Biblical counseling seeks to apply God’s answers to the problems that you face. These answers, according to 2 Timothy 3:16-17, are found in Scripture.
When we look at the world around us—what we see, hear, touch, and feel—we always try to make sense out of it. Our memories and experiences, upbringing and education, body and culture, circumstances and the voices around us all contribute to help shape the way we think about life.
The way we think—conscious and subconscious thoughts alike—then influences the way we act.
People go to counseling or therapy because they recognize that they have a problem. Even when the problem is an external one, such as abuse, accident, or the loss of a family member, reaching out for counseling is a recognition that I need to handle this problem better.
The core conviction of biblical counseling is that the Bible provides what you need to handle things better. If the way you think about the problem influences the way you act, then, as Romans 12:2 says, you need to be transformed by the renewal of your mind. You don’t need better observations from friends, counselors, or therapists—you’ve tried that, and, though sometimes helpful, those tips and tricks aren’t transformative.
The Christian faith teaches that we need transformative renewal:
- We need new hearts (Ezekiel 36:26), and that comes by faith in the gospel (Romans 5:1)
- We need new thoughts (Isaiah 55:8), and that comes by the word of God (Romans 12:2)
- We need new ways of living (1 Peter 1:16), and that comes by life in Christ (Colossians 3:1-17)
The aim of biblical counseling is to bring you into a living, vital relationship with Christ, to show you how to find the living water that your soul craves, and to help you know what to do when you face trials, struggles, conflicts, or longstanding habits.
Biblical counseling is different not because the counselor is smarter or better trained than a psychologist or therapist, but because the counselor’s aim is to help you know the one who created you and who knows best what you need.
Our Ministry Approach
All of this is done the way God says; which is to say, it’s a ministry (Ephesians 4:12). Our ministry approach can be summarized in four words: Listen, love, learn, and live.
Listen. We listen and seek to understand your situation, the external trials you face and the internal struggles you deal with. So we often spend much of the first couple of sessions asking a lot of questions to try and get to know you and to see the situation with clarity.
Love. Our aim is to love you as a brother or sister in Christ, to care for you and help bear your burdens. We will pray regularly for you and study the Scriptures with your situation in mind so that we might provide biblical hope and encouragement to you.
Learn. A big part of a counselor’s job is to help you learn what the Scriptures say. Each session will include study and teaching of the Word, yet in a way that attempts to help you see how it applies to your life.
Live. We will provide guidance and accountability on how to live out what God says. At the end of every session we provide assignments that include spiritual disciplines (Bible study, memorization, reflection, prayer, etc) and practical exercises that will help you live out what we talked about.