11/19/2009

Resources for Counseling from the New Testament:

by James and Lynelle Buchanan, M.S., www.bbc.edu You will notice that there is no formal book from the New Testament given as the emphasis for our book review section. Rather than give specific commentaries or books that deal with counseling issues from the New Testament, we have instead opted for books that will help the counselor understand, interpret, and transfer biblical truth from the Bible and apply it to the counselees’ life. As such, we have reviewed five books from four different authors that give a variety of perspectives on approach the Bible, both Old and New Testament. It is our desire to help the counselor gain a better understanding of and ability to study the Bible, and thus use it more profitably in the counseling session. After all, the Bible speaks of its own usefulness in equipping us for every good work (2 Timothy 3:17)—let us become better students of His Word so that we may communicate it effectively. Osborne, Grant. Hermeneutical Spiral. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2006. The subtitle to this great book is “A Comprehensive Introduction to Biblical Interpretation.” At over 500 pages (printed with a small font), it is an accurate assessment. Presenting all of the major components to developing a proper biblical understanding, Osborne’s work is essential to being able to accurate understand and interpret the Bible. Beginning with chapters on defining what a biblical hermeneutic looks like, Osborne dives directly into crucial rules of interpretation, including the context of the Bible, semantics, grammar, and syntax. From there, he analyzes the various genres included in the Bible, such as law, prophecy, wisdom, and poetry. He concludes with a lengthy section on the application of biblical interpretation into everyday life. Make no mistake, this is a hard book to read in a weekend, but our recommendation is that you purchase this book and read through one chapter at a time to develop a proper hermeneutic to assist you in your biblical counseling. Ryken, Leland, and Tremper Longman, eds. A Complete Literary Guide to the Bible. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1993. The Bible contains 66 books, with over 30 different authors and a multitude of cultural and literary settings. It can be a daunting task to understand each book properly. Enter this collaboration, which contains articles from 30 different scholars and novelists. Each chapter is an overview of a particular book or books of the Bible. While some chapters are too short (the Epistles are contained in one chapter), most are filled with nuggets to help the counselor better understand the Word of God. This guide is an encompassing work which provides a practical overview to help the counselor better understand the context of each book of God’s Word. Highly recommended. Thiselton, Anthony. The Hermeneutics of Doctrine. Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing, 2007. Each of us who believe the Bible is the written Word of God approach it in unique ways. Some believe that the Bible is a literal book, and should be understood exactly how it is written. Others believe that it is a spiritual book, and one that requires deep study to uncover its hidden meaning. Others try to find a middle ground. Hermeneutics is the groundwork that we use when we approach the Bible. It is a difficult and complicated study, and unfortunately, this book is also difficult and complicated. Thiselton’s book attempts to show the various hermeneutics that have existed throughout the history of the church and how it applies to various doctrines (truth gleaned from the Bible). While he has succeeded in this goal, the end result is often difficult to decipher unless you have a good background in biblical studies and original languages (especially Greek). This might be a good read if you have the educational background, let it be a book you check out from the local seminary library before purchase. Vanhoozer, Kevin. The Drama of Doctrine. Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox Press, 2005. There are some counselors who approach the Bible as a fix-it book; take two proverbs and check back next week. They don’t realize that the Bible is not given to us as such. It is living and active (Hebrews 4:12). Dr. Vanhoozer’s book helps remind us of the Bible’s potency for everyday life. This book will help the counselor appreciate the Word of God in a unique way by picturing it as a drama with God as the center. As such, we are invited, through His Word, to participate in this drama with Him. Instead of just learning truths about God and the world in which we live, we are now challenged to live out these truths in everyday life as characters in this grand stage. Bringing the Bible to life through this vivid understanding, we can make the Bible more than just a prescription pad; it becomes a necessary part of our lives. Very deep and overly wordy, it still is helpful in gaining a new perspective on these ancient words that speak truth actively to those who read it. Vanhoozer, Kevin. First Theology. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2002. The postmodern culture in which we live is increasingly walking away from believing propositional truths. As a result, we need to show the veracity of the Bible in the world in which we live. Vanhoozer’s book attempts to address this concern by introducing us to the God of the Bible through His Word. An abbreviated attempt at discovering doctrinal truths compared to Hermeneutical Spiral, it nonetheless presents a solid case for propositional truths in this relative age. Dealing with overarching doctrinal studies such as God, the Bible, and a biblical hermeneutic, Vanhoozer connects the dots so that God is brought to the forefront in his conversation with post-modernity. You will need a good understanding of the postmodern movement, as well as a familiarity with biblical doctrine (read the Hermenuetical Spiral first), but this one comes recommended.

