A Theology of Biblical Counseling: Some Questions and Clarifications

While preparing lectures recently for my Fall semester course, “Foundations of Biblical Counseling,” what arrived in the mail from Zondervan, but a complimentary copy of A Theology of Biblical Counseling, The Doctrinal Foundations of Counseling Ministry, by Heath Lambert. Perfect timing, I thought. As Heath says, it’s a much-needed book, which aims to gather together in one place a systematized theology of biblical counseling (33). It’s possible to piece such a theology together from numerous other biblical counseling books, but there really was a desperate need for an up-to-date book that would present such material in a careful, clear, and comprehensive way. That’s what I was looking for anyway. I was also hoping that it would demonstrate how the biblical counseling movement has matured in its thinking over the years, showing how it has developed and qualified its presuppositions in response to further prayerful Bible study and constructive critique.

And who better to write such a book than Heath Lambert, Executive Director of The Association of Certified Biblical Counselors, and author of a couple of well-received counseling books, including The Biblical Counseling Movement After Adams, and Finally Free, the first book I usually recommend to anyone struggling with pornography.

When I turned to the book’s table of contents, I immediately saw that it met the aim of comprehensiveness, with chapters relating biblical counseling to Scripture, Common Grace, God, Christ, the Holy Spirit, Humanity, Sin, Suffering, Salvation, and the Church. I’m very much looking forward to diving into these chapters and bringing back theological treasure to share with my students.

When I finished the first chapter, however, Counseling and Theology: A Crucial Introduction, I felt confused. Instead of clarifying, it raised a number of questions in my mind; and instead of demonstrating progress in the movement, I felt like I was reading some of the less nuanced statements of the early Biblical Counseling Movement. As I not only want to use this book in my classes, but also want it to succeed, I’ve written out my questions and suggested clarifications (numbered for ease of reply) in the hope that responses will not only help me but help others who read the book too. I’ll examine the first part of chapter one today and the second part tomorrow.

THEOLOGY INFORMS COUNSELING

In order to demonstrate that theology informs counseling, Heath begins by answering three questions  (1) What is theology? (2) What is counseling? (3) What does counseling require?

(1) The Nature of Theology

“Theology,” writes Heath, “is what the whole Bible teaches us today about any given topic” (12). Therefore, “when we pay careful attention to every relevant passage in the Bible on a topic, we should know what God has revealed to us about that topic” (13). Which provokes my first question:

Question #1: “Is there any revelation outside of the Bible?”

Take for example, the topic of obesity, one of the greatest sin-problems in America; has God revealed any truth about this topic outside of the Bible? Is there any truth we can discover outside of the Bible about what foods cause cravings, how certain foods exacerbate the problem, and how others can diminish appetite? Do nutritionists have no truth to help us counsel an obese person? If so, is it still accurate to say “When we pay careful attention to every relevant passage in the Bible on a topic, we should know what God has revealed to us about that topic”?

Other examples might be autism or fetal alcohol syndrome. Has God revealed any truth about these topics outside of the Bible? Would it perhaps be more accurate to say:

Suggested Clarification #1: “When we pay careful attention to every relevant passage in the Bible on a topic, we should know what special revelation (or “spiritual truth”) God has given us about a topic”?

Without the qualification of “special” revelation (or spiritual truth), I think we risk being understood as saying that there is no general revelation, no truth, outside of Scripture on any topic.

I’m hopeful that Heath will go on to add such qualifications in subsequent chapters, but it’s unqualified generalizations like these that confuse people and have created justifiable resistance to the biblical counseling movement over the years. With just a couple of extra words, the potential confusion is avoided and understandable reasons to resist are removed.

(2) The Nature of Counseling

I like Heath’s definition of counseling: “Counseling is a conversation where one party with questions, problems, and trouble seeks assistance from someone who they believe has answers, solutions and help” (13). As he says, that’s sufficiently broad to include all kinds of counseling – biblical, Christian, secular, lay, professional, paid, voluntary, etc.

He goes on to give numerous examples of counseling, including “what happens when a boss calls an employee into the office to discuss a problem with job performance” and “decisions about where to go to school” (14). Question one is relevant in these instances too.

(3) What Counseling Requires.

This heading, especially the word “requires,” led me to think that I was going to read about the requirements of good counseling, what is needed for counseling to take place. Having read this section a number of times and failed to make sense of it with that definition of “requires,” I realized that “requires” is not the best word. “Necessitates” would be better.

Heath is not saying, “This is what is needed in counseling,” but “This is what counseling necessitates,” or, “This is always present when counseling takes place,” or, “Wherever counseling happens, this is always present.” That ever-present reality is a worldview, which Heath helpfully defines as “a vision of life that includes who we are, what is wrong with us, what should be right with us, and what it would take to fix the problem.”

