Christian Counseling Articles List View

“Let Me Introduce Myself” It is almost always fun and interesting to ask someone how they met their spouse. There is usually some quirky detail that takes on added significance (and usually embellishment) as two people spend a life time together. It was on our second blind date that I really began to notice my wife. We had a great evening, although my wingman’s date (my wife’s best friend) literally fell asleep (no embellishment). When I dropped her off in the parking lot we ...

Our battle from and against suffering and sin is first and foremost a battle towards and for God. This is what it means to be created to know and enjoy a redemptive God—that all of our actions, emotions, struggles, and failures should deepen our understanding of, trust in, reliance upon, and imitation of God’s character. This study is designed to assist you in identifying the connections between your current life struggles and sins and the attributes of God you need to learn, clarify, trust, ...

Dr. Stuart Scott is Associate Professor of Biblical Counseling and Director of the Center for Biblical Counseling at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky. He holds a Bachelors of Arts from Columbia International University, a Master of Divinity from Grace Theological Seminary, and a Doctor of Ministry from Covenant Theological Seminary. Dr. Scott has over twenty-five years of experience in counseling and pastoral ministry, including eight years as associate pastor ...

Eric L. Johnson is Associate Professor of Pastoral Theology at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and the Director for the Society of Christian Psychology. He holds a Bachelor of Theology from Toronto Baptist Seminary, Master of Art from Calvin College, and Master of Arts and Ph.D. from Michigan State University. Before coming to Southern, Dr. Johnson taught courses in psychology, theology, and Christian worldview at Northwestern College in Minnesota for nine years. He has contributed ...

1. What is the mission of your organization? Imagine you are talking to a pastor who wants to learn more. Share with us your vision for this ministry both in content and passion. At Grace Harbor (www.graceharborministries.org), we would state our mission both in terms of fulfilling a specific part of the Great Commission (“teaching them to observe all that I commanded you”) and in working out a detailed part of a great creed (“to glorify God and enjoy Him forever”). Our passion is to lead ...

Biblical Counseling is for marriage. Biblical Counseling is for marriage because the Bible is for marriage. Biblical Counseling wants to advocate that even hard marriages can be a powerful testimony to the power of God, and His Gospel, to reconcile and restore. Because of this, when a couple comes to a biblical counselor for advice on a hard marriage, they should rest assured that they will get advice that will be for the health and restoration of that covenant relationship.  ...

Recently a friend asked me a question that I think is of wider interest. He wrote, “I wonder what to make of the ideas presented in Gary Chapman’s book about ‘the five love languages.’[1]Some of it seems to make sense. It accurately describes some of the differences between my wife and me. I’m an actions-speak-louder-than-words person; she’s wired for honest sharing and quality time. Our conflicts frequently boil down to collisions between our very different expectations. And we’ve ...

“The grace of God has appeared...teaching us to say ‘No’ to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-co-trolled, upright, and godly lives” (Titus 2:11f). People who publicly sit together in church pews on Sunday morning are not thereby prevented from doing violence to each other once they get in private. Ministry to the violent—like ministry to any with immediately destructive sins—demands wide-awake, bold, knowledgeable intervention, full of grace and truth. The perpetrators ...

There are many reasons given for why pastors cannot or should not be more involved in the counseling of their members. Most of them contain some element of truth. One of these arguments is that a pastor simply does not have time; he has too many hats to wear in order to effectively counsel his people. There are many counters to this argument: the practical exposition of God’s Word as mass counsel or pre-counsel, equipping the members of the church to be a community of counselors, and the ...

Christianity presents a worldview that is unique. It is a depiction of life that is totally different than any secular view. Of course, this Christian world view means several things. First, we must avoid the danger of thinking that what feels good or what is promoted by society is probably supported in Scripture. Often, this leads to unbiblical misconceptions and the temptation to neglect the reading of the Truth. In the majority of cases this type of thinking leads Christianity to become ...

Highlighting sin as a legitimate variable causing emotional, relational, or mental problems with counselees has often been viewed as taboo within the counseling field. Even among Christians, to tell a counselee that issues of anger, depression, anxiety, or marital conflict most likely stem from sin in one form or another is labeled simplistic, and therefore of no use for the serious minded counselor. Complicating the situation are the “scientific” psychiatric labels that have been openly ...

History will primarily remember Sir Winston Churchill for his courageous leadership during World War II. However, what lies beneath the pages of popular history was Churchill’s potential brush with destiny during World War I. It was Churchill, the Lord of the Admiralty, who envisioned a more daring attack against the Central Powers. The British Navy planned to navigate the dangerous Dardanelles, in hopes of invading Constantinople. It was Churchill’s conviction that such an approach would ...

At Twelve Stones (TS) we understand that deep spiritual learning comes in the context of life experience and relationships. As we address this month’s discussion board it is our effort to weave together three elements to attempt to effectively communicate our counseling philosophy, atmosphere, and methods. In communicating these elements we will interweave our philosophy of Christ-centered counsel, a case study, and snapshots of what the counselee’s in the case studies time might look like if ...

“Blessed are the peacemakers!”(Matthew 5:9) There is a dimension of this blessedness that I have seldom seen addressed. Many years ago Mary (not her real name) sat in my office pouring out her life-story of the past three years. Her husband divorced her, successfully hid assets, and left her almost penniless to raise three children alone. I listened to her story and agonized as she enumerated her many difficulties. There was a part of me that wanted to hire a private investigator and track ...

How to Ruin a Confession A few months ago a state official was forced to resign because he had misused his authority in an effort to secure a job for a woman he was dating. When the incident was first reported, he vehemently denied any wrongdoing. The reporters kept digging, however, and eventually the evidence against him was overwhelming. He finally made a public admission, but his choice of words robbed it of any real meaning: “It’s entirely possible that I sent the wrong signals. . . . ...

Why is biblical counseling so concerned about the labels used to describe people’s problems? Labeling is an area in which abuses have created problems for biblical counselors. There are two extremes that must be considered. On the one hand, there are those who, fed up with abuses, reject labeling outright. Karl Menninger is one good example. Much of what he has said against abuses is informative and correct. But when Wallace Hamilton writes, “...we know that the name of a thing doesn’t ...

It has previously been stated that two of the most important steps required to initiate the process of victory over sinful anger are (1) to take responsibility for one's own anger as originating within the heart (Galatians 5:19-20) and (2) specifically identifying those desires within the heart that tend to motivate sinful anger (James 4:1-2). While it often feels as though the cause of anger is exterior, the reality remains that anger and fits of rage find their origins in the heart of man. ...

The Bible conveys a very clear picture about God's demeanor towards sin. Romans 1:18 says, "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth." Ephesians 5:5-6 says, "For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater) has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these ...

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When I was asked to write on the DSM-IV and its implications to the pastoral ministry, more specifically the dangers of Pastor’s using integration, I had some apprehension. The apprehension is based on my interpretation of the reactions that I have personally experienced, the views I hold, and the current climate regarding this topic. I desire to express in this article some presuppositions, not to convince, not to persuade, but offer another view perhaps that has not been taken regarding this ...