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Discuss the theory and practice of Christian counseling
Discuss the theory and practice of Christian counseling
Discuss the theory and practice of Christian counseling
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One’s worldview determines our sense of right or wrong, helps us make decisions, plan for the future, our view of human nature and emotional problems. A Christian counselor 's worldview will not depend on secular, humanist psychology techniques or materialistic, non-biblical counseling methods with some Bible thrown in for good measure but will identify the errors in psychological worldviews and keep out their influences. A well developed worldview should involve what we believe about God, the universe, knowledge, morals and human nature. Our beliefs about God extend beyond the theological knowledge but also to the extent in which God influences our lives. Our beliefs about the universe include views on creation, purpose, natural physical …show more content…
Not just for enthusiastic Pentecostal churches, the Holy Spirit is fully God, along with the Father and Jesus. He is our comforter, helper, counselor, advocate and teacher, although none of these terms can express the broader definition of the Holy Spirit, His works, importance and intimacy with the believer. He is living, active and the one Person of the Trinity closest to us, dwelling in the hearts of believers. “Christians need to know and understand the work of the Holy Spirit, God 's Divine Counselor.” (pg 154 Collins) The Holy Spirit is discussed less than the Father or Jesus in the Bible, never calling attention to Himself, leading believers into worship and prayer, and may seem vague and hard to grasp in a culture focused on what we see and touch. The result has been confusion and misunderstanding and even an avoidance of the Holy Spirit. The Bible is clear that the Holy Spirit is not an apparition but is both a Person and God, with all God 's divine attributes; eternal, all powerful, present everywhere and holy. God and the Holy Spirit are used interchangeably in Scripture, (2 Cor. 3:17-18; 6:19-20, Acts 5:3-4), was active in creation, conceived God 's Son in the womb of a virgin, inspired the Biblical writers (1 Peter 1:21) and brings us the new birth. The Bible links the Spirit with the Father and Son in equality, leading to the unmistakable conclusion that the Holy Spirit is God, and a person with traits of self awareness, intelligence and a will. The Holy Spirit is mainly discussed regarding His work and mission, living within us to guide, comfort and teach us. Jesus said the Spirit would come to the believers, and would come to “convict the world,” (John 16:8) The Father uses the Holy Spirit to draw people to faith in
In essence, McMinn’s intradisciplinary integrated approach to Christian counseling is more than a “toolbox of set strategies for change” instead it is a “deep, abiding, formative work of God’s Spirit,” within the counselors lives (p 31-32). McMinn (2007) explains his theoretical map is cognitive therapy along with developing a strong therapeutic relationship and trust with our clients is not only essential to the effectiveness of counseling, but also is vital to applying his approach of the integration of psychology, theology, and spirituality into counseling. By McMinn using his theoretical cognitive therapy map he can build upon it to integrate the concerns of the spiritual growth wellbeing of our clients as well as their wellbeing of mental
...nity. The Holy Spirit allows human beings to become closer to God, and the relationship between the Father and the Son. After writing about both the Trinity and Salvation, I have learned that they are immensely interconnected. The Trinity allows human beings to find Salvation. All in all, the Trinity is not three separate parts, but one part with three different essences.
This paper will be reviewing the book “Integrative Approaches to Psychology and Christianity: an introduction to worldview issues, philosophical foundations and models of integration, by David N. Entwistle. As the title states, this book discusses how to integrate psychology and theology. It also dives into to why it is so important to be able to integrate the two. Entwistle explains that just because the two are different does not mean they should be separated and that we have to use both our worldviews. “Weaving together perspectives from psychology and Christian theology can help us understand and appreciate humanity more fully than we could either perspective alone.” (p.3)
David Entwistle's (2010) Integrative Approaches to Psychology and Christianity is geared more towards Christians with conservative evangelical views and provides the reader an outline to different worldview disputes and truth-seeking groundwork that surround the connection that underlies psychology and theology. In addition to analyzing the possible connection of psychology and theology, Entwisle discusses the consideration of integrating Christian faith with the practice of psychology. “Christian understandings of person-hood, the purpose of human life, our need for God, and the ethical teachings of Christian faith are integral to psychology, not merely parallel to it” (p. 199). Entwistle’s viewpoint on this matter is stated clearly. He believes that it is necessary for theology and psychology be integrated in order to fully understand human nature.
Clinton, T. & Ohlschlager, G. (2002). Competent Christian counseling: Foundations and practice of compassionate soul care. Colorado Springs, CO: WaterBrook Press.
