CIBC
First, while I respect my CIBC brothers and sisters, I do not describe my approach as clinically-informed biblical counseling. For my approach to biblically counseling, see, 6 Biblical Counseling Convictions.
Second, if you do much reading these days related to developments in the modern nouthetic biblical counseling movement, then I’m sure you have come across the term, Clinically-Informed Biblical Counseling (CIBC). In today’s post, I’m providing you with some introductory resources. Perhaps I could have called today’s post:
Informed-Resources About Clinically-Informed Biblical Counseling.
Resource #1: What Is Redemptive Counseling/Clinically-Informed Biblical Counseling
The faculty of the Biblical Counseling Department at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary (SEBTS)—Nate Brooks, Tate Cockrell, Brad Hambrick, Kristin Kellen, and Sam Williams—developed and posted this statement on July 8, 2024. The purpose of their document is to describe the core convictions of Redemptive Counselors (RC), also known as Clinically-Informed Biblical Counselors (CIBC). You can find their document here:
What Is Redemptive Counseling / Clinically Informed Biblical Counseling?
Resource #2: Ten Commitments of Redemptive Counselors/Clinically-Informed Biblical Counselors
On July 9, 2024, at my RPM Ministries Truth & Love blog site, I posted, with permission, a shortened summary of the SEBTS document. You can find my post here:
Ten Commitments of Redemptive Counselors/Clinically-Informed Biblical Counselors
Resource #3: What I Mean by Clinically-Informed Biblical Counseling?
On May 7, 2025, Brad Hambrick, one of the authors of the SEBTS statement, posted:
What I Mean by Clinically-Informed Biblical Counseling?
Here is Brad’s description of his article:
“In recent months, there has been a significant discussion around the phrase clinically-informed biblical counseling (CIBC). This article will initially focus on defining why and how I use the adjective clinically-informed. After that, I will make four points regarding how I define biblical counseling.”
Resource #4: Fieldstone Counseling: Biblically-based, Christ-centered, Clinically-informed Counsel
Fieldstone Counseling based out of northeast Ohio, and led by Jonathan Holmes, describes themselves as biblically-based, Christ-centered, and clinically-informed. They provide brief descriptions of each of those terms, and they also provide three separate videos where they outline their thinking on each of those terms. You can read and listen here:
Fieldstone Counseling: About Us
Resource #5: Gospel Care Collective: Christ-Centered, Clinically-Informed Counseling for the Whole Person
Jason Kovacs at the Gospel Care Collective summarizes his approach as “Christ-centered, clinically-informed counseling for the whole person.” Under “clinically-informed” he writes,
“We are not reductionistic or secular in our approach but rather interpret the complexity of the human condition (body & soul) through the comprehensive biblical story. During His life on earth Jesus didn’t solely address peoples’ spiritual needs. Rather, Jesus treated people holistically. We provide care through the foundation and lens of Scripture while utilizing common grace findings of research and psychology to inform our methods of client care.”
To read more about his introduction to his approach, see:
Christ-Centered, Clinically-Informed Counseling for the Whole Person
Resource #6: 4 Types of Christian Counseling
In this post, Tim Allchin of The Biblical Counseling Center writes that, “While Christians practice virtually every form of counseling, they generally fit into four main types.” He includes CIBC as one of the four types. To read his brief summary, including a chart comparing each, see,
4 Types of Christian Counseling
Resource #7: 6 Biblical Counseling Convictions
In this post, I describe my approach to biblical counseling, which I summarize as:
- Gospel-Centered/Christ-Centered, Theologically-Saturated, Relationship-Focused, Church History-Informed, Research-Aware Soul Physicians of Embodied-Souls.
