Paul's Passing Thoughts

This is a sermon I preached at Clearcreek Chapel in Dayton, Ohio in or about 1996. I was sorting through old files and actually threw it away, but decided to read it again out of curiosity. Much to my surprise, I still agree with most of it and think it is a message that a lot of Churches need to hear. My apologies, the manuscript is in caps because I read all of my sermons straight from the script and caps are easier for me to read.

This message is about the fact that the word of God, among other things, is a counseling book. As a matter of fact, it is “thee” counseling book. As Chuck and I go out visiting tonight, I am encouraged that we go with God’s wisdom and the opportunity that proceeds because of this fact.

If you are thinking about implementing a structured counseling (really, I prefer ” in-depth discipleship”) program in your church, I highly recommend the Biblical Counseling Foundation’s “Self Confrontation” program. I like the sub title of the program better:  “A  Manual for In-Depth Biblical Discipleship.” I DO NOT recommend NANC or CCEF.  NANC has an over emphasis on professionalism and CCEF integrates other disciplines that are clearly not biblical.

THE ROLE OF COUNSELING IN THE CHURCH

I WOULD LIKE TO BEGIN TONIGHT BY SHARING WITH YOU ABOUT A GUY WHO WE WILL CALL JAKE. HIS NAME HAS BEEN CHANGED TO PROTECT THE GUILTY. BEFORE I START, I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT JAKE HAS GIVEN FULL PERMISSION TO USE HIS LIFE AS AN ILLUSTRATION FOR TONIGHT’S  MESSAGE AS IT WILL BE PRESENTED.

JAKE IS IN HIS CAR ON THE WAY TO A COUNSELING APPOINTMENT. NOT WITH A PSYCHOLOGIST. NO, NO, PERISH THE THOUGHT. JAKE IS OF REFORMED THEOLOGY AND HAS READ ALMOST ALL OF DAVE HUNTS BOOKS. JAKE IS ON THE WAY TO SEE A BIBLICAL COUNSELOR.

WHILE JAKE IS ON THE WAY, LET ME TELL YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HIM. JAKE IS WELL STUDIED IN THE SCRIPTURES. NOT ONLY DOES HE SPEND A LOT OF PERSONAL TIME IN THE WORD, HE HAS ROUGHLY 3 YEARS OF SEMINARY AND BIBLE COLLEGE COMBINED.  ANOTHER THING I WILL TELL YOU IS JAKE’S LIFE IS IN A LOT OF TROUBLE. JAKE IS IN TROUBLE AT WORK. JAKE IS IN TROUBLE AT HOME. JAKE IS IN TROUBLE AT CHURCH. JAKE IS IN WHAT SOME CALL “CLINICAL DEPRESSION” AND CAN BARELY FUNCTION DAY TO DAY. ANY QUESTIONS? JAKE IS IN TROUBLE.

NOW BACK TO JAKE. ORDINARILY JAKE WOULD BE SCARED TO DEATH TO GET IN HIS CAR AND DRIVE ANYWHERE BECAUSE OF HIS EXCESSIVE PHOBIAS, BUT THE REASON JAKE IS ENTHUSIASTICALLY DRIVING TO THIS APPOINTMENT IS BECAUSE HE IS SURE THIS COUNSELOR CAN SHOW HIM THE SECRET BIBLE VERSE THAT WILL END ALL OF HIS TROUBLES IN 15 MINUTES. HOPE BUILDS STRONGER AND STRONGER AS HE DRAWS CLOSER TO HIS APPOINTMENT.

JAKE FINALLY ENTERS THE ROOM. HI!, THE COUNSELOR SAYS CHEERFULLY. THE COUNSELORS CHEERFUL DEMEANOR BUILDS EVEN MORE HOPE IN JAKE. AFTER SOME RELEVANT CONVERSATION, THE COUNSELOR TELLS JAKE WHERE THEY ARE GOING TO START. THIS IS THE MOMENT JAKE HAS BEEN WAITING FOR! “I HAVE A NEW GOAL FOR YOU JAKE,” SAID THE COUNSELOR. “YOUR NEW GOAL IS TO PLEASE GOD”. JAKE IS SO SHOCKED HE CANNOT SPEAK, BUT SCREAMS OUT THESE THOUGHTS IN HIS MIND: “PLEASE GOD! WHAT GOOD IS THAT GOING TO DO ME”!!!!!

AFTER THE COUNSELOR ASSIGNED SOME HOMEWORK, JAKE SCRAPES HIMSELF OFF THE FLOOR AND LEAVES. NOW JAKE IS DRIVING HOME AFTER THE APPOINTMENT, TALKING TO HIMSELF ON THE WAY. “HOW COULD HE GIVE ME SUCH A SIMPLISTIC SOLUTION TO MY PROBLEMS? THERE IS NO WAY THIS GUY UNDERSTANDS WHAT I AM GOING THROUGH. NOW WHAT AM I GOING TO DO?, GO TO A PSYCHOLOGIST? NO WAY. MY MOM WENT TO THEM FOR YEARS, THEY NEVER DID HER ANY GOOD. BESIDES, THE LAST ONE I WENT TO SEE BEFORE I WAS A CHRISTIAN CHARGED ME 85 DOLLARS AN HOUR AND ASK ME WHAT I THOUGHT THE ANSWERS TO MY PROBLEMS WHERE. IF I KNEW THAT, WHAT DID I NEED HER FOR? HOW ABOUT ANOTHER PASTOR OR COUNSELOR? THEY WILL JUST SEND ME TO A PSYCHOLOGIST. SUICIDE? HMMM, BETTER NOT. I’M NOT FOR SURE THAT I’M A CHRISTIAN. GEE GADS, I’M STUCK WITH THIS GUY!!!”

