C:\myfiles\counseling\psychology and christian counseling september 2006.wpd

Psychology and Christian Counseling
I. Introduction and Review. (55 minute segments)
A. A Breakdown in Society - The Religion of Secular Humanism.
1. Until 100 years ago: Xn ethics=moral basis Western Society.
2. Now Secular humanism: man looks to himself for answers: Pr. 14:12 There is a way
that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death. 3. Theology replaced by social sciences: Psychology and sociology. Philosophical roots: enlightenment, empericism, materialism. a. 2 visions: mid-20th century: b. Totalitarian: 1984: Big Brotherc. Brave New World: control population w/pills (Soma) d. West: Rise of Psychopharmacology: Prozac, Ritalin, B. The Failure of the Church.
1. Past Generations: People w/Problems: family, depression: Went to Pastor: Sought 2. Now Psychology: Taught in seminaries, preached from pulpits, used in counseling.
a. In the same way Darwinism has replaced the creation story.
b. Comptons: Freud’s contribution, together w/those of Karl Marx, Charles
Darwin, & Albert Einstein shaped the way in wich people view themselves in
modern society.
c. Thomas Szasz, Professor of Psychiatry: More specifically, I shall try to show how, with the decline of religion and the growth of science in the eighteenth century,the cure of (sinful) souls, which had been an integral part of the Christianreligions, was recast as the cure of (sick) minds, and became an integral part ofmedical science. My aim in this enterprise has been to unmask the medical andtherapeutic pretensions of psychiatry and psychotherapy. I have done so notbecause I think that medicine and treatment are bad things, but rather because, inthe so-called mental health field, I know that the psychiatric andpsychotherapeutic mythology is now used to disguise deception and concealcoercion - by psychiatrists, patients, politicians, jurists, journalists, and people ingeneral. (p. xviii) 3. Referrals (article): Send sheep to “experts” psychotherapy. (Wolves)4. Instead of theologians: Most influential figures: pop-psychologists (Dobson, Schuller)5. Root problem: Church has rejected the sufficiency of Scripture.
C. The Emergence of the Biblical Counseling Movement.
1. Jay Adams: 1970s Competent to Counsel. Like Luther 95 Theses
2. NANC, Westminster Seminary, CCEF, BCF, Master’s College and Seminary,
3. Still a minority: Evangelical church.
4. My involvement: IBCD: NANC > Great experience! Seen God work!5. Premise: God has given us sufficient resources: Scripture, Church, Spirit. II. Harmful Errors of Modern Psychology. Encroaching on work of church.
A. Is Psychology a Science in the Same Way that Medicine is? Illus: hurt knee:
specialist looks at knee: knows science of how body put together > solution. Doesn’t matter whether Xn or not! (Like mechanic, plumber, accountant) 1. Should the Pastor Deal with the Spiritual Problems while the “Mental Health
Professional” Deals with Emotional and Mental Problems?
2. Psychology and Theology Both Deal with the Same Fundamental Issues of
Meaning and Value: From Widely Differing Perspectives.
a. Psychology = study of the soul: nothing inherently wrong with that. But
perspective is key. Really concerned: Psychotherapy. b. Both tell people how to think and act. New Priesthood: right, wrong, normal c. Szasz: psychotherapeutic interventions are not medical but moral in character and are, therefore, not literal but metaphorical treatments d. In short, psychotherapy is secular ethics. It is the religion of the formally irreligious - with its language, which is not Latin but medical jargon; with its codesof conduct, which are not ethical but legalistic; and with its theology, which is notChristianity but positivism. (p. 9, 10) e. Issues: Depression, divorce, anger, fear, worryf.
Early leaders: clearly saw religious implications: open rejection: biblical Xnty:Freud opened practice on Easter Sunday. Skinner was humanist of the year g. Some psychological approaches deliberately seek to destroy the religious beliefs of 3. Psychologists are having a significant influence on our culture: education, the
judicial system, etc. Psychology is to our society as Islam is to Morocco. David
Powlison
4. Psychology is not particularly scientific when compared to the hard sciences.
a. Observation: stages of grief, thoughts of depressed people.
b. Ganz. P46 Szasz: “We are told if a patient is early for his appointment he is
anxious; if late, he is hostile, and if on time, compulsive. We laugh because it issupposed to be a joke, but here were are told the same thing in all seriousness. 5. There are many contradictory psychological approaches. Adams: If there were
over 250 differing viewpoints on how to do air traffic control, would you ever get ona plane? a. Psychoanalytic (Freud, Jung)b. Behavioral (Skinner, Watson)c. Humanistic (Rogers)d. Transpersonal (Man is a spiritual being but makes his own reality: Eastern)e. Cognitive (Man is a thinking computer) Ganz: Go to yellow pages: which shrink should desperate Deborah call? B. Unscriptural Presuppositions and Practices of Certain Schools of Psychology.
