BIBLICAL COUNSELING AS AN EVANGELISTIC METHOD:

A GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY FOR

EVANGELIZING THE UNSAVED AND MAKING DISCIPLES FOR CHRIST

by

Paul Peabody

Submitted in partial fulfillment of requirements

for the degree of
Master of Arts in Biblical Counseling
The Master‘s College
Santa Clarita, California
December, 2011
Copyright © by Paul C. Peabody
All rights reserved.
 Accepted by the Faculty of the Master‘s College

in partial fulfillment of requirements for the degree

Master of Arts in Biblical Counseling

___________________________________________
Chairman of the Biblical Counseling Department

___________________________________________
Research Project Adviser
All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, King
James (Authorized) Version, Cambridge, 1769.
 CONTENTS

ABSTRACT ....................................................................................................................... vi

INTRODUCTION ...............................................................................................................1

CHAPTER ONE: THE POTENTIAL OF EVANGELISTIC COUNSELING .................10

Evaluating the Objection to Evangelistic Counseling ...........................................10
Describing the Opportunity of Evangelistic Counseling .......................................16

CHAPTER TWO: THE PRINCIPLES OF EVANGELISTIC COUNSELING ...............25

The goal of biblical counseling is Christlikeness ..................................................27
The target of biblical counseling is the heart.........................................................37
The tool of biblical counseling is the Word of God...............................................47
The agent of biblical counseling is the Holy Spirit ...............................................57

CHAPTER THREE: THE PATTERN OF EVANGELISTIC COUNSELING ................62

The Evangelistic Counseling Ministry of Jesus .....................................................63
The Evangelistic Counseling Ministry of the Apostles .........................................81

CHAPTER FOUR: THE PROCESS OF EVANGELISTIC COUNSELING ...................90

Explore the Heart ...................................................................................................92
Expose the Heart ....................................................................................................97
Engage the Heart ....................................................................................................99
Encourage the Heart .............................................................................................101

CHAPTER FIVE: THE PERFORMANCE OF EVANGELISTIC COUNSELING ......103

Faith Baptist Church, Lafayette, Indiana .............................................................104
Kirksville Church of the Nazarene, Kirksville, Missouri ....................................109
Grace Covenant Church, Gilbert, Arizona ...........................................................112

CONCLUSION ................................................................................................................116

APPENDIX:
1. SURVEY OF NANC CERTIFIED TRAINING CENTERS...........................120

BIBLIOGRAPHY ............................................................................................................136

v
Title: BIBLICAL COUNSELING AS AN EVANGELISTIC METHOD:
A GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY FOR EVANGELIZING THE UNSAVED
AND DISCIPLING THEM FOR CHRIST
Author: Paul C. Peabody
Degree: Master of Arts in Biblical Counseling
Date: May, 2012
Adviser: Ernest H. Baker

Biblical counseling has developed as a ministry to saved people. Because some

Bible texts make a clear distinction between the saved and the unsaved in their
discernment and application of biblical truth, biblical counseling literature generally
focuses on teaching saved people to apply biblical truth to their lives. When unsaved
people are encountered in the counseling process, the counselor is warned that they
cannot be truly counseled, but only precounseled, or evangelized. The result has been that
biblical counselors have directed their ministry efforts away from the unsaved and toward
the saved. Some biblical counselors, however, have bypassed that warning and are
intentionally offering formal biblical counseling to unsaved people as a way to evangelize
and disciple them. This paper seeks to explore and test that practice.

Several facets of evangelistic biblical counseling are explored and defined. The
objections to and benefits of evangelizing through counseling begin the study.
Subsequently, the development of biblical counseling principles shows that they apply
equally to counseling saved and unsaved people. Then, several personal ministry contacts
by Jesus and the disciples are documented to demonstrate that teaching divine truth to
unsaved people is not only biblically-tenable but biblically-normative. Next, it is
demonstrated that standard biblical counseling procedures can be used to give help and
hope to unsaved people who come to counseling with problems, and by exposing the
sinful hearts behind those problems motivate them to consider the gospel of Christ.
Finally, three local church counseling ministries are interviewed to demonstrate their
success in using biblical counseling as a platform to meet unsaved people, evangelize
them with the gospel, and incorporate them into the local church.

Taken together, these facets of evangelistic counseling represent a golden

opportunity in evangelism. Local churches, their biblical counselors, and their evangelists
can find untapped possibilities for leading unsaved people to Jesus Christ and connecting
them to the local church.

vi
 INTRODUCTION

The biblical counseling movement is missing a golden opportunity. Local

churches are missing a golden opportunity. Evangelists are missing a golden opportunity.

Just over 40 years ago (in 1970), Jay E. Adams published his seminal work,

Competent to Counsel,1 and birthed the biblical counseling movement. Adams‘ book was

a call to local church pastors to stop calling sin sickness, to stop sending hurting members

to psychologists and psychiatrists, and to stop judging themselves incompetent to

counsel. Instead, he called them to trace so-called mental problems in their members to

biblically-identified sin and to call those hurting members back into obedience to the

eternal principles and commands of the Word of God.2 Adams‘ book breathed fresh

purpose into local church ministry. During its first decade, it sold over a quarter million

copies and continues to sell 5,000-10,000 copies a year.3 In the years since, both training

and certification in biblical counseling have developed to enable the church to recover a

lost ministry to hurting people. However, because Adams particularly applied these

principles of ministry to Christians, the biblical counseling movement has largely ignored

an evangelistic opportunity in a world of lost and dying unbelievers. It is true that

Christians needed biblical counseling instead of psychological therapy, but what should

1
Jay E. Adams, Competent to Counsel (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House,
1970).
2
David Powlison, The Biblical Counseling Movement: History and Context
(Greensboro, NC: New Growth Press, 2010), 1-4.
3
National Association of Nouthetic Counselors, ―History,‖
http://www.nanc.org/About-NANC/History (accessed December 20, 2011).

1
 2

happen to non-Christians? Was it the decision of the church to leave them stranded in

their psychological hopelessness? Was there no way to apply the evangelizing Word of

God through a biblical counseling ministry?

The application of biblical counseling principles and ministry to the unsaved is a

golden opportunity for biblical counseling as a movement, for local churches in their

outreach, and for evangelists in their ministry. As the American culture embraces

pluralism, as people lose godly character qualities, and as sinful behavior abounds in

society, evangelizing through a personal counseling approach becomes more attractive

and effective. This paper seeks to explore the key facets of a personal and biblical

counseling ministry which is specifically designed to reach lost people with the gospel of

Jesus Christ and guide them in their first steps as new believers.

I vividly remember conducting my very first formal counseling appointment. I

was new to the pastorate and new to formal counseling. A married couple who were in

conflict had been referred to me by a local attorney after they came to her to seek a

divorce. The attorney concluded that their situation could be repaired, so she sent them to

me. As a pastor, I was accustomed to applying biblical truth primarily to those who were

saved. Here, however, I had a different kind of opportunity. This couple was not saved

and they needed to hear the gospel, but that was not why they had come to see me. They

had come to get their marriage fixed, if it could be fixed. Not long into the appointment, I

took the opportunity to explain their need for Christ because I knew that was their

greatest need, and I wanted to help them. They did not understand. The man became

angry and let me know what he thought of me and my counsel. He walked out, followed

shortly by his wife, and they never returned. Although I have never heard the end of their
 3

story, I can well assume that they continued on with their divorce. As I reviewed that

appointment, I concluded that they misunderstood my motives. I had attempted to share

the good news of Jesus Christ with them, but they most likely thought I was just trying to

get them ―into my church.‖ At any rate, they left my office that day without help, without

hope, and without Christ. By the grace of God, that first appointment motivated me to

train myself adequately in giving biblical counsel to others, saved and unsaved alike.

Such a situation, however, poses several questions to biblical counselors:

- Is it a good idea for a counselor to present the gospel to unsaved people

through personal, one-on-one counseling? Is it better to simply help them

solve their problem as well as they can as unbelievers?

- How can a counselor address gospel issues without giving an unsaved person

the wrong impression of his desire to help that person see the joy of salvation?

Can a counselor address a counselee‘s presenting problems in such a way that

the need for salvation becomes clear?

- How should counseling change when those being counseled are not saved?

Do we continue to counsel people when we know that they are unsaved? If

they have not rejected or accepted the gospel, do we still continue to meet?

- While we are meeting, is it okay to use biblical principles with them as part of

God‘s common grace? Does biblical truth work even with unbelievers? If so,

to what extent?

- How can a counselor share the gospel of Jesus Christ with an unsaved person

in such a way that conversion becomes a truly life-changing experience?

 4

There is certainly a need for biblical counselors to understand how to counsel

unbelievers who seek them out because biblical counselors will often find themselves

counseling unbelievers. First, even unbelievers may request help from someone in a local

church when they face personal crises. Second, even when he counsels professing

believers, it is often difficult or impossible for a counselor to know the true spiritual

status of the ones seeking counsel before the counseling process has actually begun.

Three situations are likely: 1) In some cases, the counselor will know that a counselee

is unbelieving at the onset of counseling and the counselee has no pretense at being

saved. Using an intake form such as the Personal Data Inventory4 will often reveal the

spiritual state of the person immediately. 2) In other cases, the counselee may believe he

is saved, although the counselor strongly suspects otherwise. 3) Finally, the counselor

and counselee may both believe the counselee has been converted when counseling

begins, but the counselor will discover during the counseling process that the counselee

lacks genuine faith.

Biblical counselors need a comprehensive or seamless biblical methodology for

counseling people, a methodology that meets the counselee wherever he is spiritually and

moves him toward maturity in Christ. If biblical counselors can develop such a method,

they are poised to take advantage of a unique counseling opportunity--they can

intentionally seek out unbelievers at points of crisis and use the counseling process to

evangelize them. No counselor, of course, can guarantee that an unbeliever will convert

to Christ, but he can at least position himself to take advantage of every evangelistic

opportunity that counseling affords him.

4
The Personal Data Inventory is an intake form designed by Jay Adams and first
published as an appendix in Competent to Counsel, 271-274.
 5

A problem has surfaced in counseling literature and instruction, however, that

hinders the counselor who seeks to do evangelism through his counseling. Classic

biblical counseling methodology provides two separate strategies for dealing with

believers and unbelievers. Much of the counseling literature teaches that biblical

counseling methodology can be followed only for believers. This literature goes on to

argue that only an evangelism methodology (Adams referred to evangelism as pre-

counseling5) can be followed for the unsaved. (A closer look at this problem and its

solution will be presented later in Chapter Two.)

Because of this teaching, the biblical counselor is led to make an unnatural

distinction between biblical counseling and evangelism. He is given two separate tracks

to run on as he counsels those who come to him. If the one who seeks counseling is an

unbeliever, biblical counselors are taught to run on the Evangelism (or Precounseling)

Track. On the other hand, if those seeking counseling are believers, biblical counselors

are given full freedom to pursue the Biblical Counseling Track as they have been trained.

Confusion enters into the counselor‘s process. In addition, the unsaved counselee could

easily misunderstand the purpose of precounseling. He could easily assume that the

counselor has perpetrated a bait and switch strategy, inviting him to counsel about his

presenting problem and then switching to the gospel as a way to ―get him into his

religion.‖

While the Bible does make a distinction between the unsaved and the saved

counselee, there is a need for a seamless counseling methodology that works for both

believers and unbelievers and that encourages biblical counselors to delight in counseling

5
Jay Adams, The Practical Encyclopedia of Christian Counseling (Stanley, NC:
Timeless Texts, 2003), 143.
 6

unbelievers. The rest of this paper is divided into five chapters that seek to correct the

confusion in counseling unbelievers and provide material for the biblical counselor who

delights in working with unbelievers.

In chapter one, the potential of evangelistic counseling alerts biblical counselors

to the golden opportunity they have for presenting the gospel of Jesus Christ to the

unsaved. This opportunity even encourages local churches to use the formal counseling

process to intentionally reach out to unsaved people in their communities and evangelize

them. In fact, once the blackout on deliberately evangelizing through counseling has been

lifted, local churches will find two major benefits that come with evangelistic counseling.

First, this kind of counseling evangelizes the unbeliever at a time when he is most open to

the gospel--during a point of crisis. People seek counsel when they realize they are out of

resources. To put it in different terms, people seek counsel when their world-view has

proven inadequate for what they are experiencing in life. Since the gospel (because it is

truth) is a correct world-view, it will have great impact when it meets up with a world-

view that is broken. Second, this kind of counseling solves the evangelistic problem of

populating the local church with baby Christians. The biblical counseling process trains

the newly-converted unbeliever in several specific ways that allow him to join the local

church body as a disciplined, growing believer rather than as an infant believer.

In chapter two, it will be shown that the principles of counseling are not

compromised in evangelistic counseling. Confusion and fear about counseling

unbelievers can be resolved when the counselor understands that the time-tested

principles of biblical counseling can be used with unbelievers as well as believers. Four

biblical principles of counseling will be developed: 1) the goal of biblical counseling is

 7

Christlikeness, 2) the target of biblical counseling is the heart, 3) the tool of biblical

counseling is the Word of God, and 4) the divine agent of biblical counseling is the Holy

Spirit. This study attempts to show that these principles can be applied in the same way

for both saved and unsaved.

In chapter three, the pattern of counseling used by the evangelists in the Scripture

itself will be examined. Jesus and His apostles brought biblical truth to bear on

unbelieving persons whom they met and evangelized. Narratives that describe

evangelism done by Jesus and the apostles illustrate that they sought to expose the human

heart as a means of bringing an unsaved person to repentance and faith. In the life of

Jesus, we will examine His evangelistic counseling of a rich young ruler, of Nicodemus,

of the woman at the Samaritan well, of a younger brother worried about his inheritance,

and of Zaccheus. In the life of the apostles, we will examine the way that Peter

approached Simon the sorcerer, the way that Philip evangelized the Ethiopian eunuch,

and the way that Paul confronted a Roman governor named Felix.

In chapter four, the process of evangelistic counseling that deals with the heart

will be developed. It will be a process that uses the counselee‘s original presenting

problem as the focal point. This is important. By introducing the gospel through the

original presenting problem, the bait and switch implication has been erased. The

counselor continues to deal with the presenting problem and its underlying issues and

shares the gospel as part of the solution to that presenting problem. By exploring,

exposing, engaging, and encouraging the heart, the biblical counselor can effectively

evangelize an unbeliever.
 8

In chapter five, three ministries that are actively involved in the performance of

evangelistic counseling will be highlighted. These ministries are: Faith Baptist Church in

Lafayette, Indiana; Kirksville Church of the Nazarene in Kirksville, Missouri; and Grace

Covenant Church in Gilbert, Arizona. They have not only embraced evangelistic biblical

counseling but have seen fruit and growth in their local churches as a result.

Research for this study has been limited primarily to the biblical counseling

movement associated with Dr. Jay Adams, the National Association of Nouthetic

Counselors (NANC), and the Christian Counseling and Education Foundation (CCEF). A

survey was developed and sent to 27 biblical counseling training centers which are

associated with NANC. That organization was founded in 1976 and was designed to

certify that counselors who were doing biblical counseling were competent in using and

applying the Word of God to the counseling process.6 In addition, most of the biblical

counseling literature consulted has come from writers associated with the Christian

Counseling and Educational Foundation (CCEF), an organization founded by Dr. Adams

and John Bettler in 1968.7

This study assumes that the reader has a working knowledge of biblical

counseling literature and procedures. It is not intended to prepare a person from the

beginning in the process of evangelistic biblical counseling; rather, it is addressed to

those who are already trained in the biblical counseling process. It is designed first to

inform and motivate current biblical counselors to develop both confidence and

competence in using their biblical counseling training and practices to counsel those who

6
NANC website, ―History.‖
7
John Bettler, ―CCEF: The Beginning,‖ The Journal of Pastoral Practice 9, no. 3
(Fall 1988): 45-51.
 9

enter the formal counseling process as unsaved individuals. It is also designed to

encourage and motivate local churches to intentionally develop their own counseling

ministries as evangelistic outreaches. In the opinion of the writer, local churches not only

can but should consider using biblical counseling as an effective way to evangelize the

lost and draw them into active involvement in a local church. Finally, it is designed to

awaken evangelists to the opportunities that exist for evangelism through biblical

counseling. Evangelism literature discusses many methods to use in sharing the gospel,

but biblical counseling is generally not one of those methods discussed.

The journey into evangelistic biblical counseling begins with the potential of

evangelistic biblical counseling. What possibilities are opened to the biblical counselor,

the local church, or the evangelist through evangelistic counseling? That is the subject of

the first chapter.

 CHAPTER ONE

THE POTENTIAL OF EVANGELISM THROUGH COUNSELING

The ministry of biblical counseling offers local churches a golden opportunity to

evangelize lost people with the gospel of Jesus Christ. In fact, biblical counseling offers

advantages in evangelism that few other ministries make available to the local church. In

addition, once an unsaved person has trusted in Jesus as his Savior as a result of a biblical

counseling ministry, such counseling offers an effective process to follow up the new

believer and encourage him to become a disciple of Jesus Christ. Many of the problems

inherent in joining a new believer to an existing local congregation are resolved when

that new believer enters the church through the door of biblical counseling. In this

chapter, the potential of using biblical counseling for evangelism will be explored.

