Is There Really Such a Thing as "Christian Counseling"?
August 13, 2008 by
Aren't All Counselors Trained the Same Way?
Dear April, I am a born-again Christian who was the victim of incest when I was younger. I have never sought counseling because my parents don't believe in "psycho-babble," as they put it. I am now 28 years old and I know I need to find a counselor. MyMy problem is, how do I know a Christian Counselor from a counselor who might be a Christian, but counsels in a secular way? Maybe I am not making myself clear ? Is there really such a thing a "Christian Counseling"? ~ Confused in Tulsa
Dear Confused, the answer is a resounding yes! There is such a thing as Christian Counseling! But you have to have some guidelines to find a Christian man or woman who actually counsels in a Christian way. Freud just won't cut it if you're a born-again Christian.
Christian Counseling has four distinctives. It is done by a Christian. It is consistent with Christian assumptions. It has Christ at the center. It is consistent with God's revelations.
Now there are many who love the Lord and live exemplary lives, but they counsel from a human-centered point of view without acknowledging the reality of the spiritual world and without making use of God's ability and willingness to heal people. So I repeat: it must be consistent with Christian assumptions. In case you're asking "Whose assumptions?" the answer is evangelical Christians who believe that the Bible is the inerrant - without error - Word of God.
Here is a list of these Christian assumptions which are the basic, core truths necessary to the Christian faith, as stated in the Bible and as practiced by Christians throughout the history of the church. These are clearly stated by C. S. Lewis in Mere Christianity and by Francis Schaeffer in his books: The God Who Is There, He is There and He Is Not Silent, and The Church Before the Watching World.
Basic Christian Assumptions
1. God exists
2. He created matter, the universe, the world and people.
3. People share part of God's character (including a moral nature, the ability to communicate meaningfully and the ability to make decisions with real consequences).
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