What is Biblical Counseling?
People often ask: Is there a difference between “Biblical Counseling” and “Christian Counseling”? The answer is: “Often times: Yes.” When you sign up to meet with a “Christian” counselor, the only thing you are guaranteed is that the counselor identifies as a Christian. It will remain to be seen if the counselor conceptualizes what is going awry in your life -and how to address it- in ways that are consistent with God’s Word. In fact, some “Christian” counselors have no formal training in theology or in how to apply God’s Word in a counseling context. They may or may not pray in sessions, reference Scripture, or even speak about God and what he has to do with your struggles at all. Perhaps this sounds surprising, but sadly many Christians who have made a point to pursue faith-based counseling report having this experience.
That is because “Christian” counselors fall into 3 general categories:
Category 1:
Christians who attended secular colleges to study secular psychology, and that is what they practice in their profession. There is, by design, nothing distinctly Christian about their approach to counseling.
Christians who uphold this approach may argue “All truth is God’s truth”, so whether we credit or reference God or not, secular theories and practices are a gift from God and are still useful. The problem is, secular psychology reinforces the belief that is already at the heart of our distress: that we can flourish without God at the center of every area of our lives. We wind up trading one un-Christ-like coping strategy for another as we adopt new ways to try to “save” ourselves. This approach ultimately causes more pain and confusion because it does not address the spiritual realities that undergird all our emotional and relational strife.
The word of God is the sword of the Spirit (Ephesians 6:16), which is the weapon we need to prevail against a real enemy. This has tremendous implications for any approach to personal transformation that is not biblically-based. Counseling that does not flow forth from the Word of God endeavors to enter into the battles of life: without awareness of the true enemy, without armor, without the only weapon that can defeat that enemy, and -most grievously- without faith-filled, active engagement with our Captain and King. Victory in this life is impossible without us wielding the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. For it is through his word that God trains, guides, strengthens, protects, comforts, and heals us as we fight the good fight with him.
For the Lord your God is he who goes with you to fight for you
against your enemies, to give you the victory.
Deuteronomy 20:4
For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world.
And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.
1 John 5:4
But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
1 Corinthians 15:57
Category 2
Christians who attend Christian universities or seminaries, where they study some theology as well as secular psychology, although the focus is on preparing for state licensure, which tests one’s knowledge of secular psychology exclusively.
This approach, referred to as “integrationist,” is sometimes touted as “the best of both worlds.” However, if we discerningly hold the theories and techniques involved in secular psychology up to Scripture, we discover that most are profoundly incompatible with God’s word, even on the occasions when efforts are made to adapt or “Christianize” them.
And Elijah came near to all the people and said, “How long will you go limping between two different opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him.” And the people did not answer him a word.
1 Kings 18:21
As former Westminster Seminary professor and biblical counselor David Powlison so memorably explained on AYSF’s Founder Susan Kusmin’s first day of seminary:
“To suppress the knowledge of God is to suppress the knowledge of man.”
Counselors in Category 2 do not desire to suppress the knowledge of God. However, the secular methods they employ were formulated without reference to God or his Word. Most were devised by individuals who sought to make sense of how and why people operate as they do, and how to facilitate less distress, without turning to our Creator to understand how and why he made us, why we derail, and what comprehensive redemption really means and entails. When those seeking to understand humanity suppress the knowledge of God, in who’s image human beings are made, the resulting theories will not be accurate or trustworthy.
For only our Creator, from whom we are derived and to whom we are in every way referential, can rightly and utterly understand us, and work within us the transformation we truly need.
Even on the occasions when such strategies bring some modicum of symptomatic relief, they essentially function as a Band-Aid while the systemic cancer goes untreated. For only our Creator, from whom we are derived and to whom we are in every way referential, can rightly and utterly understand us, and work within us the transformation we truly need.
Which bring us to Category 3:
Biblical counselors are Christians who earn degrees from seminaries that are committed to biblical counseling, or train with parachurch organizations that specialize in teaching biblical counseling. Biblical counselors take God at his word that “all that is needed for life and godliness” (2 Peter 1:3) may be derived by rigorous study of God’s word and skillful, personalized application of it, through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Biblical counselors do not typically pursue state licensure, as doing so involves immersion in philosophies and techniques that are contrary to the conscience and conviction of a biblical counselor who would not employ such methods in the practice of their profession. Biblical counselors use the word “counsel” not as a clinical term, but rather in the way the Bible -and the dictionary- use the word “counsel”: as a description of one person advising another.
We are not medical practitioners; we do not assign diagnostic labels or prescribe medication. The people we serve are not “patients” but “counselees” or clients, and more importantly, beloved sisters and brothers Christ.
Introducing:
AYSF Christ-Centered Care
“Quality biblical counseling involves the pursuit of the pain-wracked, rebellious,
hope-drained heart, to woo it evermore to Christ,
who alone is the source of our flourishing.”
-AYSF Founder, Susan Kusmin
AYSF Founder, Susan Kusmin, is seminary-trained in biblical counseling and has served on staff as a biblical counselor with such reputable organizations as Redeemer Counseling Services (RCS) and The Salvation Army’s Adult Rehabilitation Center, both in NYC. To read Susan’s full bio, click here.
While the care we offer at AYSF has its roots in biblical counseling, there are enough distinctives about our approach that we refer to our work as Christ-Centered Care. To learn more about AYSF’s distinctive approach, check out the following articles on our site:
Are you ready to experience the difference
AYSF Christ-Centered Care can make in your life?
Let’s Get You Flourishing!
