Powlinson’s six crucial issues in contemporary biblical counseling deal with the foundation
of biblical counseling and how they build on an already established foundation.
The six crucial areas are:
1. Integration of secular psychology into biblical-nouthetic counseling
2. Human motivation
3. Relationship between human responsibility and human suffering
4. Counselor-counselee relationships
5. Contextualization of biblical counseling to new audiences
6. Relationship between biblical counseling and secular counseling needs to be
publicly clarified.
I find the most significant of these six crucial areas is the concern of human motivation. a
According to Dr. Baker’s lecture on Issues in Contemporary Christian Counseling, there are
two different perspectives or emphases on motivation. One is in Secular counseling
motivation, which focuses on behavior change. Although external changes don’t change the
person’s circumstance, forcing them to look for other options or another philosophy. a The
other is Biblical Counseling motivation, which aims at the individual’s heart. Change comes
from the heart, and when God has his heart, he has the entire person. a
The goal of counseling is not the happiness of the client. Happiness is only based on “what
is happening” at the moment. The Bible says that “Happy is the man that findeth wisdom,
and the man that getteth understanding” ( Proverbs 2:6). a It is based on a life that pleases
God and maturity towards Christ’s likeness. The behavior that flows from within flows out
of a man’s heart.
Furthermore, the problem that we deal with in counseling is that they were misplaced
passions within the heart of man. There are desires, their inner cravings that war against
God’s purposes in an individual’s life. “For it is from within, out of a person’s heart, that evil
thoughts come sexual immorality, theft, murder” (Mark 7:21). In Biblical counseling, we
move the client into a love relationship with God, and teaches us to “love the Lord, our God
with all of our heart-mind soul and strength, and love our neighbor as ourselves” Luke
10:27). This motivation is part of the Biblical counseling process that an individual would
get their heart right with God. Once they establish themselves in being, then doing will
follow naturally, and this pleases God.
The other five concerns are devalued because the dynamics of our human motivation
ultimately stem from the heart in which God is the creator, as stated in Mark 7:21. a The
heart is the seat of our emotions and where we keep God's word "I have hidden your word in
my heart that I might not sin against you" (Ps. 119:11), and the issues of life flow from it
"Keep your heart with all diligence, For out of it spring the issues of life" (Prov. 4:23).
Issue #1 is foundational, however its modality is self-help and building self-esteem, all of
which bypass the man ↔God relationship (2010, p. 241). Powlison notes Issues #3 and #4 a
“Counseling in the Christian church continues to be significantly compromised by the
secular assumptions and practices of our cultures reigning psychologies and psychiatrist”
(p. 241). Issues #5 and #6 deal with relationships with the counselee and outside the
church arena, respectively. a Biblical counselors should maintain the authority of Scripture
when confronting those inside and outside of the church ( pp. 249, 253).
In answer to Powlison's (2010) appendix 4, the “Cure of Souls” (p. 269), a I agree with
Powlison that “when it comes to the cure of souls…only biblically wise people should qualify
to counsel other people” (p. 299). Soul care is the attention given to healing a wounded
soul or maintaining a healthy soul. In a Christian context, soul care is often linked to finding
help to overcome temptations, fight addictions, and have peace with God. a Biblical
counselors or pastors care for a soul in the way a doctor cares for a body.
Reference
Powlison, D. (2010). The Biblical Counseling Movement: History and Context. Greensboro,
NC: New Growth Press.
