Conversations on the Future of Biblical Counseling
Part 2: What Makes Biblical Counseling Biblical?
Note: We’re in the midst of a blog mini-series on The Future of Biblical Counseling. Brad Hambrick (BCH) of the Association of Biblical Counselors (ABC) interviewed me about this vital topic. I’m sharing my updated, expanded version of those conversations. Find post one here.
BCH: It’s hard to even engage a conversation until we have defined our central term. In your original article, even before you started sharing your twelve dreams, you defined “biblical counseling.”
RWK: I agree completely Brad. Here’s how I began that initial article.
What Does Biblical Counseling Mean to You?
As I speak around the country on biblical counseling and spiritual formation, I’m frequently asked the question. “When you say ‘biblical counseling,’ you don’t mean ___________ do you?” Various people fill in that blank with different labels—all negative to them. What a shame that placing the word “biblical” in front of “counseling” causes so many in the church to recoil in fear. Something has gone terribly wrong.
But there’s good news—the tide is turning. Warped caricatures of biblical counseling are being replaced by scripturally and historically accurate portraits of counseling that are truly biblical—and attractive (Titus 2:10). While no one can provide the final, authoritative definition of biblical counseling, I offer for your consideration this summary understanding.
My Definition of Biblical Counseling
Christ-centered, comprehensive, compassionate, and culturally-informed biblical counseling depends upon the Holy Spirit to relate God’s inspired truth about people, problems, and solutions to human suffering (through the Christian soul care arts of sustaining and healing) and sin (through the Christian spiritual direction arts of reconciling and guiding) to empower people to exalt and enjoy God and to love others (Matthew 22:35-40) by cultivating conformity to Christ and communion with Christ and the Body of Christ.
Given this working definition, envision with me the nature and shape of the future of biblical counseling—twelve dreams of one possible future for biblical counseling as practiced by lay spiritual friends, pastors, and professional Christian counselors.
Twelve Dreams for the Future of Biblical Counseling
I then unpacked those twelve dreams. Since our conversation will discuss them in detail, I’ll only outline them now.
1. Dream Number One: Biblical Counseling Will Be Scriptural
2. Dream Number Two: Biblical Counseling Will Be Theological
3. Dream Number Three: Biblical Counseling Will Be Historical
4. Dream Number Four: Biblical Counseling Will Be Positive
5. Dream Number Five: Biblical Counseling Will Be Relational
6. Dream Number Six: Biblical Counseling Will Be Relevant
7. Dream Number Seven: Biblical Counseling Will Be Transformative
8. Dream Number Eight: Biblical Counseling Will Be Comprehensive in Theory
9. Dream Number Nine: Biblical Counseling Will Be Comprehensive in Methodology
10. Dream Number Ten: Biblical Counseling Will Be Comprehensive in Equipping
11. Dream Number Eleven: Biblical Counseling Will Be Universal
12. Dream Number Twelve: Biblical Counseling Will Be Culturally-Informed
Extending the Conversation
1. How would you define biblical counseling?
2. How would your definition of biblical counseling be different from mine?
3. If you were to outline a dozen dreams for the future of biblical counseling, what might some of them be?
The Rest of the Story
I invite you to return tomorrow as we discuss “who” biblical counseling is “for”? Is it just what pastors do? Professionals? Is it what lay people do in one another spiritual friendship?
