sins in our rebellion
against God and humbly seek His forgiving grace. The Bible teaches the cleansing of the
conscience, not the healing of the memories.
Visualization techniques are embraced within some holistic medical communities, secular spiritualists, and even “Christians”.[2] The idea of using meditation and focus to heal or become more spiritual is another form of mysticism aimed at the inner knowledge and light inside oneself so that he/she can be connected to a larger spiritual realm. This is the so-called plan to know self and God more deeply. The problem with this view is that “self” is to be denied daily to truly follow Christ (Luke 9:23). When “Christians” participate in such meditations they are finding peace, joy, and comfort from extra-Biblical sources. We are to find our peace, joy, and comfort in the knowledge of the truth which is illuminated by the Holy Spirit and recorded for us in the Scriptures (John 8:32, John 14:26, 2 Pet. 1:20-21). It is not Biblical to find rest in oneself.
Alcoholics Anonymous (A.A.) is the most well-known 12-step recovery program. A.A. and other types of formulaic behavior modification programs are dangerous in that they promote legalism to a program (secular or “Christian”). Instead of bondage to a system, we need joyful submission to the true living God. A.A. is a false religious program because it doesn’t promote the true God. One thing that they get right in their program is that people are powerless before God. Their program might seem Godly because each of their 12 steps has to do with spiritual activities. Their major error and flaw is the promotion of idols. This is seen clearly in the italicized part of their 3rd step – “Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understand Him.”[3] Not as He’s revealed Himself in Scripture but as “we (choose) to understand Him”! This italicized part is more clearly explained in Chapter 4 of their book under the chapter title “We Agnostics”. “When, therefore, we speak to you of God, we mean your own conception of God”. They promote gods of your choosing! People in A.A. have made the A.A. program their god. It’s damning because God “will not give My glory to another, Nor My praise to graven images” (Isa. 42:8) and all idolaters will be in the lake of fire (Rev. 21:8).
Lastly, “self-image” is the idea that whatever one thinks of him/herself that is what he/she is. It is “one’s conception of oneself or of one’s role” as defined by Merrian-Webster. It is indeed a “conception”. It may not even be true. Many people believe that they are “good” though the Bible tells us that there is “none righteous, not even one” (Rom. 3:10). With this counseling system, it is more important that the person identifies with him/herself rather than do what is righteous. The focus is all on self and little (if any) on God. As a result of the sin of self-infatuation, they become their own god obeying the needs of self rather than God and His word.
[1] Bob DeWaay, Healing of Memories or Cleansing of the Conscience?, http://cicministry.org/commentary/issue96.htm
[2] Chris Armstong, “The Future lies in the Past” in Christianity Today, February 2008
[3] Alcoholic’s Anonymous Big Book, Third Edition.
Visualization techniques are embraced within some holistic medical communities, secular spiritualists, and even “Christians”.[2] The idea of using meditation and focus to heal or become more spiritual is another form of mysticism aimed at the inner knowledge and light inside oneself so that he/she can be connected to a larger spiritual realm. This is the so-called plan to know self and God more deeply. The problem with this view is that “self” is to be denied daily to truly follow Christ (Luke 9:23). When “Christians” participate in such meditations they are finding peace, joy, and comfort from extra-Biblical sources. We are to find our peace, joy, and comfort in the knowledge of the truth which is illuminated by the Holy Spirit and recorded for us in the Scriptures (John 8:32, John 14:26, 2 Pet. 1:20-21). It is not Biblical to find rest in oneself.
Alcoholics Anonymous (A.A.) is the most well-known 12-step recovery program. A.A. and other types of formulaic behavior modification programs are dangerous in that they promote legalism to a program (secular or “Christian”). Instead of bondage to a system, we need joyful submission to the true living God. A.A. is a false religious program because it doesn’t promote the true God. One thing that they get right in their program is that people are powerless before God. Their program might seem Godly because each of their 12 steps has to do with spiritual activities. Their major error and flaw is the promotion of idols. This is seen clearly in the italicized part of their 3rd step – “Made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understand Him.”[3] Not as He’s revealed Himself in Scripture but as “we (choose) to understand Him”! This italicized part is more clearly explained in Chapter 4 of their book under the chapter title “We Agnostics”. “When, therefore, we speak to you of God, we mean your own conception of God”. They promote gods of your choosing! People in A.A. have made the A.A. program their god. It’s damning because God “will not give My glory to another, Nor My praise to graven images” (Isa. 42:8) and all idolaters will be in the lake of fire (Rev. 21:8).
