Counseling Built Entirely Upon Christ’s Gospel of Grace 

In Part 1 of this blog mini-series, Are Biblical Counselors “Sin Maximizers”?, I began responding to my friend, David Murray’s, post Maximizing and Minimizing Mental Illness. In David’s post, he labeled the biblical counseling view of mental illness the “sin maximizing” view. 

In my post, I examined the historical and cultural background behind Jay Adams’ launch of the modern nouthetic biblical counseling movement. In summary, I concluded that: 

• Modern biblical counseling did not originate from sin maximizing, but from the call to awaken the church to its duty to provide pastoral shepherding and one-another soul care. 

• Modern biblical counseling launched with a focus on sanctification maximizing and shepherding maximizing. 

I encouraged people, like David, to challenge us to walk our talk. We readily confess that we need help to grow in our thinking about and practice of pastoral counseling and one-another soul care that emphasizes sanctification and shepherding. 

The Ongoing Growth of the Modern Biblical Counseling Movement 

In today’s post, I’ll move from the launch of the modern biblical counseling movement in the 1970s/80s to what some have called the second and third generations of biblical counselors. For important context, that includes honest self-assessment, I encourage you to read the following two books: 

• The Biblical Counseling Movement: History and Context, by David Powlison. 

• The Biblical Counseling Movement After Adams, by Heath Lambert. 

While no one can speak for this diverse group, I’d suggest that the Biblical Counseling Coalition at least in part represents first, second, and third generation biblical counselors. A visit to the BCC’s Bio Page introduces you to 55 members of the BCC’s Board of Directors and Council Board. These diverse members are pastors, counselors, authors, and educators from a wide spectrum of leading churches, para-church organizations, and educational institutions committed to biblical counseling. 

A Movement Desiring to Grow in Christ 

Here’s why I think it’s important to consider these somewhat representative first, second, and third generation biblical counselors: 

At times those who challenge the modern biblical counseling movement seem to perceive it is a monolithic, stagnant, and somewhat intransigent movement. 

I pray that this is not accurate. David, if you see in me and my fellow BCers a stubborn unwillingness to grow in grace, please confront us in love. Provide us with some good nouthetic ministry. 

When the BCC BOD/CB members gathered to develop the BCC Confessional Statement we introduced ourselves with these words: 

“We confess that we have not arrived. We comfort and counsel others only as we continue to receive ongoing comfort and counsel from Christ and the Body of Christ (2 Corinthians 1:3-11). We admit that we struggle to apply consistently all that we believe. We who counsel live in process, just like those we counsel, so we want to learn and grow in the wisdom and mercies of Christ.” 

We concluded with these words: 

“We want to listen well to those who disagree with us, and learn from their critiques.” 

Think about the words that “sandwich” the BCC’s Confessional Statement: 

• We confess that we have not arrived.

• We want to listen well to those who disagree with us, and learn from their critiques. 

The biblical counseling movement preaches progressive sanctification. I pray that we practice what we preach. That’s one reason why in future posts in this series I will be engaging, pondering, and thinking through David Murray’s suggestions for change. 

So, you might be thinking, “Then why these initial posts with their pushback on David’s term sin maximizers?” Because the most helpful critique accurately understands and accurately represents those who are being critiqued. 

I’m hoping that my “gentle pushback” to my friend’s post might help him and others to even more effectively help the biblical counseling movement to grow. Critique us, but please critique us—using our words and actions. 

Let’s be honest. Few people respond well to feedback that feels like generic and stale stereotypes. Few people respond well to feedback that seems to inaccurately represent what they actually currently believe and practice. 

In David’s post, he challenged the biblical counseling movement that if we really believe something, then we should say it loud and clear. Perhaps we are. Is it possible that some people are listening to what they think we used to say? If so, then the intention of these initial posts is to communicate as clearly and accurately as possible (loud and clear) what we say we believe and practice. 

