PERSONS INVOLVED IN COUNSELING

The Holy Spirit is the principal person (Jn. 14:16, 17)

The Spirit of truth – the Source of truth and who leads into truth

His work of holiness – Fruit of the Spirit, counseling is one aspect of the work of sanctification. Don’t ignore the Holy Spirit or avoid use of Scriptures in counseling

All Christians benefit from the Holy Spirit’s counsel. He regenerates and enables the believer to understand the Scriptures.

THE HUMAN COUNSELOR

Who should counsel?

Three specified sources of personal problems in living:

Demonic activity

Personal sin

Organic illness

Counseling is ministerial and congregational

Role of the pastor/pastoral staff

Role of the Christian

Qualifications for counseling

Knowledge of the Scriptures

Divine wisdom

Love for people

Experiencing change in one’s life

Read good books (many available)

Graces of the Spirit through the gifts of the Spirit

Authority in counseling

All Christians must counsel (Col. 3:16; Rom. 15:14).

Exercise God’s authority, not authorities in their own right

Must not violate God’s authority

Distinguish between good advice and biblical principles themselves

Counselors must be directive

“nouthesia” – “to give advise or direction

“non-directive counseling” – contradiction of terms

“Human counselor must know the good counsel of the Scriptures, and develop those skills by which he may confront others directly in deep concern.” Adams

The personality of the counselor

Personality of the counselor is not the determining factor.

In counseling…each counselor will develop his own style.

Personality traits that might interfere must be altered.

THE COUNSELEE

You already know a lot

Sources of knowledge

Three sources of information available to the Christian counselor:

The Scriptures

His (and others’) counseling experience

The dynamics if his own sinful heart

No surprises necessary

There are just so many basic common themes of sin and

no more.

What is the difficulty?

Solutions for every problem

What the counselor needs to know

What is the specific problem in this case?

Specifically, what biblical principles apply in this case?

What must be done to bring these principles to bear upon the case in order to understand and solve the problems?

How prior knowledge helps

Counselees can change

Radical change, the most radical change known to man, is described in the Scriptures as a new birth.

God is in the business of changing lives.

Change is what the Christian ought to expect, ought to demand of

himself, and ought to learn to live with.