COUNSELING THE NEW BELIEVER=+
What can we as a local church do to help=+
new believers with their problems?=+
by=+
Wendell E. Miller=++

Q. Our pastor faithfully preaches the Gospel, and many are
saved under his ministry. However, I am deeply concerned
because some of the new believers soon lose the joy of their
salvation, become cold in the faith, and even drop out of
the church. What can I do, or what can our church do, to
help solve this problem?=++

A. This is a problem that grieves pastors, Christians who
are genuinely concerned for others, and biblical counselors
who work with those who have slipped and failed in their
Christian lives.=++

In counseling, we see many instances of believers who have
come into the faith with problems that had controlled them
when they were in the world, and then they have failed in
their Christian walk because these old problems were not
solved after salvation.=++

In some instances God takes away at least a part of a new
believer's personal problems (including bad habits) and
interpersonal relationship problems at the time of
salvation.=++

However, in His infinite wisdom and love, God often allows
new believers to overcome their problems through the use of
biblical principles, prayer, and the power of the indwelling
Holy Spirit. =++

Unfortunately, too many new believers (and many who have
been saved for many years) think that praying about problems
is the only thing that is to be done to solve them. They
have not been taught that God has given written instructions
for handling problems and that these biblical principles are
to be used together with prayer.=++

Even though a new believer attends every worship service,
listens to every Sunday school lesson, and attends every
midweek service for several years, he still may not hear the
specific biblical principles that he needs to solve the
problems that he has when he first becomes a believer, or
that he will encounter in those first few years. One reason
for this is that the pastor has much that he needs to teach
the flock as a whole.=++

I believe that local churches can help new believers to
succeed in the Christian life by offering each new believer
the choice of either discipleship training or biblical
counseling.=++
If the new believer chooses discipleship training, then he
should be taught basic doctrines (as discipleship training
programs commonly do) that will solidify his faith.=++

It is crucial that teaching in the discipleship training
program leads each new convert to a realization of the
holiness of God, the seriousness of sin, the price that
Jesus paid for sin when he died on the cross, and each
believer's accountability to God =+
(2 Cor. 5:10).=++

In addition, the discipleship training program should equip
each new believer to discern the errors of the cults by
contrast to the truth of the Scriptures.=++

But, the discipleship training program must also include the
teaching of biblical principles for handling personal
problems and problems with others.=++

Errors of psychology have penetrated so greatly into
Christianity that grievous errors of psychology often are
accepted and taught as biblical truth. So care must be taken
to assure that the principles that are taught for handling
problems are really biblical and not errors of psychology
(even if these errors have been "anointed" with
scripture).=++

The discipleship training program should be set up and
directed by a Christian who is spiritual (Gal. 6:1) and who
is not a novice (1 Tim. 3:6). Also this person should be: 1)
trained in theology, 2) trained in the biblical languages,
3) trained and experienced in biblical counseling, 4)
perceptive to the errors of psychology, and 5) thoroughly
dedicated to belief in the sufficiency of the Scriptures for
living the Christian life and for supplying counseling
principles.=++

These are (or should be) the basic requirements for your
counseling pastor. So, for a church having more than one
pastor, the counseling pastor is (or should be) the ideal
person to lead the discipleship training program.=++

Many new believers are so undisciplined in their lives that
having someone to encourage them to follow through in
developing good habit patterns is one of the most essential
ministries that the church can provide for them.=++

So, it is important that the discipleship training program
provide an individual who will come along side the new
believer and encourage him in developing good habits of
Bible study, prayer and worship. And it is important that
the new believer be made accountable to this encourager.=++

This encouragement person can be your counseling pastor, a
discipleship training worker, or some other Christian who is
mature in the faith. Having a number of workers in the
discipleship training group to help in this area can
multiply the effectiveness of both biblical counseling and
discipleship training far beyond what your counseling pastor
can do by himself.=++

If the new believer chooses to have biblical counseling,
then, after the counseling pastor has helped him solve his
problems, the counseling pastor should turn him over to a
worker in the discipleship training program for instruction
in basic doctrines of the faith, for instruction into
biblical principles for use in solving problems of the
future, for encouragement in developing good habit patterns,
and for personal accountability.=++

The development of good habit patterns is essential for
building the Christian life. In addition, it is a principle
of Christian living that one way of putting off bad habits
is to replace them with good habits (Col. 3). So, the
discipleship training program, and a personal worker to help
each new believer, can be a tremendous help.=++

Further, the discipleship training worker will, most likely,
be the first to know if the new believer starts to slip in
his Christian walk; so the church can reach out and help the
new believer before he falls by the wayside.=++

You can help personally by being trained and serving as a
discipleship training worker. Or, if your church does not
have a discipleship training program, you can discuss the
need for one with your senior pastor and/or with your
counseling pastor. And you can volunteer to help in the
program.=++

Be an example. The Apostle Paul said, "Watch me and do as I
do" (Phil. 3:17, paraphrased). Model the Christian life.
Show new believers the reality of Christ in your life. Model
a greater love and enthusiasm for the things of God than for
the things of the world.=++

Be an encourager. The biblical meaning of encourage is to
"make firm." It means to make people determined to follow
through and to do what they should, whether they "feel like
it" or not.=++

Be a friend to new Christians. Show them hospitality. Their
old friends can be a hindrance to their Christian walk. They
need new friends. Christians need to provide the friendship
and the fellowship that will build up new believers.=++

Be sensitive to the needs of the new Christians. Some will
choose discipleship training rather than biblical counseling
when they really need biblical counseling. Some may have had
biblical counseling but need to go back to work on different
problems.=++

As you are being a friend, attempt to discern when listening
and sympathy are helpful, and when prolonged listening and
sympathy are a stumbling block that deters the new Christian
from getting the biblical counseling that he needs to solve
his problems.=++

If your friend is not acting on your biblical advice, or if
the problems are not getting solved, it is time to refer him
to your counseling pastor or to a counseling center that
provides biblical counseling.=++

In addition to all of the things discussed above, it is
important to train and lead Christians in putting their
faith into action.=++

The reason for this is that there is a scriptural
relationship between "doing" and "growing." Colossians 1:10
teaches that good works (acting on biblical knowledge)
result in two things: 1) bearing fruit, 2) and increasing in
the experiential knowledge of God.=++

Also, God commands believers to be doers of the Word and not
hearers only (James 1:22). Disobedience to this command to
be "doers" results in growing cold in the faith.=++

So, the church should provide 1) "how to" instruction in
vital ministries, 2) specific opportunities for experience,
and 3) on-the-job training.=++

Jesus ordained His disciples (Mark 3:14) that they might be
with Him (to learn), and that He might send them out (to
do).=++

Is it possible to have a discipleship training program that
is really biblical without including "how-to" instruction,
specific opportunities for experience, and on-the-job
training in personal evangelism?=++

In summary, sound preaching, good teaching in the Sunday
school, and prayer support for each new believer are all
good, but more should be done.=++

As an individual, model the reality of Christianity in your
life, pray for new believers, be an encourager, and provide
both friendship and fellowship.=++

As a church: 1) provide biblical counseling, 2) teach new
believers biblical principles for solving problems that they
may face in the future, 3) provide an individual to
personally help and encourage each one in developing new
habit patterns, 4) make each new Christian accountable to
that individual, and 5) provide "how-to" instruction, on-
the-job training, and experience opportunities in vital
ministries, such as personal evangelism.=++

Copyright 1987 by Wendell E. Miller=+
Downloaded from http://www.biblical-counsel.org=++

May be reprinted and distributed in quantities if distributed free or at cost, and if=+
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