This post helps you to compare and contrast my model with the CIBC model. You can read my post here:
6 Biblical Counseling Convictions
Resource #8: A Theologically-Informed Approach to Sexual Abuse Counseling
This resource is a free PDF with a robust, detailed description of how biblical counselors can develop a theological approach to any biblical counseling issue. It uses sexual abuse counseling to illustrate, in a point-by-point way, how to study the Bible to develop a biblical approach to any biblical counseling topics. It also describe the role and place of extra-biblical information. You can download this free PDF here:
A Theologically-Informed Approach to Sexual Abuse Counseling
Resource #9: Why I Don’t Call Myself a “Clinically-Informed Biblical Counselor” (CIBC)
I have great respect for my CIBC friends and their approach to biblical counseling. However, I choose not to use that label. In this post, I explain why I do not use that label. I also explain that I can choose not to use a certain label without it meaning that I demean the users of that term or the model they follow. Read all about it here:
Why I Don’t Call Myself a “Clinically-Informed Biblical Counselor” (CIBC)
Resource #10: Ponderings About Being a “_____-Informed Biblical Counselor”
Here’s how I introduce this post:
In biblical counseling these days, there’s some level of controversy over the issue of being a “hyphenated-biblical counselor.” That is, being a: “____-informed-biblical counselor. Perhaps it’s a “trauma-informed biblical counselor.” Or a “neuroscience-informed biblical counselor.” Or a “trauma-informed biblical counselor.” Let’s ponder this together…
You can read my reflections here:
Ponderings About Being a “____-Informed Biblical Counselor”
Resource #11: Clinically-Informed Biblical Counseling: 3 Reflections and 2 Recommendations
In this post, I seek to encourage all clinically-informed biblical counselors to continue to build upon two foundational commitments:
- Theologically-saturated biblical counseling must inform clinically-informed biblical counseling.
- God’s Word is the necessary, authoritative, and sufficient foundation for assessing the world’s information.
You can read my post here:
Clinically-Informed Biblical Counseling: 3 Reflections and 2 Recommendations
Resource #12: Non-Clinically-Informed Biblical Counseling: 2 Reflections and 4 Recommendations
In this post, I focus on encouraging non-clinically-informed biblical counselors to:
- Honestly recognize and admit that we all are informed by more than just the Bible.
- Honestly and accurately speak about our clinically-informed biblical counseling brothers and sisters.
- Humbly respond to, interact with, and learn from those who choose to call themselves clinically-informed biblical counselors.
- Humbly engage with extra-biblical literature—assessing its potential helpfulness under the lens of Scripture—as the modern nouthetic biblical counseling movement has always done.
You can read my post here:
Non-Clinically-Informed Biblical Counseling: 2 Reflections and 4 Recommendations
Resource #13: INC: Informed Nouthetic Counseling
Here’s my introduction to this post:
Recently, the modern nouthetic biblical counseling movement (MNBCM) has been claiming that biblically counseling informed by the world’s research and ideas is a deviation from the history of the MNBCM. MNBCM leaders have stated that to be a clinically-informed biblical counselor (CIBC), or a trauma-informed biblical counselor (TIBC), or a neuroscience-informed biblical counselor (NIBC) is to depart from the past fifty years of the MNBCM. This claim is historically false. In today’s post, I begin collating historical information supporting the fact that the modern nouthetic biblical counseling movement (MNBCM) has always been: INC: Informed Nouthetic Counseling. Historically, the modern nouthetic counseling movement has always been:
- BINC: Behaviorism-Informed Nouthetic Counseling
- NINC: Neuroscienc=Informed Nouthetic Counseling
- SINC: Science-Informed Nouthetic Counseling
- PINC: Psychology-Informed Nouthetic Counseling
- CGINC: Common Grace-Informed Nouthetic Counseling
- CBRINC: Co-Belligerent-Research-Informed Nouthetic Counseling
You can read this post here:
INC: Informed Nouthetic Counseling
Resource #14: 8 Questions for Biblical Counselors Who Are Against Clinically-Informed Biblical Counseling (CIBC)
In this post, I share a series of biblical/theological questions for biblical counselors who disapprove of CIBC. Anti-CIBC biblical counselors make a lot of assertions about CIBCers. It seems fair, wise, and biblical that anti-CIBCers respond to some iron sharpening questions. You can read those questions here:
8 Questions for Biblical Counselors Who Are Against Clinically-Informed Biblical Counseling (CIBC)
Resource #15: “Buzz Words” (“Holistic,” “Clinically-Informed”) and Humble, Gracious Discernment in Biblical Counseling
I’m always nervous when people start using “buzz words” to assess another person’s approach, or model, or theology. I am always wanting to allow people to be defined by their definitions, not by guilt-by-association because some may use a particular “buzz word” in a particular way. You can read my thinking on this here:
