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 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.
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