Author: Abigail Wilson

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Church Issues Fruits Sanctification The Christian

The Need For Counsel in the Church

I would like to suggest that the American church has two very important needs that are going mostly unmet and thus hindering the ability of the church to grow. This neglect leaves the church weak and unable to live boldly and without fear. I believe that if these two prerequisites were met the church could grow as vibrant and dynamic as the Lord originally intended it to be. Without them Christians are unsure of what they believe and are unable to apply biblical truth in the daily grind of life. These two essentials are apologetics (to strengthen our faith) and biblical counseling (to apply our faith in life).  This article will focus on the latter.

The goal of biblical counseling is to teach that the believer’s purpose is to please God and glorify Him (2 Corinthians 5:9) in all areas of their life in the midst of all circumstances, whether hardship or blessing. (Job 2:10) Because sin is the greatest obstacle man faces, we have ordered our lives around the desire to please ourselves instead of God. It is important to note that “counsellor” is not an office one holds in the church; counseling is a function of the church. It is the responsibility of every believer to initiate loving confrontation directed towards bringing about change from conformity to sin to conformity to biblical standards, principles, and practices.

This is what the apostle Paul would define as “nouthesis” as in Romans 15:14 and Colossians 3:. Paul wrote, “And I myself also am persuaded of you, my brethren, that ye also are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, able also to admonish one another.” (Romans 15:14) and “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs…” (Colossians 3:16) Paul is saying that all Christians are to confront and encourage one another with the Word of God as a regular activity. As believers we have the wisdom, knowledge, and goodness from the Holy Spirit that points us away from sin.

Paul explains that every Christian needs this to happen regularly in their lives in order to be mature in Christ. As a member of the Church, I do not see this consistently happening in one-on-one relationships or small settings. This is a big reason believers are struggling to be mature in their walk with God. Most regular attendees can tell you that they are saved and how Christ saved them, but when it comes to applying the Word through their daily broken and complicated lives, there is little lasting fruit.

There are a handful of biblical examples of men being confronted about their sin and admonished to repent. The first example we find is in Genesis 3:8-24. From the very beginning God gives us the model and standard through which we are to lovingly admonish one another. Jay Adams, a well-known author on the subject of nouthetic counseling, describes it this way:

“Adam tried to make a getaway into the woods. But God confronted him nouthetically, in order to change him by words. The relationship between God and Adam had been established on the basis of God’s Word, broken by Satan’s challenge to that Word, and had to be reestablished by God’s Word. God elicited a confession from him. He probed until he got satisfactory answers.”

The model is to use the Word as the tool through which sin is pointed out, which leads to repentance and brings them back into fellowship with God. To use any other resource to rescue them leads to greater destruction and is not love.

When Nathan confronted King David about his adultery and murder he used this same biblical model and the result was repentance. (2 Samuel 12:1-13) In John 21 after Jesus had died and been resurrected his disciple Peter was confused, discouraged, and felt purposeless so he returned to fishing when he should have been fishing men as Christ had directed him prior to his death. Because Peter had failed and denied Jesus three times, as was predicted, he had lost hope and felt he was unable to do what Jesus had commanded. Jesus loved Peter and one of the ways he demonstrated this intimate love was to confront him about his sin and restore him back into right fellowship with him. Jesus reminded Peter to feed Christ’s sheep. The intimate morning Peter spent with Jesus eating fish for breakfast led to Peter’s miraculous transformation into a powerful ministry, and then his ultimate martyrdom years later. Because Jesus confronted Peter nouthetically, God’s church was built and many souls saved. This is the lasting goal of biblical counseling: spiritual transformation and understanding so that sin can be avoided, leading to a fruitful life.