Like the best biblical counselors, Heath highlights the impossibility of counseling without being influenced by our fundamental presuppositions.

COUNSELING IS THEOLOGICAL

In the next major section of chapter one, Heath advances his argument to say “if counseling requires some vision of life, some worldview, then counseling is always theological” (17). This precedes another confusing generalization which again raises questions for me: “God knows what is wrong with us and diagnoses the problem in the Bible. God prescribes a solution to our problems – faith in Christ – and reveals him to us in the Scriptures” (17).

And my questions are:

Q2. Does “problems” here mean all problems (such as autism, or those Heath mentioned earlier – employment problems or choosing a college).

Q3. Is God’s prescribed solution (singular) to our problems (plural) always simply “faith in Christ”?

Q4. Is this the only solution to all our problems?

It would appear to be, because a following sentence says: “There is no other solution to our problem and no process of change other than the one God has provided” (17).

Again, I’m hopeful that Heath will qualify this in later chapters (although it’s difficult to see how it can be done without contradicting this sentence), but it would be so easy, so helpful, and so clarifying if a couple of extra words were added in this foundational introductory chapter. For example, would this be more accurate, clear, and comprehensive?

Suggested Clarification #2: “God knows what is primarily wrong with us – sin – and that the solution to our sin problems is repentance and faith in Christ.”

HOPES

I offer these questions and clarifications in the spirit of iron sharpening iron (Prov. 27:17), and in the hope that my biblical counseling colleagues will see the need for much greater clarity, carefulness, and consistency, if we are to have a hope of building the credibility of our discipline and expanding the availability and usefulness of biblical counseling throughout the world. I’m looking forward to learning from any responses to the questions, further questions to me, and hopefully clearer and more consistent definitions at the foundational level. If I have misunderstood or misrepresented anything, please let me know as this was not my intention.


Check out

Blogs

What exactly is Puritan Theology? – Reformation21 Blog
“‘Puritan’ has been co-opted by many Reformed evangelicals to mean ‘whatever I think is good, noble, and true’.”

April’s Meet the Puritans Resource – Meet the Puritans
April’s Resource is J.I. Packer’s well-known “Introduction” to John Owen’s classic work, The Death of Death in the Death of Christ.

10 More Ridiculous Responses To My Latest Pregnancy
This is funny. I could add a few myself from when my wife became pregnant with our fifth child aged 47.

“But when you already have three kids, ages six and under, you shouldn’t underestimate people’s ability to shock you with their responses. Here are the top 10 that have caused me to pause in just these first 10 weeks of our latest pregnancy.”

Exercise Makes Our Muscles Work Better With Age – The New York Times
“To keep our muscles healthy deep into retirement, we may need to start working out more now, according to a new study of world-class octogenarian athletes. The study found substantial differences at a cellular level between the athletes’ muscles and those of less active people.”

And just in case you actually get to retirement…

“No, You Can’t Retire” | Chris Wiles
“Retirement is a pretty cool idea, the thought of being able to enjoy 20, 30, or even 40 years without working is the societal equivalent of utopia. Unfortunately the math doesn’t work. It hasn’t worked for the last several decades, and it certainly doesn’t work now. ”

Seven Subtle Symptoms of Pride | Desiring God
“In his essay on undetected pride, Jonathan Edwards points out seven sneaky symptoms of the infection of pride.”

Kindle Books

True Friendship by Vaughan Roberts $2.99.

The One True God by Paul Washer $2.99.

How to Read the Bible in Changing Times by Mark Strauss $3.99.

Perfect English Grammar by Mark Barrett $1.99.

New Book

Family Worship by Don Whitney $6.15. See video below.

Video

An Interview with Don Whitney on Family Worship | TGC
Justin discusses the why-to’s and the how-to’s of family worship. I was especially encouraged by Don Whitney’s reflection on his family’s experience of family worship.


Men’s Bible Study Resources

Last week on Facebook, I asked for recommendations for Men’s Bible study resources, specifically thinking in terms of material for group studies.  Thanks to everyone who chipped in. Here are some of the recommendations. Hope you find them helpful as well. Please write further suggestions in the comments box and I’ll add them to the list.


What He Must Be: …If He Wants to Marry My Daughter by Voddie Baucham Jr. Recommended by Doug.


Reformed Confessions Harmonized by Beeke and Ferguson. Suggested by Psyche.


How Should Men Lead Their Families? by Joel R. Beeke. Suggested by Scott whose church is going through it with their men’s group.


Men of the Word by Nathan Busenitz. Recommended by John.


Manly Dominion by Mark Chanski. Recommended by Mark (not Chanski!).


The Christian Life by Sinclair Ferguson. Suggested by Brandon. He says it’s great for pacing at a chapter a week.


Let’s Study the Letters of John by Ian Hamilton. “Any of the Let’s Study Series” is a suggestion from Steven.