11/17/2009

You Can Become a Thankful Person:

by William Gaultiere, Ph.D., ChristianSoulCare.com You can be someone who gives thanks in all circumstances! Do believe this? Probably your answer is yes because the Bible says, “Give thanks in all circumstances” in 1 Thessalonians 5:18. But do you really believe this? Are you thankful in the midst of your problems and disappointments? Are you likely to smile when circumstances aren’t going well for you and no one is looking at you? Some years ago, prompted by the Holy Spirit, I had to admit that my attitude in difficulty was more likely to reflect worry, complaining, or jealousy than gratitude. I knew better and kept trying, but the anxieties within me kept rising up and getting the best of me. God drew me to the book of Philippians. Twenty times in his short letter, Paul’s exuberance bursts forth and he speaks of being joyful. And along with all of his rejoicing are many expressions of thankfulness, encouragement, affirmation, hope, and contentment. Where does all of Paul’s positivity come from? Prison. Yes, prison! When Paul wrote his letter to the disciples of Jesus in Philippi he was serving a sentence as a criminal though he’d done nothing wrong. He simply had told too many people about Jesus and so they beat him almost to death and locked him up—for seven years until he was executed. In those days, that meant that for twenty-four hours a day Paul was chained to a prison guard, probably a gorilla-like thug who was loud, vulgar, smelly, snoring at night, and, in his best moments, plain boring! It was in this deplorable, unjust condition that Paul wrote to the Philippians: “I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy… I rejoice. Yes, and I will continue to rejoice, for I know that through your prayers and the help given by the Spirit of Jesus Christ, what has happened to me will turn out for my deliverance… I will continue with you for your progress and joy in the faith… Be glad and rejoice with me… (Philippians 1:3-4, 18-19, 25; 2:18). What a wonderfully positive attitude and spirit of generosity Paul demonstrated when he was suffering! And, though Paul’s example is not common, he is not an isolated case. The Bible and church history are full of similar models of gratefulness in the midst of distress, as is our contemporary world. I have heard people give thanks to God after their house burned down or after they lost their job. I have talked with people who are sincerely grateful to God while sick in a hospital bed or when grieving the loss of a loved one or despite suffering from the painful effects of incest. I myself, in recent years, have in a number of instances been able genuinely and spontaneously to be grateful in difficulties, to bless someone who has criticized me, or to express joy despite being disappointed by circumstances. When most people would bemoan or bicker how is it that some people beam and bless? Paul explains how… Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again! Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and petition present your requests to God and the peace of God… will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus… Whatever is true… lovely… or praiseworthy—think about such things. Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me – put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you… I have learned to be content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through [Christ] who gives me strength (Philippians 4:4-9, 12-13). Like me and you and anyone else, Paul had to learn how to be a grateful, joyful person. He wasn’t born with it. It didn’t come by trying hard, by gritting his teeth and grinding it out! Nor was it zapped into him by the Holy Spirit at his glorious Damascus Road conversion experience. Paul’s positivity was developed as a result of the training that he did with Jesus. Paul had been an angry, ambitious, and negative man. But, as we see in the book of Philippians, Paul was transformed through his relationship with Christ to become a peaceful, gracious, and grateful man. His spiritual formation progressed as he humbled himself to be ministered to by Ananias, Peter, and other disciples of the Lord (Acts 9:1-19). Most significantly, he grew tremendously during three years of meeting with the risen Christ in solitude, prayer, and meditation in the Arabian Desert (Galatians 1:11-24). And as part of his discipleship to Jesus he practiced a variety of other spiritual disciplines that formed him in the image of Christ. Paul learned to “keep in step with the Spirit” (Galatians 5:25), to “pray continually (1 Thessalonians 5:18). He learned to live “by faith and not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:7), to live his whole life in the context of and from the resources of the kingdom of the heavens in his midst. In all that Paul did he took a hold of God’s merciful hand reaching down to him from the heavens and this is why his soul smiled and he had boundless enthusiasm to minister Christ’s gospel to others. He was in the flow of God’s blessings before pains and problems came his way and so he just stayed with the stream of grace and let it overflow from himself to others! The hand of heaven is reaching down to you and I even now! If we take a hold then we will be thankful in all circumstances. This is the life-transforming message of Philippians.

