What exactly is true Biblical Counseling? What is it not?
III. Counseling Practice
In light of these realities, ACBC endorses the following standards of belief and practice for its certified counselors and counseling centers that would care for people diagnosed with the complicated problems identified as mental disorders.
1. Biblical Counselors must acknowledge that human beings struggle with physical and spiritual problems.
2. Biblical counselors shall encourage the use of physical examinations and testing by physicians for diagnosis of medical problems, the treatment of these problems, and the relief of symptoms, which might cause, contribute to, or complicate counseling issues.
3. Biblical counselors shall help their counselees respond biblically to physical problems, but deny that spiritual interventions are the only proper response to problems with a medical element. They reject any teaching, which excludes the importance of the body and the goodness of God, which leads to the blessing of medical care.
4. Biblical counselors reject the notion that medical interventions solve spiritual problems. They embrace the use of medicine for cure and symptom relief, but deny that medical care is sufficient for spiritual problems, which require Christ and his gospel for ultimate relief and lasting change.
5. Biblical counselors shall be committed to counseling those with medical problems, but should not attempt to practice medicine without the formal qualifications and licensing to do so. When they have questions or concerns of a medical nature they should refer their counselee to a competent medical professional for diagnosis and treatment.
6. Biblical counselors shall nurture a spirit of humility, understanding many issues at the nexus of body and soul defy simplicity. They recognize that many problems are combinations of physical and spiritual issues. Others are problems, which are not easily identified as one, the other, or both.
7. Biblical counselors do not reject the true observations found in The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, but do reject that DSM is an authoritative guide for understanding the cause and treatment of complex problems of human behavior, thinking, and emotions. They affirm that God’s Word in Scripture serves as this authoritative guide. Biblical counselors move toward using biblical language to refer to the counseling problems that people face. They are committed to applying the Bible to an understanding of the causes of and treatments for these problems.
8. Biblical counselors are committed to biblical discernment in understanding the nature of spiritual issues, and to dealing with sin through gentle, Christ-centered correction.
9. Biblical counselors are committed to biblical discernment in understanding the nature of spiritual issues, and to dealing with suffering through Christ-centered encouragement.
10. Biblical counselors are committed to biblical discernment in understanding the nature of spiritual issues, and to dealing with weakness through loving care in the context of the body of Christ.
[1]Genesis 2:7; Matthew 10:28; 1 Corinthians 7:34; 2 Corinthians 5:1; 1 Timothy 4:8 [2]Matthew 5:8; 26:38; 2 Corinthians 7:9-11; 1 Thessalonians 5:14
In light of these realities, ACBC endorses the following standards of belief and practice for its certified counselors and counseling centers that would care for people diagnosed with the complicated problems identified as mental disorders.
1. Biblical Counselors must acknowledge that human beings struggle with physical and spiritual problems.
2. Biblical counselors shall encourage the use of physical examinations and testing by physicians for diagnosis of medical problems, the treatment of these problems, and the relief of symptoms, which might cause, contribute to, or complicate counseling issues.
3. Biblical counselors shall help their counselees respond biblically to physical problems, but deny that spiritual interventions are the only proper response to problems with a medical element. They reject any teaching, which excludes the importance of the body and the goodness of God, which leads to the blessing of medical care.
4. Biblical counselors reject the notion that medical interventions solve spiritual problems. They embrace the use of medicine for cure and symptom relief, but deny that medical care is sufficient for spiritual problems, which require Christ and his gospel for ultimate relief and lasting change.
5. Biblical counselors shall be committed to counseling those with medical problems, but should not attempt to practice medicine without the formal qualifications and licensing to do so. When they have questions or concerns of a medical nature they should refer their counselee to a competent medical professional for diagnosis and treatment.
6. Biblical counselors shall nurture a spirit of humility, understanding many issues at the nexus of body and soul defy simplicity. They recognize that many problems are combinations of physical and spiritual issues. Others are problems, which are not easily identified as one, the other, or both.
7. Biblical counselors do not reject the true observations found in The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, but do reject that DSM is an authoritative guide for understanding the cause and treatment of complex problems of human behavior, thinking, and emotions. They affirm that God’s Word in Scripture serves as this authoritative guide. Biblical counselors move toward using biblical language to refer to the counseling problems that people face. They are committed to applying the Bible to an understanding of the causes of and treatments for these problems.
8. Biblical counselors are committed to biblical discernment in understanding the nature of spiritual issues, and to dealing with sin through gentle, Christ-centered correction.
9. Biblical counselors are committed to biblical discernment in understanding the nature of spiritual issues, and to dealing with suffering through Christ-centered encouragement.
10. Biblical counselors are committed to biblical discernment in understanding the nature of spiritual issues, and to dealing with weakness through loving care in the context of the body of Christ.
[1]Genesis 2:7; Matthew 10:28; 1 Corinthians 7:34; 2 Corinthians 5:1; 1 Timothy 4:8 [2]Matthew 5:8; 26:38; 2 Corinthians 7:9-11; 1 Thessalonians 5:14
Article First Published on ACBC's official website.