Once problem: dozens of contradictory psychological approaches:Makes it hard tocritique. I will focus upon certain beliefs held in common among them. 1. A Faulty View of Man.
a. Man is only an advanced animal: Naturalism/materialism. Gen. 1:26-27
(1) You cannot understand man without understanding his relationship to God.
(2) Evolution: deny man: God’s image: simply advanced critter.
(3) Skinner: like animal: manipulate behavior: neglect spiritual element.
(4) We know man is more than a body: soul: II Co. 5:8 more to consciousness
than brain: consciousness will continue beyond death. (5) God’s image. Accountable. Human life has meaning. (6) Most non-Xns don’t want to affirm behaviorism < reduces man to a machine. b. Man is basically good, or at worst a blank slate. Rom. 3:10-18,23 Ps. 51:5
(1) Abraham Maslow: As far as I know we don’t have any intrinsic instincts for
evil. Task of Psychiatry is to bring out innate goodness.
(2) Maslow: Since this inner nature is good or neutral rather than bad it is best to bring it out & to encourage it rather than to suppress it. (3) When someone does something “bad”: blame outside influence influences.
(4) Not fighting real problem behind every counseling problem (depression, worry, conflict, fear) which is sin. < deny existence of sin.
(5) Treat symptoms w/o treating cause: illus: feet swollen < heart weak.
c. Man is autonomous: able to solve his problems without God’s help. Jo. 15:5
(1) Look within yourself: Rogers: non-directive counseling. Client centered (2) Church: possibility thinking;
(3) Self esteem: “learn to love yourself. II Tim. 3:2 Irony: tests American
students: among worst sci. Ability, but highest self esteem. (4) Self centeredness is the secret to better mental health. (5) Fromm: The garden of Eden is a story allegorizing man’s move to freedom.
(6) The task of psychology is to help the individual get in touch w/his real self in order to repair what damage culture has done.
(7) Fromm: The achievement of well being is possible under only one condition: if we put man back into the saddle 2. Excuses Sin and Denies Personal Responsibility.
a. Blame shifting: parents, teachers, society, etc. I Jo. 1:8-10 Js. 1:13-15 Ps. 32:3f
(1) Maslow: The good impulses within people are easily warped by cultures. Sick people are made by a sick culture.
(2) Menendez brothers, LA Riots: victimhood.
(3) Poem: Adams p. 8 Appendix B
(4) Every criminal: claim abused as a child (as well as celebrities)
(5) Mother “He is a good kid: just got in w/the wrong crowd:
(6) Crime: fault of poverty.
(7) Rogers: I see members of the human species, like members of other species, as
essentially constructive in their fundamental nature, but damaged by theirexperience. b. The medical model: calling sin sickness. “Mental illness”
(1) Hinkley: tried to kill President Reagan “mentally ill”(2) Alcoholism: treats as disease, rather than immoral behavior: Drunkenness.
(3) Now apply to abusive behavior/anger, sexual addictions, gambling etc.
(4) Woman I counseled: Engage in sinful verbal behavior > look at me “I am a sick woman” As if that made it all right.
c. Is there such a thing as “mental illness”?
