Envisioning the Future of Biblical Counseling

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Envisioning the Future of Biblical
Counseling Dreaming a Dozen Dreams
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Sharing/Growing as Spiritual Friends

• When you hear the term biblical
• counseling, what comes to mind? Why?
• What is your gut reaction, your visceral
• response?
• How would you define biblical
• counseling?

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What Makes Biblical Counseling Biblical?

• And the Survey Says . . .
• One Working Definition (Titus 210)

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Biblical counseling depends upon the Holy Spirit
to relate Gods inspired truth about people,
problems, and solutions to human suffering
(through the Christian soul care arts of
sustaining and healing) and sin (through the
Christian spiritual direction arts of
reconciling and guiding) to empower people to
exalt and enjoy God and to love others (Matthew
2235-40) by cultivating conformity to Christ
and communion with Christ and the Body of Christ.

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Dream Number One Biblical Counseling Will Be
Scriptural

• The Supremacy of Scripture Colossians 22-3,
• 8-9
• The Sufficiency of Scripture 2 Peter 13 2
• Timothy 316-17
• The Profundity of Scripture Philippians 19-10
  
• Hebrews 412-16

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Dream Number Two Biblical Counseling Will Be
Theological

• The CFR Narrative
• Creation People
• Fall Problems
• Redemption Solutions

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Dream Number Two Biblical Counseling Will Be
Theological

• Franz Delitzsch Biblical psychology is
• no science of yesterday. It is the oldest
• science of the church.
• Psychology is native to our faith.

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Dream Number Three Biblical Counseling Will Be
Historical

• The Great Cloud of Witnesses Hebrews 121-3

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Hebrews 121-3Cloud of Witnesses
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a
great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off
everything that hinders us and the sin that so
easily entangles us, and let us run with
perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us
fix our eyes on Jesus the author and perfecter of
our faith, who for the joy set before him endured
the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at
the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him
who endured such opposition from sinful men, so
that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
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Dream Number Three Biblical Counseling Will Be
Historical

• The Ancient Path Jeremiah 616

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Following the Ancient Paths
Stand at the crossroads and look ask for the
ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and
walk in it, and you will find rest for your
souls (Jeremiah 616a).
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Following the Ancient Paths

• G. K. Chesterton History is the
• democracy of the dead giving vote and
• voice to those who have gone before
• us.

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Dream Number Four Biblical Counseling Will Be
Positive

• Corinthian Counselor 1 Corinthians
• 110-17
• Berean Counselor Acts 1711 2
• Timothy 215-16
• A Case Study How would a Corinthian
• counselor and a Berean counselor
• evaluate a book on anxiety?

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Dream Number Five Biblical Counseling Will Be
Relational

• Trinitarian Foundation John 1, 17
• Real and Raw Counseling 1 Thess. 28
• Trialogical Relationships Collaborative
• Counseling

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Dream Number Six Biblical Counseling Will Be
Relevant

• The Truth Will Set You Free John 832
• I Will Give You Rest Matthew 1128
• Abundant Life John 1010

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Dream Number Seven Biblical Counseling Will Be
Transformative

• Progressive Sanctification
• Spiritual Formation
• Gods Role and Our Responsibility
• A Spiritual Theology of the Spiritual Life

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Dream Number Eight Biblical Counseling Will Be
Holistic in Theory

• Relational Spiritual, Social, Self-AwareDesire
• Rational Think
• Volitional Choose
• Emotional Feel
• Physical Act
• A Case Study One missing? One
• overemphasized?

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Dream Number Nine Biblical Counseling Will Be
Holistic in Methodology

• Sustaining Hurt
• Healing Hope
• Reconciling
• Horrible/Wonderful
• Guiding Mature
• A Case Study One?

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Dream Number Ten Biblical Counseling Will Be
Holistic in Equipping
Romans 1514 I myself am convinced, my
brothers, that you yourselves are full of
goodness, complete in knowledge, and competent to
instruct one another.
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Dream Number Ten Biblical Counseling Will Be
Holistic in Equipping

• Character Full of Goodness
• Content Complete in Knowledge
• Competence Competent to Instruct
• Community Brothers/One Another
• A Case Study One Missing?
• One Overemphasized?

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Dream Number Eleven Biblical Counseling Will Be
Universal

• A Comprehensive Worldview
• Comprehensive World-Changers
• Lay Spiritual Friends
• Pastoral Soul Physicians
• Professional Christian Counselors

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Dream Number Twelve Biblical Counseling Will Be
Multi-Cultural

• Diverse Christian Perspectives Rev. 59
• Diverse Theory-Building/Competency-
• Building

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Conclusion Daring to Dream
When you say biblical counseling, do you mean
lay, pastoral, and professional Christian
counseling that is scriptural, theological,
historical, positive, relational, relevant,
transformative, holistic in theory, holistic in
methodology, holistic in equipping, universal,
and multi-cultural?
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Some Resources for Biblical Counseling
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Envisioning the Future of Biblical
Counseling Dreaming a Dozen Dreams