11/15/2009

Up from the Pit through the Cross: Help for the Depressed:

Depression is a distressingly common problem in our contemporary setting. Advertisements for anti-depressant medications bear ample testimony to this reality. Statistically, one in four individuals will suffer its pain at some point in their lives. Because of the frequency and prominence of this problem it is incumbent upon those who are committed to the use of Christian Scripture in ministry and counseling to apprehend the practical relevance of biblical resources for the care, and cure (sometimes!) of depression. Psalm 88 provides a vivid description of depression, much more graphic than the diagnostic criteria of the DSM-IV TR. The Psalmist cried out in the midst of his troubles, from the bottom of a pit (88:1, 9, 13-14). He had been pummeled by unrelenting waves and felt as good as dead—weak and doubting that deliverance would ever come (88:3-7). He was isolated and alone, “shut in” by himself (88:8). Feeling helpless and afraid (88:15), he concludes that “darkness has become my only companion” (88:18, ESV margin). Depression can be summarized as “an introverted form of suffering that obscures hope.” Sam Williams, Counseling Individuals with Addictions: Unpublished Class Notes (Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary, Spring 2006). Martin Luther believed that at the root of his depressive moods was, “the loss of faith that God is good, and that he is good to me.” Care and counsel of the depressed begins by encouraging them to express themselves graphically, and then directing them up and out into conversation with God who understands and speaks the (sometimes incomprehensible) goodness of the Good News into their situation through many passages in Scripture. As an introverted and morbid form of suffering, depression entails an inward focus. Such a gaze finds little hope, as they are discouraged by what they find inside. This is consonant with Romans 3 and 7, which provide a sad but true catalogue of the human state. The problem under consideration there is not isolated to fallen, unredeemed humanity; it extends to those who trust in Jesus Christ. In Romans 7:18, Paul the Apostle writes, “For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh” (ESV). He concludes the chapter with a desperate cry, “Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?” (v. 24). According to Scripture, the deeper one peers into oneself, the worse the situation appears, and of course the deeper the despair. Depression (as hope obscuring and introverted suffering), can be a result of persistent introspection. So as far as depression is concerned, the most important solutions cannot be found within. Where then is the solution? The first step here is crucial and involves a fundamental change in focus and direction, up and out. There is no light in the pit. Where shall we direct their attention? There are many ways to divert their depressive energy and attention away from themselves. But not all paths are equally worthy of our attention. And at the end of the day, there is only one who can both pull us up and out of ourselves, bring to us true hope, and promise genuine change. Paul’s answers his own desperate question in Romans 7:24 (above) like this: “Thanks be to God, through Jesus Christ our Lord!” (Romans 7:25) It is to Jesus that we must direct the gaze of our depressed brother or sister. This makes good sense. The uniform testimony of Scripture is that we do not have the resources within to solve our deepest problems. We need help from outside. We need someone other than ourselves to step into our lives and rescue us. The Bible teaches that God has done this through Christ (e.g., Romans 3.21-28; 1 Corinthians 1.30). The Protestant Reformers described this as an “alien righteousness:” One that comes from outside of us, not intrinsically our own. Hope and our joy are located not in what we can do, but in what Jesus Christ has done (e.g., Philippians 4:4; 1 Thessalonians 1:3; 1 Peter 1:13). By turning attention away from ourselves, and onto Jesus Christ, we begin to break out of the grip of depression. When, like Luther, we forget that God is good to us, we remember the one in and through whom God proved that he is so good to us! When we are drawn into the dark labyrinths of our own souls, light can be found. But such light is outside ourselves, in the one who has redeemed us, pledged himself to us, and given us a living hope! The author of Hebrews urges, look “to Jesus, the founder and finisher of our faith,” and teaches us to “consider him… so that you may not grow weary and fainthearted” (Hebrews 12:2-3). Some may be inclined to dismiss this solution as simplistic. But pointing depressed people to Jesus Christ, the Gospel of God, is more than simple—it is profound. In 1 Peter 1:12, Peter tells us how angels consider the gospel. It is an inexhaustible wellspring of good news for the depressed. In the gospel of Jesus, they find a solution that apprehends the nature of their problem and supplies simplicity and a type of hope that never ends. Although this solution is simple, it is by no means easy. The Bible is replete with calls to endure and persevere (e.g., Romans 5:3; 2 Peter 1:6). We don’t have to “endure” things that are easy. In a very real way, the entire Christian life is spent learning to believe the gospel—to look outside ourselves to Jesus—well. And in this struggle, both the depressed and non-depressed walk side by side as companions in the fight that is worth fighting: The fight for faith in God, hope in God, and love for God.