Why why have we strayed from this approach? Because it is hard and change happens in God’s way and time, not the way of the world that seeks quick, easy, temporary results. God’s model takes humility, authenticity, and a willingness to admit that I am no better than you. As I evaluate the church I do not see this nouthetic confrontation happening on a consistent basis, but I think believers are craving it. Believers want to grow, but sin blinds us from knowing how to apply God’s truth, which is why we need each other. Since I’m able to see your sin more clearly than you can, and you can see my sin more clearly than I can we must admonish one another in love using God’s truth as the guide. To use any other tool is not biblical and is not Godly love. This is exactly what God did in the garden. He called out Adam and Eve on what they could no longer see, and then restored them. If God does it and Jesus does it and the Holy Spirit does it, why not the church?

Categories
Discernment Sanctification The Christian

The Deception of Eclecticism

Eclecticism in general terms is an approach to a specific subject that doesn’t hold rigidly to a single paradigm or set of ideas, but instead draws upon multiple theories to gain insights into that matter.  It is choosing the best from an array of options, which leaves the best conclusion broad in interpretation and application.  This point of view in the area of discipleship and admonishment has led to much confusion because so many methods have become more popular than the Word of God. This attitude has led to the church looking more like the world than set apart for Christ.

When ministering to church members, pastors and elders more and more frequently turn to methods from the world of psychology.  Sigmund Freud says one thing, Carl Rogers says another, and B.F. Skinner proposes another. How do you know which approach is right, true, and the most effective?  We should realize that they are using techniques that grow out of non-Christian principles and rest on unbiblical presuppositions.  This results in using ineffective and spiritually dangerous methods to handle life’s problems.  There are three main implications: 1) the Word isn’t sufficient or adequate to every need or problem man has, 2) God isn’t powerful enough to help, and 3) sin isn’t that big of a deal.

An eclectic approach to helping those in emotional turmoil takes the best of everything that has been discovered, studied, suggested, and advertised as good and glues it together.  Peter told the Jews this would happen, “And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.” (2 Peter 2:2) after he had taught them that God has supplied them with everything they need to live a godly life. “…through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, according as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness…”(2 Peter 1:2-3)

Biblical shepherding must keep the Word of God and the character of God central.  God designed man to need and follow counsel from an outside source rather than his own wisdom.  He wasn’t created to know all the answers and be able to solve all his problems, but to be dependent on our Creator and true Counselor, God.  Paul reminded Timothy of this need that in order to be wise, a mature man of God, and to do good works he needed the scriptures as, “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.” (2 Timothy 3:15-17)  Because man has been corrupted by sin his need for godly direction is even greater.  Any method that tries to minimize sin because it’s too harsh, judgmental, or self-deprecating should be evaluated through the lens of scripture and thrown out.  Man is sinful, (Romans 3:23) and as a result our problems are linked to sin committed by ourselves, other people, or (more generally) from a fallen world.  The Bible doesn’t need to be balanced or combined with modern psychology in order to help people change and grow.  It is complete and sufficient on its own.

I would like to suggest that there are two reasons believers and the church have adopted these unbiblical methods and reformatted them to look more “Christianized.”   While God’s Word is sufficient enough to meet our every need, trial, and problem, it is the harder, narrower road to take.  It takes work to study and know the scriptures that apply to our particular struggles, and the answers aren’t quick fixes.  As fallen creatures we want what is easy, not what is hard. We will always choose our way over God’s way because of our sinful nature. Without the Spirit’s presence within us we are helpless against the wicked world, which is why Jesus told the disciples that he was sending a comforter to help them when he left. (John 14:15-19, 26)

The second reason the church has adopted worldly psychology is because they have rejected the clear teaching of Genesis regarding six-day creation.  Every modern psychological model is based in large part on the evolutionary tale that we are just animals here by random chance, and thus should be trained and retrained as one.

By logical extension, since God didn’t create us, then his words don’t apply to our every need and struggle. It only applies to issues of the soul, and even then only years and years of therapy can retrain man.  To say man is descended from what basically amounts to pond scum (the “primordial soup”) is in direct contradiction to the Bible.  The church has been deceived in thinking that in order for people to continue to attend they need to think that the church is relevant and not stuck in the “stone ages,” so they support evolution and other professions that proclaim it.  This decision has been eternally costly.