Evaluating the Objection to Evangelistic Counseling

Before we explore this golden opportunity, however, we must resolve a teaching

in the counseling movement which has discouraged biblical counselors from taking

advantage of the opportunity. Dr. Jay E. Adams, who is recognized as the ―father‖ of the

biblical counseling movement1 and who is the most prolific of the biblical counseling

authors, addresses the issue of counseling unbelievers in several of his published works.

His writing has created an unnecessary fear--or even avoidance--of counseling

unbelievers and has left a gaping hole in the potential counseling ministry to the unsaved.

1
For a description of Adams‘ contribution to the biblical counseling movement,
see Powlison, 1-4.

10
 11

In his more recent writings, Adams forcefully presents the argument that a

counselee who is an unbeliever can only be precounseled (evangelized). He argues that as

soon as a counselor identifies the counselee as an unbeliever, all biblical counseling must

stop and evangelism must begin. In a book published in 2000, he gives a list of reasons to

terminate counseling. Among those reasons, he lists the unsaved condition of the

counselee. He says, ―Finally, because a would-be counselee plainly says that he is not a

Christian, you may have to tell him that you cannot counsel him until he becomes a

Christian. [Footnote: ‗Though you will be glad to speak to him about how he may be

saved.‘] That is because he cannot make changes that are pleasing to God (Rom 8:8), and

you refuse to help him make changes that displease Him.‖2

In his Encyclopedia of Christian Counseling, Adams defines what he means by

precounseling: ―PRE-COUNSELING: This is a term that may be used with unconverted

would-be counselees. It indicates clearly to them that they are not yet ready to be

counseled. The word is but another term for evangelizing‖ (emphasis his).3 Adams does

not consider that the unconverted are ready for counseling until after salvation.

Earlier in the same publication, Adams defines the term counseling. In his

definition he clarifies his argument that counseling can only take place with believers.

His entry makes his position perfectly clear.

EVANGELISM: Biblical counselors counsel only believers. They know that, as

Romans 8:8 makes clear, ―those who are in the flesh [unbelievers] cannot please
God.‖ Since that is true, all one can do is to move an unbeliever from one lifestyle
that displeases God to another that does the same. No significant change can be

2
Jay E. Adams, Critical Stages of Biblical Counseling (Stanley, NC: Timeless
Texts, 2002), 16.
3
Adams, The Practical Encyclopedia of Christian Counseling, 143.
 12

made for all the effort. God has not called us to reform the lost; and we cannot
give him a false security and allow him to wrongly think he has done God‘s will.
God has called us, instead, to evangelize unbelievers. We are to listen to their
problems, then tell them that God has the answer to them, but that they are in no
position to receive that answer. They must first become one of His children for
whom He has reserved such answers. Then, we explain the gospel (all emphases
his).4

It is fair to recognize that Adams does believe in evangelism and will use a

counseling session as an opportunity to explain the gospel. At the same time, however,

his approach certainly lays out two distinct approaches that he believes the biblical

counselor must use in order to do his work effectively.

The result of this teaching has affected the biblical counseling movement. As part

of the research for this project, the writer sent a 12-question survey to every U.S.

counseling center associated with NANC. Of the 16 centers that responded to the survey,

11 reported that less than 25% of those they counsel are unbelievers when they begin

counseling and three more reported that less than 50% of those they counsel are

unbelievers.5 Since Dr. Adams estimates that one-fourth of counselees will be unsaved

even when a counselor is deliberately slanting his counseling toward believers,6 can it not

be assumed that most of the counseling centers surveyed above are not intentionally

seeking to use counseling as an evangelistic methodology? In addition, none of the

counseling centers that responded to the survey had either a written policy or written

guidelines for counseling an unbeliever. One of the questions on the survey asked, ―What

4
Adams, The Practical Encyclopedia of Christian Counseling, 68.
5
Paul C. Peabody, ―12 Questions about Evangelizing Counselees,‖ Survey
submitted to counseling training centers associated with the National Association of
Nouthetic Counselors, June, 2011. (See Appendix, question 1.)
6
Adams, Competent to Counsel, 73.
 13

dangers are inherent in counseling unbelievers?‖ Many of the responses echo the same

opinions that Dr. Adams has written, some of them even quoting Adams in their

answers.7

In his history of the biblical counseling movement, David Powlison provides

further evidence that evangelism has not been part of the movement. He pulled 600

random counseling files from those counseled at CCEF from 1970-2000. More than 80%

of those counseled came from evangelical, gospel-preaching churches; of the remaining

counselees, only 5% came from non-Christian affiliations or were nonchurched.8

Thomas Sigley, in his Doctor of Ministry project at Westminster Theological

Seminary, agrees that biblical counseling and evangelism have been divorced from each

other. ―Christian counselors have generally been slow to weave evangelism into the

counseling process in a deep and relevant way. . . . Most of the models of evangelism

don‘t seem to map onto the counseling context. … A counselor would need to change

gears, shifting from ‗counseling‘ to something quite different, called ‗evangelism.‘ ‖9

Sigley wrote his project in 1997. Evidence from this writer‘s survey indicates that much

the same situation still exists 15 years later.

Interestingly, Adams presented a very different approach in his first book,

Competent to Counsel. There, he describes what could be called a seamless counseling

methodology. Although he recognized that ―man cannot be helped in any fundamental

7
Peabody, see Appendix, question 5.
8
Powlison, 81.
9
Thomas Sigley, ―Evangelism Implosion: Reaching the Hearts of Non-Christian
Counselees,‖ Journal of Biblical Counseling 17, no.1 (Fall 1998): 8.
 14

sense apart from the gospel of Jesus Christ,‖10 he also encouraged counselors to develop

a problem-centered approach to evangelism in counseling.11 In Competent to Counsel, he

allows that counseling with unbelievers has merit: ―But what may be said of counseling

directed toward unbelievers? Any such counseling that claims to be Christian surely must

be evangelistic.‖12 He goes on to describe an evangelistic methodology in counseling

unbelievers, with a final wrapup statement: ―The counselors envelop all from the

beginning with the Christian faith, but allow the gospel confrontation itself to develop at

an appropriate point‖ (emphasis his).13

Using the Westminster Catechism of Faith as his support, Adams went so far as to

say that helping an unbeliever solve his presenting problem has value even if the

counselee does not trust in Christ. He put it this way:

So that to help unbelievers solve their problems, to help them to change habit
patterns from less correct to more correct patterns, to get them to do formally
what the Word of God says about certain aspects of their lives, is to honor God
and do that which is of good use, both to the unbeliever and to others. And so
there is warrant, in conjunction with evangelism, to help unbelievers (all the while
evangelizing) though evangelism be unsuccessful (emphasis mine).14

Here, Adams encourages helping unbelievers with their problems through

counseling. One might say that helping a young couple learn communication principles,

10
Adams, Competent to Counsel, 68.
11
Ibid., 73.
12
Ibid., 67.
13
Ibid., 72.
14
Ibid., 72-73.
 15

or aiding a nicotine addict to end his habit, or teaching a businessman to manage his time

can be considered ministries of mercy, much as feeding the poor or healing the sick.

Because Adams‘ more recent statements have risen to prominence in current

counseling training, however, the sort of evangelistic counseling he laid out in Competent

to Counsel has been largely forgotten and ignored. It is the argument of this paper that

biblical counselors should not only return to Adams‘ early advice about evangelistic

counseling, but they should actively seek to use biblical counseling as a means of

evangelizing the lost. Sigley also believes the two should be united. ―The biblical model

of evangelism is inseparable from good counseling. It directly addresses the real-life

problems of the non-Christian in a way that not only brings true conviction of sin, but

offers the hope for personal change.‖15

How might the confusion about using biblical counseling for evangelism be

resolved? It may be as simple as setting a definition for the word counseling. Using a

dictionary definition,16 counseling describes the entire process of communicating truth to

someone who has sought counsel--whether that person is a believer or an unbeliever.

That is the way Heath Lambert defines the word: ―Counseling is the word our culture

uses to describe what happens when people with questions, problems, and trouble have a

conversation with someone they think has answers, solutions, and help.‖17 In most of his

more recent writings, however, Adams seems to define counseling as growth instructions

15
Sigley, 8.
16
Webster’s New World Dictionary, 2nd College Ed., s.v. ―counsel.‖
17
Heath Lambert, The Biblical Counseling Movement After Adams (Wheaton, IL:
Crossway Books, 2012), 21.
 16

to believers which can only be understood and carried out through the ministry of the

Holy Spirit.18

The Bible itself supports the larger definition. Nowhere does the Bible make an

artificial distinction between truth for the unbeliever and truth for the believer. All

biblical truth is meant to be counseled to others. Some books of the Bible are primarily

written to give information or challenge to believers; some are primarily for unbelievers.

Books intended primarily for a believing audience, for example, include the books of the

Pentateuch, the Book of Psalms, and the Epistles. On the other hand, books primarily

intended for an unbelieving audience include the Prophets, the Gospels, and the Book of

Acts. God Himself gave counsel to unbelievers like Cain (Gen 4:6-7), Balaam (Num

22:32-33), the Ninevites (Jon 3:2-4), and rebellious Israelites. ―Woe to the rebellious

children, saith the LORD, that take counsel, but not of me‖ (Isa 30:1). Therefore, a large

portion of biblical counsel is suitable for evangelistic presentation. The specific words of

counsel to unbelievers may differ from those to believers, but the word counsel can

accurately apply to God‘s instruction for both.

Now that misunderstandings and objections have been discussed, the following

question may be taken up: What is the golden opportunity that exists for local churches to

deliberately pursue evangelism through biblical counseling?

Describing the Opportunity of Evangelistic Counseling

There are two distinct advantages in evangelizing through counseling. These two

advantages actually resolve some of the major issues that hamper evangelistic effort in a

18
Adams, Critical Stages of Biblical Counseling, 16.
 17

pluralistic, materialistic society like that which currently exists in the United States and

many developed countries. These two advantages are outlined below.

One: Biblical counseling brings the unbeliever to the believer

The golden opportunity opens to local churches first in this way: unbelievers who

seek counseling from a local church counselor are seeking at a time when they are most

open to a presentation of the gospel. In the gospel accounts, most people came to Jesus

out of personal need rather than an interest in the gospel. They came to Him because of

sickness, handicap, demon-possession, or relational issues. They correspond to those

people today who seek biblical counseling because of difficulties in their lives. Even

those who write about evangelism have noted that many people seek spiritual answers

when they face personal difficulties.

G. Michael Cocoris, author of Evangelism: A Biblical Approach, describes this

kind of person as the plagued American. He puts it this way: ―There is a growing group

in America who are plagued with pressing personal problems. They are usually more

concerned with their immediate personal problems than with the ultimate and permanent

issue of salvation.‖19 Because lives are changed through biblical counseling, even

unbelievers will seek help. Paul J. Dean, a counselor with Mt. Moriah Baptist Church in

Powdersville, South Carolina, writes, ―Most people who come for counseling are not

19
G. Michael Cocoris, Evangelism: A Biblical Approach (Chicago: Moody Press,
1984), 153-154.
 18

coming because they sense their need for a Savior. They come for counseling because

they hurt.‖20

Dr. Adams himself agrees that personal distress often provides an opportunity to

present the gospel. In his 1973 book, The Christian Counselor’s Manual, he writes of

those with ―nervous breakdowns.‖ He says,

When they come for counseling, they may be dispirited, disillusioned, and bitter.
The short-term solutions upon which they have depended (running, lying,
blaming, etc.) are of no use in solving the problems of ultimate meaning. . . .
having exhausted all known resources, they find that they have painted
themselves into a corner. Such counselees are not ―out of touch‖; they are out of
resources. They have come to the end of themselves. … Such people need to
discover the meaning that is found in Jesus Christ alone. Frequently in God‘s
providence they are ripe for the gospel (emphasis his).21

Author Tim Downs, writing in Finding Common Ground, has learned that ―there

are predictable ‗open moments‘ when the average person is commonly more open to

spiritual issues.‖22 He lists four of these moments which are common to people in

general: 1) holidays; 2) transitional events such as a job change, a child leaving home, or

retirement; 3) national events such as an uncertain economy or a tragedy in the news; and

4) family crises. Several of the family crises he lists are common reasons that motivate

people to seek counseling: ―a divorce or separation, a parent-child conflict, the death of a

20
Paul J. Dean, ―Evangelism in Counseling for the Glory of God,‖
Crosswalk.com, http://www.crosswalk.com/church/pastors-or-leadership/evangelism-in-
counseling-for-the-glory-of-god-1320446.html (accessed August 22, 2011).
21
Jay E. Adams, The Christian Counselor’s Manual: The Practice of Nouthetic
Counseling (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1973), 37.
22
Tim Downs, Finding Common Ground: How to Communicate with those
Outside the Christian Community … While We Still Can (Chicago: Moody Press, 1999),
127-128.
 19

parent or friend, a financial setback.‖23 He also writes that there are more personal open

moments that are unique to each individual. Biblical counseling may very well be the

source an unsaved person seeks when he has a difficult situation in life. As indicated

above, even Dr. Adams acknowledges that though a counselor may try to screen his

counseling to only believers, one fourth of counselees will still be non-Christian.

Because the non-Christian seeks biblical counseling in his distress, he solves

another problem of standard evangelism methodology: he comes to the counselor.

Although many kinds of evangelism methods have been used by God to bring people to

Himself, the biblical counselor has a significant benefit over his fellow evangelists who

use conventional methods. Mass evangelism ministries, for example, must spend a great

deal of time, money, and effort to motivate the unsaved man or woman to come to the

meetings where they will be evangelized. Church revival evangelism must enlist existing

church members to bring lost folks to the meeting where the evangelist will be speaking.

Personal evangelists must go out to the ―highways and hedges‖--the parks, street corners,

coffee shops, malls, and fairs of the world--to get an opportunity to share the gospel with

an unsaved person. Those who visit people door-to-door must face frequent rejection

from those who have had their private lives at home interrupted by the evangelism

worker, whom they often see as nothing more than an aggressive salesman. Evangelistic

counseling, on the other hand, is different. Once a local church is known for helping

people in crisis, people will come seeking help. They will call the church, set up an

appointment, agree to the counseling arrangement, and enter the counseling session with

an eagerness to listen to the counselor and do what he suggests in order to resolve their

23
Downs, 128.
 20

personal difficulties. Since they have called a church for the appointment, they have even

implicitly agreed to being counseled in a religious framework. Because the non-Christian

has initiated the appointment, the biblical counselor has a wide-open door to speak to him

about matters of his soul, at least if he can do so in a way that makes sense to the sinner‘s

presenting problem. In this sense, counselors are like the Lord Jesus. In the gospel

accounts, Jesus rarely initiated a healing. Jesus did initiate His conversation with the man

at the Pool of Bethesda (John 5:1-15; note especially verses 6 and 14), He stopped the

widow bearing her son to the grave (Luke 7:11-17), and He made the first move toward

the man blind from birth (John 9:1-38), but these were unique circumstances for Jesus. In

most cases where Jesus healed, sick people either came to Jesus on their own initiative or

they were brought by others. The same is true of Jesus‘ personal evangelistic

opportunities. Of the five events discussed in chapter four of this paper, Jesus only

initiated the conversation in His contact with the Samaritan woman. There is biblical

precedent, then, for evangelists and counselors to put themselves in a place where people

seek them out rather than always going out to seek those who are lost.24

Two: Biblical counseling boosts the unbeliever out of immaturity

The golden opportunity opens to local churches in a second way that is inherent in

biblical counseling. The process of counseling provides an excellent follow-up program

for those who trust Christ. Follow-up is the bugaboo of standard evangelism

methodology. Mass evangelism crusades, for example, excel at getting sinners to the

24
Although it may be argued that Jesus came ―to seek … those who are lost‖
(Luke 19:10), this seems to apply in a general way to Jesus‘ coming to earth on an
evangelistic mission. He did not often initiate personal encounters during His earthly
ministry.
 21

altar, but even the most polished crusade organization falters when it comes to following-

up a new convert and training him in his new life. Billy Graham and his staff have spent

decades developing and using the mass-evangelism approach to win converts to Jesus

Christ. Those decades, however, have not resolved the problem of follow-up. Author Tim

Downs writes, ―The Billy Graham Evangelistic Crusade says that only about ten percent

of people who make a profession of faith in public meetings go on to live for Christ.‖25

Effective crusade organizations try to train the local churches in follow-up and then link

the new believer to one of those local churches, but there is a natural problem--the

crusade staff leaves after the meetings, and neither the local church volunteers nor the

new converts have any accountability to follow through.

Personal evangelism is rarely different. Although the best personal evangelism

happens one-on-one or in small groups where personal relationships have already been

established, follow-up is still often nonexistent. The personal evangelist is often untrained

in the process of follow-up, but more importantly, he is not aware that his ministry in the

convert‘s life has only begun. ―Sometimes,‖ writes Downs, ―in our desire to see people

come to Christ, we see the moment of conversion as a kind of finish line, like graduation

from college. Instead, we need to see conversion as it is biblically described--as a kind of

birth.‖26 The birth of a human baby initiates a process that is years long. It takes about 20

years to guide and develop a human baby to be a full-fledged, self-governing and self-

sustaining adult capable of raising his own children to adulthood.