LITTLE DID JAKE KNOW, WHEN WORD GOT TO HEAVEN THAT THE COUNSELOR WAS STUCK WITH HIM THE FLAGS OF HEAVEN FLEW AT HALF STAFF AND ELIJAH WEPT. JAKE CONTINUES DOWN THE ROAD AND LOOKS DOWN AT THE HOMEWORK ASSIGNMENT LAYING BESIDE HIM ON THE CAR SEAT “WHATS THIS HOMEWORK STUFF? I HAVE NEVER HEARD OF SUCH A THING IN CHURCH. HEY I KNOW, HE KNOWS MORE THAN HE’S LETTING ON. I BET THERE’S SOME ANSWERS IN THAT HOMEWORK.”

WELL, JAKE GOES HOME AND DOES HIS HOMEWORK AND HE’S RIGHT, THERE ARE ANSWERS IN THE HOMEWORK. JAKE LEARNS THAT THE BIBLE IS NOT A BOOK THAT TELLS US HOW TO GET RID OF OUR PROBLEMS BUT RATHER TELLS US HOW TO BE GOD’S KIND OF PERSON IN THE MIDST OF THE PROBLEMS. THIS ACTUALLY SOMEWHAT ENCOURAGES JAKE SINCE HE HASN’T HAD ANY SUCCESS GETTING RID OF HIS PROBLEMS ANYWAY.

JAKE ALSO LEARNS THAT GOD IS IN COMPLETE CONTROL OVER HIS PROBLEMS. HE WANTS TO USE THE PROBLEMS JAKE BROUGHT ON HIMSELF TO LEAD HIM TO REPENTANCE AND TEACH HIM HOW TO BE MORE LIKE CHRIST. THE OTHER PROBLEMS WHERE GOD’S SOVEREIGN WILL FOR HIS LIFE AND DECREED FOR THE SAME PURPOSE.

” OHHHHHHHHHH, JAKE SAYS TO HIMSELF, GOD IS NOT ONLY SOVEREIGN OVER SALVATION, HE’S ALSO SOVEREIGN OVER EVERY DETAIL OF OUR LIFE!”

THE HOMEWORK SMASHED JAKE’S FALSE HOPES LIKE A DIXIE CUP, BUT REAL HOPE FROM THE WORD OF GOD THAT THE COUNSELOR IS POINTING TO IS NOW BEGINNING TO SPROUT IN JAKE’S MIND.

AT HIS NEXT APPOINTMENT, JAKE UTTERS THESE PROFOUND WORDS: “WELL, I GUESS IT’S JUST NOT GOD’S WILL THAT EVERYTHING TURNS OUT THE WAY WE THINK IT SHOULD”. “OH, THAT’S GOOD JAKE”, REPLIES THE COUNSELOR. “I’M GLAD YOU SAID THAT, IN A MATTER OF FACT, I’M GOING TO WRITE IT DOWN IN YOUR FILE. LET’S SEE, JAKE SAID…….

TILL THIS DAY JAKE ISN’T SURE WHETHER THE COUNSELOR WAS INCREDIBLY PATIENT OR FINALLY SEIZED THE OPPORTUNITY TO HAVE SOME FUN. NEVERTHELESS, JAKE WAS FLATTERED BY THE COUNSELOR’S RESPONSE AND ASSUMED HE FINALLY HIT ON SOME OF THAT BIBLICAL THINKING THE COUNSELOR KEPT TALKING ABOUT.

WELL, JAKE KEPT LEARNING AND TODAY SEES HIS LIFE AS RADICALLY CHANGED. WHAT I JUST SHARED IS OF COURSE A CONDENSED VERSION OF ACTUAL EVENTS. YOU CAN ADD MUCH INFORMAL ENCOURAGEMENT AND PHONE CALLS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT. THAT’S NOT SIMPLISTIC.

I SHARED JAKE’S STORY TO HELP US DEVELOP OUR FIRST POINT TONIGHT. WHAT IS THE CONTEMPORARY PICTURE OF COUNSELING IN TODAY’S CHURCH?

I KNOW YOU PROBABLY THINK JAKE WAS A SPIRITUAL AIR HEAD.  BUT I WILL HASTEN TO ADD THAT EVEN IN HIS WORST STATE HE WAS FAR AHEAD OF A LOT OF CHRISTIANS. WHY? BECAUSE HE BELIEVED THE BIBLE ALONE HAD THE ANSWERS TO HIS PROBLEMS. MOST CHRISTIANS TODAY DO NOT EVEN BELIEVE THAT. YES, THE TRUTH JAKE DISCOVERED ABOUT HIS OWN SIN AND GOD’S WAY OF DEALING WITH IT WAS LIKE SWALLOWING A BIG HORSE PILL, BUT LIKE PETER HE SAID, “NEVERTHELESS LORD,AT YOUR WORD”.