(1) Adams: Either physical or spiritual. Solve any problem: doctor, pastor, police(2) Szasz: In the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, when people spoke of the "cure of souls," everyone knew that the diseases such cures were supposed toheal were spiritual, that the therapists were clerical, and that the cures weremetaphorical. Whereas today - with the soul securely displaced by the mind and the mind securely subsumed as a function of the brain - people speak of the"cure of minds," and everyone knows that the diseases psychiatrists treat arebasically similar to ordinary medical diseases, that the therapists whoadminister such treatment are physicians, and that the cures are the results ofliteral treatments. (3) NC Times Article: “Dealing with pedophiles is a challenge for community, society. Pedophilia is a mental disorder and people who suffer from it should
be viewed with compassion. Professor Haroun a clinical professor of psychiatry
& pediatrics at US San Diego, who spends a great deal of time working with
the SD County superior Courts where he examines and assesses sex
offenders for the court
(4) article talks about using cognitive therapy;(5) Szasz. p. 296 The notion of a person having mental illness is scientifically crippling. It provides professional assent to a popular rationalization, namelythat problems in human living experienced and expressed in terms of bodilyfeelings or signs (or in terms of other psychiatric symptoms) are significantlysimilar to diseases of the body. It also undermines the principle of personalresponsibility upon which a democratic political system is necessarily based, byassignment to an external source (the illness) blame for antisocial behavior. (6) Diagnosis: mental illness: very “unscientific”: (a) Test: events in life: > stress: certain score: told reason depressed/suicidal = mental illness> prescribe Prozac. Think of Paul: Prison: Rome: would theygive Paul Prozac? (b) Often give scientific sounding explanations: You are depressed < chemical reactions in your brain (saratonin levels). See Appendix A
(c) Did they test my brain? No we know from just talking with you.
(d) I counseled a man: knew how to go to county: describe certain symptoms >
get 3 months supply pills: remove symptoms. (7) In most cases there are sin issues going on which explain the symptoms. First remove possible spiritual causes. (a) Ps. 32: David depressed: Give him happy pills? No he is depressed < sinned. Must repent, confess: perhaps could give him a happy pill > forgethis sin: Is that helping? (b) Actual case: Harold: late 60s: depressed: told would see psychiatrist, take psychotropic drugs for the rest of his life. 2 hours: confessed sin had beenhiding > > 11+ years later: no psych, drugs, or depression.
(8) If in doubt: good to get a thorough medical check-up. See if physical cause can (9) Biology is the hot topic in counseling
(10)
psychiatry seeks explanation for pedophilia in brain chemistry and
genetics. NC Times 7/7/02
(11)
The annual number of children prescribed anti-psychotic drugs jumped
fivefold between 1995 and 2002 to 40 out of 1000. NC Times 3/17/06
(12)
For some, stopping antidepressants can be a physical ordeal. NC Times
8/13/06
Will talk more: Mind-body question: Recommend: Will medicine stop
the pain, Blame it on the Brain (Welch).
Counseling: Don’t tell people to flush pills: Help w/underlying spiritual
problems: when doing well > counselee work w/doctor to get off.
Most people on psychotropic drugs would like to be off (side effects,
etc.)
3. No Fixed Moral Values: Relativism. II Tim. 3:16-17
a. Non-directive counseling (Rogers). Pr. 14:12 Col. 1:28 Js. 5:19-20
(1) Counselor=listener. Helps client find answer/truth w/i self. Non-judgmental.
(2) Scripture contains absolutes: marriage, sexuality, integrity.
b. Sinful behaviors and desires legitimized.
(1) 35 years ago: homosexuality: deviant: disease (DSM) > help. Now considered normal (DSM 3): Szasz points to political pressure of gay therapists; (2) counselor who tries to help or encourage to go straight > trouble.
(3) Often counselors encourage divorce: unbiblical grounds.
c. Promotion of “socially acceptable” gratification of carnal appetites
(ventilation).
(1) Anger: scream at pillow or go outside and yell into canyon. (Knew pastor: said
“I just need to vent”. Where is that idea in the Bible? (2) Sexual appetites: private lust > avoid disease.
d. Often attempts to relieve God given guilt by destroying conscience.
(1) Freudian psychology: against puritanical upbringing: get rid of guilt. (2) Illus: cancer: give patient a pain killer: silence warning signal.
(3) Guilt/conscience = God given warning.
(4) Watters: Guilt heaped on by Christianity promotes mental illness.
(5) Guilt is an illusion. 4. No Place for God. Can’t understand man: who he is, what his purpose is, what is
right & wrong: Unless first truly understand God. No higher standard outside of manby which he may be judged. a. Self centeredness is the secret to better mental health.
(1) Your needs must be taken care of before secure > take care of others.