25
Sigley, 8.
26
Downs, 140.
 22

The Bible uses the human birth and growth process as an analogy of spiritual birth

and growth. Jesus told Nicodemus, ―Except a man be born again, he cannot see the

kingdom of God‖ (John 3:3). Peter told the scattered believers in his audience, ―As

newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the Word, that ye may grow thereby‖ (1 Pet

2:2). The writer of Hebrews declares, ―For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye

have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God;

and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat‖ (Heb 5:12).

In essence, there is a fundamental difference between evangelizing an unbeliever

and counseling an unbeliever. Evangelism typically sees conversion as the end of its

ministry, while counseling typically sees conversion as the beginning of its ministry!

There are several reasons that biblical counseling is well-suited to the task of

follow-up. The first reason is that follow-up takes time, and time is built in to the process

of biblical counseling. The task of helping a counselee put off the old man and put on the

new man (Eph 4:22-24; see also Col 3:5-14) generally takes about three months or even

longer in some cases. Those months can be profitably used to teach a new believer both

the great truths and the great disciplines of walking with Christ. One evangelism writer

has identified five elements of follow-through and five more elements of follow-up.27

Each of these, he says, is important in the life of the new Christian. The five elements of

follow-through are: 1) assurance of salvation, 2) getting to know Christ, 3)

encouragement to be baptized, 4) encouragement to get involved in a local church, and 5)

answering any questions he may have. The five elements of follow-up (taken from Acts

2:37-42) are: 1) baptism--actually doing it, 2) instruction, 3) fellowship, 4) breaking of

27
Cocoris, 167-172.
 23

bread, and 5) prayers. All, or at least most, of these elements can be naturally woven into

the months-long relationship a counselor typically has with those he counsels.

Another reason biblical counseling makes for good follow-up is that the counselor

is generally ministering as part of a local church congregation. He can easily encourage

(or at times even require) attendance at worship meetings, introduce the new convert to

mature believers, counsel him to take advantage of Sunday school classes and/or other

teaching ministries of the church, and integrate him into the social network of the church.

There is one more feature that makes the biblical counseling process ideal as a

follow-up methodology. That feature is homework! A well-trained biblical counselor

knows that a counselee‘s growth happens between sessions, not in sessions (in the same

way that a piano student gains skill in his daily practice sessions rather than in his weekly

lesson). Therefore, an effective counselor gives homework. He carefully identifies what

kinds of activities will produce the intended harvest of behavior change which God

desires in the counselee‘s life and both encourages and requires the counselee to carry out

those activities as part of the counseling process. By the time a newly-saved counselee

finishes a typical counseling process, he should be reading and gaining insight from his

Bible, he should have memorized several Scripture passages, he should be regularly

attending and learning at a Bible-believing church, he should be gaining skill at adopting

and practicing godly behavior, he should be active in prayer, and he should have resolved

the presenting problem that brought him to counseling in the first place.

Some local churches have learned to use biblical counseling as a major

evangelistic bridge to their local community. The stories of three of these churches are

presented in chapter six. In these local churches, people are saved and discipled into the
 24

church body. All in all, biblical counseling is an effective way to evangelize sinners in

distress, disciple them as young believers in the faith, and integrate them into a local

church. As they are integrated, they are not likely to live as baby Christians lapping milk

in the back pew, but as maturing believers who have developed a taste for spiritual T-

bone steak!

Biblical counseling, then, is well-suited to the golden potential to seek out sinners

in distress and evangelize them with the gospel of Jesus Christ. Is it necessary, however,

for the biblical counselor to change his counseling strategy in order to do so? In the next

chapter, the argument will be presented that the principles of biblical counseling are the

same for believers and unbelievers alike.

 CHAPTER TWO

THE PRINCIPLES OF EVANGELISTIC COUNSELING

It is clear, then, that the opportunity of evangelizing unbelievers certainly exists as

a golden opportunity in the practice of biblical counseling. Some unbelievers (whether or

not they know that they are unbelievers) will certainly seek out biblical counselors to get

help with the pressing problems in their lives. What should the counselor do when that

happens? Should he turn strictly to evangelism and postpone counseling until the

unbeliever repents of his sin in general and puts his trust in Christ as Savior? Does he

need to run on the double tracks proposed by some? Is there a way to draw counseling

and evangelism together? Can what Sigley argues for be achieved?

How can what gets called ‗counseling‘ (where you really get to know someone)
and what gets called ‗evangelism‘ (where you bring Christ to someone) be
reunited? . . . We need a biblical counseling model that incorporates evangelism.
We need an evangelism able to counsel, with a focus on how the gospel of Jesus
deals with the heart‘s idolatry in order to produce good fruit. . . . Full-orbed
biblical counseling counsels evangelistically, in a way that penetrates hearts and
makes real changes possible. . . . Heart-searching biblical evangelism counsels,
with the power to burst into the center of an unbeliever‘s life, shattering his lies
and idolatries. It seeks and finds lost people, restoring them to a relationship with
the Lord.1

A look at the principles of biblical counseling will help answer the above

questions. Four principles form the foundation for accurate biblical counseling. An

understanding of these four principles will show that they apply equally to counseling

believers and unbelievers and therefore provide answers to the questions above. They are

as follows:

1
Sigley, 10.

25
 26

- The goal of biblical counseling is to move a person from disobedience and

false worship to obedience and Christlikeness.

- The target of biblical counseling is the inner person where that movement or

change occurs (identified biblically by the term heart).

- The tool of biblical counseling is the Word of God, or the Bible.

- The agent of biblical counseling is the Holy Spirit, who uses the Word of God

through the ministry of the biblical counselor.

It is the argument of this section that these principles can be applied equally well

to counseling an unbeliever as to counseling a believer. Sigley puts it this way: ―God‘s

people exhibited bad fruit when they turned away from the true God, and instead served

idols and themselves. They lived like unbelievers live. They served the things that people

who don‘t know God serve all the time. So it is no wonder that counsel for wayward

believers deals with the same problems as evangelism for wayward unbelievers‖

(emphasis his).2

Before looking at each of those principles in detail, it would be profitable to

define the terms of both counseling and evangelism. The definitions that follow

demonstrate that biblical counseling meshes well with evangelism.

Cocoris defines evangelism in these words: ―Evangelism is communicating the

gospel of Jesus Christ with the immediate intent of converting the hearer to faith in

Christ, and with the ultimate intent of instructing the convert in the Word of God so that

he can become a mature believer.‖3 His definition does not stop at the point of salvation.

2
Sigley, 10.
3
Cocoris, 14.
 27

He is concerned not just with the salvation of the unbeliever, but also his eventual

transformation into a mature believer. As chapter one describes, evangelistic biblical

counseling is a perfect tool to accomplish that process.

Dr. Adams defines counseling well this way: ―[Biblical Counseling] involves

concern for the counselee that leads to the confronting of him with Scripture in order to

bring about the biblical changes that please God‖ (emphasis his).4 Seen through an

evangelistic lens, his definition applies well to evangelistic counseling.

A detailed evaluation of these four principles of counseling can now begin. In

current literature, these principles are developed often in support of biblical counseling.

They are almost never developed in support of evangelism. In the words of an old cliché,

counseling‘s gain has been evangelism‘s loss. A careful understanding of these principles

will reveal that they apply equally well to counseling a wayward unbeliever as well as a

wayward believer.

Principle #1:
The goal of biblical counseling is Christlikeness.

The first principle highlights the goal of biblical counseling. The biblical

counselor wants to help the ones he counsels to embrace and enact biblical change.

Change is at the heart of what is required in biblical counseling. This is the first element

of biblical (nouthetic)5 counseling. Adams says, ―Nouthetic confrontation arises out of a

4
Adams, Practical Encyclopedia of Christian Counseling, 40.
5
The term nouthetic is a biblical Greek term for counseling which Adams
transliterated because he did not believe there was a single English word which could
capture all the nuances of the Greek word.
 28

condition in the counselee that God wants changed. The fundamental purpose of

nouthetic confrontation, then, is to effect personality and behavioral change‖ (emphasis

his).6 The one who seeks counseling--or at least needs counseling--is in a place of

unrighteousness and needs to move to a place of righteousness. He is generally

unrighteous on three levels. First, he is unrighteous in how he thinks. In modern

terminology, his framework of thinking is often called his world-view or his belief

system. Second, he is unrighteous in his motivations. Here, the human characteristics of

emotion and will are combined. A man feels an emotion, and out of that emotion he

develops both the desire and the will to do certain behaviors. Third, he is unrighteous in

his behavior--how he acts. His thinking and his motivations usually result in behavior. It

is this unrighteousness then (in one or more of all three areas), that produces the distress

that drives someone to counseling. When his thoughts get confused, his motivations

become unholy, and his actions produce unwanted results. At that point, the sinner--

whether believing or unbelieving--feels distress. He begins to look for change. He is

motivated to seek counseling. Although his distress may come in all shapes, sizes, and

scopes, it is all rooted in one place--his disobedience to one or more of God‘s commands

to him as a human being and a false worship of something or someone other than God.

Therefore, the one seeking counsel is in need of change--change from his disobedience to

God‘s desired obedience. This is equally true for believers and unbelievers. The diagram

on the following page illustrates this need for change.

6
Adams, Competent to Counsel, 45.
 29

Disobedience Obedience
False Worship Christlikeness
Humanistic World-view Biblical World-view
Faulty Belief System (Biblical Change) Accurate Belief System
Sin
Disobedience Righteousness
Thinking Thinking
Motivations Motivations
Emotions Emotions
Wrong Behavior Right Behavior

Figure 1. The Need for Biblical Change.

The arrow labeled ―biblical change‖ represents the change required. This arrow

identifies the sphere in which the biblical counselor operates. His ministry is to help

anyone--believer or unbeliever--move from unrighteousness to righteousness. He is not,

in and of himself, able to effect that change. It is his role to address the change needed

and guide the counselee toward that change.

There is no question but that such change happens frequently in the lives of

believers who seek biblical counseling. Biblical counseling literature is full of examples,

methods, tips, encouragements, and case studies about how that change often happens in

the lives of believers by the power of the Holy Spirit. (The ministry of the Holy Spirit in

the counseling process will be discussed more completely under the last principle.)

However, the same biblical change can happen in the lives of unbelievers who face the

same kinds of distress.

The issue, then, with believers and unbelievers alike is obedience to the clear

commands of God. Although the commands for each are different, change to biblical

obedience is still the goal. When the Jewish crowd asked Peter what they should do (Acts
 30

2:37-40), he gave them biblical counsel--specific commands and instruction from the

Word of God (―Repent and be baptized‖). When the Philippian jailer fell down before the

apostle Paul and asked about salvation (Acts 16:29-32), Paul told him what he needed to

know and do to be saved (―Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ‖). When the Jewish

Sanhedrin listened to Stephen‘s trial testimony (Acts 7), he gave them a biblical history

and then challenged them on their response to it (vv 51-53).

The Bible classifies men in three ways: Spiritual (Mature), Carnal (Fleshly), and

Natural (Unregenerate). The first two groups represent believers; the last group,

unbelievers. Here is how Paul discusses these groups in his first letter to the Corinthians:

But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, for they are
foolishness unto him, neither can he know them because they are spiritually
discerned. But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, yet he himself is judged of no
man. For who hath known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct him? But we
have the mind of Christ. And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto
spiritual but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. I have fed you with milk
and not with meat, for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye
able. For ye are yet carnal. For whereas there is among you envying, and strife,
and divisions, are ye not carnal and walk as men?
1 Corinthians 2:14–3:37 (emphasis mine)

The apostle Paul describes these groups based on how they respond to truth that

has been revealed by the Holy Spirit. These men are uniquely different from each other in

their salvation and the power and blessing evident in their lives. The Spirit has presented

truth to them through their senses--their eyes and their ears--as well as in their inner man

--the heart. ―Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man

the things which God hath prepared for them that love him, but God hath revealed them

unto us by his Spirit‖ (1 Cor 2:9, 10a, emphasis added). There is nothing wrong with the

7
In some cases, spelling and punctuation from the Authorized (King James)
Version have been modernized.
 31

Spirit‘s communication; He uses words (v 13) just as man does to share his own wisdom.

The problem lies in discernment (v 14), because the words from the Spirit must be

spiritually discerned.

The biblical counselor must understand each of these groups of men if he is to

counsel effectively. Paul says that he had to speak (counsel) differently to the carnal

believers because they were not able to handle truth at the same level (1 Cor 3:1-2, cp

Heb 5:12-14). By the same token, a natural man who does not ―receive the things of the

Spirit of God‖ (1 Cor 2:14) must be counseled differently than the spiritual man who

―judgeth all things‖ (v 15). At the same time, the biblical counselor would be foolish to

limit his counseling to only two of the three groups when God desires to see biblical

change happen to all three. Lewis Sperry Chafer describes the possibility of this biblical

change when he writes, ―There are two great spiritual changes which are possible in the

human experience--the change from the ‗natural‘ man to the saved man, and the change

from the ‗carnal‘ man to the ‗spiritual‘ man.‖ 8 Each of the three groups of men may now

be considered in turn to see how counseling relates to each.

The Spiritual Believer. Who is the spiritual believer? The Greek word describing

this person is the adjective pneumatikos. Paul used this term more often than any other

biblical writer. He penned 22 of the 24 uses in the New Testament, and 15 of those 22 are

found in 1 Corinthians, the source of the text above. When Paul wrote to the Corinthians,

he was vitally concerned with their spiritual health, partly because of the divisions (1:11),

open sin (5:1), and misused gifts (12:1) in that particular church. The root word behind

Paul‘s description of the spiritual believer simply means ―of the wind‖ or ―of the Spirit.‖

8
Lewis Sperry Chafer, He That Is Spiritual (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan
Publishing House, 1918), 22.
 32

This believer first of all, then, must have the Spirit. He must be born again (John 3:3, 8).

He certainly could not be described as ―of the Spirit,‖ if the Spirit has no place in his

being. Second, however, this believer also must ―walk in the Spirit‖ (Gal 5:16, 25). The

fruit of the Spirit will be evident in his life. To be ―of the Spirit‖ describes his identity; to

―walk in the Spirit‖ characterizes his lifestyle--a parallel lifestyle with the Spirit of God.

Because his life is under the control of the Spirit, he is able to judge spiritual matters.

This believer would also evidence what are typically called spiritual gifts. This is the man

Scripture describes as one of those who ―walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit‖

(Rom 8:4).

The ―spiritual‖ believer receives and embraces Biblical counsel easily. According

to the text, he has the maturity to judge, or discern, all things and does not need the

judgment of others. He has become mature and is only in need of counsel that will move

him on to being ―thoroughly furnished‖ in Jesus Christ (2 Tim 3:17). Although there are

still many ways that he can grow in grace, he has become a ―teacher‖ (Heb 5:12) by

reason of his experience and maturity and rarely needs outside help in the process. It is

this group of Christians who generally have matured to be counselors rather than

counselees.

The Carnal Believer. The second kind of person Paul describes is ―carnal.‖ Who

is the carnal believer? The Greek word describing this person is the adjective sarkikos.

Paul contrasts this kind of person with the ―spiritual‖ believer. He describes the

Corinthians as carnal 1) because they were ―babes in Christ‖ who must be fed with ―milk

and not with meat‖ (1 Cor 3:1-2)--they were incapable of processing advanced spiritual

teaching, and 2) because they were characterized in the church by divisions and strife.
 33

Paul said they ―walk[ed] as men.‖ The believing counselee who rationalizes sinful

behavior by saying he is only human could properly be classified biblically as a carnal

believer. Although these Corinthians were saved (Paul calls them saints in his

introduction), they operated as though they were unsaved. Paul described the essential

nature of his own flesh as ―carnal, sold under sin‖ (Rom 7:14). These Corinthians had the

same unspiritual desires and objectives as their unsaved counterparts. Paul counsels this

kind of Christian to ―walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh‖ (Gal

5:16).

Biblical counsel for the carnal believer is the reason for most church counseling.

According to the text, he is a baby in Christ. He must be fed with milk and not solid food

because he cannot digest it. His life is characterized by sinful patterns. Paul mentions

envy, strife, and divisions, but there are many other sinful patterns as well. He still has

much of the old man clinging to him, and he must be taught carefully how to put off the

old man and put on the new man (Eph 4:22-24). When Paul uses the illustration of

―babes‖ here, he is not speaking about physical age. Many Christians whose salvation

occurred many years in the past still walk in carnality and need counsel toward maturity.

Most of the teaching material on biblical counseling is written to this need.

The Natural Man. The ―natural‖ man is the group that is the subject of this paper.

The Greek word describing this man is the adjective psuchikos. In the text printed out

above, Paul also contrasts this man with the ―spiritual‖ believer. Twice in the New

Testament, this word is translated as ―sensual.‖ It is always contrasted with that which is

spiritual. While the carnal believer may excuse his behavior by saying he is only human,

in actual fact he is not; he has become a ―partaker of the divine nature‖ (2 Pet 1:4). The
 34

natural man, on the other hand, is truly only human. He is without the Spirit and therefore

cannot even receive or understand the things of the Spirit. This is the man who hears the

preaching of the gospel or the ―deep things of God‖ and counts them to be foolishness (1

Cor 1:18). He is the one who is perishing in his sin. He has been blinded to the glorious

gospel of Christ (2 Cor 4:4). These are the ones who walk ―in the vanity of their mind,

having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the

ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart‖ (Eph 4:17-18). These

are bleak descriptions, and it is understandable that counselors may seek to spend their

time with carnal believers who can immediately apply biblical counsel through the Spirit.