11/13/2009

Resources for Counseling for Depression:

When it comes to the topic of depression, one must also discuss the difficult issue of anti-depressant medication. There are at least two major “camps” on the issue: those who believe that medication can and at times should be used, and those who believe that using medication is often a violation of Scripture. The books listed below represent both beliefs. While the author has convictions toward one side of the argument, each of these books listed below are recommended reading for ministers who are helping those struggling with depression. Many pastors do not know the meaning of the word, “no”. They continue to minister, even when they are spiritually depleted. Left unchecked, the pastor can find himself dealing with discouragement and depression which can ultimately lead to removal from ministry. Wayne Cordeiro writes from personal experience of the time in his life when he “burned out” in his ministry. Filled with scriptural examples from the lives of Elijah, Moses, Jeremiah, and David, Pastor Cordeiro leads us on a journey to not only overcome depression in the ministry, but how to steer clear of paths that would lead us there. Each chapter deals with specific issues related to pastoral ministry, and the book is littered with opportunities to chronicle your own journey in the ministry. Also included in each chapter are quotes and examples from other famous leaders and pastors in history, including Abraham Lincoln and Charles Haddon Spurgeon, to remind us that we do not suffer alone in ministry. This is a great read for those who are in the ministry—it gives permission for the minister of the gospel to rest, to care for one’s family while ministering to the families in his care, and a reminder to care for one’s own body. An excellent, preventative book that should be in every pastor’s library. Written by a pastor and a doctor, both of whom have direct ties to depression, Seeing in the Dark is their attempt to address some of the myths surrounding depression. Suggesting a comprehensive approach, the authors present a case for strong biblical counseling and possibly medication in helping counselees overcome their battle. The authors make it very clear that they are trying to give you permission to use medication to help overcome depression. They also attempt to show how, scientifically speaking, some people are prone to depression (using examples like post-partum depression and seasonal affective disorder). However, rather than leave us with just a pro-medication book, they argue that what is really at stake with most depression is not chemical imbalances, but our thought processes. Rather than let circumstances dictate our response, we need to filter everything through the Word of God as well as allow the Holy Spirit to work in our lives. From there, other biblical arguments are made to help those struggling with depression to live by grace through faith, trusting God each step of the way. While very much a pro-medication book, the authors continually point us back to the Bible, the only place answers are found to help us deal with depression. Depression affects all of us—whether it’s ourselves or someone we know, depression is almost as common as a common cold. Yet the treatment for depression is as varied as there are flavors of ice cream. Dr. Mack calls us back to the Word of God, in which there are many principles that teach us about depression and how we can help others overcome it. Dr. Mack helps us by defining what he calls the three stages of depression, and how to assist those struggling in these different stages. Referring to many different biblical examples, including Jesus Himself, Dr. Mack points us to biblical principles in helping the counselee overcome depression. Ultimately, our hope is found in God, and we must seek to discover the God who is above the circumstances in our lives that brings us to depression. A specific chapter is dedicated to the topic of those who are depressed in dealing with the loss of a loved one. A final chapter is arranged as a “question/answer” section dealing with issues surrounding depression and unique circumstances such as suicide and medication. This is a profitable book that points us directly to biblical principles to help pastors in their counseling ministries. Dr. Meier believes that some of the problems people face are a result of chemical imbalances in the brain, most specifically serotonin. However, Dr. Meier does not simply suggest medicating the problem, but accurately diagnosing the root of these issues, and then proceeding accordingly. Answers always come from a right understanding and application of Scripture, but sometimes medication is necessary to allow the counselee the ability to follow Scripture. Dealing with many issues like anxiety, depression, paranoia, panic attacks, and others, Dr. Meier’s book is a great primer on how to help those struggling with these issues. Most importantly, it gives answers to those who have questions about medication and chemical imbalances. And, while those who disagree with using medication to help those struggling with medication may not appreciate this book, Dr. Meier never suggests medicating the problem alone. Strong, biblical counseling is always at the heart of helping people. Filled with real-life examples, including Dr. Meier’s own story dealing with ADHD, this book is filled with the hope that can be found in overcoming depression.

11/13/2009

The Sin of Being Offended:

An old children’s rhyme says, “Sticks and stones can break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” While this playground quotation should be true, anyone involved in counseling knows it is rarely reality. To read more Click here