COMPARISON PAPER – PRITCHARD 2
Summary
The book The Biblical Counseling Movement: History and Context, deliberate Jay
Adams’s “nouthetic counseling.” The main drive and purpose of this paper is to look at and
analyze Adam’s work. This is done by reviewing methods and viewpoints of Adam’s work, and
how these viewpoints impact counseling and affects on a person’s life. Finally, as we conclude
the paper, it will demonstrate the practical application affects it has on secular counseling world.
Primary Goal
David Powlison demonstrated a study and compile a focus on Adam’s theory and approach
of nouthetic counseling. (1)Adams believes, “that under the influence of the Bible and the Holy
Spirit the mind could “reprogram the brain and, through it, the members of the body” to operate the
body differently.” Adam’s expressed that counseling should be handled by the pastors and leaders
of the church. That using the bible was the main tool and answers to counseling in all situations.
That the bible was a way to demonstrate the use of our faith and belief against our sins. That once a
person was walking in their belief and faith, and with the help of the Holy Spirit can change their
thoughts, feelings, behaviors, and actions.
Development of Problem and Personal Need
Adam expresses in his teaching, that sin is the root cause of a person’s problems in life. That
when our walk with the Lord is in dire straits, it then affects our relationships with others, our
reactions and belief structure in life. (2)Adam’s stated, “Sinful, problem behaviors would be “put
off” and godly behaviors “put on” with God’s aid. That once we start to change our sinful thinking
and turn to godlier thinking our spirt and body improve with these new positive changes. This is
due to the fact; sin is a falsification and distortion that decay and degrades God’s word and image.
COMPARISON PAPER – PRITCHARD 3
Adam shows that when a person tends to feel the shame and guilt of their sin, and hides it from
others this also triggers sin and other issues and problems. Adam focuses not only the mind but the
body are the cause of sin and bad behaviors.
Adam’s use the, (3)“six representative problems areas” to validate how Adam’s nouthetic
system identified problems. The first one is in relationships, emphasis marriages and family.
Adam’s express, that it skews our love of God and one another. The second area realm of emotions.
Adam’s main point here was people’s understanding and feelings of reality was a good source to
use. The third area is the of behavior. (4)Powlison stated, “He and his followers interpreted
numerous behaviors as sin, even when no explicit biblical proof could be adduced for the particular
phenomenon.” This process was finding the behavior habit and have the client change and develop
a process to a better and positive behavior.
The fourth area was faulty beliefs. (5)Adams interpreted these as,” doctrinal errors, as false
views of God, self, circumstances, and the purpose of life.” Basically, the therapist would challenge
the client change what they are stating, when using negative and bad language towards things and
themselves. The fifth area is around the way we respond and act towards hardship and suffering.
The therapist helps the client to challenge to change their outlook on their situations to being more
encouraging and optimistic. And sixth being the final area was based on strange and bizarre
behaviors in a person. Adam’s believe that utmost mental health illness would fall under sin issues.
Biblical Integration
Author Powlison, demonstrated that Adams held three beliefs regarding the areas of the
bible and counseling. (6) First, “Adams believe that the Bible – understood by iteral, grammatico-
historical exegesis, and partly systematized by the creeds of the Reformation – provided three
things needed to altar the state of affairs.” First, we see how the bible teaches us clear cut system
COMPARISON PAPER – PRITCHARD 4
that shows the truth of people, their issues and how change can take place. Second, that the Bible is
the cure for all issues and changes. And thirdly, at church where pastor and the bible can help
people who need help.
Adams stated that he does not use or derive tools and coping skills from the secular world of
psychology. His main belief that with the help of the bible, at times counsel from a pastor or leader
of the church, and a client being will to changing their train of thoughts healing can take place.
Formula for Change
Adams believe for change was using feeling the conviction and downfall of being human
and acting out sin. That when the client chooses to change their thinking and acting out within sin,
and focusing on the use of scripture and the bible. That the client can find the forgiveness of there
sin, change their thinking and reactions. With the help of the church, Holy Spirit, training within the
bible and scripture the client’s ways of body and mind can change. One of Adam’s main points that
for this to work, the client must be a Christian. If the client is not then it turns out to be a form of
evangelism for the client.
Balance Of Theology and Spirituality
(7) Adam believes, “that the Bible prescribed a particular institutional and professional
locus for helping people: the church and pastoral role,” this was also known as “Reformed creeds.
Adam’s system of nouthetic counseling fell under five areas. In doing so Adams focus was to show
the combination and approaches of theology and spirituality in these areas. First, “God is. Adams
viewed God as a person with whom all created person to do.” Second, “God control. There is no
accidents or random events in Adam’s world because God was primary cause of all things.” Third,
“God knows. There were no secrets in Adam’s world, because his God knew all things about all
people at all times.” Fourth, “God speaks. Adams was relentlessly biblicistic. Finally, fifth. “God
COMPARISON PAPER – PRITCHARD 5
recompenses. Adam’s God-saturated world was consequences-laden. Admas does let us know that
also this can not be done without the help of the Holy Spirit with the client use of the bible and
scripture.
Human Personality
We see that in Adams nouthetic counseling model is to change our heart and believes rather
than focusing on getting to the root cause of the issues. We learn that our reactions, behaviors, and
mindset is geared to our sin, that causes our reactions and responses in human nature. That our
focus is on our sinful behavior and not the understanding of the secular, psychological cause of the
issues. Adam’s express that secular psychology and therapist that operate without connection with
God, that they fall short of helping their clients change their train of thoughts and thinking. Adam’s
main theme and theological thinking is to focus on the image of God, strive to be Christ like and
that root cause to issues come out of sin.
