For a number of years Dr Joel Beeke has been teaching a “Family Living Class” after our Sunday morning service. You can listen to some of these addresses here, and I highly recommend that you do. They are packed full of helpful practical advice for marriage and child-raising.

With Dr Beeke preaching elsewhere yesterday, I was privileged to teach the Family Living Class myself. I started teaching my “Counseling Q&A” course, which is an introduction to counseling in Q&A format. The first seven Q&A’s are below, and I’ve also attached a pdf (download here) containing a brief exposition of each Q&A.

Q1. Why is counseling necessary?

Counseling is necessary because of our sinful hearts, their sinful fruits, and the resulting problematic consequences.

Q2. Why should all Christians study counseling?

Christians should study counseling because to some degree we all regularly give and receive counsel, and therefore we need help to know what to say and also what to listen to.

Q3. What is Christian counseling?

Christian counseling aims to bring individual sinners to repentance and faith in Christ, and to restore individuals broken by sin’s consequences to wholeness, by a wise use of God’s Word and works, for God’s glory.

Q4. What is a Christian counselor?

A Christian counselor uses biblical knowledge, spiritual experience, the Christian community, and common grace insights to help restore sinners to spiritual, moral, relational, vocational, mental and bodily health.

Q5. Who is qualified to be a Christian counselor?  

The qualifications of a Christian counselor are thorough biblical knowledge, patient compassion for sinners, mature Christian experience, good communication skills, immersion in the Christian community, and a humble awareness of personal limitations.

Q6. What is the one and only solution for sin? 

The one and only solution for sin is repentance and faith.

Q7. What is the solution to sin’s consequences?  

The solution to sin’s consequences is a synthesis of words, action, and medical help, all subject to God’s Word.

 

Counseling 1.pdf
Download this file