What is Biblical counseling?

Biblical counseling is in a word discipleship. It is the bearing upon a situation or a life, the principles, comfort, admonishment, and doctrines of Scripture.

What is the main goal of Biblical counseling?

It has as its main goal holiness rather than happiness. The full wisdom of following Scripture will only fully be vindicated in eternity--at the judgment seat of Christ. Included in holiness are the ideas of Christian joy, spiritual fruitfulness, and the maintenance of proper relationships toward others. Christians are able to rejoice in the Person of God and in the promises He has revealed, irrespective of any situation. Likewise, believers are able to bear fruit, by virtue of abiding in Christ. Scripture and the work of the Spirit in the lives of believers work together to enable people to lead a triumphant, 'overcoming' lifestyle.

This goal needs to be emphasized today--far too many people justify sinful behavior by asserting that God wants them to be happy, and he brought this person or "opportunity" into their lives at just the "right time."

Theological underpinnings of Biblical counseling

Biblical counseling presupposes a belief in the sufficiency of Scripture. In other words, everything people need for Christian joy and spiritual fruitfulness is contained in the Bible. God didn't leave out anything. He didn't wait for 19th and 20th century secular/atheistic psychologists to complete the canon. It is unthinkable that God waited until the last 100 years or so to enable people to overcome their difficulties in life.

Biblical counseling also rests on the Scriptural principle laid down in 1 Cor. 10:13

"No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it." (1 Corinthians 10:13, NKJV).

Who can counsel?

Anyone who believes in the Lord Jesus Christ, who demonstrates a maturity in the faith, and who is grounded in Scripture and sound theology. All believers should be able to counsel to some degree, and we are commanded by God to show forth the light of Scripture and proclaim the precepts of Scripture. However, God has raised up certain gifted individuals who because of their wisdom and discernment, are able to see more clearly the underlying problems that need to be addressed by Scripture.