What's Wrong With Theophostic Counseling?

Now, Contending For The Faith.In this regular feature Dave and Tom respond to questions from listeners and readers of the Berean Call.Here's this weeks question: "Dear Dave and Tom, I know that you two don't recommend psychological counselors and I don't think you even recommend Christian counselors.So what then is a Christian to do regarding counseling?One last thought, I have had a friend highly recommend Theophostic Counseling, adding that it is completely biblical.What do you know about it?"

Tom:

Well Dave let's start off with, this person says we don't recommend psychological counseling.This person is absolutely right-not only don't we recommend it, we say stay away from it.And he.... he or she... says I don't think you even recommend Christian counselors.Well, what we don't recommend is somebody who has a mixed bag.They're using some psychological teaching, some psychological ideas along with their biblical teachings or they call themselves biblical counselors but they've set themselves up as the counselor in the church.Whether they have degrees or not, it's one individual who does all the counseling.We don't recommend that.Why not Dave?Why wouldn't we recommend that?

Dave:

Well we don't recommend a biblical counselor, so-called, who charges for example.You want help, you want help from someone sincere.You want help from someone who is serving the Lord and following His Word.Not someone who has a meter running and is going to charge you by the time you spend there.That's not counseling.We need counseling from friends, loved ones, those who are mature in the faith, those who have some genuine sympathy, who could have a relationship with us and help us.Not someone you see an hour a week or whatever and you pay a fee for it.

Tom:

Or even if you don't pay a fee, not that there aren't issues or problems that maybe have be dealt with, but that should be the exception rather than rule.The rule is body ministry just as you pointed out Dave.Somebody who has certainly some maturity in the Lord but you know, anybody can counsel. You can get counsel from a Sunday school teacher, from somebody who's just read some passages from Scripture. The Holy Spirit can minister to you through that and bring conviction to your heart, but we need to encourage one another to do that sort of thing.

Dave:

It should take place in the context of the body of believers, the local fellowship, and it should be those who are watching and seeing. Older couples should take under their wing younger couples who may be having financial problems, marital problems, uncertainties in their lives.We are supposed to bear one anothers burdens the Bible says, not turn to some professional who's going to charge us, who makes his living by this means.

Tom:

And again, it's not just the charge it's the information you're going to get from psychological concepts that's bogus, that is completely wrong, that is so contrary to what the Scriptures teach.It needs to be avoided.

Dave:

Well Tom let me just quote a Scripture, 2 Timothy 3, beginning at Verse 16 through 17:“All Scripture is given by inspiration of God,--- (Okay, the Episcopalians need to remember that one)--- and it is profitable--- (or to be used for)--- doctrine, for reproof, for correction,--- (Tom, do you get that on popular TV shows? doctrine, reproof, correction? I don’t think so, they want to be positive and doctrine is too boring.But anyway, that’s what the Bible says, it’s what Paul says.This is what the Bible is to be used for, doctrine, reproof, correction,)---instruction in righteousness.”And then it says, “That the man---(or woman, or boy or girl of God)---may be perfect,---(That means, mature, complete) thoroughly furnished unto every good work.”Now, I don’t know what more you would want.So, the Bible says that the Scripture itself gives us all we need, 2 Peter Chapter 1, He’s given us all things that pertain to life and godliness.The very next chapter, Chapter 4, in 2 Timothy, Paul says, Preach the word, be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with sound doctrine and long suffering.So, we need to get back to the Word of God, and we need to help one another with the Word of God, but we don’t need someone who is going to mix it in with psychology.And that, in itself says the Bible isn’t complete.

Tom:

Right.Well, the person also asked about theophostic counseling.Maybe some of our listeners haven’t heard of that, but it’s very popular, Dave, it’s moving through the church, I think, like wildfire.It’s a methodology of inner healing, that’s what it’s about.It was developed by Dr. Ed M. Smith, who has a Ph.D. in pastoral counseling from a Baptist seminary.Anyway, here is the basic concept.Problems that we have are really due to earlier, personal, traumatic, experiences, the memories of which have been repressed and are lodged in a dark room within.So, this is Freudian, no matter what he says, they deny it.

Dave:

This is what all the psychologists say.

Tom:

Right.So Jesus is called upon to search the dark room with the client and expose the lie.So you bring Jesus into this whole idea, and you reveal in the memories that you have to do.

Dave:

Do you visualize Jesus?

Tom:

Yes, you do, visualization, guided imagery, hypnosis, all of this is involved in that.But anyway, once you find a traumatic memory, then you find out what the lies are.For example, if I’m thinking I’m bad, or it was my fault, or I’m worthless, or something like that.

Dave:

I would say that’s all true, Tom, I would say that of myself.

Tom:

But he wants Jesus to say it’s not true.

Dave:

Yeah, Paul calls himself the chief of sinners, and the least of the apostles.

Tom:

Well then, the client has to repeat the lie over and over again and really work it up and then Jesus will come in and correct that and kind of straighten the whole thing out.Well anyway, after years of exploring and trying all types of psycho-theropuedic techniques this Dr. Smith, it’s an ecliptic.It’s a combination of those things and he utilizes all of these things, everything from, as we mentioned, visualization, hypnosis, but it’s Freudian, it’s psychoanalysis, it’s cognitive behavioral techniques, that’s what it’s all about.The problem is most of this is all cloaked in spiritual terms so people are sucked into it, but they don’t realize the psychological basis for it.

Dave:

This is all something that the Bible doesn’t talk about, Paul never knew it, they didn’t need it.Okay, but just a basic problem, Tom, because I have a simple mind and I like to just go---look, just go back and you’re going to dig back like an inner healing and you are going to find some traumatic experience back there, that’s going to be the key to your situation, seems to work for a while.Whoa, wait a minute!There must be another one back there.So, you are on a never ending fishing trip into the past to find these traumatic experiences that have made you what you are today.And Paul says, Forgetting those things that are behind and reaching forth unto that which are before.We’re going to trust the Lord, who has come to live His life in us, and we are going to allow Him to do that, and we don’t need any of this nonsense that comes from these godless psychologists.

Tom:

Dave, I mentioned this was popular, you know, they got an endorsement from Christian Research Institute.I’m quoting:One of the elements that makes theophostic counseling a radically new approach to healing emotional pain is the central place practitioners seek to give the Spirit of Christ in the session.

Dave:

Well, you can say that, but you’ve wandered far from the Spirit of Christ, so you can try to whitewash it, but it won’t work.