The Journal of Pastoral Practice: Volume 9, Number 4, 1989
Overview
For nearly 30 years, the Journal of Biblical Counseling (previously the Journal of Pastoral Practice) of CCEF (the Christian Counseling and Educational Foundation) has provided a forum for biblical counseling’s development and application. The journal’s mission is to develop clear thinking and effective practice in biblical counseling through articles that faithfully bring the God of truth, mercy, and power to the issues faced by ministries of counseling and discipleship.
Top Highlights
“Their main function, according to this very typical statement, is to relieve symptoms or the way a person feels. When you hear proponents discuss these chemicals, you get the idea that a counselee’s problems are solved by the chemicals. But, in fact, they only relieve how the person feels. It is like taking aspirin for tonsillitis but omitting the antibiotic that deals with the bacterial infection causing the tonsillitis. In the minds of unsaved people (and many believers) relieving symptoms is all that can be done or all that is desired. Biblical counselors cannot accept this concept.” (Page 5)
“Basically the worrier says, ‘God, I don’t trust you with this matter. It is too important to me; I don’t want to relinquish it to you to do your will and good pleasure with it. I want to retain control.’ Worry unmasked is idolatry.” (Page 19)
“In all these conditions the exact mechanism is not known. The supposed actions of all these chemicals on human behavior is theoretical. The specific changes allegedly causing the behavior have not been proven in the laboratory. There is no explanation of how those changes produce the abnormal behavior allegedly resulting from the change. Nor is there proof that change does produce the abnormal behavior. Proof that a specific medication definitely changes the chemical processes within the synapse is not absolute. Thus proof that a specific medication actually improves the behavior by a direct action of the medication also is lacking.” (Page 4)
“The nerve cell with its long sending arm and short receiving arms is called a neuron. The junction between the ends of the arms of various cells is called a synapse. A number of chemicals are involved in providing communication between one nerve and the next within the synapse. Those holding the subject viewpoint consider malfunctions in these chemical transactions the origin of ‘CI problems.’ The chemicals known to be involved are acetylcholine, dopamine, serotonin, and norepinephrine. These chemicals, called ‘neurotransmitters,’ carry electrical impulses from one nerve ending to the next.” (Page 3)
- Title: The Journal of Pastoral Practice: Volume 9, Number 4, 1989
- Author: Jay E. Adams
- Edition: 4
- Series: The Journal of Biblical Counseling
- Volume: 9
- Publisher: The Christian Counseling and Educational Foundation
- Print Publication Date: 1989
- Logos Release Date: 2012
- Language: English
- Resources: 1
- Format: Digital › Logos Research Edition
- Subjects: Counseling › Practice; Pastoral counseling › Practice; Pastoral theology
- Resource ID: LLS:JBC9_4
- Resource Type: Journal
- Metadata Last Updated: 2022-09-16T17:45:31Z
Jay E. Adams A.B., B.D., S.T.M., Ph.D. (1929-2020) served as a pastor, church planter, denominational executive, seminary professor, author, and lecturer. He taught homiletics at Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia and was the Director of Advanced Studies at Westminster Seminary in California. He was the founder of the Christian Counseling and Educational Foundation (CCEF), the Association of Certified Biblical Counselors (formerly NANC), and the Institute for Nouthetic Studies (INS). He was the author of over 100 books including the best seller Competent to Counsel which launched the modern biblical counseling movement. He was the recipient of the Order of the Palmetto, the highest civilian honor awarded by the State of South Carolina.