(2) “You need time for yourself. Spend on yourself. Etc.”(3) Fromm: the failure of modern culture. people are not concerned enough w/the interest of their real self. Vice is indifference to one’s self. (4) Schuller: “Sin is any act or thought that robs myself or another human being of (5) Education website: Self esteem is central to most of the personal & social problems that plage human life in today’s world b. The ideal is self actualized man. c. Maslow “I propose that we explore the consequences of observing whatever our best specimens choose, & then assume that these are the highest values formankind.” (No other way to determine absolutes) C. Secular Psychology is Powerless to Bring About Meaningful Change. Jer. 17:9
Rom. 8:5-8
1. Freud: after a lifetime of trying to improve mankind: I have found little that is good
about human beings on the whole, in my experience most of them are trash. this issomething you cannot say aloud, or perhaps even think. 2. Rogers: p. 373 (Nobel) “When I am speaking to outsiders I present Humanistic psychology as a glowing hope for the future. But within the bosom of our family I havebeen trying to say that we have no reason whatsoever for feeling complacent as we looktoward the future.
3. Ganz: p. 45 Psych prof at Stanford & a dozen friends presented themselves at local mental hospitals for admission “I feel empty/hollow”. All were admitted. After admission they acted normal. Stayed 7-52 days. Request for release on the basis thatthey were normal were viewed as confirmatory signs of illness. Those who spent aportion of their hospital stay writing about their time were labeled as obsessive &compulsive. When released all retained the diagnosis schizophrenic. For a whileadmissions to mental hospitals in CA dropped 33% < staff feared they were part of afollow-up study. 4. Even if short term help: Symptoms, not disease. Broken relationship w/God.
5. Like Darwinism: Even secular community is recognizing that the Emperor has no clothes! Secular books/magazine articles: questioning the effectiveness ofpsychotherapy, use of drugs D. What About Those Cases in Which People Seem to Get Better?
1. Often Symptoms (i.e. bizarre behavior) Go Away with or Without Treatment.
a. Secular studies: no difference in improvement rates among those in psychotherapy and those who receive no treatment. Lieber: Surveys show that of patients whospend upwards of 350 hours on the psychoanalyst’s couch. two out of three ghowsome improvement over a period of years. The fly in that particular ointment,however is that the same percentage get better without analysis or the care of aregular physician. As a matter of fact that same ratio, two out of three people gotbetter in mental hospitals a hundred years ago. b. World Magazine: Several people mentioned that study after study has shown that people are just as likely to solve their problems without a psychologist, and that atriained psychologist is no more effective in counseling than a concerned layman. c. Movie: man slept 50 years: What a shame: by now I might be ready to finish my 2. The Most Serious (Spiritual) Problems Remain. Luke 11:24-26
a. Still a rebel against God: on his way to hell.
b. Cast out 1 evil spirit; don’t replace w/HS > 7 others come: > worse than before.
c. Man: 12 step program: quit drinking: > no relationship w/God, estranged from family, glutton (grossly overweight), enslaved to lust, adulterer. Is he cured? Summary: Humanistic Psychology: A counterfeit religion opposed to Scripture. Yet huge
influence on the church: influential leaders (Dobson, Crabb) seminaries (BREAK)
Christian Approaches to Counseling. Spectrum
A. Radical Separation: The Pastor and Psychologist are Professionals Working in
Different Realms.
1. Pastors Refer Cases Dealing with Emotional Problems to Qualified professional
Counselors.
a. Narrows field significantly: questions about God/theology ours. Great personal
struggles over the issues of life > farm out.
b. Article: insurance > referrals mandatory. (How often do psychologists refer their c. Famous case: GCC: lawsuit: man being counseled > suicide > Should have referred d. If the pastor feels the problems are not responsive to prayer and spiritual help and are severe enough to warrant specially trained professional help, he will refer thesufferer to a trained psychologist or psychiatrist. These men or women are skilledin treating such problems as depression, anxiety. Hyder e. There is general agreement that any use of the Bible in counseling should not violate the principles on which the counselor normally operates. Capps Hart (Fuller) In my opinion the role of the pastor & the role of the counselor aredifferent. The pastor. has to declare sin in a way that sometimes sets up a barrierw/a hurting person. A pastor is a guilt-inducing agent. . The counseling ofice ismore permissive. Its role is to understand the person & to communicate at a levelof empathy that can facilitate the healing process. 2. Psychology and Biblical Christianity Address the Same Human Problems from
Very Different Viewpoints. Fear, worry depression: Ethical issues: marriage/divorce
a. I’m not concerned about your Xnty so long as it works for you
b. Problem: Must conform to worldly standards of successful living.
c. Can leave God out: which implies He is unimportant.