Such a decision, however, may deny the fact that the Spirit is carrying out His convicting

work in the heart of the unbeliever, the natural man. When that convicting work comes in

the form of personal troubles that drive the unbeliever to seek counsel, the biblical

counselor has a wide open door to cooperate with the work of the Spirit in the

unbeliever‘s life. A counselor may even go further and openly make counseling available

to unbelievers, knowing that only those in personal distress will seek him out for

counseling. This active seeking of unbelievers in distress represents the golden

evangelistic opportunity available to local churches and counselors.

Biblical counsel for the natural man is evangelistic counseling. Paul says the

―natural‖ man does not receive or discern the things of God. They seem like foolishness

to him. Because he remains in the ―old man,‖ counseling which applies to the carnal

believer also applies to him. First, however, he must repent and believe (Act 20:20-21).

- Repent means to accept the fact of both his sins and his sinfulness and to

desire righteousness.
 35

- Believe means to turn in faith to the person and work of Jesus Christ who

gave Himself to redeem the natural man and reconcile him to God.

The diagram below will help to illustrate these three groups of men and their

relationship to biblical counseling. To begin with, biblical change can be represented on a

continuum with sinful depravity on one end and godly maturity on the other.

Depravity Salvation Point Maturity

*
Figure 2. Timeline of Maturity.

Imagine a continuous line from depravity to maturity and with a salvation point

somewhere between. Now, using the biblical terminology from 1 Corinthians 2 and 3

above, the natural, the carnal, and the spiritual persons can be placed on the line (see

diagram below). The natural man group occupies the line from depravity up to the point

of salvation. The carnal group represents new believers immediately after the point of

salvation--definitely converted, but in need of spiritual milk until they have progressed

enough to handle solid food. The spiritual group occupies the last segment of the line,

ending in maturity. He has graduated from milk and has developed a mature obedience in

the Lord.

Natural Man Group Carnal Group Spiritual Group

Depravity Salvation Point Maturity

*
Figure 3. Timeline of Maturity with 1 Corinthians Groups.
 36

Now the diagram can be examined as it relates to the question of evangelistic

counseling. Evangelism typically focuses on moving a person from depravity to

salvation—and then stops! Anything after that is called follow-up. Biblical counseling

and discipleship, on the other hand, have typically focused on the believer, moving him

from a carnal position (fleshly) to a spiritual position (maturity). The ministry of God

through the Word, however, encompasses both, seeking to move the unbeliever all the

way from depravity through saving faith to maturity.

Natural Man Group Carnal Group Spiritual Group

Depravity Salvation Point Maturity

Typical Focus of Evangelism Typical Focus of Counseling

God‘s Biblical Counseling Focus

Figure 4. Timeline of Maturity with Biblical Counseling Focus.

Seeing the process in this way avoids the sharp demarcation seen in much

literature between evangelism and counseling. In brief, salvation is seen as a required, but

natural, step on the path to Christian discipleship.

As he processes his gathered data with this process and diagram in mind, the

biblical counselor can usually identify fairly quickly the place of the counselee on the line

and proceed accordingly. As a counselor, he has gained a seamless counseling process.

He can approach counseling believers and unbelievers in the same way. A believer who
 37

worries needs biblical counsel about worry; the unbeliever who is worried needs biblical

counsel about worry, but also about depravity and salvation. A counselor doing such

evangelistic counseling fully embraces the need for the unbeliever to be saved, but he

does not stop there and change to counseling. He has been counseling all along. Now that

the unbeliever has been converted by the grace of God, he simply continues to counsel

him toward maturity.

Principle #2:
The target of biblical counseling is the heart.

Above, it was noted that a person in need of counsel is disobedient in his thinking,

his emotions, his will, and his actions. All of these are embodied in what the Bible

describes as man‘s heart, and all of these are embodied in both believers and unbelievers.

Here is the core of evangelistic biblical counseling. If a counselor can help a person

diagnose his difficulties at the heart level, that person has come face to face with his

sinful self and the Holy Spirit has opportunity to do the work of conviction.

Biblical counseling deals with the heart. Definitions for the heart and applications

for counseling to the heart abound in biblical-counseling literature. Before we fully

understand how to counsel the heart in God‘s way, however, we must look at it biblically.

That is, the heart must be understood as the Bible presents it. Picking up a concept from a

few verses and then building a doctrine or a counseling pattern on the foundation of those

few verses can be misleading.

Unfortunately, the biblical concept of the heart has not been easy to understand or

determine. The difficulty lies in two areas. First, the sheer volume of references to the

heart in the Bible forbids quick analysis. The word heart appears (at this writer‘s best
 38

count) 955 times in the Authorized Version and over 1000 times in the original languages

of the Bible.9 That makes it one of the most frequent key words in the Bible. It is clear

that God places a premium on the heart as He reveals truth about ourselves to us. Even if

the discussion is limited to the three key Hebrew and Greek words (see below) that cover

the heart concepts to be explored in this paper, there are still about 928 references. One

could subtract a few references that describe the heart as a physical organ or that use the

term metaphorically and there are still well over 900 references to examine.

The second reason for difficulty is that the term heart (biblically) encompasses

and overlaps with several other areas of human existence such as mind, soul, emotions,

will, and motivations. As a result, there are no simplistic definitions of the heart. Those

who write on this subject reflect this struggle:

- ―Character, personality, will, and mind are modern terms which all reflect

something of the meaning of ‗heart‘ in its biblical usage.‖10

- ―There is no suggestion in the Bible that the brain is the centre of

consciousness, thought or will. It is the heart which is so regarded.‖11

- ―A person‘s thoughts, intentions, and feelings . . . are motivated and driven by

the heart, which is the religious point of departure for all of human life.‖12

9
This paper uses the Authorized [King James] Version as the English text and the
Textus Receptus and the Massoretic Text as the Greek and Hebrew texts, respectively.
Other versions not only translate the same original words differently, but also translate
from different Hebrew and Greek manuscripts; therefore, doing the same study with
different versions will produce slightly different results.
10
Walter A. Elwell and Philip Wesley Comfort, Tyndale Bible Dictionary,
Tyndale reference library (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 2001), 579.
11
D.R.W. Wood and I. Howard Marshall, New Bible Dictionary, 3rd ed. (Downers
Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1996), 456.
 39

- ―[T]he term heart in Scriptures means the soul, the self. It is that which thinks,

feels, wills, and acts.‖13

- ―[Our] aim is to explain the nature of the heart (spirit, or will) and its function

in the person as a whole. . . . look at the whole person and distinguish the

various aspects, including the heart . . .‖14

- ―The heart . . . is the source of all human motivation. . . . heart can have a

broad range of meaning, but at its core are our motivations.‖15

- ―Your heart functions in three different ways: the mind, the affections, and the

will . . . Rather than thinking about these three aspects . . . as being separated

and isolated from each other, think of them as continually working in

conjunction with each other.‖16

The quotes above show several different understandings of the biblical term,

heart. Some definitions include all of man‘s inner being; others, only part of it. What is a

correct biblical understanding?

A study of the original language words which are translated into the English term

heart will help define the scope of the biblical heart. There are two steps in an exhaustive

12
Allen C. Myers, The Eerdmans Bible Dictionary (Grand Rapids, MI.:
Eerdmans, 1987), 471.
13
Henry Clarence Thiessen, Lectures in Systematic Theology (Grand Rapids, MI:
Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1949), 367.
14
Dallas Willard, Renovation of the Heart (Colorado Springs, CO: NavPress,
2002), 28.
15
Edward T. Welch, Motives: Why Do I Do the Things I Do? (Phillipsburg, NJ:
P & R Publishing, 2003), 6.
16
Elyse Fitzpatrick, Idols of the Heart: Learning to Long for God Alone
(Phillipsburg, NJ: P & R Publishing, 2001), 97.
 40

original-language word study. First, for any particular word (e.g., heart) one must

identify the Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek words which are translated by that English

word. Second, one must identify other English words which may be used to translate

those same Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek words. Sometimes, such a word study can be

extremely complicated--many original words might be translated into one English word

and those same original words might be translated into many other English words as well.

Fortunately, considering the volume of times the English word heart is used in the Bible,

the word study is comparatively simple; the study does not require any multifaceted

interpretations in the translation. The two charts below are a result of such an exhaustive

word study on the word heart.

523 Times ‫לב‬

239 Times ‫לבב‬
12 Times Hebrew/Aramaic Words
1 Time ‫מע‬ translated as ―heart‖
English 1 Time ‫אתה‬
word: 1 Time
159 Times καρδία
“Heart” 3 Times ζκληροκαρδία
2 Times καρδιογνώζηης Greek Words
1 Time ἀπουύτφ translated as ―heart‖
1 Time εὔζπλαγτνος
1 Time υστή
Figure 5. Chart of original words underlying the English word heart.

The chart above demonstrates that though there are several original words

translated into the English word heart, only three key words (in bold type) cover 98% of

those translations: ‫ לב‬and ‫ לבב‬in the Hebrew/Aramaic and καρδία in the Greek.
 41

752 Times Heart, Heart’s, Hearts, Hearted, Double Heart

Hebrew/ 19 Times Understanding, Wisdom
Aramaic Words 17 Times Mind, Minded, Bethink English Translations
‫לבב & לב‬ 11 Times Midst
11 Times Regard, Regarded, Consider, Considered
6 Times Comfortably, Kindly
159 Times Heart, Heart’s, Hearts, Broken-Hearted
Greek Words 3 Times Hardness of Heart
Καρδία & 2 Times Know the Hearts English Translations
Compounds 1 Time Broken-Hearted
Figure 6. Chart of key original words as they are translated into English.

Going the other direction, from Hebrew and Greek back to English, those three

key words in the original are translated as heart 93% of the time (as shown in bold type),

and all but one of the other words are synonymous with the heart in its various aspects.

The one exception, the word midst, metaphorically describes the center, or heart, of a

space.

Two Hebrew words speak of man‘s heart. They are pure synonyms with only

alternate spelling, so they both may be treated together. The words are ‫ לב‬and ‫לבב‬. The

Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament introduces its study of these Hebrew words

this way:

In its abstract meanings, ―heart‖ became the richest biblical term for the totality of
man‘s inner or immaterial nature. In biblical literature it is the most frequently
used term for man‘s immaterial personality functions as well as the most inclusive
term for them since, in the Bible, virtually every immaterial function of man is
attributed to the ―heart‖ (emphasis mine). 17

These Hebrew terms describe the inner man--his invisible self--as opposed to the

outer man--his visible self. They describe man‘s thoughts (including his wisdom and

understanding), his emotions, and his will. The Theological Wordbook goes on to say,

17
Andrew Bowling, "1071 ‫"לבב‬, in Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament,
ed. R. Laird Harris, Gleason L. Archer, Jr. and Bruce K. Waltke, electronic ed. (Chicago:
Moody Press, 1999), 466.
 42

―By far the majority of the usages of ‫ לב‬refer either to the inner or immaterial nature in

general or to one of the three traditional personality functions of man; emotion, thought,

or will.‖18

Only one Greek word is required to understand the heart biblically. That word is

καρδία. One lexicon says that this word describes 1) ―the seat of the desires, feelings,

affections, passions, impulses,‖ 2) ―the seat of the intellect meaning the mind,

understanding,‖ or 3) ―the sphere of God‘s influence in the human life.‖19

The above information combines to contribute an all-encompassing Biblical view

of the heart of man. The heart is not just a part of man; it is the whole immaterial man as

he exists inside a physical body. While people can often be described by their physical,

bodily characteristics, they usually relate to each other according to who they are in an

immaterial sense--according to their hearts. Although people behave in their bodies and

with their bodies, it is their hearts that plan, decide, and produce that behavior.

It is no wonder, then, that the biblical counselor must focus on the heart of those

he counsels. It is here that the root of biblical change must occur. The heart is clearly the

target of any biblical counseling effort. If the heart is not reached, change will be

superficial and temporary. Since the heart has such great importance in biblical change,

one must ask a question: What does the Bible teach about man‘s heart?

First, the heart involves man‘s thinking. When God looked at preflood man, He

saw that ―the thoughts of his heart were only evil continually‖ (Gen 6:5). Both righteous

and unrighteous are described as ―saying‖ in their hearts (Gen 17:17; Ps 53:1). Be careful

18
Bowling, Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament, 466.
19
Spiros Zodhiates, The Complete Word Study Dictionary: New Testament,
electronic ed. (Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers, 2000), s.v. ―καρδία.‖
 43

of the stingy man, Solomon warns, because ―as he thinketh in his heart, so is he‖ (Prov

23:7). Jesus asked His detractors why they were thinking ―evil in [their] hearts‖ (Matt

9:4) and reasoning ―in [their] hearts‖ (Mark 2:6). The heart is able to ―perceive‖ (Deut

29:4), to ―meditate‖ (Ps 19:14), and to ―believe‖ (Rom 10:9-10). The heart is the place

where man comes to conclusions.

Second, the heart involves man‘s emotions, or affections. His affections happen

within his heart. It is possible to be ―joyful and glad‖ in heart (1 Kings 8:66), to have

―sorrow of heart‖ (Neh 2:2), to have ―a broken and a contrite heart‖ (Ps 51:17) or its

opposite, ―hardness and impenitent heart‖ (Rom 2:5). The heart is able to be ―comforted‖

(Col 2:2) and ―enlarged‖ (2 Cor 6:11--speaking figuratively here). The affections can be

set on earthly things or heavenly things (Col 3:1). The heart is the place where man

responds to his world.

Third, the heart involves man‘s will. ―Do all that is in thine heart‖ is an

encouragement to follow through on a decision (e.g., 1 Sam 14:7). Serving the Lord

―with all your hearts‖ (e.g., 1 Sam 7:3) describes wholehearted commitment. By contrast,

―hardening your hearts‖ (e.g., 1 Sam 6:6) implies a willful resistance to God‘s direction.

An important key for biblical counseling is that the heart can be surrendered to

righteousness in a halfhearted way. The heart is where man decides to act.

These three may be examined in reverse. The will is the place of decision-making

in a person. If the will is not addressed and engaged, biblical change will never take

place. The affections provide the motivations that drive those decisions. If the affections

are not addressed and engaged, sinful motivations will continue to drive wrong decisions.

The intellect is the source of information by which motivations are developed. If the
 44

intellect is not addressed and engaged, wrong thinking will continue to develop faulty

motivations. One way to look at this may be that what a man thinks directs his motives

and what he does arises from his motives. The heart is where a person‘s motives reside.

One of the most fruitful studies about the heart, biblically, is a study of the kings

of Israel and Judah in the Old Testament. The term heart becomes the standard for

weighing the obedience or disobedience of the kings.

- God gave Saul ―another heart‖ (1 Sam 10:26) after he was anointed as king.

- When Saul disobeyed, God sought a man ―after His own heart‖ (1 Sam 13:14).

- David‘s ―heart smote him‖ after he cut off a portion of Saul‘s skirt (1 Sam

24:5).

- Absalom ―stole the hearts‖ of David‘s subjects (2 Sam 15:6).

- Solomon‘s wives ―turned away his heart after other gods‖ (1 Kings 11:4).

- Jeroboam built the golden calves and set up a sacrificial day ―which he had

devised of his own heart‖ (1 Kings 12:33).

- Rehoboam did evil because he had not ―prepared his heart‖ (2 Chron 12:14);

Jehoshaphat, on the other hand, had ―prepared [his] heart‖ to seek God (19:3).

- Asa‘s ―heart was perfect with the Lord all his days‖ (1 Kings 15:14).

- Jehu made no effort to follow God ―with all his heart‖ (2 Kings 10:31).

- God promised Josiah a nonviolent end because ―his heart was tender‖ (2

Kings 22:19).

- Amaziah did right, but not with ―a perfect heart‖ (2 Chron 25:2).

In an insightful little booklet called Motives: Why I Do the Things I Do, Edward

Welch describes the heart as the source of the reasons, or motivations, or the why of our
 45

behavior. ―The key word,‖ he says, ―is the heart. In Scripture, this is the source of all

human motivation. . . .The path of change always goes through the heart‖ (emphasis

his).20

The Scriptures have two more descriptions of the heart that will be important for

the evangelistic counselor to understand and embrace: 1) the heart is sick by human

heritage, and 2) only God knows the heart completely.

First, the heart is sick by heritage from Adam. This is a congenital condition.

Every counselee comes to counseling with a sinful, sick, diseased heart. In the case of the

unbeliever, absolutely nothing has happened to change or regenerate that heart.

- ―Behold, I was shapen in iniquity,

And in sin did my mother conceive me.‖ Psalm 51:5

- ―For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications,

thefts, false witness, blasphemies.‖ Matthew 15:19

- ―And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth and that

every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.‖

Genesis 6:5

- ―This is an evil among all things that are done under the sun, that there is one

event unto all. Yea, also the heart of the sons of men is full of evil, and

madness is in their heart while they live and after that they go to the dead.‖

Ecclesiastes 9:3

Second, only God knows the heart completely.