A non-Christian method may look similar to a biblical truth, but the scriptures must be central, not secondary.  It’s like the story Jesus told about the house built on the rock: “whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon the rock.” (Matthew 7:24) A wise teacher will use the Word of God and what Jesus taught as the solid rock foundation to teach, admonish, correct, and rebuke a disciple.  The result will be a house that stands and remains in the midst of problems because the trials were dealt with using the Word of God first and centrally.  Unwise Christians will build on another foundation that will leave themselves and their brothers and sisters in Christ weaker and unable to deal with future problems biblically.

I believe this is the fruit we are reaping in the church because we have traded God’s truth for worldly truth that’s easier to swallow. “And everyone that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.” (Matthew 7:26-27)  If Christ taught the disciples and the multitudes how to love God and love others, and gave us the tools in which to do that, then I believe he wants us to be the wise man that heard and did what He asked.  From what I see the church of God is looking more and more like the house built upon the sand whose foundation is eroding because it has adopted other means in addition to the Word of God.  The fruit is weak Christians unsure of how to weather the storm of life.  They have chosen the latter truth of Proverbs 13:15 instead of the favorable one.  “Good understanding giveth favor, but the way of transgressors is hard.”

Categories
Culture Fruits Gifts Personal stories The Christian The World

Experience at a Homeless Shelter

Not long after moving away from the Midwest, I volunteered at a homeless and battered women’s shelter in East Texas for about 6 months. In that time I made a handful of observations about how things were run and how these women were being helped. Since I was a psychology major in college and worked in a few challenging situations with troubled college students as a missionary in the US, I had a little bit of experience going in.

The shelter was an old storefront like building and was fully dependent upon donations as a 501(c)(3) organization. They received no government funds, just the help of churches and individual Christians in the area. They were (of course) under funded and the living situation was a run-down sorority type environment, not to mention that it was full of drama. There were fifty beds in the back of the building all in one open room and another ten or so ladies slept on air mattresses and couches. They shared two bathrooms and two showers every day.

While the housing situation was challenging, I was very much struck by how the Lord had provided for them. They had three hot meals a day and all were required to shower routinely. Shampoo, clothes, bedding, and “extras” were all offered for each and every woman for free. Their bed became their closet, shopping cart, and comfort zone all in one. I was amazed by how much stuff they had — stuff that they brought with them off the street and stuff they had collected while there. Some of their belongings they purchased with their own money, but most were given to them at no cost. They had more abundance and possessions than any homeless person you would ever find overseas. They were not in need because the Lord has always promised to meet all our needs. (Matthew 6:31-32)

Their social and spiritual desires were being met as well. With around fifty ladies all in one small space they had plenty of opportunities to share their stories, griefs, and frustrations. Gossip ran rampant: if one woman was having a bad day everyone knew about it. Daily Bible studies led by local pastors gave them good relief from all the spectacles and crises. Everyone gathered in the dining room area multiple times of day to hear someone preach the Word. Sometimes topics dealt with overcoming conflict, pain, and the past. Other times they were taught hygiene, social skills, and responsibility.

As I watched and observed over a 6 month period of time, I noticed there were only three or four out of those fifty who really considered the shelter a short term place to stay to help them recover and deal with their problems. Only these few wanted to get the help they needed in order to start over again and get back on their feet. I began to ask myself: why so few? Why weren’t more women taking advantage of the free and helpful resources that were right there in front of them? Why wasn’t the leadership really pushing these ladies to deal with their tribulations and grow? I’m not naïve in thinking that you could fix there struggles of drug abuse, physical and sexual abuse, illiteracy, major family troubles, marital problems…the list goes on and on.

