Biblical Counseling for Today: A Handbook for Those Who Counsel from Scripture
Overview
In his preface to this challenging book Jeff Watson describes biblical counseling as "a noble adjective married to a nervous noun."
Believers are wise to be skeptical of much that is done in the name of counseling in secular settings. Even under the umbrella of "Christian counseling," one has heard horror stories of cases where God's Word has been misused. But Jeff Watson makes a strong case in this volume for the legitimacy of marrying "biblical" and "counseling."
Christian counselors, says Watson, need to cultivate three fundamental skills in their patients:
- How to tell their stories;
- How to choose their goals wisely; and
- How to practice changes in their lives.
Watson helps counselors achieve these goals by drawing on the interactions of Christ, the commands of Scripture, and the actions of the apostles and prophets. Thus he marries counseling and biblical principles.
- Discusses models of biblical counselors from the Bible
- Gives guidelines and skills for Christian counselors
- Definitions in Biblical Counseling
- Skills for Biblical Counselors
- Models of Biblical Counselors
Top Highlights
“‘All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching [What is right?], rebuking [What is wrong?], correcting [How do I get right?], and training [How do I stay right?].’” (Page 4)
“At best, they hope that their clients will learn to ‘manage’ their problems. Their therapeutic approach is to tinker around the edges of inconvenient behavior, rarely expecting deep-seated transformation from the inside out.” (Page 9)
“To have a stronger punch, people-helpers and behavioral-change programs need to go deeper than raw data, facts, and figures. They need to touch on people’s attitudes, including feelings, beliefs, values, and relationships.” (Page 145)
“Second, Timothy would be doing the ministry of ‘correcting’ (2 Tim. 3:16)” (Page 13)
“You see, Peter believed in change, but change that is sourced in God.” (Page 10)
- Title: Biblical Counseling for Today: A Handbook for Those Who Counsel from Scripture
- Authors: Jeffrey Watson, Chuck Swindoll, Roy B. Zuck
- Publisher: Thomas Nelson
- Print Publication Date: 2000
- Logos Release Date: 2003
- Pages: 244
- Language: English
- Resources: 1
- Format: Digital › Logos Research Edition
- Subject: Counseling
- ISBNs: 9781418506636, 141850663X
- Resource ID: LLS:50.0.47
- Resource Type: text.monograph.handbook
- Metadata Last Updated: 2022-09-28T20:28:04Z
Reviews
2 ratings
John W.Ealoms
4/26/2023