20
Welch, 1, 6, 21.
 46

- ―But the LORD said unto Samuel, ‗Look not on his countenance or on the

height of his stature, because I have refused him, for the LORD seeth not as

man seeth, for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh

on the heart.‘ ‖ 1 Samuel 16:7

- ―Shall not God search this out?

For he knoweth the secrets of the heart.‖ Psalm 44:21

- ―And they prayed, and said, ‗Thou, Lord, which knowest the hearts of all men,

shew whether of these two thou hast chosen.‘ ‖ Acts 1:24

Before leaving this subject, it will be important to recognize that biblical change

at the heart level applies to both believers and unbelievers alike. The Bible makes it clear

that both believers and unbelievers have hearts. They have physical hearts, of course, but

they also have hearts that may be described spiritually. Of unbelievers, the Scripture says,

―But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the

day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God‖ (Rom 2:5--emphasis

added). Of believers, the Scripture says, ―But God be thanked, that ye were the servants

of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you‖

(Rom 6:17--emphasis added). In addition, both believers and unbelievers develop

behavior out of the heart. Jesus said this about people: ―For out of the heart proceed evil

thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies‖ (Matt

15:19--emphasis added). Since both believers and unbelievers can have the behaviors

Jesus described, then both must seek biblical change at the heart level. Later on, Jesus

said, ―A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good;
 47

and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for

of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh‖ (Luke 6:45--emphasis added).

In summary, then, the Bible shows that the heart 1) is the Biblical term for the

inner man (as opposed to the outer man); 2) is the place where thoughts, motivations, and

actions are developed; and therefore 3) is the seat of biblical change. This is the territory

that every biblical counselor must challenge in order to motivate biblical change.

Principle #3:
The tool of biblical counseling is the Word of God.

The very label of biblical counseling requires that the Word of God be employed

as its primary tool. Because this fact is developed so well in biblical counseling literature

in general, it is the purpose of this paper only to confirm that the Word of God is the

same tool to be used with both believers and unbelievers. Three classic texts will point in

that direction. Each of these texts is self-illuminating--the Bible speaking about its own

ministry.

The First Classic Text about Scripture: 2 Timothy 3:15-17

The first text to be considered is 2 Timothy 3:15-17:

And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make
thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All scripture is
given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for
correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be perfect,
thoroughly furnished unto all good works.

These verses identify the ministry of the Word of God in the lives of both

believers and unbelievers, but that may not be readily apparent at first glance. Verse 16

builds a foundation for the doctrine of the inspiration of the Scripture. ―All Scripture,‖ it
 48

says, ―is given by inspiration of God.‖ Because it is inspired by God, it has a fourfold

ministry in the lives of people: doctrine, reproof, correction, and instruction in

righteousness. Verse 17 explains that this fourfold ministry is designed to produce

perfection, or maturity, in the life of the ―man of God,‖ so it might be assumed that the

ministry of the Word is only for believers. But verse 15 tells a different story. Here Paul

reminds Timothy that it was the holy scriptures that made him wise to (―toward‖)

salvation. The word ―make wise‖ is sophizo, to instruct or teach someone. The same

wording is used in Psalm 119:98 (LXX): ―Thou through thy commandments hast made

me wiser than mine enemies.‖ In other words, it was the Bible that instructed Timothy

with the information he needed in order to be saved. It would be wrong to assume, then,

that the Bible cannot counsel the unbeliever toward salvation. That is exactly what Paul

says the Scriptures did for Timothy. When Paul came to the city of Lystra on his first

missionary journey, he had taught the Word of God in such a way that Timothy was

counseled to receive Jesus Christ as the Messiah and Savior. The biblical counselor can

be confident that he may use the Word of God with both believers and unbelievers alike.

What are the dynamics of these four ministries of the Word of God, and how can they be

applied to evangelizing the lost through the Scriptures?

The first ministry of the Scriptures is ―doctrine‖ (Greek: didaskalia), or teaching.

It is here that the definition of counseling becomes important. If biblical counsel, or

teaching, is limited to passages such as putting away anger, or loving a wife, or

engrafting the Word of God, or lusting after a woman, then counseling could well be

limited to believers. However, if we expand our definition of counseling to all of the

Scriptures, then counseling applies to unbelievers as well. What teaching does the
 49

unbeliever need to hear? He needs to hear the teaching about creation and the fall of man

--teaching which tells him who he is as a depraved human being who was originally

made in the image of God (Gen 1-3) and was made to worship the true God (John 4:23).

He needs to hear the teaching about the holiness of God--teaching which tells him how

far short he comes of the ―glory of God‖ (Rom 3:23). He needs to hear the teaching about

the penalty of sin--teaching which tells him of his destiny without Christ (Rom 6:23; Rev

20:11-15). He needs to hear the teaching about the coming of Jesus Christ as a

propitiation for the sinner--teaching which tells him how to become a new creature in

Christ (Rom 3:20ff).

The second ministry of the Word of God is ―reproof‖ (Greek: elenchos), or

conviction. This word is a judicial word. A court of law is designed to bring conviction--

proof of wrongdoing--to the guilty party. The court convicts with the evidence of facts,

testimony, and the law itself. In the same way, the Word of God is a mirror held up to the

sinner‘s life, showing him how his life differs from what God expects and demands

(James 1:23-25). As we will see below, this ministry is carried out by the Holy Spirit in

the unbeliever‘s life as He convicts of sin, righteousness, and judgment (John 16:8-11). It

is impossible for a counselor to bring conviction to an unbeliever in and of himself. He

must employ the Word of God to convict the heart. Paul tells Timothy to use the Word to

bring conviction: ―Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke,

exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine‖ (2 Tim 4:2). Reproof for the unbeliever will

often begin with his presenting problem. When he understands the heart motivations

behind his sinful behavior and when he understands how far he stands from the

righteousness of God, he has been ―reproved.‖

 50

The third ministry of the Word of God is ―correction‖ (Greek: epaniorthosis), or

reformation. This word refers to restoring a person to an upright state or setting his moral

feet on the path of righteousness.21 A man once helped build a home for some relatives.

As he and his uncle were hanging sheetrock on the ceiling of the living room, they

realized that one wall of the room had slipped more than a foot out of line at the top. The

rafters and roof had already been placed on the building, so correcting the problem was

rather difficult, but the difficulty did not change what they had to do. They had to bring

the wall back into plumb or the house would not function properly. They used a bubble

level to make sure that they brought that wall back to its correct position. Such is the

ministry of the Word of God in personal lives. Reproof (the second ministry) is

convicting, but it is not remedial; it simply shows the sinner that he is out of line. It is the

correcting ministry of the Word of God that shows him how to stand up straight again

morally. When applied to the unbelieving counselee, this ministry shows him how to

repent of his sins and place his faith and trust in Jesus Christ for salvation.

The final ministry of the Word of God is ―instruction in righteousness‖ (Greek:

paidei + dikaiosune), or training to stay on the path of righteousness. ―Instruction‖ is a

word used for the training of children. It is a misnomer for someone to say that he is

raising children; in actual fact, he is raising adults! It is the ―instruction‖ of life that

changes an immature child into a mature adult who is able to make mature decisions and

even to raise his own children; it is the ―instruction‖ of the Word that changes an

immature new believer into a mature believer who is able to handle life‘s difficulties on

his own (with the Spirit‘s help, of course). This ministry of the Word cannot be carried
21
Spiros Zodhiates, The Complete Word Study Dictionary: New Testament,
electronic ed. (Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers, 2000) #1882.
 51

out in the life of an unbeliever, then, because it is enabled through the indwelling power

of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, the first three ministries of the Word are used to teach the

unbeliever right from wrong, convict him of the wrong in his own life and heart, and then

(by the grace of God) bring him to righteousness through salvation. When this process is

complete, the unbeliever has become a new believer. Now the Word can be used to hold

him on his new path of righteousness. Counseling for anyone is not complete until this

final ministry of the Word has been applied, but this is especially true for the new

believer. God is not interested in a stillbirth! He wants this new believer to be discipled in

his new life. That is what Jesus meant in what is often called ―The Great Commission.‖

Part of Jesus‘ commission to His disciples was ―teaching them to observe all things

whatsoever I have commanded you‖ (Matt 28:20). It is this aspect of the Word of God

that requires the four letter word, T-I-M-E. It is here that homework and accountability

function to rehabituate (not, rehabilitate) the counselee into righteous motivations and

behavior. It is here that the new believer learns to ―discipline [himself] unto godliness‖ (1

Tim 4:7).

The ultimate goal of the Word of God--and of all counseling--is maturity in

Christ. Paul concludes this helpful section by giving the purpose of the four ministries

above: ―That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works‖

(2 Tim 3:17). God has planned that the new believer produce good works (Eph 2:10).

Counseling is not complete until at least some of those good works are being manifested

in the believer‘s life.

 52

The Second Classic Text about Scripture: Hebrews 4:12

Hebrews 4:12 identifies a further ministry of the Word. Again, this Scripture is

self-illuminating, describing its own ministry. Again, this Scripture will be shown to

apply to both believers and unbelievers.

For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged
sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints
and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

The Word of God here describes itself as discerning the thoughts and intents of

the heart. Scripture itself explains that ―man looketh on the outward appearance, but the

LORD looketh on the heart‖ (1 Sam 16:7). Although the biblical counselor can seek to

know a counselee‘s heart (Prov 20:5), he is primarily limited to observation of his

counselee‘s external actions and words. The Word of God, inspired by the Spirit of God

(2 Tim 3:16-17 and 1 Peter 1:20-21), can go further than he can. It can actually dive into

a person‘s inner person and do its work there. This is why the Word of God is an

indispensable tool in the work of biblical counseling.

Can the ministry of the Scripture be valuable in the counseling of an unbeliever?

The question can be answered positively in two ways: first, an examination of four words

in the verse will define the value of the Scriptures in the ministry of evangelistic

counseling; second, an examination of the context of the verse plants it squarely in the

territory of evangelistic counseling.

The four key words described below seem to be applicable to both believers and

unbelievers. The first word in the text is the word zao (translated as ―quick‖ in the AV;

other versions generally translate as ―living‖). This word is the first word in the original

Greek sentence, emphasizing it as the key to the sentence. In the Greek, it is a verb rather
 53

than an adjective as rendered in the translation. Therefore, the word lives. The writer

seeks to bring attention to the fact that the Word of God is living as opposed to dead. A

dead word has no activity, no effect, and no power; a living word is active, effective, and

powerful. It produces results. It changes its environment. It has an effect. When the

counselor brings the Word into the counseling session, he brings a word that is alive and

effective.

The second word is kritikos (―discerner‖). One of the first effects of that living

word is that it discerns or judges a person in the sphere of the inner man. The word

reminds of a judge in a court. The judge has the power to evaluate evidence and

testimony and to arrive at a conclusion. When the counselor uses the Word, he brings to

bear the Spirit-inspired Word, which has the capacity to discern and judge what is going

on in the counselee‘s inner man.

The third word is enthumesis (―thoughts‖). Man thinks, but his thinking is not

known to other humans. Sometimes, others can tell that the person is thinking, but they

are unaware (without his revelation) of what he is thinking. In Matthew 9:4, it is reported

that Jesus knew people‘s thoughts. This word goes beyond simple fleeting thoughts,

however, to plans and designs. It is used this way in Acts 17:29, where Paul talks about

idols which are ―graven by art and man‘s device‖ (emphasis added). When the counselor

enlists the aid of the Word of God, he uses something which divinely knows the thoughts

and can evaluate and judge them, bringing conviction where it is necessary.

The fourth word is ennoia (―intents‖). This word has a synonymy with ―thoughts‖

but goes further. It describes thinking based on knowledge and perceptions that determine

how a person operates. Peter uses the word in 1 Peter 4:1when he challenges his readers
 54

to ―arm yourselves likewise with the same mind‖ (emphasis added). In our text, it denotes

the ―deep-seated thoughts which have developed into character-shaping intentions,

motives, or beliefs.‖22 What differentiates biblical counseling from all other counseling

(Christian or secular), is that it harnesses the divine, living power of the Word of God to

work at the heart level of the counselee. These four descriptions about the Word of God

are necessary in the lives of both believers and unbelievers, so it is safe ground to use the

Word with the unsaved.

In addition, however, the context makes it abundantly clear that this living and

discerning Word does its ministry in unbelievers as well as believers. Hebrews 4:2, 11,

and 13 set a context of faithless unbelievers. Verse two says that the word preached to the

Israelites in the wilderness ―did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that

heard it.‖ Verse 11 warns the current readers of Hebrews to make sure that they do not

―fall after the same example of unbelief.‖ The context before the verse then, includes

unbelievers. The context after the verse does the same. Verse 13 says that there is no

―creature that is not manifest in his (God‘s) sight.‖ This certainly applies to unbelievers

as well. It is clear then from the context that God‘s Word has an effective ministry in an

unsaved counselee as well in as the saved one.

The Third Classic Text about Scripture: Psalm 19

A third text will sum up the case to prove that the principle of using the Word in

counseling applies to both saved and unsaved counselees. That text is Psalm 19:1-11:

22
Thoralf Gilbrant, The Complete Biblical Library, Part 1, Vol. 12 (Springfield,
MO: World Library Press, 1990), 442.
 55

The heavens declare the glory of God

And the firmament sheweth his handywork.
Day unto day uttereth speech
And night unto night sheweth knowledge.
There is no speech nor language
Where their voice is not heard;
Their line is gone out through all the earth
And their words to the end of the world.
In them hath he set a tabernacle for the sun,
Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber
And rejoiceth as a strong man to run a race.
His going forth is from the end of the heaven
And his circuit unto the ends of it,
And there is nothing hid from the heat thereof.
The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul.
The testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple.
The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart.
The commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes.
The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever.
The judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether.
More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold,
Sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.
Moreover by them is thy servant warned,
And in keeping of them there is great reward.

Psalm 19 is a classic psalm describing both the general revelation and the special

revelation of God. General revelation describes God‘s revelation of Himself in His

creation. It is a public revelation and is available for every person on earth to see. It is a

limited revelation, however, because it has no specific words or content to explain what is

seen in the creation. Special revelation, on the other hand, describes God‘s revelation of

Himself verbally. Here God has spoken verbally and He explains what is behind the

revelation in creation and what He is doing historically in that creation.

Psalm 19 tells us that the general revelation of God is declared in the heavens and

the firmament. Day and night contribute to the declaration. This revelation goes to all

people; there is no distinction between saved or unsaved, righteous or unrighteous. Verse

three explains that ―there is no speech or language where their voice is not heard‖; verse
 56

four, that the message has gone ―through all the earth‖ and ―to the end of the world.‖ Paul

tells his Roman readers that this public revelation of God has removed any excuse from

man--he cannot pretend he has not seen and understood the message of the heavens.

When he fails to honor the God he knows from the creation, he is morally responsible

(Rom 1:18-21). This general revelation, then, is for everyone.

From this general revelation, David turns in his psalm to special revelation. He

now talks about the written Scripture, using six different synonyms to describe it: ―law,‖

―testimony,‖ ―statutes,‖ ―commandment,‖ ―fear,‖ and ―judgments‖ (verses 7-9). As in

Hebrews 4:12, the Word is effective in changing lives of hearers. In David‘s poem, he

says that the Word converts the soul, it makes the simple wise, it rejoices the heart, and it

enlightens the eyes. The first two of these ministries, at least, are clearly not limited to

God‘s people alone. To ―convert‖ is the Hebrew word shuv and is often used in the

context of repentance from sin to righteousness (e.g., Jer 18:11: ―return ye now every one

from his evil way‖). The ―soul‖ is the Hebrew word nephesh, and is often used to

describe the spiritual inner person within the body (e.g., Ps 23:3: ―he restoreth my soul‖).

Converting the soul, then, is an evangelistic ministry. In addition, the Word makes the

simple wise. In the Old Testament, the term simple describes those who are naïve and

untaught. Although the biblical counselor will meet many Christians who are naïve, he

will also meet those who are still unsaved that are in the same condition. In the book of

Proverbs, the simple are associated with fools and scorners (Prov 1:22), although the

latter two are deliberately evil while the simple person is only ignorantly evil. Ezekiel

45:19-20 describes a sin offering made for simple ones who sin ignorantly. General

revelation teaches the existence of God while specific revelation (the Word) teaches both
 57

the character and will of God. General revelation removes the unbeliever‘s excuse that he

is ignorant of God while the specific revelation teaches him what he needs to know for

salvation.

These three classic texts about Scripture--2 Timothy 3:15-17, Hebrews 4:12, and

Psalm 19:1-11--teach the powerful effect the Word of God has in counseling. These

passages show that the effect of the Word is applied both to saints and sinners, both to the

believing counselee and to the unbelieving counselee. There is one further principle of

biblical counseling that must be examined in light of evangelistic biblical counseling.

Principle #4:
The agent of biblical counseling is the Holy Spirit.

One final principle of biblical counseling encourages evangelistic counseling.

This principle describes the agent of biblical counseling, the Holy Spirit. The work of the

Holy Spirit in counseling is closely allied to the ministry of the Word of God since it is

authored by the Holy Spirit. Therefore, much that was described in the previous section

applies here.

