Using Scripture in Christian Counseling
February 21st, 2010In my mind, Christian psychology’s value comes from being able to develop a solid foundation and praxis of Christian care of souls-something that grows out of careful biblical/theological work as well as the study of human behavior. Those of us who have been talking about and doing Christian counseling for some time must admit that much of what passes as Christian counseling is either superficial Christianity (verses pasted on a theory that exists just fine without the verses) or superficial psychology (a model based on some tidbit of pop psychology research and then morphed in an exquisite but completely fictional science).
Instead of Sunday school applications (where Jesus is the answer to every question) counselors need solid examples of how to engage the Scriptures in therapeutic settings. In a recent issue of our journal, Edification (2:2), I’ve attempted to introduce some practical steps in using the bible in the therapy office. But, truth be told, many have not had good experience in seeing how one might engage the Bible in real life settings. We’re wary of the Band-Aid use of verses, the bible bullets, the superficial applications. So, it makes sense we don’t know how to engage both counseling and Scripture well.
In stark contrast to biblical superficiality, Dr. Mike Emlet has recently published CrossTalk: Where Life & Scripture Meet (2009, New Growth Press). I would encourage every Christian in the counseling world to read it. Mike’s book provides a great introduction to connecting (more of) the bible to real-life human trials and tribulations (e.g., beyond the Psalms!). Though he is a seminary professor and biblical counselor you won’t get bogged down into esoteric discussions of exegesis or genre (though you can see he understands the concepts) or finding a verse for every problem (though you can see he believes that everyone finds themselves in the pages of the bible). Rather, Mike focuses on “redemptive dialogue” (vs. mere instruction) and how the Gospel is more than belief but the repetitive, transformative meeting with God.
Here are three gems from the book to whet your appetite.
- 1. Chapter 1: Mike goes right at the problem of connecting the bible with life. Sometimes it is easy and other times it seems impossible. He calls this a ditch vs. canyon problem. A ditch (e.g., Psalm 51 for repentance) is fairly easy to cross whereas a canyon (e.g., Numbers 5 for suspicions about adultery?) seems impossible. The problem? “Our tendency, of course, is to gravitate toward the “ditch” passages because they seem easier to apply…In practical terms, we end up ministering with an embarrassingly thinner but supposedly more relevant Bible” (p. 16). “The challenge is not just in moving from the Bible to everyday life but also in moving from present-day problems to the Scriptures” (p. 17). He goes on to challenge us to be less quick to apply “ditch” passages. To do so would be to ignore the complexity of human life. Nor should we avoid the “canyon” passages as no life experience stands outside of God’s care.
- 2. Chapter 2 and 3: Here Mike addresses what the bible is not and what it is. Among his list he concludes that the bible is not a list of do’s and don’ts. To limit the bible to a set of commands fails to capture the clear picture of a God who pursues, in love, broken people. The bible is not merely a list of timeless ethics nor a nice historical biography illustrating the people we ought to emulate. Rather it is a story (not a fiction) with Jesus as the central figure. And this story shapes our self-understanding as we play a role in the epic drama.
- 3. Chapter 5: The previous chapters describe the necessity of reading life and Scripture through the lens of a redemptive Christocentric drama. Trouble is we live by other scripts. In this chapter Mike looks at how Scripture tells our story through the lenses of saint (identity), sufferer (external threats), and sinner (internal threats). Mike goes on in later chapters to provide examples of how biblical texts can be used to connect with each of these facets of our experience. His goal is to connect with the counselee and to connect them with the larger picture of God’s unfolding story. To keep it real, he presents “Tom” and “Natalie” and illustrates how to use Scripture to connect with both (ch. 8), how to help them connect to Old (ch. 9)and New Testament passages (ch. 10).
If you think your counseling training lacked clear teaching on how to think about Scripture and its application to everyday life (beyond timeless maxims and warnings); if you avoid using Scripture in counseling because doing so sounds trite, then I recommend you take up this book and consider how the narrative use of Scripture might enrich your counseling work.
February 28th, 2010 at 3:41 pm
Phil, Thank you for the post. It is encouraging to hear words that move us toward a viable and living relationship with the Lord. It seems that much of Christianity for the past fifty years has camped where Israel camped. Even though Israel witnessed the mighty acts of God, she camped before the cultic. She evidently thought that if she did her religion by the numbers it obligated God to her. Christianity seemingly has done the same. If she does the Christian rituals by the numbers, such as individual worship and congregational worship, that God is obligated to come down and bless. We all have and still live there.