Where was the desire to contribute to the world or even the environment they lived in? Where was any desire for that matter? And then I began to ask, where are all these women getting money to buy cigarettes, sodas, and useless trinkets? As I listened and talked with these ladies I began to learn that many were on welfare, food stamps, social security or disability. I then began to ask them for their prayer requests and many requested I pray for God to provide via their government appeals for a disability. Some shared stories of claiming disability because they couldn’t read, but when I sat down with them to study the bible out loud, they could read. They struggled given their third or fourth grade reading level, but they could do it well enough.

Why were they praying and asking the government to meet their needs instead of God? I was baffled and frustrated. As I inquired some more I discovered many were being encouraged to apply for disability by other women in the shelter and the leadership. After they received the money I watched what they did with it. Some sent it to the kids they left or had to place in the care of relatives. Some squandered it on useless things and stayed in the shelter for years and years. Few had any desire to leave other than those whose drug addition was too much to kick. Those women just went back to where they came from until another bump in the road forced them to return.

The longer I was there the more and more questions I had. Most who were on disability or Social Security responded that it wasn’t enough to live off of to rent an apartment, pay for cable TV, have a cell phone, get furniture, and pay for groceries. I then asked about seeking employment or rooming together with one of the ladies at the shelter that they trusted. Their answer was they couldn’t get a job because then they’d loose their government check and would no longer qualify.

What is going on here! Since when did the God of the Bible encourage people to stop working? Since when did government take the place of God in providing for people’s needs? Since when did government programs become the Lord’s answer to prayer instead of the people in the Body of Christ loving their neighbor and being that answer? And since when did so-called leaders and ministers of the Gospel start training their disciples to seek worldly authorities for their needs and think that it’s biblical? Where have we gone wrong?

If you look at the Bible, Jesus shows a great deal of attention to the poor and needy of the times. For instance, few of his disciples had any education to speak of and weren’t considered the elite. They were mostly low-class Jews. Some could read and some could not, but all could work and did work. The Word of God was simple enough for these ordinary men to understand, so much so that while they didn’t get it all right, they followed Jesus because they recognized him as the Messiah.

You don’t have to be able to read at a college level or even a high school level to know and understand that God is the giver of all things. He is our provider – not a government or a king. Jesus asked these disciples to give up their work and treasures and follow him. Never once did they petition Caesar to provide financially for their families while they were unemployed. They trusted that God would meet all their needs and He did. How did God do this for them after Jesus was crucified? He did it through the church. It is our job as the Body of Christ to supply for the poor and needy yet we have allowed our worldly authorities to step in and play that role and be that so-called answer to prayer.

This has hurt the homeless men and women like the ones I met and it has hurt the Church. These women now believe the lie that God doesn’t want them to work because if He did He wouldn’t have provided the checks and answered their prayers. It has hurt the Church because we are just holding on to more of our “stuff” because we think we need it instead of giving up our treasures. It has weakened the maturity of Christians and stunted the growth of the poor and needy nationwide.Isaiah 30:12-13 speaks of this clearly.

Because shelters just like this one have trusted in ruling worldly powers and believed the lie that they don’t need to work, they have allowed government to become their oppressor. If these women had absolutely nothing and no government to go to, where would they go? They would get on their knees and cry out to God whether they believed in a god or not. God would prove Himself to them in their times of desperation and show that He is the one true God, the giver of all things. Instead they have chosen to trust in a god that oppresses them and continues to keep them poor. I believe this choice has hindered the effectiveness of this ministry and the women’s God-given ability from to be truly free.

And what about us, those who have much, who have an education and can read? Do we minimize the power of the Word of God and what He could really do in our hearts and the lives of others because we have settled for thinking it’s the world’s job to meet the needs of others? Why have we made God so small and principalities, kings, the rulers of darkness so big? We are as much at fault as the men and women filing out government applications for a handout. We are letting the powers of this world be the definer of freedom instead of our Almighty God. As a result, our ministry to the homeless and poor isn’t as effective and doesn’t bear as much fruit as it could if we truly trusted in God. Christ came to set us free from these evils and this is the freedom we need to teach.