There is no question that the Holy Spirit works in the believer to work out his

sanctification. He is described in Romans 1:4 as ―the Spirit of holiness.‖ Since

sanctification and holiness are identical words in the original language, it is clear that the

Holy Spirit is intimately involved in the changing of a carnal believer to a mature

believer. There is also no question that the Holy Spirit is involved through the counselor

so that His holiness is present and guiding the counselor in his ministry.
 58

Further, however, there is no question that the Holy Spirit is involved in the lives

of unbelievers. His ministry is also to lead natural (unsaved) men and women to salvation

and new life in Christ. How can this be shown to be biblically true?

First, the Holy Spirit now has the ministry of making God known in the world.

When Jesus returned to the Father, He sent the Spirit into the world to guide, teach, and

indwell His disciples for their work. In addition, Paul explains to the Corinthian believers

in four different places that the Spirit indwells the visible local church with His presence.

In the first three of these four places, Paul uses an interesting grammatical construction.

He teaches that the believers (plural) are the temple (singular) of God in the world, and

his wording in all three places is consistent. In chapter three of his first letter to the

Corinthians he says, ―Know ye [pl] not that ye [pl] are the temple [sing] of God, and that

the Spirit of God dwelleth in you [pl]?‖ (1 Cor 3:16). In chapter six, he repeats his

declaration: ―Know ye [pl] not that your [pl] body [sing] is the temple [sing] of the Holy

Ghost which is in you [pl] . . . ?‖ (1 Cor 6:19). He repeats his statement again in his

second letter: ―For ye [pl] are the temple [sing] of the living God; as God hath said, ‗I

will dwell in them, and walk in them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my

people‘ ‖ (2 Cor 6:16). It is fair to say that God is now making Himself manifest in the

world through the Holy Spirit who indwells Christians assembled as a local church. Paul

parallels this concept when he addresses the Corinthians about the use of spiritual gifts.

―If therefore the whole church [believers in plural] be come together into one place . . . if

all prophesy, and there come in one that believeth not, or one unlearned, he is convinced

of all, he is judged of all, and thus are the secrets of his heart made manifest, and so

falling down on his face he will worship God and report that God is in you [pl] of a truth‖
 59

(1 Cor 14:23-25). Therefore, God is making Himself known in the world through

believers by the indwelling person and work of the Holy Spirit. In a very real sense, then,

the unbeliever in the world comes into contact with God today through the Holy Spirit.

Second, the Holy Spirit is involved in the unsaved world, convicting men and

women of sin and their need for salvation. Jesus described this ministry of the Spirit in

John 16:7-11.

Nevertheless I tell you that truth: It is expedient for you that I go away, for if I go
not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him
unto you. And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of
righteousness, and of judgment: of sin, because they believe not on me; of
righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more; of judgment,
because the prince of this world is judged.

Jesus says here that the Spirit will be intimately involved in the conviction of

sinners. The word ―reprove‖ is the Greek word elenxei. This word describes the exposing

of sin in such a way that the sinner is convicted in a legal sense (meaning he has been

proven guilty). In most cases, the purpose of conviction is positive and remedial--in other

words, its purpose is that the sinner will repent and forsake his sin. In Jesus‘ words

above, the Holy Spirit will convict the world of sin, specifically in its sin of rejecting

faith in Jesus. He will convict the world of righteousness because Jesus Christ has left the

earth and God‘s way of representing righteousness on earth through the person of Jesus

Christ has ended. He will convict the world of judgment because Satan has been judged

and all who follow him will end up in the same judgment. Except when it is used of the

earth as a place, the word world is used consistently in the book of John of those who are

unsaved: ―the world knew him not‖ (John 1:10), ―God so loved the world‖ (John 3:16),

―that the world through him might be saved‖ (John 3:17), ―the world cannot hate you, but
 60

me it hateth‖ (John 7:7), and so on. Therefore, this ministry of the Holy Spirit is directed

at those who have yet to believe on Him.

Third, it is the ministry of the Holy Spirit to regenerate the unbeliever. Jesus told

Nicodemus that he must be ―born again . . . of the Spirit‖ (John 3:3, 7, 8). Regeneration is

described as a work of God (John 1:13) and while both the Father and the Son are

involved, it seems to be the Holy Spirit who is the efficient and divine agent of

regeneration. Paul tells Titus that God has ―saved us by the washing of regeneration and

renewing of the Holy Ghost‖ (Titus 3:5).

All of this evidence shows that the Holy Spirit is the agent of biblical counseling.

He is the agent who transforms the believer from immaturity to maturity, so He is the

agent of classic biblical counseling. He is also the agent who convicts and transforms

sinners into saints, so He is the agent of evangelistic counseling as well. To try to counsel

believers in the flesh without the agency of the Holy Spirit is foolish and ineffectual, but

at the same time, it is foolish to avoid counseling unbelievers when the Holy Spirit is

actively involved in calling them to Christ.

The four biblical principles outlined above are foundational to biblical counseling.

They have been taught, developed, and practiced over the past 40-plus years in describing

a biblical counseling ministry to believers. Based on the above presentation, local

churches and counselors are encouraged to open their eyes to a golden opportunity that

applies these same four biblical principles to the evangelism of distressed unbelievers

through the ministry of counseling.

The biblical counselor should be motivated to ask further questions, however. Is

evangelistic counseling truly biblical? Did Jesus do evangelistic counseling? Did the
 61

apostles do evangelistic counseling? It is the aim of the next chapter to demonstrate that

the answer to all three questions is a resounding ―Yes!‖

 CHAPTER THREE

THE PATTERN OF EVANGELISTIC COUNSELING

It should be a foregone conclusion that anyone who attempts to master the art of

biblical counseling should thoroughly examine the methods used in the Bible by Jesus

and the apostles as they counseled. This chapter examines five situations where Jesus

dealt with unbelievers and three situations where the apostles did the same. Several of

these stories have received abundant treatment in evangelism literature. The goal here

will be to evaluate them as counseling events and learn from them how to counsel

evangelistically.

Several overlapping truths will be seen in this survey. 1) Jesus and the apostles

did not screen their counselees. They did not check first to see if they were saved before

giving them biblical counsel. 2) Jesus and the apostles accepted anyone who approached

them for counsel, regardless of his spiritual condition. Although most of the people who

came to Jesus--and later the apostles--were seeking for physical healing from sickness or

handicap, some came with spiritual questions or issues. No one was turned away. 3) Jesus

and the apostles gave biblical counsel to those who came. In some cases, that biblical

counsel looked like evangelism in a traditional sense, but in other cases it looked like the

counsel toward heart change that is taught in biblical counseling literature. In every case,

it can be seen that some aspect of the heart of the counselee was at issue. Each case will

be divided into three sections: 1) the story, 2) the counseling, and 3) the application.

62
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The Evangelistic Counseling Ministry of Jesus

Five cases studies drawn from the ministry of Jesus give resounding approval to

the practice of offering biblical counsel to those who are unsaved. These studies have

been chosen because they are often used as models of biblical evangelism. It will be

shown that they are also models of biblical counseling. They demonstrate that Jesus

spoke to the heart of all those who came to Him.

It must be acknowledged that there are two differences between these incidents

and the typical biblical counseling engagements. First, these are all single-session

encounters, where a biblical counselor often spends several sessions working with the

same person. Second, Jesus had a divine advantage over the human biblical counselor--

He knew the heart of those He counseled even before He asked any questions. Bible

teacher Warren Wiersbe explains Jesus‘ divine advantage:

―He knew what was in man‖ is a statement that is proved several times in John‘s
Gospel. Jesus knew the character of Simon (John 1:42). He knew what Nathanael
was like (John 1:46ff), and He told the Samaritan woman ―all things‖ that she had
ever done (John 4:29). He knew that the Jewish leaders did not have God‘s love in
their hearts (John 5:42), and that one of His disciples was not truly a believer
(John 6:64). He saw the repentance in the heart of the adulteress (John 8:10–11)
and the murder in the hearts of His enemies (John 8:40ff). Several times in the
Upper Room message, Jesus revealed to His disciples their own inner feelings and
questions.1

The human counselor will therefore have to work harder and take longer than

Jesus did to understand those he counsels. Nevertheless, these encounters with Jesus can

be profitable for the counselor who seeks to understand how to get from a presenting

problem to the gospel.

1
Warren W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary (Wheaton, IL: Victor
Books, 1996), s.v., John 2:23.
 64

The Rich Young Ruler (Mark 10:17-22)

The first counseling event examined is Jesus‘ encounter with a young Jewish

ruler. This event looks much more like a counseling event than a typical evangelistic

event, for Jesus never mentioned repentance or the gospel or the kingdom or even faith in

the encounter. On the other hand, He definitely gave the man biblical counsel about his

lifestyle and even gave him a biblical homework assignment.

The Story. This man approached Jesus and asked a direct, spiritual question. How

Jesus answered him makes an interesting study in evangelistic counseling. Here is the

story as recorded in Mark‘s gospel.

And when he [Jesus] was gone forth into the way, there came one running, and
kneeled to him, and asked him, ―Good Master, what shall I do that I may inherit
eternal life?‖
And Jesus said unto him, ―Why callest thou me good? There is none good but
one, that is, God. Thou knowest the commandments, ‗Do not commit adultery,‘
‗Do not kill,‘ ‗Do not steal,‘ ‗Do not bear false witness,‘ ‗Defraud not,‘ ‗Honour
thy father and mother.‘‖
And he answered and said unto him, ―Master, all these have I observed from
my youth.‖
Then Jesus beholding him loved him and said unto him, ―One thing thou
lackest. Go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou
shalt have treasure in heaven. And come, take up the cross, and follow me.‖
And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved, for he had great
possessions.
--Mark 10:17–22

From a counseling point of view, this event might excite any biblical counselor.

First, here was a man who was eager. He came on the run. Second, here was a man who

was respectful. He called Jesus, ―Good Master.‖ In this young man‘s culture, these words

were very unusual. Jewish rabbis did not allow the word good to be spoken of them; it

was reserved for God alone. Bible historian Alfred Edersheim points out that this man‘s

address to Jesus was unique and uncommon: ―In no recorded instance was a Jewish
 65

Rabbi addressed as ‗Good Master.‘‖2 Third, here was a man who was humble. It was

considered undignified for a rich man or a ruler to run. This man not only ran, but he did

so in public. Jesus was ―in the way,‖ that is, on the public road when the young man ran

up to Him. He even got down on his knees in front of Jesus. Fourth, here was a man who

was already asking a profound spiritual question. He wanted to know how to inherit

(seems an appropriate word for a rich young man) eternal life. This young man was

spiritually hungry. He had done everything he knew or had been taught about gaining

eternal life, but there was still something unsettled in his heart--his world-view was not

working. Besides the four characteristics above, he was rich, young (probably about

Jesus‘ own age), and a man in a position of influence (probably a ruler in the local

synagogue). Humanly speaking, this man was a prime candidate for counseling and

evangelism. Yet, of all the people who came to Jesus in the New Testament, he was the

only one who departed in worse condition than when he arrived.

The Counseling. What happened? Without ever addressing the true answer to his

question, Jesus went straight to this young man‘s heart and revealed that he was not yet

ready for the answer to his question. How did Jesus do that, and what can the biblical

counselor learn for his own practice?

To put this story in the context of biblical counseling, this young man comes to

Jesus begging for spiritual counsel, and Jesus counsels him. First, Jesus straightened out

his low view of righteousness. Only God deserved to be called good. (Jesus is not

denying His own deity here, but only pointing out that this young man, who thought

Jesus to be an ordinary human, needed to understand the true nature of goodness.)

2
Alfred Edersheim, The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah, vol. 2, (Bellingham,
WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 1896), 339.
 66

Second, Jesus reflected back to him the answer he was already getting from his

own religious leaders: keep the law.3 Jesus was using the Word of God as a mirror to

show this young man what was going on in his own heart. Jesus bypassed what was

known to the Jews as the first table of the law (man‘s relationship to God) and quoted the

second table (man‘s relationship with man). Five of the commands Jesus listed are quoted

directly from the Ten Commandments. The sixth one Jesus gave is listed in the Mark text

as ―defraud not‖; Matthew records it in his gospel as, ―Love thy neighbor as thyself.‖

Either way, Jesus was amplifying the tenth commandment in ways that particularly

applied to his rich young man. Had he gained his wealth by coveting, then defrauding?

Did he truly love his neighbor as himself in the way he handled his wealth? The

conversation revealed that even though he was as moral as he knew how to be, this man‘s

spiritual hunger remained. ―What lack I yet?‖ the young man said (Matt 19:20).

Third, Jesus took a personal interest in him. Mark says that He looked at the

young man and loved him. The word emblepo (―look‖) in verse 21 implies a searching,

scrutinizing look.4 Even though this young man would walk away unchanged, Jesus saw

his desire and responded with concern.

Fourth, Jesus went straight to the heart of this young man‘s need. Jesus would not

be satisfied with superficial reconstruction in his life. Either he would put God first--

before everything--or he would walk away. This young man, probably without realizing

it, worshipped at the altar of material possessions. God was not first--money was. His

morality concealed a covetous heart. Warren Wiersbe puts it this way: ―It is good to have
3
Edersheim, 339.
4
Spiros Zodhiates, The Complete Word Study Dictionary: New Testament,
electronic ed. (Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers, 2000) #1689.
 67

the things that money can buy, provided you don‘t lose the things that money cannot

buy.‖5

Fifth, Jesus gave the young man a specific assignment which would force him to

face the materialistic focus of his heart. He told him to sell everything he had, give the

proceeds to the poor, and then come to follow Him (Jesus). This young man could not

continue his materialistic focus and carry out this assignment; the two behaviors were

diametrically opposed.

Sixth, when the young ruler refused to repent of his heart idolatry relating to

riches--when he walked away--Jesus let him go. When he heard Jesus‘ words, this man‘s

face literally darkened. (The Greek word for sad here is otherwise used only in Matthew

16:3: ―the sky is red and lowring [dark, gloomy]‖). Never had he dreamed this would be

the price of his search. Edersheim says, ―Rabbinism had never asked this; if it demanded

almsgiving, it was in odious boastfulness; while it was declared even unlawful to give

away all one‘s possessions—at most, only a fifth of them might be dedicated.‖6 From a

counseling point of view, it is interesting that Jesus never directly confronted him with

his need for faith in God (in an evangelistic sense). He let him go.

The Application. What a powerful story! How much there is to glean for

evangelistic counseling! The biblical counselor too can learn to love people as they are.

The biblical counselor too can use the Word as a mirror to show unbelievers how sin has

overtaken their lives. The biblical counselor too can raise a counselee‘s view of

righteousness. The biblical counselor too can start at the counselee‘s own understanding

5
Wiersbe, s.v., Mark 10:17.
6
Edersheim, 342.
 68

and experience, showing from there the inadequacy of his own world-view. The biblical

counselor too can (by the Spirit of God) understand the heart of a counselee and refuse to

traffic in any territory of lesser importance. The biblical counselor too can give radical

homework that exposes sin at its heart.

A Man Named Nicodemus (John 3:1-13)

A second counseling episode from Jesus‘ ministry involved Nicodemus, a

Pharisee and also a ruler--in this case a member of the Jewish Sanhedrin, or High Court,

in Jerusalem (John 7:50). This event occurred at night, probably in the city of Jerusalem.

Again, Jesus did not start with faith, but rather an action that the proud, secretive Pharisee

would disdain in his heart (being born again). Jesus confronted his complacency and

challenged his heart with a humbling perspective. Only after exposing his heart did Jesus

talk about faith in Himself.

The Story. This man also approached Jesus. However, he did not ask a question,

but opened with a statement of approval and flattery. How Jesus answered him expands

the understanding of evangelistic counseling. His story appears only in John, chapter 3.

There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. The
same came to Jesus by night and said unto him, ―Rabbi, we know that thou art a
teacher come from God, for no man can do these miracles that thou doest except
God be with him.‖
Jesus answered and said unto him, ―Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a
man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.‖
Nicodemus saith unto him, ―How can a man be born when he is old? Can he
enter the second time into his mother‘s womb and be born?‖
Jesus answered, ―Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born of water
and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of
the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I
said unto thee, ye must be born again. The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou
hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh and whither it goeth.
So is every one that is born of the Spirit.‖
Nicodemus answered and said unto him, ―How can these things be?‖
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Jesus answered and said unto him, ―Art thou a master of Israel, and knowest
not these things? Verily, verily, I say unto thee, we speak that we do know, and
testify that we have seen, and ye receive not our witness. If I have told you earthly
things and ye believe not, how shall ye believe if I tell you of heavenly things?
--John 3:1-12

The first two verses of the text give four facts about this counselee. His name was

Nicodemus. He was a Pharisee, which indicated he was a conservative, commandment-

oriented religious person. He was a ruler of the Jews, or member of the Jerusalem

Sanhedrin, which meant he was one of 70 leaders in what amounted to the Jewish

Supreme Court. Finally, he came to Jesus by night, which probably meant that

Nicodemus was vitally concerned about his reputation.