3. Who is Qualified to Counsel? Gal. 6:1 Rom. 15:14
a. Professional counselor: may be divorced, homosexual: but has a degree.
b. Often those most drawn to counseling: least qualified.
c. Bible teaches that the person who helps another out of a pit must be on higher d. Rich Ganz: Psychotherapist: told “Be a Christian after work and leave Christianity out of psychotherapy” Last month at hospital 2 amazing conversions.
B. Integration: Psychologists who happen to be Christians are Best suited to Helping
People with their Problems. Radio waves are filled with these guys, as are Christian
book stores: Dr. So & So (Not a doctorate in theology!) Dobson, Minirth-Meier, Narramore
1. These People Tend to Use their Psychological Training as a Starting Place, with
Scripture Being Applied to Support the Psychological Ideas. Mk. 12:31 II Ti. 3:2
a. Classic example: self-esteem “love yourself” > where to get that? Not what Jesus
is teaching at all! Low self-esteem < think about self too much: Cure > focus upon
loving God and loving others! Rom. 15:1-3
b. General tendency of this teaching: man centered.
c. Disease model: alcoholism/co-dependency > 12 step programs in many churches.
d. Dr. So&So often begins a sentence: “I’m no theologian.” (1) The writes book addressing problem of evil. (2) > Then be quiet and go home and study. You can’t understand man w/o (3) Usually sentence ends w/psychological statement which is contrary: Scripture.
2. They Tend to Accept Psychological Findings Uncritically while Neglecting Sound
in-Depth Bible Teaching.
a. When push comes to shove: rely upon psychological training > Bible exposition.
b. 4 views book: author assumes benefits self esteem;
c. Homosexuality normal (gutsy!)
d. Often speak of church/pastors very condescending terms. The Christian is limited in
understanding people if there is little awareness of the field of psychology w/itsproven insights into the COMPLEXITY of human behavior. P. 110 4 views e. Even denigrate sufficiency of Scripture: Need more than Simplistic biblical principles to be able to cope with the complexities of life in the 21st century. 2 of my counselees: went to “Xn” psychologist: pre-marriage: told buy porn: >ensure normal sex drive. g. Xn Psychologist: Radio call in: woman w/unloving husb: > Xn psychologist: don’t let him by w/that. >w/hold certain things w/him: Doesn’t the Bible say submit &trust God > “That never works”. I Pet. 3:1-2 h. Recent counselee: multiple personality specialist: years: memories. i.
Ganz: new believer: coming out of psychotherapy: offered teaching positionw/almost no Xn/Scriptural background: told doesn’t matter p. 24 Psychobabble. They just wanted a psychologist who happened to be Xn, even if Xnty wouldn’timpact practice. 3. The Danger of Integration. II Cor. 6:14-18 Rom. 12:2
a. Illus: Philippines: integrate pagan religions w/Xnty. Statues, festivals.
b. Jay Adams compares using psychology to inviting a Mormon elder to address young c. Ed Payne: Integration implies a merging of things that can be merged. It doesn’t make sense. That you can merge what is God’s w/what is rebellion against God. 4. The effect of integration on the church. What Jesus becomes is the one who meets
your needs, heals your wounds, convinces you of how valuable you are. Powlisona. Schuller “p. 67-68 (Psychobabble) " I don’t think anything has been done in the name of Christ & under the banner of Xnty that has proven more destructive tohuman personality &, hence, counterproductive to the evangelism enterprise, thanthe often crude, uncouth & unchristian strategy of attempting to make people awareof their lost & sinful condition b. Xnty Today: Tim Stafford: 1000s of professionals have staked their careers on Xn counseling and 1000s more are pointed in that direction. Already psychology hastransformed the church & will continue to do so. The question is whether theultimate end will be good c. 4 views Powlison p. 145 Should professedly Xn psychotherapists be defined as freelance ministers of the Word of Christ? Do their education and credentials equipthem to engage in the cure of souls as designated experts? C. Synergism/Spoiling the Egyptians: Since “All Truth is God’s Truth”, Christians
Should Add the Best of Psychology to what the Bible Teaches. (Crabb)
1. They Claim to Use Scripture to Critically Examine the Findings of Psychology.
a. More of an Effort is Made to Put Scriptural verses and labels on their findings and
b. They will often call themselves “biblical counselors”
c. Spoiling the Egyptians: Just as the Israelites took the best of Egypt out: Exodus;
We can take the best of Psychology. 2. They Have the Same Problems as the Integrationists..