So, with that in mind, in this post and the next one, I’ll address two questions: 

1. Are First/Second/Third Generation BCers Sin Maximizers, or Are They Grace, Gospel, Christ Maximizers? 

2. Are First/Second/Third Generation BCers Sin Maximizers Who Ignore the Whole Person and Issues Like Mental Illness, or Are They Comprehensive Whole Person Maximizers? 

To answer those questions (and surely you know which direction my answers are headed!), I’ll use portions of the BCC Confessional Statement that all 55 BOD/CB members annually reaffirm. I’ll also highlight portions of the 2013 Harvest House/BCC book Christ-Centered Biblical Counseling authored by 40 leading biblical counselors. 

So, Are Bcers Sin Maximizers, or Are BCers Grace/Gospel/Christ Maximizers? 

By the title of our first collaborative work, biblical counselors wanted to speak loud and clear concerning our deep conviction about our foundational beliefs. By titling that book Christ-Centered Biblical Counseling we were wanting to be heard saying that we are Christ/Grace/Gospel Maximizers. 

By the sub-title of our first collaborative work, we wanted to say loud and clear our deep passion and compassion for helping hurting and hardened people (people like ourselves). By sub-titling the book Changing Lives with God’s Changeless Truth we were wanting to be heard saying that we are Christ/Grace/Gospel Maximizers. 

I personally said it like this in Soul Physicians.  

“What would a model of counseling look like that was built solely on Christ’s gospel of grace”? 

Biblical counselors believe and want to practice the amazing truth that Christ’s gospel of grace—His throne of grace—is a place of sympathy and help (Hebrews 2:17-18; 4:14-16). 

David, if you see in me, in us, in our writing, speaking, and practice, graceless ministry, please challenge us—walk with us back to the cross. 

Biblical counselors wanted to spread the same clear, consistent message of Christ-centeredness in the Preamble to the BCC Confessional Statement: 

“We pursue this purpose by organizing our thinking around one central question. “What does it mean to counsel in the grace and truth of Christ?” 

Biblical counselors wanted to spread the same clear, consistent, Christ-maximizing message in the title of the Confessional Statement Introduction: 

“In Christ Alone.” 

Biblical counselors wanted to spread this Christ/gospel/grace-maximizing message in the statement entitled “Biblical Counseling Must Be Centered on Christ and the Gospel.” That statement explains, in part: 

“We point people to a person, Jesus our Redeemer, and not to a program, theory, or experience. We place our trust in the transforming power of the Redeemer as the only hope to change people’s hearts, not in any human system of change. People need a personal and dynamic relationship with Jesus, not a system of self-salvation, self-management, or self-actualization (John 14:6). Wise counselors seek to lead struggling, hurting, sinning, and confused people to the hope, resources, strength, and life that are available only in Christ.” 

Whatever the BC view of mental illness is, I certainly pray that it is not derived from an attitude that maximizes sin. I pray that it is derived from a mindset that exalts Christ as Lord of all. All of us in our brokenness; all of us in our fallen, yet-to-be-glorified bodies; all of us together live, move, and have our being in Christ alone. 

David, if you find in my writing, speaking, blogging, book reviewing, ministry, or counseling anything that is sin maximizing instead of Christ/grace/gospel maximizing, please confront me. If you find me not living according to Romans 5:20 (“where sin abounds, grace super-abounds”) please challenge me. 

The modern biblical counseling movement has gone on record that the benchmark for biblical counseling is Christ’s gospel of grace. Now, when we swerve from that plumb line (to mix metaphors), we deserve and need to be challenged. Help us to be Christ-centered, grace-focused, gospel-saturated shepherds and soul care givers. 

The Rest of the Story 

In Part 3, I’ll explore whether the modern biblical counseling movement ignores the whole person and issues like mental illness. Or, are biblical counselors attempting to be comprehensive whole person maximizers? 

Join the Conversation 

What would it look like to build an approach to people helping built solely upon Christ’s gospel of grace? 

RPM Ministries: Changing Lives with Christ’s Changeless Truth