Lastly, “self-image” is the idea that whatever one thinks of him/herself that is what he/she is. It is “one’s conception of oneself or of one’s role” as defined by Merrian-Webster. It is indeed a “conception”. It may not even be true. Many people believe that they are “good” though the Bible tells us that there is “none righteous, not even one” (Rom. 3:10). With this counseling system, it is more important that the person identifies with him/herself rather than do what is righteous. The focus is all on self and little (if any) on God. As a result of the sin of self-infatuation, they become their own god obeying the needs of self rather than God and His word.
[1] Bob DeWaay, Healing of Memories or Cleansing of the Conscience?, http://cicministry.org/commentary/issue96.htm
[2] Chris Armstong, “The Future lies in the Past” in Christianity Today, February 2008
[3] Alcoholic’s Anonymous Big Book, Third Edition.
27. With which Christian counselors - if any - do you agree? On which points do you agree with them and why? Be specific and concrete with names and concepts. Use two or three counselors as examples.
I highly value the teachings of Jay Adams, Jim Newheiser, and Stuart Scott. Though there are many others worth mentioning, these three are my favorites because they each teach every concept in association with the Scriptures. They stay Christ-centered, theologically sound, and always stress the importance of applying what the Scriptures say on the basis of first properly knowing the character of God and what He has graciously done for us in Christ.
Jim Newheiser’s “Basics of Biblical Counseling” syllabus is as full of Scriptures as anything I could imagine. Listening to his audio messages and following along with the syllabus and the Bible is one of the most extensive, thorough, and educational sources I’ve ever come across. He always draws all teachings back to following God’s will, avoiding legalistic behaviors/expectations, and how to find joy and satisfaction in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Jay Adams’ work is so valuable because he has so accurately drawn to light the major problem of the church seeking help from secular therapy systems. His defense of why we all ought to be seeking to accurately handle God’s word for His glory, other people’s sanctification, unbeliever’s salvation, and our own sanctification is irrefutable and encouraging. He draws all of his counseling precepts and practices from God’s word – as we ought to do as well.
Stuart Scott’s The Exemplary Husband book and workbook were the first Biblical counseling resources that I ever read/used. I didn’t know it at the time but I was learning about God’s will, God’s character, God’s attributes, and God’s love in Jesus all through what one might call a book on applied sanctification. He taught me that the Bible is not removed from theology and that theology is not removed from sanctification. It was the initial tool used to get me on a proper walk with the Lord and interested in counseling and it is a must read for all husbands (The Excellent wife is a great accompaniment).
Jim Newheiser’s “Basics of Biblical Counseling” syllabus is as full of Scriptures as anything I could imagine. Listening to his audio messages and following along with the syllabus and the Bible is one of the most extensive, thorough, and educational sources I’ve ever come across. He always draws all teachings back to following God’s will, avoiding legalistic behaviors/expectations, and how to find joy and satisfaction in the Lord Jesus Christ.
Jay Adams’ work is so valuable because he has so accurately drawn to light the major problem of the church seeking help from secular therapy systems. His defense of why we all ought to be seeking to accurately handle God’s word for His glory, other people’s sanctification, unbeliever’s salvation, and our own sanctification is irrefutable and encouraging. He draws all of his counseling precepts and practices from God’s word – as we ought to do as well.
Stuart Scott’s The Exemplary Husband book and workbook were the first Biblical counseling resources that I ever read/used. I didn’t know it at the time but I was learning about God’s will, God’s character, God’s attributes, and God’s love in Jesus all through what one might call a book on applied sanctification. He taught me that the Bible is not removed from theology and that theology is not removed from sanctification. It was the initial tool used to get me on a proper walk with the Lord and interested in counseling and it is a must read for all husbands (The Excellent wife is a great accompaniment).
28. Does your church presently practice church discipline? If not, would you be willing to graciously encourage them toward this position?
Yes. I am aware that my church practices church discipline according to the Scriptures because the membership binder explains that it is a practice of our church. Additionally, I have met with the deacons and pastors in the past as we have discussed the book, The Deliberate Church by Mark Dever and Paul Alexander. In the section on church discipline we discussed the necessity of it and how it is meant to be used as a way to help, not excommunicate or banish. I have received helpful advice as to how to lovingly admonish someone by both of my pastors and in one instance where a professing Christian-colleague was told to resign over perpetual disobedience. I approached him one on one. When he wouldn’t repent I enlisted the help of my pastors as to how I would communicate with his church (which sadly does not exercise biblical church discipline) to bring along two or three others. My pastors were so helpful even in this tricky situation that I know that they believe and follow the principles laid out in Scripture for true church discipline. I assume that it has helped people in our congregation because I have heard no public announcements about anybody refusing repentance. My pastors have explained how they were accustomed to hear this kind of “tell it to the church” information at their large church during seminary – Grace Community Church, Sun Valley, CA.