It wasn't until the early 1970's when I was introduced to Jay Adams
that I begin to see a great distinction between generic counseling and
genuine biblical counseling. I was 21 years old at the time when the
pastor of our new formed church bought and read Adam's book "Competent
to Counsel." My pastor raved on the significance of the book and
proceeded to indoctrinate our small flock with its contents. I didn't
fully understand his zeal at the time, and it wasn't until I was older
that I came to appreciate his feelings.
Our pastor served as an officer in the U.S. Air Force who was coming to
the end of his career. Most of our congregation was young military
Non-Commissioned Officers (NCOs). The day came when I was eventually
transferred and left that church. As I progressed in my military
career, it was expected that NCOs would be counselors to their
subordinates. Our profession military education devoted entire chapters
and lectures on non-directive or eclectic counseling techniques.
Maslow's hierarchy of needs was drilled into our heads. We were warned
to avoid any mention of religion, but instead to make plentiful use of
psychological techniques. As I continued my military education it
finally occurred to me why my old pastor was so jubilant over Adams'
nouthetic approach. He had been inundated his entire career with same
stuff I was now getting, i.e., worldly psychology. When "Competent to
Counsel" hit the book shelves, it offered my pastor a refreshing and
innovative biblical approach that replaced the unscriptural psychology.
"Competent to Counsel" was a defining moment not only in psychology,
but also in Christian ministry. Adams' pioneering work earned him the
unofficial title of "the father of biblical counseling."
Jay Adams begins his book by detailing his experiences as a young
minister trying to counsel members of his congregation. He speaks of
his utter frustration and the lack of biblical material to assist him.
Alas, there wasn't any. Everything he had been taught was from a
secular perspective leaving him completely unprepared for what lay
before him. Hence, he began the journey to develop a better way to deal
with "mental illness."
Adams provides a brief history of psychiatry and quickly shows how it
is bankrupt, not only biblically but effectually. He explores the
various theories and discusses the results of following the teachings
of Sigmund Freud. Adams attempts to demonstrate that the "mentally ill"
are not ill at all, but simply sinners trying to run or hide from their
sins. He introduces the Holy Spirit as the effectual change agent in a
Christian's life, and focuses on three factors: The Holy Spirit is
sovereign, the Holy Spirit works through means, and those means are the
Word of God. This forms the foundation of Adams' argument that
Christians are "competent to counsel."
Adams introduces us to the two Greek words that form the apex of
biblical counseling: nouthesis and noutheteo. He explains how these
words used in the New Testament give us the authority to confront
believers with their problems and sin. Thus he terms it "nouthetic
counseling" consisting of three elements: 1. It implies there is a
problem. 2. Problems are solved by verbal means. 3. Change the problem
that is hurting the counselee. Adams continues to highlight the key
concepts of nouthetic counseling by explaining the role of the pastor
in counseling and contrasts nouthetic confrontation with Rogerian
counseling.
After laying a foundation and defining nouthetic counseling, Adams
provides the reader with practical application, i.e., techniques and a
methodology. He expounds on James 5:14, "Is any sick among you? let him
call for the elders of the church and let them pray over him,
anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord" This verses allows
Adams to explore the thorny issue of, is sin the cause of sickness. He
details man's basic problem, how man covers up his sin, and how the
counselor has to be both extensive and intensive with his or her
questioning. Adams affords the counselor with some principles such as
leading the client to self-discipline, how to record a client's
progress, and using the option of team counseling.
Adams devotes a large chapter on the topic of communication. Here he
emphasizes that "the basis for the restoration of communication is
reconciliation with God." Actually, reconciliation with God through
Christ is an absolute necessity prior to the resolution of any and all
problems. He acquaints us the idea of using the conference table as a
tool to ensure families use biblical communication in conflict
resolution. Adams uses the final chapter of his book to show how
Christian school teachers can act as nouthetic counselors and how God
uses the school teacher to develop structure and discipline in
students' lives.
Finally, Adams closes his book by exhorting ministers, Christian
workers, and every Christian, that they are all competent to counsel.
Some Christians are more competent than others but with discipline and
study, more can be. To assist the counselor Adams includes a personal
data inventory example for counselors to use and gather preliminary
data on their client.
Johnny
Kicklighter is a counselor at
Gateway Biblical
Counseling & Training Center, a ministry of
Edgemont Bible Church.
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