It seems that what you and Mike are moving toward is not a new format or program, but rather a living and viable relationship in fellowship and dialogue with God.
If that assumption be true, I would encourage you to look at the ministry in the tabernacle and apply a spiritual application of each station to your daily life. According to how I read the text this spiritual walk through the tabernacle brings us into the Presence of God to hear Him speaking to us about Himself, ourselves, our relationship with Him, and the situations we are in.
My definition for a biblical Hebrew psychology would be “a person in fellowhsip and dialogue with the living God about Himself, ourselves, the relationship of the two, and the situation the individual is in.”
Thanks for directing us toward Mike’s book. I’ll look for a copy.
Harold
June 2nd, 2010 at 8:07 am
Phil, an insightful (and at points humorous) observation and critique of the Scripture – Counselling dilemma. Just a couple of comments. First, I think it would be wise to recognize that traditionally the counselling modality (in the Church at least) is primarily or principally a function (or aspect) of the holy (and historically ordained) office of Pastor-Teacher (or Shepherd-Theologian); wherein one could not be a Pastor (Shepherd) unless one was a Theologian (Teacher) and vice versa. However, that is another issue.
This holy and ordained office of the Church has not come up from below (i.e. out of a modern professional therapeutic culture that has given rise to the Professional Counsellor/Therapist) but has come down from On High; as a gift from the resurrected Lord of Glory.
The dynamic of counselling (also historically) is secondarily an outworking of the dynamic life of the Church (out of the priesthood of all believers – and not the priesthood of each and every individual believer) through the admonishing and encouraging of one another in the living, contextual story (as Mike would say): as Saints/Sufferers/Sinners (a golden nugget of truth .. I enjoyed that).
The problem, I believe, arises when the dynamic of counselling (in the life of the Church) is made into an Office of Professional Christian Counsellor. This newly formed Office of professional Christian Counsellor-Therapist (whether integrative or non-integrative) is a product of the late 20th Century Therapeutic Culture; and specifically the Culture of the Self. I think one would be hard pressed to find any historical references by the Ordained Clergy of the Church (or even the Priesthood of all believers for that matter) referring to parishioners (or each other) as Clients … let alone charging (or receiving) a one-on-one fee for service … whether or not you term it a fee or a donation.
What I am trying to say here, is, that a significant part of the perceived Scripture in Counselling dilemma is the actual creation of a Counselling Office itself within the life of the Church; with degree programs, licensing, counselling bodies, etc. That is, it is the very creation of a pseudo-church office (arising from below out of the therapeutic culture of the Self) which has to a significant degree created the Scripture-Counselling dilemma for and by itself. Before the modern therapeutic period I do not suppose this problem of relating Scripture to counselling ever really existed; or at least existed to the degree (or manner) that prevails in the Church today.
Secondly, I find that the modern, perceived Scripture-Counselling paradox is to a large measure a consequence of how we view the real nature of Scripture. In the well known book, The Integration of Psychology and Theology by John D. Carter and Bruce Narramore, the perception of Scripture (it would seem) is one in which it is viewed (and even handled) as merely the data of Scripture.
The ancient Catholic Church would most likely be appalled at such irreverence. That is the ancient Catholic Church did not ever look at the Bible as the data of Scripture but rather as the Sacra Sancta Verba Dei (The Most Holy Words of God). It is within this context of the true nature of the Holy Word of God that a former theology professor of mine (at seminary) said this: you never-ever apply the Word of God; as though it needed to be applied. Rather we proclaim the Word of God in order that IT may go forth of ITS own power.
I am convinced that this is probably one of the greatest errors of the Church today; reducing the Most Holy Word of God down to the level of Utility; where the eternal Creative Word of God-Breathed (theopneustos) into written form is handled like a text-book (or manual) for living; and as such, God is reduced (in some of our thinking)down to the level of the Bible-Answer Man.
The Eternal Word of God stands over all of the created reality, spoke all of the created reality into existence, sustains all of the created reality, SPEAKS and CALLS to that created reality and ultimately will judge it. What I believe part of the problem to be is a radical failure on behalf of the present day Church to truly understand what they have in their hand. It should cause our hearts to tremble just a little (Isaiah 66:2).
The Most Holy Word of God (breathed into written form) is not like some little helpless child that needs to be helped along through application; it is complete and perfect it itself and lacks nothing;. We need to (in a timely manner) uphold it so that the possessor of that Holy Word (The Eternal Spirit … and not us) may reveal its beauty, healing, life-giving power, glory and wonder to the heart and mind of the human spirit. I hope that this helps to bring a little more clarity to the subject.
Pastor Russ