Hit List: Taking Aim at the Seven Deadly Sins by Brian G. Hedges. Recommended by John. His study group is going through this one.


Disciplines of a Godly Man by R. Kent Hughes. Recommended by Gordon.


Twelve Ordinary Men by John Macarthur. Suggested by Sally whose husband is leading a men’s group through the book.


The Masculine Mandate: God’s Calling to Men by Richard D. Phillips. Recommended by Steven, William, Whitt, and Brian who heard the author speak at a conference and is looking forward to reading the book.


The Thought of the Evangelical Leader edited by John H. Pratt. Recommended by Christopher who finds this book “fascinating.”


Instruments in the Redeemer’s Hands: People in Need of Change Helping People in Need of Change by Paul David Tripp. Recommended by Sherif.

 


33 Series on Authentic Manhood. Recommended by John and Mark. Authentic Manhood/Men’s Fraternity has several resources to choose from. This is pitched towards young Christians.

Ann suggested sermons by Paul Washer on marriage and family.

Refik uses Reformation Heritage Book Talk as his go-to for finding study resources.

There’s the full range of Ligonier’s video teaching series. Our congregation’s Men’s Bible Study is just starting R. C. Sproul’s Pleasing God.

Puritan Books and Resources


Precious Remedies Against Satan’s Devices by Thomas Brooks. Recommended by Doug


The Christlike Husband by William Gouge, extracted from Of Domestical Duties. Recommended by James.


The Holy Spirit by John Owen. Recommended by Joseph. He read it through with a group of men and described their experience like this: “We would read John Owen Volume III on the Holy Spirit (you could probably substitute any of his learned volumes) and we would take turns reading a paragraph at a time. But after reading a paragraph we would discuss what he meant. I doubt this would work with many other writers, but we weren’t discussing the content so much as just trying to understand what he was saying. It was like wrestling with an angel. At least that’s what I’d compare it to. It was very rewarding when we ‘got it’. We were all young single men. Though most of us were theologically literate we did not have a ‘discussion leader’ who gave us the answers – we had to figure it out. We had lots of time. We spent about 5-10 minutes on each paragraph.”


The Bruised Reed by Richard Sibbes. Recommended by Doug.


The Godly Man’s Picture by Thomas Watson. Recommended by John who has found that this book has stirred some good discussion.

Please write further suggestions in the comments box and I’ll add them to the list.


Check Out

Three Types of Accountability Every Leader Needs | Eric Geiger
“Who a leader listens to shapes much of what a leader does. A leader who surrounds himself with wise counsel is a leader who is much more likely to lead well. A leader surrounded by fools is a leader who is doomed to fail.”

I Slept with My Girlfriend — Now What? | Ask Pastor John, Desiring God
“A friend of the podcast, who wishes to remain anonymous, writes in: ‘Hello Pastor John, I’m a listener in the Middle East. I slept with my girlfriend two days ago, and now we are both left hurt and feeling dirty, cheap, ashamed — we cannot even look at ourselves. We are both born-again believers in Christ, but we got lured into temptation. Is there any hope that we might become pure again and be healed from our sin?’”

The Fastest, Cheapest Way to Learn Evernote | Michael Hyatt
“Brett has just released a brand new edition. It’s updated to correspond with the most recent Evernote interface and packed with new tips and approaches for maximizing your experience.”

Introducing the New and Improved Logos Pro Training Page | LogosTalk
“If you want to learn how to use Logos — because you want to study the Bible — you’ve got to check out the new Logos Pro page.”

Martin Luther on Vocation and Serving Our Neighbors | Gene Veith, Acton Institute
“For Martin Luther, vocation is nothing less than the locus of the Christian life. God works in and through vocation, but he does so by calling human beings to work in their vocations. I”

These Will Be The Top Jobs In 2025 (And The Skills You’ll Need To Get Them) | Gwen Moran, Fast Company
“‘There are some overarching shifts poised to change the nature of work itself over the next decade,’ says Devin Fidler, research director at Institute for the Future, a nonprofit research center focused on long-term forecasting. That includes a demand for new skills and strategies that could help people to thrive in future work environments.”

Kindle Deals

For your non-Kindle book buying needs please consider using Reformation Heritage Books in the USA and Reformed Book Services in Canada. Good value prices and shipping.


Love Into Light: The Gospel, the Homosexual and the Church by Peter Hubbard ($0.99)


An Infinite Journey: Growing toward Christlikeness by Andrew M. Davis ($0.99)


Gospel: Recovering the Power that Made Christianity Revolutionary by J.D. Greear

New Book


Recapturing the Voice of God: Shaping Sermons Like Scripture by Steven W. Smith. See video below.

Video

Introduction to Steven W. Smith’s Recapturing the Voice of God


New Books in the PRTS Library

One of the privileges of working at PRTS is the weekly arrival of new books to supplement our library of 70,000+ books. Here are the new picks this week.