UNDER OUR FIRST POINT IN YOUR NOTES, PLEASE DRAW A PIE AND SPLIT IT UP INTO TWO LARGE PIECES, TWO SMALL PIECES, AND A SLIVER. OF THE TWO SMALL PIECES, ONE SHOULD BE HALF THE SIZE OF THE OTHER. NOW LETS LABEL THE PIECES. YOUR LABELS CAN BE OUTSIDE BY WAY OF ARROWS. LABEL ONE OF THE BIG PIECES “WORD OF GOD NOT SUFFICIENT FOR COUNSELING, OTHER SOURCES NEEDED.”  I DON’T THINK THIS NEEDS MUCH EXPLANATION.

LABEL THE SECOND BIG PIECE “WORD OF GOD NOT FULLY SUFFICIENT.”  THIS REPRESENTS THOSE WHO THINK THE BIBLE IS SUFFICIENT FOR THE EVERYDAY MINOR PROBLEMS OF LIFE BUT SOMETHING MORE IS NEEDED FOR THE SERIOUS OR “DEEP” PROBLEMS OF LIFE.

I THINK THESE TWO PIECES OF THE PIE REPRESENTS THE THINKING OF MOST PEOPLE IN THE CHURCH TODAY.

NOW LETS LABEL ONE OF THE SMALL PIECES, THE LARGER OF THE TWO. JAKE IS A PERFECT EXAMPLE OF THIS PIECE. LABEL IT “ABSTRACT THEOLOGY”. SIMPLY PUT, ABSTRACT THEOLOGY IS A KNOWLEDGE OF THEOLOGICAL FACTS WITHOUT THE KNOWLEDGE OF HOW TO APPLY IT TO THE SPECIFICS OF LIFE. JAKE KNEW OF GOD’S SOVEREIGN GRACE, THAT’S GOOD THEOLOGY. BUT HE WAS OBLIVIOUS TO THE FACT THAT GOD WAS IN COMPLETE CONTROL OF THE PROBLEMS IN HIS LIFE AS WELL. THAT’S WHEN PANIC BEGAN TO START. JAKE THOUGHT HIS LIFE WAS SPINNING OUT OF CONTROL.

NOW LET’S LABEL THE OTHER SMALL PIECE. THESE ARE CHRISTIANS WHO UNDERSTAND THE CONNECTION OF THEOLOGY TO LIFE TO SOME POINT, BUT THEY LACK EXPERIENCE IN HELPING OTHERS TO DO IT. THIS ALSO HINDERS A FURTHER ABILITY TO DO IT IN THEIR OWN LIFE, WHICH THEY DO WELL TO A POINT. SOME WOULD SAY THEY ARE NOT “CASE WISE”. IF YOU HANDED THEM A BOOK OF ACTUAL CASE STUDIES WITHOUT THE BIBLICAL ANSWERS, THEY WOULD BE SURPRISED AT THEIR TRUE INABILITY TO HELP OTHERS WITH THE WORD OF GOD.

NOW LET’S LABEL THE SLIVER. THESE ARE CHRISTIANS WHO HAVE A GOOD WORKING KNOWLEDGE OF THEOLOGY AND HOW TO APPLY IT TO THEIR  OWN LIFE AND THE LIVES OF OTHERS, AND ACTIVELY DO SO. THEY ARE TOO FEW IN THE BODY OF CHRIST. THE BIBLE CALLS THEM “MATURE” IN  HEB 5;14 AND “SPIRITUAL” IN GAL 6:1.

THE TWO LARGE PIECES REPRESENT CONFUSION. THE TWO SMALL PIECES REPRESENT FAILURE OR LIMITED GLORY FOR GOD. THE SLIVER NEEDS TO BE A MUCH BIGGER PIECE OF THE PIE. SUCH IS THE PICTURE OF COUNSELING IN TODAY’S CHURCH. WHICH PIECE OF THE PIE DO YOU PRESENTLY RESIDE IN?

NOW IMAGINE FOR A MOMENT THAT ALL THE PIECES OF THE PIE EXCEPT FOR THE SLIVER ARE ONE PIECE. THOUGH THEY DIFFER, THEY COMMONLY BELIEVE THREE THINGS ABOUT BIBLICAL COUNSELING:

FIRST, COUNSELING IS ONLY FOR THOSE CHRISTIANS WHO HAVE A LOT OF PROBLEMS FROM A HUMAN PERSPECTIVE.

SECONDLY, THE TROUBLED CHRISTIAN ALWAYS INITIATES THE COUNSELING.

THIRDLY, IT MUST BE DONE BY THE SENIOR PASTOR OR A “TRAINED PROFESSIONAL”

THATS A PICTURE OF THE CONDITION AND SCOPE OF COUNSELING IN TODAY’S TYPICAL CHURCH. BUT IT’S NOT THE SAME PICTURE THE BIBLE PRESENTS.

FIRST OF ALL, OUR GOD IS NOT A GOD OF CONFUSION. THERE ARE NOT MULTIPLE SOURCES FOR GOD’S GUIDANCE AND COUNSEL. THE  WORD OF GOD IS TOTALLY SUFFICIENT.