a. They still tend to go back to psychological methodologies: b. i.e boundaries: subconscious 3. Their System is Usually Built Around Extra-Biblical Concepts. Silver bullet.
a. Not simply expound Scripture: Balanced view of life.
b. Systems built around psychological models. Crabb: early work: Maslow’s hierarchy of needs (1. Phys 2. Security 3. Love, 4. Purpose 5. self actualization) c. 2 book view: but which is their big book? Where expertice.
d. Only way deal w/deep personal problems: delve sub-conscious, re-live the past.
e. Seamands: “low self esteem is Satan’s deadliest weapon” (p. 69 Psychobabble)f.
Collins: p. 64 (4 views) love, hope, compassion, forgiving, caring kindness,confrontation & a host of other concepts are shared by theologians andpsychologists. Collins forgets that the psychologists’ definition of these conceptsare vastly different from the Biblical definitions g. Crabb: inside out. Diggin from w/I: Freudian. h. Often use Scripture, claim biblical concepts: but subtle differences.
(1) Freud’s subconscious is not the same as the heart/inner man.
Powlison: a wrong theory distorts everything.
Ganz p. 62 “Most Christian psychologists receive an entirely secular training and areignorant of the Scriptures. They seldom question the underlying worldview of thefield in which they were trained. Instead they take an essentially secular approach &sprinkle a few Xn insights on top. The result - secular insights that sound pious, butare dangerous and misleading 4. That Which was Taken (Spoiled) from the Egyptians was Silver, Gold, and
Garments, not Ideas and Beliefs. Col. 2:3,8-10 Lev. 18:3f I Cor. 3:19
a. When Israelites left Egypt: they were explicitly told to leave behind religious ideas
and moral beliefs! Golden calf > failed! Likewise to stay far from in Canaan.
b. Is there some truth in Egyptian religion? Some good laws in Canaan? Why not bring them in and add them to law of Moses? Would be an insult to God! The lawHe gave them was perfect. Didn’t need help false gods.
c. We have no more business teaching Psychology from pulpits, in Bible Colleges and Seminaries than we do Islam, Hinduism, and Mormonism. Not that these are devoidof truth, but what truth they contain is already found in the Bible. Plus they are fullof poisonous error.
D. Biblical Counseling: The Bible is the Sole and Sufficient Authority in Counseling.
II Tim. 3:16-17 II Pet. 1:3 Heb. 4:12 Ps. 19:7-14
1. The Bible is a Fully Sufficient Textbook for Counseling. II Tim. 3:16-17
I Cor. 10:13
a. Soul work (not body work)
b. Not just inerrant, but sufficient in its approach to the problems it addresses.
c. Not a physics textbook, but issues of life: relationship God & man, man & man,
families, marriage, child training, worry, fear, depression.
d. Powlison p. 144 4 views: Faith itself teaches a distinctive psychology, decidedly subordinating competing theories and competing professional structures.
e. See Adams: Appendix C.
f.
2. The Goal of Biblical Counseling is to Give Instruction from the Bible so that the
Counselee Can Achieve God’s Goals in his/her life. I Tim. 1:5 Col. 1:27-29 The
goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart & a good conscience & a sincere faith.
a. Goal not merely to feel better. Not to achieve personal goals.
b. God centered, not man centered. Often an obstacle.
c. Christ centered.
d. Spirit centered
e. Sound theology is essential to biblical counseling.
f.
g. Will involve confrontation. John 4:18 Acts 17:30
h. Not always bashing people. I Th. 5:14
3. Key concepts in biblical counseling.
a. Counseling is God centered. Not about us: meaning of life/accountability
b. Counseling confronts sin as the source of spiritual problems.
(1) Mankind is created in God’s image. Gen. 1:27 II Co. 5:8 More than a
body. Spiritual nature. A psychology which ignores man’s spiritual nature is
unable to help him with his deepest problems.
(2) Mankind is sinful and fallen which is the source of counseling problems.
Individual and societal problems caused by sin.
c. Counseling is Christ-centered and redemptive. God has provided a way of
redemption in Christ. II Co. 5:21 I Jo. 1:8-2:2 Counseling is Christ- centered.
Solution near the cross/gospel. Redemptive Forgiveness, marriage.
d. Counseling aims at the heart. Mark 7:20f
e. Counseling is based upon the Scripture.
f.
