Most Urgent Issue
Crucial issue number five, biblical counseling must be contextualized to new audiences, is
the most significant of the six issues listed in Powlison (2010) appendix 2. I agree with the author
that Biblical counseling needs to be applied to a wider audience. I believe it will be beneficial to
enlighten others, especially those who do not know God, with what He has given us. Many
churches have established Biblical counseling opportunities. What about audiences outside the
church?
It is my opinion that we need more of God’s truth and deliverance versus diagnosis.
Powlison (2010), “Biblical counseling claims to offer a psychology that systematically differs from
the various secular personality theories” (p.273). 2 Peter 1:3 tells us that God has given us
everything we need pertaining to life and Godliness. But those who do not go to church, read the
Bible, or have a spiritual walk with Jesus may not know that God has given us what we need to
overcome difficult circumstances.
The Devalued Five Issues
All the crucial issues listed in appendix 2 of Powlison are important and of value. I choose
the importance of contextualizing biblical counseling to new audiences because I hear so many
people talk about diagnosis and medication, and it makes me incredibly sad for them. When I
speak about God’s healing, deliverance, and His Word it is like speaking foreign language to them.
The first crucial issue addresses the “same old issues,” particularly secular psychologies
remaining Biblical counseling’s major competitors. I do not think this should be highlighted as
much because there will be some people who are always going to put more faith and trust in those
who are considered to have formal intellectual training in psychology. I do not necessarily disagree
with psychology academia, and I do think that some of the ideas and methodologies can be
integrated in Christian counseling, especially family and marriage counsel. The focus with the first
crucial issue is that convincing individuals that Biblical counseling will reaffirm its distinctive
intellectual content and develop its counseling methods. Basically, convince those who lean more
to secular psychologies of how far Biblical counseling have come in the aspect of change
intellectually.
The second issue reflects the idea of biblical change. He explains human motivation of the
heart and how it fleshes out whichever is in it. He quotes Mark 7:21, Behavior flows “from
within, out of men’s hearts.” (Powlison,2010) So, when considering the “other” audience we are
trying to reach with Biblical counseling, again, get them to first open their heart to Jesus is vital.
That is when earnest heart changes happen. The third issue challenges us to rethink our thoughts
about responsibility and human suffering. I do agree that actions have consequences and that
should be addressed. However, there are issues that are not a direct result of the counselee’s
actions. One example of this is the death of a loved one. The author states that misunderstanding
SCHOLARLY ARTICLE REVIEW ON INTEGRATION
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is our, counselor’s, fault. While I do agree that some contemporary victim theories rob people of
moral responsibility, I believe it does not apply to all.
The fourth crucial issue focuses on counselor-counselee relationship. The author highlights
Nouthetic counseling’s authoritative, shepherd, and truth speaking elements in biblical love type
style. I do think this is beneficial, but I do believe different approaches should be used for
different counselees.
The last crucial issue listed is the relationship of biblical counseling to secular psychology
and the need for it to be publicly clarified. This is listed last of the issues, but this issue is of high
priority also. There is a need to clarify the subtle differences of what we know secular psychology
to be. Powlison (2010), explains the importance of us not only rejecting error but placing distorted
pieces back into biblical basis. Appendix 4 discusses Pastoral Counselors versus Psychologists
which correlates with a few of the crucial issues listed above. Pastoral counselors strongly value
explicit ministry of God’s Word, authoritative and mutual counsel. They also think that they
should operate under theological accountability. Whereas Psychologists highly value state licensure
and professional identities i.e., Licensed Clinical Counselor (L.P.C). Psychologists resist coming
under a spiritual authority maintaining independence from any Christian ideas and practices. This
section explains more about the nuances discussed in crucial issue six. It also can correlate to the
broadening of the audience for Biblical Counseling. As stated, before some people feel comfortable
or even more confident in being counseled by someone holding a professional title such as L.P.C.
or L.C.P.C.
References
Powlison, D. (2010). The Biblical Counseling Movement. New Growth Press.
