Idols of the Heart
In our modern nouthetic biblical counseling world, we talk a lot about idols of the heart. We don’t talk enough about the idol of the modern nouthetic biblical counseling movement.
We are in danger of demanding that people adhere to the sufficiency of the beliefs of a 50-year-young, man-made movement and model. Instead, we should encourage one another to adhere to the sufficiency of Scripture and humbly learn from the wisdom of 2,000 years of Christian soul care.
A Dozen Signs of Making an Idol Out of the Modern Nouthetic Biblical Counseling Movement
- Becoming defensive when someone nouthetically challenges the modern nouthetic biblical counseling movement.
- Insisting on labeling the fifty-year-young modern nouthetic biblical counseling movement “historic/classic biblical counseling.”
- Refusing to nouthetically confront those in our own “tribe,” but obsessively confronting those we deem to be outside our “tribe.” Policing others but not policing myself. Taking on the role of “guardian” against others, but not guarding my own heart.
- The fear of man leads us to refuse to defend those outside our “tribe” when those inside our “tribe” unfairly characterize or falsely accuse those outside our “tribe.” The fear of man leads us to cower away from publicly confronting those inside our “tribe” when they publicly unfairly characterize or falsely accuse those outside our “tribe.”
- “Reviewing” the works of those we deem outside our “tribe” with a completely or primarily negative assessment, rather than providing a fair and balanced review.
- Accusing others of heresy or psycho-heresy when their model differs from our man-made model, no matter how well they develop their model from Scripture and church history.
- Refusing to learn from any Christian counselor who we deem to be outside our “tribe” (thus denying not only common grace but also saving grace).
- Determining that we must redefine well-established terms and doctrines (like the Reformed doctrine of common grace) in order to fit into our modern nouthetic biblical counseling man-made beliefs.
- Insisting that any neuroscience finding that goes against our modern nouthetic biblical counseling man-made model is actually “illegitimate science” or “pseudo-science.”
- Consistently only citing co-belligerent research that agrees with our preconceived notions, rather than doing and citing fair and balanced research.
- Confusing the sufficiency of Scripture with the sufficiency of our interpretations and applications of Scripture.
- Insisting that we are above reproach when we reprove others. Not even considering the possibility of a speck or log in our own eye. Not even considering the possibility of a sinful heart motive. Not even considering that our words might lack the fruit of the Spirit.
A very good article, thanks.