Counseling relies upon the Spirit. I Cor. 2:14 without the Spirit no-one can
understand.
g. Biblical counseling is compassionate.
4. Counselor Qualifications are Spiritual, not Merely Academic. Gal. 6:1-2
I Tim. 4:16, 12a. Not even seminary training is necessary.
b. Ganz: p. 25 Do you want to be able to say, “thus says the Lord?” Then you’d better c. Key: know Bible, spiritually mature, gifted by God. Best training: not secular psychology, but expertise in Scripture, theology. d. Exemplary life. I Tim. 4:12 Model what is being taught.
e. All unbelievers are by definition disqualified from counseling.
5. Counseling is not the Responsibility of an Elite Group of Professionals, but of
Every Member of Christ’s Church. Rom. 15:14 Heb. 10:24-25 Js. 5:19-20
a. Watch biblical counselor: Not “Wow! How did he come up with such concepts? I would have never thought of that!” BUT “I knew that! That’s what Paul or Jameswould have said.” b. All of you are counselors: friends, family members: Question: whether biblical or c. God will help you. II Cor. 9:8 God is able to make all grace abound to you so that
always having allsufficiency in everything you may have abundance for every gooddeed. d. Some Christians are particularly gifted. Rom. 12:8 Important for church to identify, e. The more difficult cases can be referred to more mature or gifted counselors. Like Moses: Elders: Israel; Women counseling women > Pastor oversee. 6. Ultimately Counseling is God’s Work. Ro. 15:13 I Co. 10:13 Ph. 4:13 Is. 9:6 11:1f
a. It is Only in Christ that People have Hope. (1) Some people: looks hopeless: Psychologist would say: always an alcoholic or abusive, etc. By power HS: union w/Christ anything can happen. (2) Sometimes I have to remind myself! Couple separated > agree to join together(3) I’ve sen amazing cases: marriages saved, diagnoses mentally ill/drugs ? Off! b. The Holy Spirit is the ultimate Counselor. John 14:16-17 Gal. 5:16-25 Produce fruit, eliminate deeds of flesh: Ally: secular counselors know nothing about! Other Critical Questions.
A. Is There Any Value to Secular Psychology? Adams: Anyone who goes to a psychologist
1. Isn’t All Truth God’s Truth? Yes, and all Error is the Devil’s error.
a. Any truth found in secular psychology is also found in Scripture.
b. Problem: surrounded by error.
c. No brute facts: Unbeliever doesn’t rightly understand anything.(Van Til) 2. Relying Upon Secular Psychology is a Denial of the Sufficiency of Scripture.
3. What place, if any, does common grace knowledge have in counseling?
a. Narramore: claims some Christians are averse to Psychology < hold up special
revelation at the expense of special revelation.
b. Empirical data: family breakdown, thought patterns: depression, grief.
c. Powlison: the data need to be interpreted w/a biblical worldview.
d. Adams: Appendix C
e. Xn Psychologists tend to make natural revelation primary
4. Is There Any Case in Which Outside Help is Needed? Adams: doctor, preacher,
policeman.
a. Organic problems: call a doctor: But be careful! Great need godly physicians.
b. Body and Soul are interrelated: Physical illness can be the result of sinful heart (i.e. worry > ulcer: not enough to just treat ulcer) c. Sometimes you may need more experienced Christian: I got involved IBCD 15 years ago < Hard cases > sought their help: Now counseling for them: people call me (Istill need help sometimes!) 5. Why Might it be Useful for Christians to Know Something of Psychology?
a. Same reason some understand Mormonism, JW: Refute.
b. So widely accepted in our society > ready with an answer.
c. Some of my counselees come in already been to psychotherapist (or self diagnosed after listening to somebody on the radio). Attention deficit disorder, bi-polar, etc. d. IBCD: Entire course: survey psychological methodologies > evaluate biblically.
B. How Should Unbelievers be Counseled?
1. A Non-Christian is Incapable of Seeking After God’s Goals or Doing His Will.
Rom. 8:7-8 Gal. 5:18 Does not have the H.S. Unable to please God. Heb. 11:6
Even if presentation problem relieved > still enemy of God: heading for hell.
a. Unable to understand. I Cor. 2:14
2. Unbelievers Require Pre-Counseling: Evangelism.
a. I have had a several cases: people who came to me for Xn counsel weren’t Xns.
b. This does not bother me: Great opportunity! My privilege > Share Gospel! Seen C. Does Biblical Counseling Ever Fail? Luke 18:18-25 Gen. 4:6ff
1. Results are not always what we would like to see. GCC: suicide, Cain, Rich Ruler; People often come: 1 session want easy fix, solutions on their terms > go away sad. 2. Success = Faithfulness. God’s job to convert/change hearts.