Counselor’s Function and Role
The author Powlinson demonstrates that (8) Adams stated, “Counseling is fundamentally
a pastoral activity and must be church bases.” His main point was that counseling needed to be
connected to the bible and based on scripture. That clients should be counsel with the word of
God. And Adams saw being done not only by therapists but also by pastors of Christian faith-
based churches. Adams saw one of the pastors’ roles in the church when preaching as an act of
“preventative” counseling to the congregation.
Major Contribution to Counseling
(9)Adams believed, “that the Bible defined and exemplified a methodology for the cure of
souls, a methodology that complemented and implemented its interpretive system.” Adams main
points were that a client could not change first with putting God first. That pastors that had the
COMPARISON PAPER – PRITCHARD 6
knowledge of the bible, with the help of the Holy Spirit, and scripture was enough to counsel
someone in need. Due to the fact, that the problems and struggles came out of sin.
Limitations of This Counseling Theory
Some of the limitations of Adams model of nouthetic counseling is that it is based on
scripture, bible and help of the holy spirit. Also (10)Adams stated, “He and his followers
interpreted numerous behaviors as sin, even when no explicit biblical proof text could be adduced
for the particular phenomenon.” In doing this, we see that nouthetic counseling is based on
behavior and not the inner work of humankind. The bible is not considered a counseling textbook
nor a reference tool in counseling. It also puts people not full trained to deal with mental health
issues and counseling in a counseling role, hence pastors as one example. And finally, in biblical
counseling they see sin as the root of the problems and ignore the factors that there could be
sobering mental health issues and behaviors at hand. Which can come from the result of chemical
and or serious tram au events for example.
Classification
As Adams is considered birthing the Nouthetic Counseling and used in the pastoral
counseling arena. He limits his counseling to one process of counseling with scripture and theology
and biblical principles. At the same time, it allows counselors to use and explore others
professional methods in counseling as well.
Practical Application
Utility for Counseling and Potential Personal Influence
Adams stated that with encouragement of the bible and Holy Spirit, “reprogram the brain
and Spirit the mind could “reprogram the brain and, through it, the members of the body” to operate
COMPARISON PAPER – PRITCHARD 7
differently.” We see that practicing letting go of the old self and embracing the new self with
biblical statements and Holy Spirit can help the person to change and improve their lives.
Adams model of the use of brief and goal centered counseling did not go past 12 weeks.
And during this time the therapist will assign the client homework to start to put into action the new
foundation and mindset into place. The focus of the counseling of nouthetic was use of scripture
that led to solutions and change with help of Holy Spirit. In using Adams nouthetic counseling, can
help the client see that there is a connection to the human and spirituality behaviors. That with the
help of Christian counseling and Holy Spirit, it can help change the mindset from negative/sinful
behavior to peaceful/Christlike mindset.
Impact on a Counseling Moment
I have a lot of clients that come to me struggling with feeling negative and hard to let things
go and moving forward in life. They tend to say a lot of times they are stuck in a negative tunnel.
Using Adams counseling model can be helpful on different levels. One having the client realizing
that their relationship with God is fractured and needs to be repaired is the start to being opening to
change of thinking and letting Him in to help with change of thinking.
Working with the clients to using scripture and bible as a foundation to their train of
thinking helps change their thought process. Putting into action for example an outlook of grace is
one way. It always the client to put into action the scripture into action and learning not to hold
things against others. One way in being opening to these changes is also encouraging the client to
allow the Holy Spirit to guide them through out there day, to help navigate difficult situations with
Holy Spirit and scripture and the bible. In doing all this, we the therapist walk along side the client
in helping them understand there are no mistakes, God is a loving and caring God, and the bible and
COMPARISON PAPER – PRITCHARD 8
scriptures are our road map to living out His promises and truths within ourselves and towards
others.
Conclusion
Adams challenged biblical counseling to rely on the bible, scriptures, and Holy Spirit. It
made you face how your beliefs came out of your sins. It challenged you to change your life on a
spiritualty level but on mindset level that would affect your outward behaviors and actions
towards yourself and others.
It allowed your pastors to be able to counsel you and even fellow Christians to hold each
other accountable. One of Adams main points, was to only focus on spirituality and theology and
not the use of secular counseling tools of psychology. This helped Christians who wanted to
change but only use biblical principles only. This was refreshing way and encouraged way for
Christians to seek help and not feel like they were being put into a mental health box, but able to
see the affects their sinful behaviors had on their mind and body and mental health.
COMPARISON PAPER – PRITCHARD 9
References
1.Powlison, D. (2010). The Biblical Counseling Movement: History and Context. New Growth
Press p.103
2. Powlison, D. (2010). The Biblical Counseling Movement: History and Context. New Growth
Press p. 103
3. Powlison, D. (2010). The Biblical Counseling Movement: History and Context. New Growth
Press p. 102
4. Powlison, D. (2010). The Biblical Counseling Movement: History and Context. New Growth
Press p. 103
5. Powlison, D. (2010). The Biblical Counseling Movement: History and Context. New Growth
Press p. 104
6. Powlison, D. (2010). The Biblical Counseling Movement: History and Context. New Growth
Press p. 97-98
7. Powlison, D. (2010). The Biblical Counseling Movement: History and Context. New Growth
Press p. 98-99
8. Powlison, D. (2010). The Biblical Counseling Movement: History and Context. New Growth
Press p. 130-131
9. Powlison, D. (2010). The Biblical Counseling Movement: History and Context. New Growth
Press p. 97
10. Powlison, D. (2010). The Biblical Counseling Movement: History and Context. New Growth
Press p. 103
Powered by TCPDF (www.tcpdf.org)