PSALM 1:1 AND 119:105 SAY THAT GOD’S WORD GIVES US DIRECTION. 2PETER 1:3 SAYS THAT THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD SUPPLIES US WITH EVERYTHING WE NEED FOR LIFE AND GODLINESS. THEN PETER SAYS IN VERSES 16-21 THAT THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD IN HIS WORD IS EVEN BETTER AND MORE CERTAIN THAN THE EVENTS AND MIRACLES THE APOSTLES WITNESSED WITH THEIR OWN EYES. HEBREWS 4:12,13 SAYS THE WORD OF GOD IS LIVING AND ACTIVE AND CAN LAY OPEN THE SOUL AND SPIRIT LIKE A DOUBLE EDGE SWORD CAN LAY OPEN A BODY ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE BONE MARROW. IT DISCERNS AND JUDGES THE ATTITUDES AND THOUGHTS OF THE MIND AND PREPARES MAN TO GIVE AN ACCOUNT TO GOD.

I ASK ANYONE WHO SAYS THE WORD IS NOT SUFFICIENT: CAN YOUR TRUTH DO THAT?
LASTLY ON THIS POINT, BUT NOT LEAST, PSALM 138:2  SAYS GOD HAS EXALTED HIS WORD EVEN ABOVE HIS OWN NAME!

THEREFORE, THERE IS NO NEED FOR CONFUSION AMONG GOD’S  PEOPLE, AS JESUS SAID, “THY WORD IS TRUTH.” ALL COUNSEL CONCERNING THE ISSUES OF LIFE MUST BE FROM THE WORD OF GOD. THERE IS NO OTHER VIABLE SOURCE.

BUT WHAT ABOUT THE NEED FOR COUNSELING ACTIVITY? SURELY COUNSELING TAKES A BACK SEAT IN A BIG WAY TO TEACHING AND PREACHING, RIGHT? LETS TAKE A WALK THROUGH THE SCRIPTURES AND FIND OUT.

FIRST OF ALL, WE FIND OUT A VERY IMPORTANT TRUTH ABOUT COUNSELING IN THE VERY BEGINNING OF THE BIBLE. IN GENESIS 1:27-2:25, WE FIND OUT MAN WAS CREATED TO BE COUNSELED. GOD BUILT IN THE NEED. IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE CREATION, MOST OF CHAPTER 1 AND ALL OF CHAPTER 2 DESCRIBES GOD’S COUNSEL TO ADAM AND EVE.

IMMEDIATELYAFTER THE FALL, WE FIND ADAM, EVE AND SATAN IN A COUNSELING SESSION WITH GOD. LATER, WE FIND GOD COUNSELING CAIN AFTER HE MURDERED HIS BROTHER ABLE. WE ALSO FIND SEVERAL COUNSELING SESSIONS BETWEEN GOD, ABRAHAM AND LOT. HAGAR IS COUNSELED IN THE WILDERNESS AND JOSEPH COUNSELS HIS BROTHERS. IN EXODUS THROUGH DEUTERONOMY, GOD AND MOSES COUNSEL THE ISRAELITES. IN NUMBERS 18, JETHRO AND MOSES SET UP A COUNSELING SYSTEM WHERE MOSES TOOK THE MOST DIFFICULT CASES AND THE REST WHERE SPLIT UP AMONG OTHER COUNSELORS. IN THE HISTORICAL AND PROPHETIC BOOKS, GOD COUNSELS HIS PEOPLE THROUGH THE PROPHETS. NATHAN COUNSELS DAVID. THE BOOK OF JOB IS ONE WHOLE COUNSELING CASE ALTHOUGH JOB’S THREE FRIENDS ARE A STUDY ON HOW NOT TO COUNSEL. THE BOOK OF PROVERBS IS A COUNSELING MANUAL. THE BOOK OF JONAH IS YET ANOTHER COUNSELING CASE. IN A MATTER OF FACT, THE BOOK OF JONAH GIVES GREAT INSIGHT INTO THE PROBLEM OF DEPRESSION.

SO FAR, THERE IS BARELY MORE THAN TWO NOTABLE SERMONS IN THE OLD TESTAMENT, BUT MANY MORE COUNSELING EXAMPLES COULD BE CITED IF TIME PERMITTED.

IN THE GOSPELS, ONE SERMON BY JESUS IS RECORDED, THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT, BUT HIS COUNSEL TO OTHERS CONSUMES THE BOOKS. NICODEMUS, THE WOMAN AT THE WELL, THE RICH YOUNG RULER, THE APOSTLES AND OF COURSE PETER. THE EPISTLES ARE ALMOST ALL CORRECTIVE. EPHESIANS SIMULATES PROVERBS AS A COUNSELING MANUAL. PRISCILLA AND AQUILA COUNSEL APOLLOS AND JESUS COUNSELS THE SEVEN CHURCHES IN REVELATION. BUT YET, ONLY A FEW NOTABLE SERMONS BY PETER AND PAUL ARE RECORDED.

ONE MORE POINT NEEDS TO BE MADE HERE. NOT ONLY DOES COUNSELING CONSUME A VERY LARGE PORTION OF SCRIPTURE, BUT MOST OF IT IS PROACTIVE ON THE PART OF THE COUNSELORS. IN A MATTER OF FACT, HEB 10:24-25 SAYS ONE OF THE PRIMARY REASONS WE MEET TOGETHER IS FOR PROACTIVE COUNSEL.

