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How to Counsel from Scripture
- GenresCounsellingChristian
224 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 1985
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
August 19, 2024
THE BOBGANS ENDORSE "BIBLICAL COUNSELING" RATHER THAN PSYCHOLOGICAL
Married couple Martin and Deidre Bobgan run "Psychoheresy Awareness Ministries"; Martin has a Ph.D. in Educational Psychology, and Deidre has an M.A. in English. They have written many other books, such as ‘Psychoheresy,’ 'Prophets of Psychoheresy I,' 'Prophets of PsychoHeresy II: Critiquing Dr. James C. Dobson,' 'CRI Guilty of Psychoheresy?,' 'Hypnosis and the Christian,' 'Twelve Steps to Destruction: Codependency/Recovery Heresies,' 'Four Temperaments,' ‘Astrology & Personality Testing,' etc.
They wrote in the Introduction to this 1985 book, "In our book 'The Psychological Way: The Spiritual Way' we questioned the use of psychological counseling (psychotherapy) and encouraged a return to biblical counseling... Today the greatest single obstacle to biblical counseling is psychological counseling and all it pretends to be. The primary reason churches do not minister to mental-emotional-behavioral problems is because of fear... that individuals who are not formally trained cannot handle such problems... This book is for Christians who want to know more about counseling the spiritual way." (Pg. xiii-xiv)
They state, "Problems of living must be dealt with as spiritual problems with spiritual solutions." (Pg. xv) They add, "If most psychiatric patients actually need to be taught how to live, who is better equipped to guide and teach than the man or woman of God? (Furthermore, how can an individual separated from the Body of Christ be equipped to teach a Christian how to live?)" (Pg. 5) They observe, "Self-love is not taught as a positive goal in Scripture. Jesus said that the mark of the true disciple is self-denial (Mark 8:34)... Self-love is not a virtue, but rather a potential vice." (Pg. 128) They add, "Since the Bible is the spiritual counselor's book of truth, all that is said in a counseling conversation may be evaluated in terms of the Bible." (Pg. 152)
They argue, "Why should the church refer members to the myriad of methods of psychotherapy when no one has shown that any one or combination of these ways is any better than the variety of ways that arise from Scripture? Since there is such disparity between the psychotherapies and since any form of therapy a person devises appears to work, it seems that scriptural methods would be at least as effective as any form of psychotherapy." (Pg. 41) They contend, "A biblical counselor does not need to be trained in psychological counseling since he is primarily ministering in the spiritual realm, since he teaches and applies the Word of God, and since he depends on the work of the Holy Spirit." (Pg. 89)
They say, "Every Christian knows from Scripture about demons. The Bible teaches that individuals can become demonized and that demons are active in our world carrying out the work of their cruel master... Numerous beneficial deliverances could be reported to show that demons do exist and that they need to be cast out today just as in Jesus' day." (Pg. 171-172) They also admit, "It is good to be aware of the possible biological involvement in certain disorders... We want to make it clear that we are neither recommending nor discouraging the use of drugs for mental disorders. Our purpose is to bring more awareness in the realm of possible biological involvement..." (Pg. 177)
The Bobgans' books are essential reading for any Christians concerned about overuse/misuse of psychology. (But note that in their 'Against Biblical Counseling' book, they turned AWAY from 'Biblical Counseling.')
Married couple Martin and Deidre Bobgan run "Psychoheresy Awareness Ministries"; Martin has a Ph.D. in Educational Psychology, and Deidre has an M.A. in English. They have written many other books, such as ‘Psychoheresy,’ 'Prophets of Psychoheresy I,' 'Prophets of PsychoHeresy II: Critiquing Dr. James C. Dobson,' 'CRI Guilty of Psychoheresy?,' 'Hypnosis and the Christian,' 'Twelve Steps to Destruction: Codependency/Recovery Heresies,' 'Four Temperaments,' ‘Astrology & Personality Testing,' etc.
They wrote in the Introduction to this 1985 book, "In our book 'The Psychological Way: The Spiritual Way' we questioned the use of psychological counseling (psychotherapy) and encouraged a return to biblical counseling... Today the greatest single obstacle to biblical counseling is psychological counseling and all it pretends to be. The primary reason churches do not minister to mental-emotional-behavioral problems is because of fear... that individuals who are not formally trained cannot handle such problems... This book is for Christians who want to know more about counseling the spiritual way." (Pg. xiii-xiv)
They state, "Problems of living must be dealt with as spiritual problems with spiritual solutions." (Pg. xv) They add, "If most psychiatric patients actually need to be taught how to live, who is better equipped to guide and teach than the man or woman of God? (Furthermore, how can an individual separated from the Body of Christ be equipped to teach a Christian how to live?)" (Pg. 5) They observe, "Self-love is not taught as a positive goal in Scripture. Jesus said that the mark of the true disciple is self-denial (Mark 8:34)... Self-love is not a virtue, but rather a potential vice." (Pg. 128) They add, "Since the Bible is the spiritual counselor's book of truth, all that is said in a counseling conversation may be evaluated in terms of the Bible." (Pg. 152)
They argue, "Why should the church refer members to the myriad of methods of psychotherapy when no one has shown that any one or combination of these ways is any better than the variety of ways that arise from Scripture? Since there is such disparity between the psychotherapies and since any form of therapy a person devises appears to work, it seems that scriptural methods would be at least as effective as any form of psychotherapy." (Pg. 41) They contend, "A biblical counselor does not need to be trained in psychological counseling since he is primarily ministering in the spiritual realm, since he teaches and applies the Word of God, and since he depends on the work of the Holy Spirit." (Pg. 89)
They say, "Every Christian knows from Scripture about demons. The Bible teaches that individuals can become demonized and that demons are active in our world carrying out the work of their cruel master... Numerous beneficial deliverances could be reported to show that demons do exist and that they need to be cast out today just as in Jesus' day." (Pg. 171-172) They also admit, "It is good to be aware of the possible biological involvement in certain disorders... We want to make it clear that we are neither recommending nor discouraging the use of drugs for mental disorders. Our purpose is to bring more awareness in the realm of possible biological involvement..." (Pg. 177)
The Bobgans' books are essential reading for any Christians concerned about overuse/misuse of psychology. (But note that in their 'Against Biblical Counseling' book, they turned AWAY from 'Biblical Counseling.')
July 28, 2023
A very comprehensive introduction to biblical counselling ministry.
Part 1 illustartes clearly with Model of Man and Methodology.
Part 3 is a little bit redundant. Still 5 stars to this book.
Part 1 illustartes clearly with Model of Man and Methodology.
Part 3 is a little bit redundant. Still 5 stars to this book.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews