BIBLICAL COUNSELING RESOURCES
Organizations and Literature
Biblical counseling is a process in which the power of counseling principles that are revealed in the Word of God, the power of the Holy Spirit, and the power of prayer combine to accomplish the will of God in individual lives.
Introductory Comments
Biblical Counseling is God-ordained
The fruits of biblical counseling are progressive sanctification for believers and salvation for unbelievers. Because the power of biblical counseling is of God and the results of biblical counseling are a part of His will, it is clear that biblical counseling is a God-ordained part of pastoral ministering, whether it be done in the local church or as a missions outreach.
The Sufficiency of the Scriptures
God is clear in His claim that the Scriptures are sufficient for counseling (2 Tim. 3:16-18: I Peter 1:3). God has given all of the counseling principles in His Word that are needed to accomplish His will in lives. Therefore, biblical counseling is a God-given, but man-discovered system.
Converging vs. Diverging Systems
Three things become evident: 1) biblical counseling has a single, unified, source of counseling principles in the Holy Scriptures; 2) biblical-counseling is a God-given, but theologian-dicovered, system of counseling; and 3) to the extent that biblical counseling is developed from, and in accordance with, the Word of God, it will converge into a single and unified system.
In contrast, psychological counseling systems are ever multiplying in number and diverging toward a myriad sources of "truth" (theories of men).
Be a Berean
Unfortunately, with few exceptions, the church failed to develop and teach biblical counseling for almost two milliniums. The result was a vacuum that psychology has tried to fill. At last, a small army of individual Christians, churches, schools, and other organizations has arisen to declare their belief in the sufficiency of the Scriptures for counseling,. As Christian theologians study and debate the Scriptures, biblical counseling should become the pastoral tool that God intended it to be.
In the meantime, it is important for every pastor, every teacher, every biblical counselor, and every counselee to remember that God commended the Bereans because they searched the Scriptures daily, checking the biblical accuracy of things that they were being taught (Acts 17:11). In like manner, everything that is taught by any organization, any books, and any individual, including the references below, should be tested to see if it be in accordance with the Word of God.
None of the organizations, books, or individuals listed below is perfect, nor is the list complete. Omission from this list should not be construed as disapproval by the editor of this Web site, and inclusion of works by an author should not be construed as approval of all of that author's works. Be a Berean!
Counselor Accrediting and Certifying Organizations
The National Association of Nouthetic Counselors (NANC):
5526 State Road 26 East, Lafayette, IN 47905
Phone: 765-448-9100
FAX: 765-448-2985
E-mail: NANCcslg@aol.com
Web site (coming soon)
Executive Director: Rev. Randy Patten
Newsletter: The Biblical Counselor
Annual Conferences: the first Mon-Wed of October each year
Additional training opportunities:
"Biblical Counseling Training on the Road," conferences and workshops for
experienced counselors as well as for others interested in biblical counseling and pursuing
accreditation.
International Association of Biblical Counselors (IABC),
13005 Sycamore, Grandview, MO 64030
Phone and FAX (816) 322-8777
E-mail: counsel@calvary.edu
President: Dr. Ed Bulkley
Executive Vice President: Dr. James L. Clark
Newsletter: "Biblical Counseling International"
Conferences and Workshops: Check with IABC
Opportunities for Formal Education in Biblical Counseling
Masters College
21726 Placerita Canyon Road
Santa Clarity, CA 91321-1200
Phone: 1-800-568-6248
Calvary Bible College
13005 Sycamore
Grandview, MO 64030
Phone: and FAX: 816-322-8777
E-mail: counsel@calvary.edu
Trinity College and Seminary
Dr. Howard A. Eyrick, Dean
Physical Address: 4233 Medwel Drive
Mail Address: P.O. Box 717
Newburgh, IN 47629-0717
Phone: 1-800-457-5510
FAX: 1-812-858-3235
E-mail: 74777.245@compuserve.com
Web site: http://www.trinitysem.edu/counsel.html
Training Centers for Biblical Counseling
Faith Baptist Counseling Center (NANC Approved)
5526 State Road 26 East
Lafayette, Indiana 47905
Telephone: 765-448-1555
FAX: 765-448-2985
Credit for the great work done by Faith Baptist Counseling Center though the years goes primarily to Pastor Bill Good who also has been instrumental in building and directing the National Association of Nouthetic Counselors,and to Bob Smith, MD, who worked side by side with Pastor Goode for many years and who is still laboring in the biblical counseling movement both at Faith Baptist and with NANC.
Hundreds upon hundreds have been trained for biblical counseling at Faith Baptist Counseling Center, and have gone on to see their fruits of their training in changed lives. Credit also should be given to Faith Baptist Church for the vision and selfless providing of both staff and facilities for training biblical counselors.
Additional NANC Approved Training Centers
Call or write NANC for information.
IABC Approved Training Centers
Call or write IABC for information.
Seminars on Biblical Counseling
Biblical Family Soulcare
Sid Galloway, Director
3823 Coventry Street
Slidell, LA 70458
E-mail: sidjr@soulcare.org
Web address: http://www.soulcare.org
Additional sources of seminars
Additional Newsletters for Biblical Counseling
Return to the Word
Newsletters of Importance for all Christians
The Berean Call
Mr. Dave Hunt whose ministry produces The Berean Call is an outstanding Christian philosopher and also an authority on heresies, such as the New Age. Every Christian can benefit from his books, newsletters, and lectures. P.O.Box 7019, Bend, OR 97708.
Booklets and Pamphlets
The Bible, Psychology, and You
Wendell E. Miller, Biblical Counseling Association, Inc., 1506 Tippecanoe Drive, D-1, Warsaw, IN 46580 A booklet, and an abridgement of the same name, presenting arguments for the sufficiency of the Scriptures. The pamphlet is available free at http://www.biblical-counsel.org.
Books
The Biblical View of Self-esteem, Self-love, Self-image
Christian Psychology's War on God's Word: The Victimization of the Believer
Jim Owen, EastGate Publishers.
The Christian Counselor's Manual
Competent to Counsel
Forgiveness: The Power and the Puzzles
Wendell E. Miller, ClearBrook Publishers, 1506 Tippecanoe Drive, D-1, Warsaw, IN 46580. A complete handbook and theology on forgiveness. Paperback $10.95, hardbound (textbook edition) $15.95. Your satisfaction is guaranteed. Ask about quantity prices.
Prophets of PsychoHeresy I
Dr. Martin and Deidre Bobgan. EastGate Publishers, 4137 Primavera Road, Santa Barbara, California 93110. Critiquing Dr. Gary Collins, Dr. Lawrence Crabb, Jr., Dr. Paul Meier and Dr. Frank Minirth.
Prophets of PsychoHeresy II
Martin and Deidre Bobgan, EastGate Publishers, 4137 Primavera Road, Santa Barbara, California 93110. Critiquing Dr. James Dobson.
PsychoHeresy
Dr. Martin and Deidre Bobgan, EastGate Publishers, 4137 Primavera Road, Santa Barbara, California 93110.
Why Christians Can't Trust Psychology
Dr. Ed Bulkley, Harvest House Publishers, Eugene, Oregon 97402. Return to the Word: Biblical Counseling Newsletter available from LIFE Fellowship Church, 11500 Sheridan Blvd., Westminster, CO 80020. Internet address: http://users.aol.com/pastored.life.html
Selected Web Sites
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