D. How can you be prepared to counsel others? I Tim. 4:16
1. Watch over (and counsel) yourself. Mt. 7:1-5 Confront yourself w/Scripture.
2. Pray. I Tim. 2:1-8 I Thess. 5:17 God’s glory, the person’s good, your faithfulness.
3. Work on your qualifications. I Tim. 3:1-7 Titus 1:6-8 Timothy, Titus, and You, by 4. Live a disciplined life. I Tim. 4:7-85. Become an expert in the Bible. I Tim. 4:136. Hone your gifts. a. Find versesb. Expound versesc. Apply/connect. 7. Learn how to interact with various kinds of people. I Tim. 5:1-2 I Th. 5:14 V. Conclusion: You are Competent to Counsel: Biblically.
A. I am presenting the minority position; however our side is growing: Because psychology isn’t working! Secular humanism is a failure! B. Remaining Sessions: How to Counsel Biblically, Applying to particular problems.
C. Reading: Book Table: Adams, Competent to Counsel. The Christian Counselor’s Manual, D. Courses: Masters, IBCD: Intro end of June with Institute, January sessions. Videotapes.
E. IBCD: Objective: not to counsel maximum, but to train: w/o cost.
Appendix A: From Eli Lilly Prozac.com website.
Depression is not fully understood, but a growing amount of evidence supports the view that peoplewith depression have an imbalance of the brain's neurotransmitters, the chemicals that allow nervecells in the brain to communicate with each other. Many scientists believe that an imbalance in serotonin, one of these neurotransmitters, may be an important factor in the development andseverity of depression. PROZAC may help to correct this imbalance by increasing the brain's own supply of serotonin. Some other antidepressant medicines appear to affect several neurotransmitters in addition toserotonin. PROZAC selectively affects only serotonin. While PROZAC cannot be said to "cure" depression, it does help to control the symptoms ofdepression, allowing many people with depression to feel better and return to normal functioning. [See graphics below ] Below you will find links to animations of the serotonin system within the brain. Appendix B: A folk song by Anna Russell
I went to my psychiatrist to be psychoanalyzedTo find out why I killed the cat and blacked my husband’s eyes.
He laid me on a downy couch to see what he could find,And here is what he dredgéd up from my subconscious mind: When I was one, my mommie hid my dolly in a trunk,And so it follows naturally that I am always drunk.
When I was two, I saw my father kiss the maid one day,And that is why I suffer now from klepto-ma-ni-a. At three, I had the feeling of ambivalence toward my brothers,And so it follows naturally I poison all my lovers.
But I am happy now I’ve learned the lesson this has taught:That everything I do that’s wrong is someone else’s fault. Appendix C: Jay Adams (1970) writes:
The conclusions in this book are not based uponscientific findings. My method is presuppositional. Iavowedly accept the inerrant Bible as the standard ofall faith and practice. The Scriptures, therefore, arethe basis, and contain the criteria by which I havesought to make every judgment. I do not wish todisregard science, but rather I welcome it as a usefuladjunct for the purposes of illustrating, filling ingeneralizations with specifics, and challenging wronghuman interpretations of Scripture, thereby, forcingthe student to restudy the Scriptures. However, in thearea of psychology, science has largely given way tohumanistic philosophy and gross speculation. (p. xx) MISC:Testomony: GanzAdd II Co. 5:8 Powlison: 4 views: sexual disorientationUSE QUIZ 1Look at email casesBegin: 1 page syllabus: explain NANC certification. ADD COMIC and Headlines.
Get Rom. 6 sermon.
THEOLOGY: SEE SKIP, WV p. 5f: Anthropology
Subtle error: “Inside out” not inner man vs. Outer man, but
conscious vs. Subconscious.

Source: http://www.biblicalcounselingonline.org/resources/pdf/Jim's_Sermons_PDF/Counseling%20Messages%20Detailed%20Sermon%20Notes/Psychology%20and%20Christian%20Counseling%20September%202006.pdf