WE SEE THAT COUNSELING IS VERY PREVALENT IN THE SCRIPTURES, BUT WHO COUNSELS AND WHO IS SUPPOSED TO DO COUNSELING?

WELL, WE HAVE SEEN THAT GOD HAS DONE COUNSELING FACE TO FACE WITH MAN. CHRIST IS CALLED THE “MIGHTY COUNSELOR.” THE HOLY SPIRIT IS WITHOUT A DOUBT THE MOST ACTIVE COUNSELOR EVER AND IT IS IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT ANGELS HAVE ALSO BEEN VERY ACTIVE COUNSELORS. AN ANGEL COUNSELED MARTHA AND MARY AT THE TOMB. AN ANGEL COUNSELED THE APOSTLES AT CHRIST’ ASCENSION. AN ANGEL COUNSELED JOSEPH AND THERE ARE MANY MORE EXAMPLES.

BUT WHAT ABOUT THOSE OF US IN THE CHURCH ON EARTH?

FIRST OF ALL, PASTORS ARE TO COUNSEL. IT IS ESSENTIAL THAT A PASTOR CAN TAKE THE WORD OF GOD AND GUIDE THE SAINTS IN EXEGETING  HEARTS, MOTIVES AND ATTITUDES. UNDER THE INSPIRATION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, PETER COMMANDS ALL ELDERS TO”SHEPHERD THE FLOCK OF GOD THAT IS AMONG YOU”. SHEPHERDS GUIDE, TEACH AND PROTECT AND MUST GIVE ACCOUNT OF YOUR LIFE FACE TO FACE WITH THE LORD JESUS CHRIST ACCORDING TO HEB 13:17. NOTICE THAT THIS VERSE ASSUMES THAT ELDERS “KEEP WATCH” OVER YOU.

ALSO, THE SCRIPTURES MAKE IT CLEAR WHAT THE PASTORS TOOLS ARE FOR DOING THIS, PRAYER AND THE WORD OF GOD.

IN ACTS 6:2-4. NOTICE THE TERM “MINISTRY OF THE WORD” IN THESE VERSES. THE MINISTRY OF THE WORD IS MORE THAN PREACHING. IT IS TEACHING, REBUKING, CORRECTING AND TRAINING IN RIGHTEOUSNESS ACCORDING TO 2TIM 3:16. PREACHING AND TEACHING ALONE CANNOT NOT ACCOMPLISH THIS, THAT IS OBVIOUS. VERSE 17 ADDS THAT THE WORD OF GOD FULLY EQUIPS THE MAN OF GOD FOR THIS TASK.

BEFORE WE MOVE ON, LET ME SAY THIS; THERE IS BARELY ANYTHING MORE SHAMEFUL THAN MEN WHO CALL THEMSELVES PASTORS THAT SEND  HURTING PEOPLE OUTSIDE THE CHURCH TO THOSE WHO REJECT GOD’S WORD AS THE FINAL AUTHORITY FOR ALL COUNSELING.

OTHER THAN PASTORS, PARENTS ARE TO COUNSEL THEIR CHILDREN [ DUE 11;19, EPH 6:4]. GRANDPARENTS ARE TO COUNSEL THEIR GRANDCHILDREN [ DUE  6:9]. OLDER WOMEN ARE TO COUNSEL YOUNGER WOMEN [TITUS 2;1-5] HUSBANDS ARE TO COUNSEL THEIR WIVES [EPH 5;25,26]. THOSE WHO HAVE ENDURED TRIALS GOD’S WAY ARE TO COUNSEL
[2COR 1;3,4].

AND FINALLY,COUNSELING IS TO BE ONGOING BETWEEN CHRISTIANS. ALL CHRISTIANS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR COUNSELING EACH OTHER AND BEING SKILLED AT DOING SO THROUGH TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE [COL 3:16 ROM 15:14 AND ITHESS 514]. ALSO, APPARENTLY COUNSELING WILL CONTINUE AFTER THE COMING OF CHRIST. PAUL SAYS IN ICOR 6:3 THAT WE WILL COUNSEL ANGELS.

BEFORE WE MOVE ON TO THE NEXT POINT, LET’S DRAW ANOTHER PIE. MAKE ONE BIG PIECE THAT CIRCLES ALMOST ALL THE WAY AROUND. LABEL IT COUNSELING. NOW MAKE A SMALL PIECE. LABEL IT PREACHING,SACRAMENTS,WORSHIP SERVICES. I HOPE THAT DOESN’T OFFEND YOU. BUT I THINK IT IS A FAIR BIBLICAL PICTURE OF THE MAGNITUDE OF THE ROLE COUNSELING SHOULD PLAY IN THE CHURCH. OBVIOUSLY, COUNSELING DOES NOT PLAY THIS LARGE OF A ROLE IN TODAY’S CHURCH, BUT AT ONE TIME IT DID.

AT SOME POINT IN AMERICAN CHURCH HISTORY, THE CHURCH   BEGAN TO FOCUS ON AND EMPHASIZE WHOLESALE, ONE TIME PROFESSIONS OF FAITH AT THE END OF FORMAL  PREACHING AND FOCUSED AWAY FROM THE EVERYDAY SANCTIFICATION PROCESS.