Nicodemus did not come to Jesus with the eagerness and humility of the rich

young ruler. Judging by the counsel Jesus gave him and by subsequent events in his life,

he probably was a very proud man. Although Nicodemus did defend Jesus in a general

way in front of the Sanhedrin later (John 12:42), he was apparently one of those rulers

who believed in Jesus secretly for fear of his peers. Nevertheless, he did come searching

and seeking counsel.

He opened the conversation somewhat tentatively, acknowledging that Jesus was

superior to the average teacher--He had ―come from God.‖ The words ―from God‖ are in

an emphatic position in the Greek; they are placed first in the sentence. This expression

was never applied to a human messenger and Nicodemus was probably acknowledging

Jesus‘ superiority--but only as ―a teacher.‖ In Jesus‘ miracles, Nicodemus saw merely a

proof that ―God [was] with Him.‖ At the same time, he knew something was missing in

his own life. Here he was as a theologian talking to an unlettered carpenter and yet he
 70

graciously acknowledged him as a teacher from God because of the signs.7 Thus, while

earnestly seeking to satisfy his curiosity and spiritual questions, he was afraid of

committing himself too far. Although the Bible reader has to guess at what was really in

Nicodemus‘ heart, Jesus did not have to guess. Just two verses above this story, it is

stated that Jesus ―knew all men‖ (John 2:24). That helps to explain the abrupt turn this

story takes as Jesus begins to counsel him.

The Counseling. Jesus ignored Nicodemus‘ flattery and made a direct and

enigmatic statement to him. ―Except a man be born again,‖ Jesus said, ―he cannot see the

kingdom of God‖ (John 3:3).8 Jesus was saying that men like Nicodemus had to start over

(an entire revolution of his inner man9) before they could see the kingdom of God.

Kenneth Gangel says:

The actual words [born again] describe a garment torn from top to bottom. Unless
God changes our hearts this way, from the inside out, any discussion of the
kingdom is useless. All devout Jews connected the Messiah with the kingdom;
Jesus drove to the heart of the matter immediately.10

In so saying, Jesus struck at the pride in the heart of Nicodemus. He was a Jew!

He was a part of God‘s covenant people (Rom 9:4–5)! He was a faithful Pharisee!

Nicodemus might well accept that Jesus‘ words might apply to a Gentile or a Samaritan

7
Kenneth O. Gangel, vol. 4, John, Holman New Testament Commentary;
Holman Reference (Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 2000), 48.
8
Theologians debate the term Jesus used because the word ―again‖ in the text can
mean either ―again‖ or ―from above‖ (anōthen has both meanings; e.g., ―from above‖ in
John 19:11 and ―again‖ in Gal. 4:9). Nicodemus obviously understood it as being born
again, however, for that was how he responded to the statement.
9
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset, A. R. Fausset et al., A Commentary, Critical
and Explanatory, on the Old and New Testaments (Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research
Systems, Inc., 1997), s.v. John 3:3.
10
Gangel, 49.
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or a Roman, but certainly not to him! In his confusion, Nicodemus responded with a silly

question about climbing back into his mother‘s womb to go through the birth process all

over again. Jesus, however, would not let the matter go. Even more exactly, He made it

clear to Nicodemus that a spiritual rebirth was necessary, and He even described that new

birth with an illustration about the wind that blows without being seen. More than that,

Jesus also expected Nicodemus to understand His words.

The Application. To see this encounter strictly from an evangelistic perspective

would miss the counseling implications. First, the biblical counselor must always meet

the counselee where he is. Jesus did not turn Nicodemus away just because he had come

secretly, under cover of darkness. He used what he knew of Nicodemus to direct His

opening comments. Second, the biblical counselor must discover whether or not a

counselee is truly saved. Jesus knew to preach the gospel to this man, because He knew

his heart condition and responded to it. Nicodemus had not come to find out how to be

saved; he thought he was already in a privileged position. Although he was coming to

Jesus for some reason, he thought he already had it together. He would have filled out the

religion section of a counseling intake form with confidence. The story of Nicodemus

tells the biblical counselor that he must never take for granted that a counselee is saved,

no matter how moral his behavior or how convincing his testimony. Third, Jesus taught

the facts of the gospel in such a way that this man was confronted at the heart level. Jesus

never used the term born again with any other person or even in his public teaching. Why

use this terminology with Nicodemus? He did so because Nicodemus was proud of his

religious situation and needed to realize that eternal life started with a radical new

beginning.
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The Woman at the Well (John 4:5-29)

A third encounter with Jesus is a striking contrast to the two described above.

First, Jesus had this encounter with a woman. Second, she was a woman living in moral

unrighteousness. Third, she did not approach Jesus; He approached her. Fourth, His

discussion with her began on practical subjects rather than religious ones. In other words,

He turned an earthly discussion into a spiritual one. Fifth, He addressed her about

worship and whom God seeks for worshippers. For the biblical counselor, therefore, this

is an enormously instructive story.

The Story. Jesus was on a cross-country journey and had deliberately chosen to

take the route He did. The Bible reader is allowed no other conclusion than that Jesus

wanted to bring the good news of the gospel to the city where this woman lived. Her

story is only in John‘s gospel. The story is long, but the progress of Jesus‘ conversation

with this woman is well worth reading.

He [Jesus] left Judea and departed again into Galilee. And he must needs go
through Samaria. Then cometh he to a city of Samaria which is called Sychar,
near to the parcel of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. Now Jacob‘s well
was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied with his journey, sat thus on the well,
and it was about the sixth hour. There cometh a woman of Samaria to draw water.
Jesus saith unto her, ―Give me to drink.‖ (For his disciples were gone away
unto the city to buy meat.)
Then saith the woman of Samaria unto him, ―How is it that thou, being a Jew,
askest drink of me which am a woman of Samaria? For the Jews have no dealings
with the Samaritans.‖
Jesus answered and said unto her, ―If thou knewest the gift of God and who it
is that saith to thee, ‗Give me to drink,‘ thou wouldest have asked of him, and he
would have given thee living water.‖
The woman saith unto him, ―Sir, thou hast nothing to draw with and the well
is deep; from whence then hast thou that living water? Art thou greater than our
father Jacob which gave us the well and drank thereof himself, and his children,
and his cattle?‖
Jesus answered and said unto her, ―Whosoever drinketh of this water shall
thirst again, but whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never
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thirst, but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing
up into everlasting life.‖
The woman saith unto him, ―Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not, neither
come hither to draw.‖
Jesus saith unto her, ―Go, call thy husband, and come hither.‖
The woman answered and said, ―I have no husband.‖
Jesus said unto her, ―Thou hast well said, ‗I have no husband.‘ for thou hast
had five husbands, and he whom thou now hast is not thy husband. In that saidst
thou truly.‖
The woman saith unto him, ―Sir, I perceive that thou art a prophet. Our fathers
worshipped in this mountain; and ye say that in Jerusalem is the place where men
ought to worship.‖
Jesus saith unto her, ―Woman, believe me, the hour cometh when ye shall
neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father. Ye worship ye
know not what; we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews. But the
hour cometh--and now is--when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in
spirit and in truth, for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit, and
they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.‖
The woman saith unto him, ―I know that Messias cometh, which is called
Christ. When he is come, he will tell us all things.‖
Jesus saith unto her, ―I that speak unto thee am he.‖
--John 4:3-26

From the story, what can be determined about this counselee? First, she was a

Samaritan. When Assyria had conquered the northern Jewish kingdom of Israel in 722

B.C., they deported most of the Jews and imported citizens from several different nations

and places in its vast empire to take their place. These newcomers had intermarried with

the remaining Jews and formed a half-breed population known as the Samaritans. They

were also a half-breed group in religion, adding the trappings of the Hebrew worship to

their own idolatrous practices (2 Kings 17:24-33). As a result, as she points out, the Jews

and the Samaritans did not associate. A proper Jewish man would have remained thirsty

rather than to ask a Samaritan for a drink. Actually, Jesus‘ journey through their territory

was unusual; most Jews traveling from Judea to Galilee crossed the Jordan and avoided

the Samaritan region entirely.

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Second, she was living in an immoral relationship. This becomes clear during her

conversation with Jesus. She had already had five marriages and was now living with a

man who was not her husband.

Third, she probably had only a superficial relationship to religion. ―Our fathers,‖

she said, ―worshipped in this mountain.‖ She did not say, ―We worship in this mountain,‖

so she may not have been involved in worship on a regular basis. In fact, her lifestyle

may have made her a persona non grata in any religious meeting. She certainly had an

opinion about worship, but it seemed to be a superficial opinion.

The counseling. Jesus knew this encounter was a divine appointment. John‘s

statement that Jesus ―must needs go through Samaria,‖ is enlightening. As already

discussed, Jews normally routed their travels around Samaria, but God had apparently

directed Jesus through Samaria on purpose because there was a woman--and an entire

town as well--prepared to receive Him. Jesus was therefore willing to do what others

would have avoided--develop a relationship with an outcast woman. In His counsel to

her, Jesus led her skillfully from very basic physical things to very high spiritual things.

First, he talked to her about water--real water, the kind drawn from a physical

well; He asked her for a drink. Immediately, however, His request opened up the

possibility of a much deeper conversation. She was surprised that He, a Jew, would even

speak to her, let alone ask to share her water pot, since she was a Samaritan, despised by

the Jews. Her question made it clear that she saw Him as an unusual Jewish man. She

was intrigued.

Second, he spoke to her of living water. He did not define what He meant by that

term, and she still thought of His water in terms of a physical substance. She wondered
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how He could draw the living water without any kind of bucket. She was still intrigued,

however. She asked whether He was greater that her own Jewish ancestor (Jacob) who

dug the well in the first place.

Third, Jesus expanded His explanation of living water. It was different, He says,

from normal water. Normal water satisfied only for a short time; the living water which

He offered satisfied thirst forever because it welled up within a person. While the woman

seemed to understand His words as referring to some kind of running water which would

eliminate her daily treks to the well, even she must have sensed a higher meaning to the

words; the description Jesus gave could not have been interpreted strictly from a physical

viewpoint. She still had not caught His full meaning, but she was definitely attracted to

His message. She was now ready to seek what He had to offer. ―Give me this water,‖ she

said.

Fourth, He gently probed her moral life with a request to talk with her husband.

This was a natural request. She wanted to obtain what He had offered, but such a decision

would have to be made under the authority of her husband. At the same time, Jesus‘

request had skillfully exposed the condition of her heart. Her moral life was in shambles.

She had tried five married relationships and now she had apparently given up on a formal

relationship and lived with a sixth man without benefit of marriage. She did not like to be

exposed, and since she realized He had some supernatural knowledge of her, she turned

the conversation in a religious direction.

Finally, as she turned the conversation away from her moral condition to religious

debate, He let her know what God was like and who He Himself was. The end result of
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this conversation was that she believed His identity and was so excited to tell others her

discovery that she left her water pot behind as she returned to the city.

In addition, Jesus would have spotted two potential heart-level issues in this

woman‘s life. First, she possibly had a desire for comfort. When Jesus spoke about living

water, she grasped at the notion because it would eliminate some work on her part; she

said it would eliminate her daily need to ―come hither to draw‖ (John 4:15). Second, she

probably looked for meaning in marriage and men. Her serial marriages would have been

unusual in that culture. Her behavior could have indicated a number of desires: 1) she

may have looked to these men for security, 2) she may have longed for love and

intimacy, or 3) she may have been seeking happiness. Whatever the reason, Jesus found

this to be fertile ground that led to her heart. He wanted her to know that her heart

satisfaction lay in knowing Him (the living water) rather than in relationships with men.

(It is possible that her five past husbands had died, but this is not likely. Jesus‘ answer to

her seems to imply that her multiple relationships represented a moral deficit in her rather

than a life of tragedy.)

The application. The biblical counselor can learn much from this encounter

between Jesus and the woman. First, he should remember that no one is too far gone to

benefit from evangelistic counseling. Jesus could have found several reasons not to

address this woman. Instead, He went out of His way (literally) to share the good news of

salvation with her. Second, the evangelistic counselor will often need to move from the

known to the unknown, from the presenting problem to the gospel. It is good counseling

to start where the counselee is and uncover spiritual need by probing the situation that

originally brought the person to counsel. Third, as he probes the presenting problem, the
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evangelistic counselor should identify heart-level issues that are exposed in the

counselee‘s story. Finally, as he exposes sin issues in a person‘s life, he should also tell

of the Savior who truly can satisfy all heart longings, once one forsakes the idolatry of

false worship.

A Discontented Brother

In the next case study, Jesus is accosted by a man who believes he has been

treated unfairly by an older brother. Jesus turns away his request for justice because it is

outside of His jurisdiction, but He takes advantage of the opportunity to address the

man‘s heart.

The Story. One day, a man in the crowd appealed to Jesus to resolve a problem.

He complained to Jesus that his older brother had not treated him fairly in the division (or

maybe lack of division) of the family inheritance. Here is his story from the book of

Luke:

And one of the company said unto him, ―Master, speak to my brother, that he
divide the inheritance with me.‖
And he said unto him, ―Man, who made me a judge or a divider over you?‖
And he said unto them, ―Take heed and beware of covetousness, for a man‘s life
consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth.‖
And he spake a parable unto them, saying, ―The ground of a certain rich man
brought forth plentifully, and he thought within himself, saying, ‗What shall I do,
because I have no room where to bestow my fruits?‘ And he said, ‗This will I do:
I will pull down my barns and build greater, and there will I bestow all my fruits
and my goods. And I will say to my soul, ―Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for
many years. Take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry.‖‘ But God said unto him,
‗Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee; then whose shall those
things be which thou hast provided?‘ So is he that layeth up treasure for himself,
and is not rich toward God.
--Luke 12:13–21

Details in this story are scant, but there are enough to piece together a reasonable

picture of the situation involved in this story. One can imagine that this man, while
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listening to the authority of Jesus‘ teaching and seeing the favor He commanded from His

large audiences, saw an opportunity to get some help on a problem of his own. He (at

least according to his claim) had been unjustly treated by his older brother in the division

of the family inheritance. Maybe Jesus could help him. It becomes immediately apparent

that this man had no personal faith in Jesus but only wanted to use Him for his own

personal benefit. There are two possibilities to explain this man‘s request: 1) He may not

yet have sought help from the local elders, or 2) he was not satisfied with the result of

their decision. The Jewish law was very exacting about how an inheritance was to be

divided. All sons received an equal share of the father‘s inheritance, except that the oldest

son always received a double share. From Jesus‘ response to the man, it may be

presumed that he had been given a share but was not satisfied with the division in some

way. What would Jesus do? What kind of counsel would He give?

The Counseling. First of all, Jesus clarified His jurisdiction. There was a court

system in place in Jesus‘ day, and He was not part of it. It was not His place, therefore, to

resolve the dispute by legal means. However, there was a deeper problem represented

here, and Jesus was able to address that deeper issue. This man was covetous. Jesus

addressed the heart of this man. ―Beware of covetousness,‖ He said, ―for a man‘s life

consisteth not in the abundance of things which he possesseth‖ (v 15). By dealing with

the heart, Jesus gave this man counsel that reached far beyond his current problem. Even

if he received a fair distribution of the inheritance, he would not have been a satisfied

man. Since his heart was covetous, he would not ultimately be satisfied because he

believed that more possessions would give his life meaning.

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The Application. The counsel Jesus gave to this brother teaches the biblical

counselor not to get involved in the rightness or wrongness of the way a person seeking

counsel is being treated. Most people who seek counsel about relationship problems

believe they are being treated wrongfully. They often describe their treatment as abuse--

whether physical, emotional, or mental. While in fact they may be victims of sinful

behavior, there is always a deeper issue. The Bible instructs people to ―count it all joy‖

when they encounter various kinds of trials (James 1:2-4). If there is a possibility of joy

during any kind of trouble, then difficulty in a relationship also presents the possibility of

joy. The joy comes from having God‘s perspective on the troubling situation. Unsaved

people often come for counsel because of relationship difficulties. The biblical counselor

has an open opportunity to address the underlying issues and use them to guide the

unbeliever to faith in the Savior.

The Tax Collector with a Guilty Conscience

In a fifth case study, Jesus invites Himself to dinner at the home of a wealthy tax

collector. It was another case where Jesus put Himself in a position to meet someone who

was seeking heart change.

The Story. Jesus was traveling toward Jerusalem for the final events of His life.

On the way, the Bible says, He entered and passed through Jericho. He could have gone

around the city, but He had another divine appointment scheduled. Within the city was a

short man with a guilty conscience. Here is his story as Luke tells it:

And Jesus entered and passed through Jericho. And behold, there was a man
named Zaccheus, which was the chief among the publicans, and he was rich. And
he sought to see Jesus who he was, and could not for the press, because he was
little of stature. And he ran before and climbed up into a sycomore tree to see him,
for he was to pass that way.
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And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up, and saw him, and said unto
him, ―Zaccheus, make haste and come down, for today I must abide at thy house.‖
And he made haste, and came down, and received him joyfully.
And when they saw it, they all murmured, saying that ―he was gone to be
guest with a man that is a sinner.‖
And Zaccheus stood and said unto the Lord, ―Behold, Lord, the half of my
goods I give to the poor, and if I have taken anything from any man by false
accusation, I restore him fourfold.‖
And Jesus said unto him, ―This day is salvation come to this house, forsomuch
as he also is a son of Abraham. For the Son of man is come to seek and to save
that which was lost.‖
--Luke 19:1–10

Here was a man who had taken full advantage of the position granted to him as

tax gatherer for the Roman government. He would be hated by his fellow townsmen on

three accounts: he was an employee of the hated Roman government, he had the power to

arbitrarily set and exact taxes and dues from the people, and he was ―chief of the

publicans,‖ which meant that he supervised those who directly collected the taxes.