Psychology, Theology, and Spirituality in Christian Counseling written by Mark McMinn and published by Tyndale House in 2011 notions towards the idealization that Christian counselors need to be privy in the most recent psychological methods as well as theological theories. “This is a book about counseling processes techniques” (McMinn, 2011, p. 150). McMinn also alluded that Christian counselors benefit from having a spiritual maturity. With having these attributes counselors are better prepared to take note of prayer, Scripture, sin, confession, forgiveness, and redemption. McMinn (2011) model flows in the direction of healing while equating to a more advantageous relationship with The Lord Jesus Christ as well as with other relationships (McMinn, 2011).
Mark McMinn purposely writes this twofold book to first, address the pragmatic assimilation of psychology, theology, and spirituality. Secondly, he explores the spirituality of a Christian counselor, and how this aspect of character affects the methods he or she may use to represent Jesus Christ when dealing with clients. Altogether, this book discusses the dual need for Biblical Counselors to multitask with clients while pursuing personal development in spirituality to advance a Christian worldview. The objective is to “help Christian counselors and researchers unite around certain key questions and perspectives so that our interventions become increasingly relevant and effective" (p. 6).
Incorporating religion and spirituality into counseling from a counselor’s perspective can be intimidating. According to the authors Gladding and Newsome (2014) counselors avoid incorporating religion and spirituality into counseling due to the fear of “violating ethical guidelines by imposing personal values on clients” (Gladding & Newsome, 2014 p. 174). To address the issues related to incorporating religion and spirituality in counseling, the Association for Spiritual, Ethical and Religious Values in Counseling (ASERVIC) developed a list of six competencies to assist professionals. These six competencies are Culture and Worldview, Counselor self-awareness, Human and Spiritual
Recognition of a person’s worldview can be found based on one’s answer to several reality questions surrounding God (origin), human nature (identity), reality (meaning/purpose), after life (destiny), values (morality or ethics). My own definition of worldview is a set of beliefs about the most important issues in life and my reaction to them. While in agreement with Jeff Baldwin’s eyeglass concept, I choose to compare my Christian worldview to an internal navigation system. When I am lost and need to be found, Christ is omnipresent. He knows my location and guides me in another direction.
The doctrine of the Holy Spirit begins with examining biblical witness to the work of the Holy Spirit in the history of Israel, as well as the ministry of Jesus, and in the life of the church. During the creation account it was the breath of God that grave life to all creation. The Holy Spirit has been a primate actor sin the beginning of time. While the Spirit was present prior to the ministry of Christ, the New Testament speaks in greater detail of the Spirit because it empowered Jesus. From his conception to the day of Pentecost the Sprit was present and active in the life of Christ and the believers. We see in ...
the theories, and the techniques dealing with Christian and secular counseling will require different tactics and approaches for it to be effective
On the down side there are a limited number of educational programs that adequately deal with the issue of incorporating religion and spirituality in therapeutic/counseling settings. This can be attributed to the fact that counseling is based in psychology, a scientific field, which has traditionally neglected issues of a spiritual nature (Nelson, Kirk, Ane, & Serres, 2011) as well as the practice used within the United States to separate education and religion (Cashwell and Young, 2011). This then results in a significant portion of therapist and counselors who are not prepared to address the issue of spirituality and religion with their clients. One would think that with the value many Americans place on the topic of religion and spirituality that there would come a time when a client would want to address this topic during his or her session.
The Holy Spirit gives us power to make things possible. Jesus said in Acts 1:8, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” The power enabled the apostles to heal the sick (3:1-10, 5:15-16, 9:32-35) and raise people from the dead (9:36-43). The power also enabled them to speak the truth boldly (4:1-14, 7:1-53,
I have contributed to the problem, and answering the above questions proves invaluable for understanding, preaching, and communicating God’s Word. A study in hermeneutics also raises in many Christian mind’s what role the Holy Spirit plays in understanding the Bible (Virkler 2007, 27-29). If the Holy Spirit resides in Christians, can we not merely trust Him to guide us into truth? One may quote John 16:13, “When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth…”
Most Christians know that when Jesus was here on earth he taught, preached and talked about the Holy Spirit. Also when Jesus was resurrected and went to see the disciples, he promised them of another power to come to comfort them and to help guide them through their everyday lives. This promise was that of the Holy Spirit, to come not only as a comforter but as a teacher and a guide. This guide would lead believers in the ways that Jesus lived. We see this in the first chapter of Acts where Jesus tells the disciples that they will receive power from on high and through the Holy Spirit, they will go out and witness not only to him and Jerusalem but to the outermost parts of the Earth.