TO MAKE THIS POINT QUICKLY, LET’S DRAW TWO PICTURES IN OUR MIND. ON THE ONE HAND YOU HAVE CHRISTIANS EXHORTING EACH OTHER, ADMONISHING EACH OTHER, COMFORTING EACH OTHER, TRAINING EACH OTHER,TEACHING EACH OTHER, ENCOURAGING EACH OTHER, PRAYING FOR EACH OTHER, ALL IN THE MILIEU OF LIFE. THEY SEE THEIR REMAINING MORTALITY AS A POWERFUL TYRANT THAT MUST BE BEATEN DOWN AND BROUGHT UNDER THE AUTHORITY OF THE WORD OF GOD WITH THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, STRINGENT DISCIPLINE AND THE AID OF OTHER BELIEVERS. THEN ON THE OTHER HAND, JUST THINK OF A BILLY GRAHAM CRUSADE. OR BETTER YET, A STADIUM FULL OF 350,000 TOUCHY FEELY MEN.

I’M NOT SAYING THAT NOTHING GOOD COMES OUT OF THOSE EVENTS. WHAT I’M SAYING IS THAT IT’S THE TRADE OFF IN FOCUS AND EMPHASIS THAT THE CHURCH HAS MADE AND PRECIOUS FEW PEOPLE WOULD DENY THAT.

THE CHURCHES FOCUS AWAY FROM THE RIGORS OF EVERYDAY SANCTIFICATION NATURALLY LED IT’S PASTORS AND LAITY AWAY FROM COUNSELING BECAUSE COUNSELING PLAYS A MAJOR ROLE IN THE SANCTIFICATION PROCESS. THIS LED TO A PROBLEM THAT MOSTLY EFFECTED THE PASTOR’S ABILITY TO MINISTER TO PEOPLE. KNOWING WHO PEOPLE ARE AND WHAT MAKES THEM TIC IS ESSENTIAL TO OUR ABILITY TO HELP THEM. PASTORS DO NOT LEARN ABOUT PEOPLE BY PREACHING THEOLOGY FROM THE PULPIT. THEY LEARN ABOUT PEOPLE BY INTERACTING WITH THEM AND THEIR PROBLEMS ON A CONTINUAL BASIS. THIS IS WHAT HAPPENED FOR WHATEVER REASON: PASTORS TURNED THEIR BACKS ON COUNSELING PEOPLE AND BEGAN TO FOCUS SOLELY ON PREACHING AND THE EFFECT ON THE CHURCH HAS BEEN PROFOUND.

FIRST, IN REGARD TO PREACHING, AS WE DISCUSSED EARLIER, PREACHING BECAME SERMONS OF ABSTRACT THEOLOGY. WHEN PASTORS STOPPED LEARNING ABOUT PEOPLE BY COUNSELING EXPERIENCE AND THE WORD OF GOD, THEY LOST THEIR ABILITY TO ENJECT PRACTICAL APPLICATION INTO THEIR SERMONS AND PREACHING BECAME REDUCED TO THEOLOGICAL FACTS. JAKE SAT UNDER A LOT OF THIS KIND OF PREACHING / TEACHING AND WHEN THE TRIALS OF LIFE CAME, HIS HOUSE CAME CRASHING DOWN!

SECONDLY, THE CHURCHES TESTIMONY TO THE WORLD HAS BEEN PROFOUNDLY EFFECTED. THE INABILITY TO APPLY THEOLOGY TO LIFE HAS GREATLY HINDERED SANCTIFICATION IN THE CHURCH AND THEREFORE HAS CRIPPLED OUR IMPACT ON SOCIETY AND THE WORLD.

THIRDLY, ABSTRACT THEOLOGY HAS CAUSED A MAJORITY OF CHRISTIANS IN TODAY’S CHURCH TO DOUBT THAT GOD’S WORD IS TOTALLY SUFFICIENT BECAUSE THEY HAVE NOT BEEN TAUGHT, NOR HAVE WITNESSED IT’S TRANSFORMING POWER THAT RESULTS FROM IT’S PRACTICAL APPLICATION.

FOURTHLY, THIS HAS ALSO LED TO A GREAT DECLINE IN EVANGELISM. IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO GET CHRISTIANS EXCITED ABOUT EVANGELISM WHEN THEY DO NOT SEE THE AWESOME POWER OF GOD BEING DEMONSTRATED IN THEIR OWN LIVES AND THE LIVES OF OTHERS. HAVE YOU NOTICED HOW DIFFICULT IT IS TO GET CHRISTIANS EXCITED ABOUT EVANGELISM? ANYMORE, TO GET CHRISTIANS TO EVANGELIZE YOU HAVE TD PACKAGE IT WITH A TRIP OR A VACATION. BUT EVEN THEN EVANGELISM HAS LOST IT’S EFFECTIVENESS BECAUSE WHEN PASTORS STOPPED LEARNING ABOUT PEOPLE AND CHRISTIANS STOPPED LEARNING ABOUT EACH OTHER, GOSPEL PRESENTATIONS BECAME CANNED. THE ROMANS ROAD, THE FOUR SPIRITUAL LAWS, TRACKS, EVANGELISM EXPLOSION, PEOPLE RUNNING UP AND DOWN ISLES, ENDLESS RE-DEDICATION AND ENDLESS CLICHES.

