What is Biblical Counseling?
One of the most common questions when I tell someone that I am a Biblical Counselor is, “How is that different from being a Psychologist or Psychiatrist?” I have found it’s a fair question to ask as counseling has become a more pervasive part of our culture today. In this post I am to lay out a vision for Biblical Counseling and how it seeks to be different from the contemporary counseling methodology of the day.
First, Biblical Counseling as a discipline seeks to stand upon the truth of God’s Word as the final rule and authority for life and godliness. Orthodox Christians believe that the 66 books of the Bible comprised of the Old and New Testaments are the inspired, inerrant, infallible and fully sufficient word given to His people to understand not only who we are and how we are called to live, but also who He is and how we are called to respond in worship to Him. I get it. That’s a Pauline sentence right there. However, it is important to note that Biblical Counseling is fundamentally built upon God’s Word and God’s Will.
Proverbs 3:5-6 calls us to, “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths." Because all of creation has been impacted by the Fall, we must seek the Creator’s will to help us understand and interpret our own mind, will and emotions rightly. Biblical Counseling as a discipline, then, seeks to help brothers and sisters in Christ to apply the truths of Scripture to the questions and issues of everyday life. Our goal is not to replace the Pastors, Elders, and faithful brothers and sisters in Christ within local congregations. Instead, our goal is to serve as a resource to help raise up and equip local churches to counsel more effectively from God’s Word.
If you are reading this post and find yourself in need of counseling or would like to understand more about what Biblical Counseling is and how it could be a blessing to your congregation, I would love to meet with you to answer your questions.
