Integration Essay 1
Integration Essay
PACO506 Liberty University
Natalie French
Integration Essay 2
Romans 3:23-24 tells us “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are
justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.” We are broken
and in need of a savior. There is no human that is an exception to this truth. One does not need
to look very far or for very long to see that the world and all those in it are fallen. McMinn tells
us that “our sinful hearts show themselves through what we do and what we fail to do"
(McMinn, p. 46). Being human means being fallible,and recognizing our need for redemption
and relationship with God. We were created to be in union with our Creator. We must remember
this in our dealings with clients, and to remind ourselves for the need for God’s sovereignty and
omniscience. Our goal as counselors should always be to direct people back to the dominion and
grace of a God who loves them enough to make a way in the midst of brokenness to reach them
where they are.
Our world view provides the lenses through which we interpret human behavior and best choose
counseling methods to reach the broken and hurting. Proverbs 3:5-6, tells us to “Trust in the
LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways
acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths.” We must rely first and foremost on the God
who created us and make sure that our foundation for counseling is laid upon the solid truth of
His word. With the internet, scientific research, and hundreds of thousands of texts and
interpretations at our fingertips, we must learn to filter all truth through God’s truth. J.C. Ryles
was once asked how to best defend against the onslaught of untruth. “What is the best safeguard
against false doctrine? – I answer in one word, ‘The Bible: the Bible regularly read, regularly
prayed over, regularly studied.’ We must be diligent students of the Bible, and regularly tune our
hearts and minds to the ever-present whispers of the Holy Spirit to discern and guide us as
counselors.
The science of psychology did not appear until the late 1800’s. Perhaps the newness threatened
the existing system of the Church being the main source for counsel and healing. Perhaps
questioning of the existing hierarchy of the Church as the absolute inerrant holder of truth rattled
those in authority. Either way there has always been a level of distrust towards the integration of
psychology and theology. Many took the path of the Christian Combatant point of view which
sees psychology as a threat to Christianity (Entwistle, 2015, p. 170). Others were more
accepting of the use of psychology so long as it did not reject or trump Biblical truth (Allied
Model). “The Allies model does caution, however, that we must be vigilant about that secular
assumptions often shape the discipline of psychology in ways that may require critique from a
Christian perspective (Entwistle, 2015, p.248).
Integration Essay 3
I tend to accept that the Allied Model is most efficient in counseling settings as it takes into
account the Christian worldview that we are broken humans in need of a Savior, while
psychology plays the part of showing us how our fallenness is expressed in our minds,
relationships, health, and spirituality. In both there is a desire to better understand people and to
diminish the suffering in our world. Instead of simply touting theology or psychology as one
being better than another, the Allied Model allows counselors to examine the whole person
while still filtering it through the lens that God is the author of Truth.
The usage of psychology in counseling does not automatically imply that the Bible is deficient in
supplying all of the answers. Instead it echoes the revelations of a Creator who has formed us
into multi-part beings each playing a role. Science and theology reveal the truth that our
thinking affects the physical well being. “As someone thinks within himself, so he is” (Proverbs
23:7). God often challenges us to gain control of our minds first, as our actions, toxic patterns,
and spiritual defeat often begin in our thoughts. We must also not look to our human
understanding and capabilities as the sole means to healing. Ortberg (2015) heeds a warning to
Christians about “psuedo-transformation” (p. 30) in the church and in one’s personal spiritual
life. This can also apply to the “psuedo-transformation” of superficial tactics to apply
psychology to quickly change toxic behaviors and sins, instead of taking the time to address the
full person, spiritually, relationally, physically, and mentally. If we are not looking at the whole
person, we are short-changing our clients and they will not achieve growth or healing. .
Because psychology is a science derived of the theories of men, and statistical probabilities more
than universal laws, it is laden with the possibility of human error, misinterpretations, and
personal perceptions. There is certain value and revelation about human behavior that can be
beneficial in counseling, but we must be conscientious and deliberate about searching the
scriptures and aligning our methods with God’s word (John 5:39). At the same time we must
humble ourselves to the truth that our own interpretation of scripture can be skewed by our
limitations and understanding. “The problem with this idea is that it does not consider the fact
that Christians are also sinners and are subject to error and the limitations of being human”
(Entwistle, 2015, p. 163).
So how do we address seeming contradictions in psychology and theology? While we can refer
to scripture, not every answer is directly addressed in scripture. This is where it is most
important to include prayer into the counseling setting for those who have demonstrated that they
share a faith in God. “Prayer assumes need. “Prayer and helplessness are inseparable”
( McMinn, p.116). As counselors we are often helpless to address the deep need for healing that a
client needs. We must recognize that we are only a tool in the hands of a more powerful healer
and submit ourselves to his guiding. Prayer opens the door for God to move in the life of a
client. In the cases where a client is not a believer, we must still seek God on their behalf
Integration Essay 4
continually through the counseling session and be attentive to the leadings of the Holy Spirit to
direct our methods and our mouths. We must act from our worldview that God is in control and
working in the lives of the people He loves. We must diligently be students of His word so we
can be equipped to apply it and be held accountable to its truths. We will not always have all the
answers, even when integrating all that is contained within scripture and the science of
psychology. It is in these times we must lean deeper into the Holy Spirit and allow Him to fill in
the blanks. Scripture nor psychology is “an encyclopedic catalogue of all significant facts but
rather God’s revelation of the crucial facts, richly illustrated, that yield a worldview sufficient to
interpret whatever facts we may encounter” (Powlison, p. 81).
References
ENTWISTLE, D. N. (2010). INTEGRATIVE APPROACHES TO PSYCHOLOGY AND
CHRISTIANITY, SECOND EDITION an introduction to worldview issues, philosophical
foundations, and models of. EUGENE: CASCADE BOOKS.
MacMinn, M. R. (2014). Psychology, theology, and spirituality in christian counseling. Carol
Stream, IL: Tyndale House.
Ortberg, J. (2015). The life you’ve always wanted: Spiritual disciplines for ordinary people.
Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.
Powlison, D., Totally Sufficient: The Bible and Christian Counselling, p.81