THE APOSTLE PAUL KNEW PEOPLE AND THAT’S WHY HIS GOSPEL PRESENTATIONS WERE FITTED TO THE PERSON AND THE SITUATION WITHOUT COMPROMISE. DID NOT CHRIST PRESENT THE GOSPEL TO THE WOMAN AT THE WELL IN A DIFFERENT WAY THAN NICODEMUS AND THE RICH YOUNG RULER? NOT TO MENTION MANY OTHERS.

LET ME READ PHILEMON 4-7 BECAUSE I THINK IT TIES ALL OF MY POINTS TOGETHER [READ]. BY ACTIVELY REFRESHING THE HEARTS OF THE SAINTS, PAUL SAID PHILEMON WOULD GAIN A FULL UNDERSTANDING OF EVERY GOOD THING WE HAVE IN CHRIST, AND SO IT IS WITH US ALSO.

UNDER POINT FOUR, LET’S NOW DISCUSS THE QUESTION AS TO WHETHER OR NOT THE CHURCH NEEDS A COUNSELING SYSTEM. IN OTHER WORDS, DOES THE CHURCH NEED METHODOLOGY IN ORDER TO COUNSEL EFFECTIVELY?

MANY PASTORS WOULD SAY NO, AND HERE’S HOW THE ARGUMENT GOES: THIS IS ALMOST A WORD FOR WORD QUOTE FROM A PASTOR FRIEND OF MINE; “PAUL, IF THE PEOPLE WOULD JUST COME TO THE SERMONS AND STUDY THE WORD OF GOD ON THEIR OWN, THEY WOULDN’T NEED COUNSELING. I CAN’T TELL YOU HOW MANY TIMES SOMEBODY HAS CALLED ME FOR COUNSEL ON AN ISSUE THAT I PREACHED ON JUST THE WEEK BEFORE”

THERE ARE MANY PROBLEMS WITH THIS REASONING BUT I WILL ONLY COVER THE MAJOR ONES. THIS REASONING ASSUMES PEOPLE ALWAYS KNOW EXACTLY WHAT THEIR PROBLEM IS AND CAN THEREFORE ALWAYS APPLY THE RIGHT SERMON. NOT SO. JERE 17:9 SAYS WE CANNOT KNOW OUR OWN HEARTS APART FROM THE WORD OF GOD

PROVERBS 20:5 SAYS THAT IT TAKES A WISE MAN TO DRAW OUT THE ISSUES OF THE HEART. GAL 6:1 DOES NOT SAY TO SEND A FALLEN BROTHER OR SISTER TO A PREACHING SERVICE, IT SAYS TO SEND “THOSE WHO ARE SPIRITUAL”. ALSO, THIS LINE OF REASONING ASSUMES GOD GAUGES THE TRIALS OF LIFE ACCORDING TO SERMON SCHEDULES. CERTAINLY WE SHOULD ALL KNOW BETTER THAN THAT.

ANOTHER ARGUMENT IS THAT THE PRESENT DAY BIBLICAL COUNSELING
MOVEMENT MAKES A STRONG DISTINCTION BETWEEN WHAT IS CALLED COUNSELORS AND COUNSELEES, CREATING A SORT OF HAVE AND HAVE NOT ENVIRONMENT THAT SMACKS OF PROFESSIONALISM. ACTUALLY, THE BIBLE MAKES THAT DISTINCTION BUT IT’S NOT PROFESSIONALISM. IT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THOSE WHO DILIGENTLY STUDY THE SCRIPTURES AND APPLY THEM TO THERE OWN LIFE AND HAVE EXPERIENCE HELPING OTHERS TO DO THE SAME. THE BIBLE CALLS THEM “MATURE” [HEB 5:14], AND “SPIRITUAL” [GAL 6:1] AND PEOPLE OF “FAITH AND LOVE” [PHILEMON 4-6].

HERE IS ANOTHER THOUGHT: WHEN YOUR A NEW CHRISTIAN, YOUR PURELY A COUNSELEE FOR THE MOST PART. AS YOU GROW, YOU LEARN HOW TO COUNSEL YOURSELF AND OTHERS AND BECOME MORE OF A COUNSELOR AND LESS OF A COUNSELEE. ONCE YOU START TO GROW AND MATURE, THERE IS ALWAYS GOING TO BE SOMEBODY WHO KNOWS LESS THAN YOU DO. THEY ARE CANDIDATES TO BE HELPED BY YOU.

BUT IT SHOULD BE OUR GOAL TO BEAR OUR OWN BURDENS AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE SO WE ARE FREE TO HELP OTHERS THAT MUCH MORE. WELL THEN, YOU ASK, WHAT HAPPENS WHEN MOST OF YOUR PEOPLE ARE MATURE AND COUNSELEES GET SCARCE. YOU KNOW WHAT HAPPENS THEN? THE WALLS OF THE CHURCH CAN’T CONTAIN IT. THE PEOPLE GOTTA COUNSEL SOMEWHERE EVEN IF IT’S THE PRE-COUNSELING  OF EVANGELISM. YOUR PEOPLE MOVE OUT AND BECOME AN AWESOME LIGHT IN THEIR COMMUNITY FOR THE GLORY OF GOD!