March 30

Note: Inclusion in the library does not necessarily mean endorsement of contents. We often have to buy books to help students with specialist theses and also to train students to think critically. Also, a book new to the library does not necessarily mean a new book on the market.

For your non-Kindle book buying needs please consider using Reformation Heritage Books in the USA and Reformed Book Services in Canada. Good value prices and shipping.



Sweeter Than Honey, Richer Than Gold: A Guided Study of Biblical Poetry Paperback by Leland Ryken

“An expert at exploring the intersection of the Bible and literature, Ryken shows pastors and students and teachers of the Bible how to appreciate the craftsmanship and beauty of biblical poetry and how to interpret it correctly.”



Missionary Strategies in the New World, 1610-1690: An Intellectual History by Catherine Ballériaux

“The study is an intellectual and comparative history of French, Spanish, and English missions to the native peoples of America in the seventeenth century, c. 1610–1690. It shows that missions are ideal case studies to properly understand the relationship between religion and politics in early modern Catholic and Calvinist thought.”



How Bible Stories Work: A Guided Study of Biblical Narrative by Leland Ryken

“An expert at exploring the intersection of the Bible and literature, Ryken shows pastors and students and teachers of the Bible how to appreciate the craftsmanship and beauty of biblical narrative and how to interpret it correctly. Dr. Ryken goes one step further than merely explaining the genre of story―he includes exercises to help students master this rich literary treasure.”



Letters and Homilies for Jewish Christians: A Socio-Rhetorical Commentary on Hebrews, James and Jude by Ben Witherington III

“In this commentary on Hebrews, James and Jude, Ben Witherington III applies his socio-rhetorical method to elucidate these letters within their primarily Jewish context, probing the social setting of the readers and the rhetorical strategies of the authors of the letters.”



The Enduring Authority of the Christian Scriptures edited by D. A. Carson

“In this volume thirty-seven first-rate evangelical scholars present a thorough study of biblical authority and a full range of issues connected to it.”



Dying, Death, Burial and Commemoration in Reformation Europe edited by Elizabeth C Tingle and Jonathan Willis

“This collection provides an historiographical overview of recent work on dying, death and burial in Reformation and Counter-Reformation Europe and draws together ten essays from historians, literary scholars, musicologists and others working at the cutting edge of research in this area.”



Black and White Bible, Black and Blue Wife: My Story of Finding Hope after Domestic Abuse by Ruth A. Tucker

“Ruth Tucker recounts a harrowing story of abuse at the hands of her husband, a well-educated, charming preacher no less, in hope that her story would help other women caught in a cycle of domestic violence and offer a balanced biblical approach to counter such abuse for pastors and counselors.”



Political Church: The Local Assembly as Embassy of Christ’s Rule by Jonathan Leeman

“Drawing on covenant theology and the ‘new institutionalism’ in political science, Leeman critiques political liberalism and explores how the biblical canon informs an account of the local church as an embassy of Christ’s kingdom. Political Church heralds a new era in political theology.”



Martyr of the Catacombs: A Tale of Ancient Rome by Anonymous

“Told through fictional characters, Martyr of the Catacombs will help the reader understand the history of the early church and the severe persecution it experienced.”



Confucius, the Buddha, and Christ: A History of the Gospel in Chinese by Ralph Covell

“To understand the position of Christianity in China today, one must review and assess the long sweep of the history – over thirteen hundred years – of the Christian faith in China. Confucius, the Buddha, and Christ does that and addresses the essential question of why Christianity over all those centuries has remained foreign to the Chinese – why it has remained an outsider never able really to enter the warp and woof of Chinese life.”



Adoniram Judson by Jason G. Duesing

“On February 19, 1812, Adoniram Judson, his wife Ann, and a few others set sail for the Far East from their American homeland. The launching of these missionaries by a newly formed outreach society marked the beginning of Americans formally joining the modem missions movement.”



Lessons from a Hospital Bed by John Piper

“Reflecting on ten lessons he learned while recovering in the hospital, John Piper encourages those struggling with illness to fight for faith by focusing on the promises of God, the truth of the gospel, and the reality of eternity.”



Defining the Jacobean Church: The Politics of Religious Controversy, 1603-1625 by Charles W. A. Prior

“Proposing a new model for understanding religious debates in the churches of England and Scotland between 1603 and 1625, Charles Prior sets aside ‘narrow’ analyses of conflict over predestination, This book’s theme is ecclesiology–the nature of the church, its rites and governance, and its relationship to the early Stuart political world. Drawing on a substantial number of polemical works, from sermons to books of several hundred pages, it argues that rival interpretations of scripture, pagan and civil history and the sources central to the Christian historical tradition lay at the heart of disputes between proponents of contrasting ecclesiological visions.”