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Friday, 23 August 2024

Gathering as Intended > Professional Therapy

 


I have been critiquing the profession of psychology a lot recently on my blog, and those criticisms are necessary, because this profession has a real stranglehold on many things in our society that it should not. A class of professional pseudo-human mind experts has inserted itself into society, it is ubiquitous in the culture, and even a large segment of the Church defers to it. You do not need a professional therapist to walk you through life so you can be mentally well, or content. You do not need psychiatric medication for a whole host of things that psychiatrists prescribe such medicines for. Yet still many people rely on these things in our society, and this is in large part because the Church has failed to be the Church as intended. 

“Failure of the church to support biblical counseling and to encourage all Christians to be involved turns counselors with the required degrees in psychology into humanistically trained “professionals.” The counselor has to make a living, and the counselee becomes one of many clients in a busy day who come in and out on a strict schedule. But the healing of broken lives is not likely to be accomplished by an hour of counseling once or even several times a week in a professional-to-client relationship. It is far more likely to take place in the context of the caring and loving family of God, the body of Christ, the local church, concerned for the welfare of each member.

There ought to be older couples, mature in the Lord and leading exemplary, Spirit-filled lives of leadership, who give the time and expend the effort to take under their wing younger couples who may be having marital, financial, or other personal problems. Many youth are floundering under the ungodly peer pressures and temptations of today’s world, and yes, under the entertainment-centered programs of the average youth group. The young need loving counsel from respected believers who are setting a godly example. The church must return to God’s Word as the only and sufficient guide for “life and godliness” (2 Peter 1:3–4)—and everyone must be involved in bearing one another’s burdens (Galatians 6:2).

The restoration of true Christianity is an individual matter. Revival begins with each of us. We dare not wait for someone else to say or do what is needed, but each of us, before the Lord, must step out in the leading and power of the Holy Spirit to fulfill that ministry to which God has called us. God’s Word enjoins us: “Warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men” (1Thessalonians 5:14).

It is very clear from God’s Word that the local church was intended to be the place where counsel was given by loving brothers and sisters to those needing help. The following scriptures are a few of the many that make this fact abundantly clear: “Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God” (2 Corinthians 1:3–4); “Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ” (Galatians 6:2), etc. Many more scriptures carry the same exhortation.”[1]

It may be absolutely true that psychology is an artificial profession which puts itself in a position that it should not be. In fact, this is absolutely true. But this has only happened because the Church stopped being a place of true discipleship and largely became a social club that serves to pump people up on a week to week basis with a motivational talk. The Church allowed this situation to happen by abdicating its role, and now pastors are happy to recommend to people with spiritual issues that they should seek psychological experts to grant them healing. This ought not be.

Yet it is the situation as it is.

Many things have contributed to this happening in society, but probably none more than the low view of church that most modern westerners, and even Christians today have. Catholics would say this was a result of the Protestant Reformation, Protestants would say this is a result of the enlightenment and secularism. But all branches of Christianity are facing the same issue today: many people just have a low view of the gathering. Many of those same people would simply say this was the Church’s fault, and in large measure, how can you argue with that? You can’t.

What should be simply asserted is to remind people that the Church is not an institution, it is not a building, it is not an organization. The Church is the collected body of believers in Jesus Christ, and if we have issues with where the Church is today, then we can help turn the ship around by seeking to fulfill our role as believers wherever we are. The one another passages in the Bible show how important it is for us all to rely on each other, and to help counsel and walk with each other through this life. You do not need professional counsellors, but you do need people to help carry your burdens from time to time. Wherever we are as believers we can do that, at the very least.

 List of References 


[1] Hunt, Dave; McMahon, T. A.. Psychology and the Church: Critical Questions, Crucial Answers (pp. 181-182). The Berean Call. Kindle Edition.

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