I THINK AS THE PEOPLE DILIGENTLY APPLY THE WORD OF GOD TO THEIR OWN LIVES AND HELP OTHERS TO DO THE SAME, THEY BEGIN TO SEE GOD’S TRANSFORMING POWER AND CANNOT RESTRAIN THEMSELVES FROM SHARING IT WITH OTHERS.

OUR FINAL POINT TONIGHT IS ARGUMENTS FOR A COUNSELING SYSTEM.

1. BECAUSE GOD HIMSELF IS A GOD OF SYSTEMS AND METHODS. THIS IS CLEAR FROM CREATION. THE SOLAR SYSTEM. THE NATURAL SYSTEM OF HYDROLOGY ECT. GOD USED METHODS AND SYSTEMS TO WRITE HIS WORD. WHEN GOD COUNSELED ADAM AND EVE AFTER THE FALL, HE BEGAN WITH ADAM FIRST. THEN EVE. THEN THE SERPENT. AFTER HEARING THEIR EXPLANATIONS, HE DEALT WITH THEM IN THE SAME ORDER CONCERNING THE CONSEQUENCES OF WHAT THEY HAD DONE. GOD ALWAYS USES SYSTEMS AND METHODS.

2. IF WE SEE A NEED FOR SYSTEMATIZED THEOLOGY, SYSTEMATIC BIBLE STUDY AND  A CHRISTIAN SCHOOL SYSTEM, WHY WOULD WE NOT WANT A SYSTEM FOR TARGETED DISCIPLESHIP? THAT’S REALLY WHAT COUNSELING IS, TARGETED DISCIPLESHIP. THOSE WHO APPOSE A SYSTEM OF COUNSELING WOULD NOT DENY THE NEED FOR SYSTEMS IN THESE OTHER AREAS.

3. IF THE ISSUES AND PURPOSES OF MAN ARE DEEP AND COMPLICATED AS PROVERBS 20:5 SAYS, THEN WE NEED A SYSTEM TO HELP US IN OUR UNDERSTANDING JUST AS SYSTEMATIC THEOLOGY HELPS US UNDERSTAND THEOLOGY.

4. HISTORY TEACHES US THAT THE CHURCH TENDS TO LOOSE WHAT IT DOES NOT PUT INTO A SYSTEM. FUTURE GENERATIONS SHOULD ALWAYS CONTINUE TO BUILD UPON WHAT HAS BEEN LEARNED  IN THE PAST AND IMPROVE IT’S EFFECTIVENESS. SYSTEMS AND METHODS GIVE US A WAY TO CAN WHAT. WE HAVE LEARNED AND PASS IT ON TO THE NEXT GENERATION.

5. SYSTEMS AND METHODS ARE CRITICAL TO HOLDING COUNSELORS ACCOUNTABLE AND CONSISTENT.

6. IT OBVIOUSLY TAKES TRAINING TO BE PREPARED TO COUNSEL PEOPLE WITH SERIOUS PROBLEMS. SYSTEMS AND METHODS ARE ESSENTIAL TO GOOD TRAINING.

TODAY’S CHURCH NEEDS A NEW SELF-IMAGE. WE NEED TO SEE OURSELVES AS AN INTIMATE FAMILY HELPING EACH OTHER DOWN THE ROAD OF SANCTIFICATION TOWARD THE PERFECT DAY. WE NEED TO SEE THE TRIP TOGETHER DOWN THAT ROAD AS A STRUGGLE AGAINST THE FLESH THAT WILL REQUIRE US TO BE SOLDIERS AND OLYMPIANS. ANY LESSER VIEW OF THE SIN THAT IS IN US IS TO GREATLY UNDER-ESTIMATE THE ENEMY.

WE MUST ESTEEM OTHERS BETTER THAN OURSELVES, ADMONISH EACH OTHER, EXHORT EACH OTHER, TEACH EACH OTHER, CORRECT EACH OTHER, TRAIN EACH OTHER, ENCOURAGE EACH OTHER, WARN EACH OTHER, PROTECT EACH OTHER, GREET EACH OTHER, BE KIND TO EACHO1HER, SUBMIT TO EACH OTHER, PRAY FOR EACH OTHER AND KNOW EACH OTHER.

THERE IS NO TIME FOR GOSSIP SLANDER, COMPETITION AND A HOST OF OTHER THINGS THAT DO NOT EDIFY AND STRENGHTEN  THE FAMILY.

THE CHURCH NEEDS TEACHING AND PREACHING THAT CAN IDENTIFY THE REAL ISSUES OF LIFE, THE TOOLS NEEDED TO DEAL WITH THEM AND HOW TO USE THOSE TOOLS. THEY MUST BE MEN WHO ARE IN THE PROCESS OF KNOWING GOD’S WORD, KNOWING GOD’S WORLD AND KNOWING GOD’S PEOPLE THROUGH DILIGENT INTERACTION. THESE MEN WILL BE KNOWN BY THE AMOUNT OF PRACTICAL APPLICATION OF THEOLOGY TO LIFE THAT ACCOMPANIES THEIR MESSAGES.

IF WE ARE TO BE A HEALING COMMUNITY THAI GLORIFIES GOD, COUNSELING FROM THE SCRIPTURES MUST BE RETURNED TO IT’S LOFTY POSITION IN THE CHURCH FOR IT PLAYS A MAJOR ROLE IN SANCTIFICATION AND DISCIPLESHIP