Although his name in Aramaic (Zakkai) meant just or pure,11 he had lived a life just the

opposite. By his own admission he had ―taken by false accusation‖ from his fellow-

citizens. (The word Zaccheus used is the Greek sukophanteo, translated as false

accusation in the New Testament [Luke 3:14; 19:8] and oppression in the Septuagint

[Job 35:9; Ps 119:122].)

On the other hand, by the time Jesus meets Zaccheus, he showed signs of a guilty

conscience leading to repentance. He wanted to see Jesus. He may have sought Jesus out

of idle curiosity, but the intensity of his effort--running ahead and climbing a tree--

indicates that something stronger was motivating him.

11
Edersheim, vol. 2, 352.
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The Counseling. Zaccheus‘ special effort to seek out the Lord showed his

openness to change in his life. Because of His omniscience, Jesus could call Zaccheus by

name, even though they had never met. The use of his name possibly had a great effect

on Zaccheus, both because it would be unexpected, and possibly because his name

represented the opposite of his lifestyle. The Bible text gives us no clue about what Jesus

said to Zaccheus on that day, so it may well be assumed that what He said was of lesser

importance. It may well have been Jesus‘ very presence as a holy person in Zaccheus‘

unholy home that brought repentance and salvation to Zaccheus‘ heart.

The Application. The evangelistic counselor should have the same advantage in

counseling that Jesus did. He should sit in the counseling session as a representative of

holy living. Although he may well be aware of his own shortcomings, he has been saved

by the grace of God and should be living in obedience to the righteousness of God. (If

not, he has no business counseling others--saved or unsaved.) That very representation of

righteousness can draw sinners for counsel. When Jesus was on earth, the publicans and

sinners ―drew near . . . for to hear Him‖ (Luke 15:1). In the same way, today‘s sinners

who want to be free from their bondage may seek counsel from someone who

demonstrates righteousness in his life. Also, in the same way that Jesus exulted in the

repentance of Zaccheus, the counselor can rejoice as he watches the convicting work of

the Spirit bring repentance and change to the life of a sinner.

The Evangelistic Counseling Ministry of the Apostles

The Bible also includes cases where individual apostles carried out biblical

evangelistic counseling. Three cases are reported to show that the apostles continued to
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practice the same pattern modeled for them by the Lord Jesus Himself. Taken from the

book of Acts, one case each will be discussed for the apostles Peter, Philip, and Paul. It is

clear again that in these cases, the apostles started with the initial approach of the sinner

(his presenting problem) as a means to teach the gospel.

An Envious Magician

When persecution started in Jerusalem under the direction of Saul, some of the

believers left Jerusalem and traveled to other parts of the world for safety. Philip, who

was one of the seven appointed to wait tables in Acts chapter 6, went to Samaria and

preached the gospel there. Later, Peter and John were sent to the city to help in the

evangelistic effort.

The Story. While they ministered in Samaria, these three apostles met a man

named Simon, who professed faith and was baptized, but still retained his old desires.

The story opens when Simon desires some of the same spiritual power that Peter and

John displayed.

Then laid they [Peter and John] their hands on them [the believers of Samaria]
and they received the Holy Ghost.
And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles‘ hands the Holy
Ghost was given, he offered them money, saying, ―Give me also this power, that
on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost.‖
But Peter said unto him, ―Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast
thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money. Thou hast neither part
nor lot in this matter, for thy heart is not right in the sight of God. Repent
therefore of this thy wickedness and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine
heart may be forgiven thee. For I perceive that thou art in the gall of bitterness
and in the bond of iniquity.‖
Then answered Simon and said, ―Pray ye to the Lord for me, that none of
these things which ye have spoken come upon me.‖
--Acts 8:17–24
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The context shows what was probably going on in Simon‘s heart. Simon had

received a lot of attention in Samaria before the gospel and the disciples came. He had

used sorcery to bewitch the people, and he was able to build a famous reputation as a

great worker of miracles. He was even called ―the great power of God.‖ That kind of

reputation was heady. However, the Bible indicates that the people‘s loyalty switched to

Philip when the gospel came to the area--they believed in the name of Jesus Christ and

they were baptized. Simon lost his position of influence and power, but apparently had

not lost his desire for that kind of recognition, even after he professed to trust in Jesus.

When he saw Peter and John producing supernatural results in people‘s lives by the

laying on of their hands, he grasped at an opportunity to regain the position he had lost.

He approached the apostles and, using the only means of persuasion he knew, he offered

them money in exchange for the power to pass on the power of the Holy Ghost through

his own ministry.

The Counseling. Peter wasted no time in declaring the truth to this man. Simon

apparently had not understood the gospel correctly when he professed faith. Otherwise,

he could not have thought power in the ministry was simply a matter of money. Even

though Simon had gone through all the motions and outward manifestations of faith,

Peter confronted Simon about a guilty heart; his heart was not right with God. Peter went

on to call Simon to repentance. He called his sin wickedness and said that his heart

revealed two great sin patterns: the ―gall of bitterness‖ and ―the bond of iniquity.‖ Both

of these phrases represent unsaved conditions. The ―gall of bitterness‖ apparently referred

to Deuteronomy 29:18. There God explained to the Israelites that there could be a

heinous sin among the people--an individual, family, or tribe that would turn away from
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following the true God. He said such a sin would be ―a root that beareth gall and

wormwood.‖ Had Simon been allowed to continue on his path, he certainly could have

had that effect in the Samaritan community of believers. The ―bond of iniquity‖ meant

that he was in bondage to sin--in this case probably the bondage to his own heart desires

for fame and influence. Although Peter called Simon to repentance, he made it perfectly

clear that Simon‘s profession of faith had not represented a true conversion.

The Application. Every biblical counselor is called to discern whenever possible

whether or not those he counsels have been truly converted. Many people today think

they have been saved, but they have not understood the gospel clearly or, like Simon,

they may have professed faith with ulterior motives. Simon‘s story stands as a clear

signal to the counselor not to allow an unbeliever to persist in thinking that he has settled

his relationship with God. Instead, sin patterns still existing in his heart must be exposed

and rooted out so that he can be truly converted and truly grow in Christ.

A Traveling Treasurer

In the same chapter that includes Simon‘s tragic story is the story of another man

who genuinely trusted in Christ. He was also a foreigner, but apparently one who had

been converted to the Jewish faith and had been to Jerusalem for worship.

The Story. Philip was busy with the ministry to the Samaritans, but God had

another job for him. An angel told Philip to head south to the highway that led from

Jerusalem to Gaza, out in the desert. Luke records his story in the latter half of Acts,

chapter eight:

And the angel of the Lord spake unto Philip, saying, ―Arise and go toward the
south unto the way that goeth down from Jerusalem unto Gaza, which is desert.‖
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And he arose and went. And, behold, a man of Ethiopia, an eunuch of great
authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians, who had the charge of all her
treasure and had come to Jerusalem for to worship, was returning and, sitting in
his chariot, read Esaias the prophet.
Then the Spirit said unto Philip, ―Go near and join thyself to this chariot.‖
And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said,
―Understandest thou what thou readest?‖
And he said, ―How can I, except some man should guide me?‖ And he desired
Philip that he would come up and sit with him. The place of the scripture which
he read was this, ―He was led as a sheep to the slaughter, and like a lamb dumb
before his shearer, so opened he not his mouth. In his humiliation his judgment
was taken away, and who shall declare his generation? For his life is taken from
the earth.‖
And the eunuch answered Philip and said, ―I pray thee, of whom speaketh the
prophet this? Of himself, or of some other man?
Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached
unto him Jesus.
And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water, and the
eunuch said, ―See, here is water--what doth hinder me to be baptized?‖
And Philip said, ―If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest.‖
And he answered and said, ―I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.‖
And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the
water, both Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him. And when they were
come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the
eunuch saw him no more. And he went on his way rejoicing.
--Acts 8:26–39

When Philip arrived at his destination, he encountered the caravan of this

government official--a eunuch--from Ethiopia. Names and locations have changed since

then, and ―Ethiopia here refers not to modern-day Ethiopia but to ancient Nubia, the

region from Aswan in southern Egypt to Khartoum, Sudan.‖12 This man had traveled

over 200 miles by chariot in order to worship in Jerusalem. Besides that, he was reading

from a scroll of the prophet Isaiah--a scroll that would have cost a great sum of money in

those days, since every scroll had to be handwritten. He was reading aloud (as students

were taught to do in those days), and Philip overheard him reading. His heart must have

12
John F. Walvoord, Roy B. Zuck and Dallas Theological Seminary, The Bible
Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books,
1983), s.v., Acts 8:27.
 86

jumped at the opportunity. Here was a man reading about Jesus, the Savior! After a short

exchange, the eunuch invited Philip up into the chariot to explain the text to him.

The Counseling. Philip began ―at the same scripture‖ to explain the story of Jesus.

He started right where the man was reading. In the circumstances of that day, he probably

had no other option. The eunuch was reading from a heavy scroll and, in fact, he may not

have owned any other scroll of the Scriptures. On the other hand, it was a perfect

Scripture for a start in explaining the gospel. The passion, death, and resurrection of Jesus

are all included in that chapter. Nevertheless, the Holy Spirit thought it significant to

record that Philip started right where the man was reading. From that text, he ―preached

unto him Jesus,‖ and laid out the story in such a way that the eunuch was ready to be

baptized as soon as they came to a body of water. When the man wanted to be baptized,

Philip knew he needed to check for true faith and conversion. This man may have been a

proselyte into Judaism (as was implied by his traveling there to worship). If so, he would

have gone through a baptism ceremony when he converted to Judaism. Edersheim said,

―It was prescribed that such Gentiles as became . . . ‗proselytes of the Covenant‘ . . . were

to be admitted to full participation in the privileges of Israel by the threefold rites of

circumcision, baptism, and sacrifice.‖13 Now, he understood the true gospel and wanted

to be baptized again. Philip asked him how deep his faith was. Did he believe with all his

heart? The eunuch responded with a clear, unequivocal testimony of faith in Jesus Christ

as the Son of God.

The Application. The biblical counselor will often have such an opportunity. He

may meet someone who is already interested in the Bible and religious things. Someone

13
Edersheim, vol. 1, 273.
 87

may even come with a Bible question. It would be foolish, however, for a counselor to

assume that someone was saved just because of his interest. Like Philip, the evangelistic

counselor must first share ―all the counsel of God‖ (Acts 20:27), and then make sure that

an interested person has truly converted in his heart.

A Resistant Governor

Marcus Antonius Felix was the governor of Judea from AD 52-58. During his

tenure, the apostle Paul was taken into custody in Jerusalem and sent to him for trial. In

this way, God gave Paul an opportunity for some evangelistic counseling.

The Story. It did not take Felix long to determine that Paul was not guilty of

anything worthy of imprisonment. However, he was in a difficult situation. For some

reason, the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem desperately wanted to get rid of Paul, so releasing

him would antagonize some of the key people in his province. Luke tells the story:

And when Felix heard these things, having more perfect knowledge of that way,
he deferred them and said, ―When Lysias the chief captain shall come down, I
will know the uttermost of your matter.‖ And he commanded a centurion to keep
Paul, and to let him have liberty, and that he should forbid none of his
acquaintance to minister or come unto him. And after certain days, when Felix
came with his wife Drusilla, which was a Jewess, he sent for Paul and heard him
concerning the faith in Christ.
And as he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come,
Felix trembled and answered, ―Go thy way for this time; when I have a
convenient season, I will call for thee.‖ He hoped also that money should have
been given him of Paul, that he might loose him; wherefore he sent for him the
oftener and communed with him. But after two years Porcius Festus came into
Felix‘ room, and Felix, willing to shew the Jews a pleasure, left Paul bound.
--Acts 24:22–27

As a result, Felix left Paul in prison for two years and even later passed him on to

his successor. Felix and his wife Drusilla made an interesting evangelistic opportunity.

Felix was ruthless and used his position ―as a license for the worst of crimes,‖ according
 88

to the historian Tacitus.14 He had wooed Drusilla, his third wife, away from another

marriage. Her grandfather was the Herod who tried to kill the baby Jesus, her great-uncle

killed John the Baptist, and her father had beheaded the apostle James.15 Because of riots

in his province, Felix was eventually removed from his post and recalled to Rome.

The Counseling. Paul had a chance to evangelize this Roman governor. The

Scripture above tells us that Felix ―heard him concerning the faith in Christ.‖ However,

rather than telling Felix first about the grace and salvation to be found in Christ, Paul

confronted him about ―righteousness, temperance, and the judgment to come‖ (Acts

24:24-25). In keeping with Jesus‘ caution to not ―cast ye your pearls before swine‖ (Matt

7:6), Paul did not offer salvation to a man who had not yet realized that he was spiritually

lost. Felix apparently was under conviction because when Paul discussed these subjects,

Felix trembled (lit: became terrified) and pushed Paul off. They had many such

conversations over the next two years (v 26); yet Felix never repented of his sinful life.

His transfer out of the province ended his counseling sessions with Paul.

The Application. The biblical counselor should never assume that he can lead

every person to faith in Christ. It is his task to present the truth of Scripture as the

Scripture presents it, rather than to push for a conversion experience. It may be prudent

to press the righteous demands of the gospel on an unbelieving counselee, even when

there does not seem to be any progress. In most cases, the unbeliever will terminate

counseling on his own when he cannot get what he wants from the counseling without

submitting to God‘s righteousness.

14
Arthur Murray, The Works of Cornelius Tacitus, with an Essay on His Life and
Genius (London: Jones & Co., 1831), 216.
15
Wiersbe, s.v., Acts 24:22-27.
 89

These eight examples mirror the wide variety of situations the evangelistic

counselor may encounter in his ministry. Some will be ripe for the gospel; others will be

resistant. Some will confess their sinful condition; others will avoid it. Some will believe

they are already saved; others will readily admit that they are lost. Since such variety is

common, what are the common denominators of evangelizing the lost through

counseling? As stated in the opening paragraph of this chapter, there are three. First, the

biblical counselor should not screen his counselees to weed out those who are unsaved;

instead, he should welcome all who by the grace of God seek him for counsel. Second, he

should begin where the counselee begins, using the presenting problem as the grounds for

further discussion. In one way or other, the presenting problem points to the heart

condition of the counselee, and the counselor can move from that point to the gospel.

Third, he should give biblical counsel. While an unbeliever needs counsel from different

parts of the Bible than the believer needs, all biblical truth presented to another represents

the counsel of God.

The biblical counselor has a golden opportunity in the potential, the principles,

and the pattern of evangelistic counseling. Is there a process of counseling that makes

evangelistic counseling effective? Can such a process help the counselor move smoothly

from an unsaved person‘s presenting problem to the gospel? That is the subject of the

next chapter.
 CHAPTER FOUR

THE PROCESS OF EVANGELISTIC COUNSELING

The biblical counselor will be benefitted when he has a systematic approach to

counseling. Every counseling case is unique, of course, and the counselor soon learns that

he cannot counsel with a one-size-fits-all approach. However, the counselor can have a

roadmap to direct his counseling. It will be important for him to maintain his view of the

forest while he labors through the trees of the counselee‘s life and difficulties. When Jay

Adams wrote The Christian Counselor’s Manual back in 1973, he identified most of the

ingredients required for effective counseling, but did not lay out a step-by-step approach.

One attempt to systematize the counseling process was developed by Dr. Wayne Mack

for his teaching courses. He called it the ―Eight I‘s of Counseling.‖ The first seven of the

eight were published in a counseling book published by the faculty of Master‘s College,

Introduction to Biblical Counseling (1994),1 and then republished in the John MacArthur

Pastor‘s Library edition called, Counseling: How to Counsel Biblically (2005).2 Because

Dr. Mack‘s are important to the flow of the process presented in this chapter, they are

reproduced here with explanatory comments.

- Involvement: Building Relationship with the Counselee

- Inspiration: Instilling Hope in the Counselee
- Inventory: Data-Gathering to Understand the Counselee‘s Problem
1
John F. MacArthur, Jr. and Wayne A. Mack, Introduction to Biblical
Counseling: A Basic Guide to the Principles and Practices of Counseling (Dallas: Word
Publishing, 1994), 173-297.
2
John MacArthur, Counseling: How to Counsel Biblically (Nashville, TN:
Thomas Nelson, Inc, 2005), 101-200.

90
 91

- Interpretation: Analyzing the Data to Set an Agenda for Counseling

- Instruction: Teaching the Scripture that Pertains to the Problem
- Inducement: Motivating the Counselee to Make Biblical Changes
- Implementation: Outlining New Habits of Behavior for the Counselee
- Integration: Helping the Counselee Practice New Habits of Behavior

Dr. Mack‘s Eight I‘s described a complete and systematic approach to the

counseling process, but could become unwieldy and difficult to remember in the heat of

the counseling moment. Dr. Paul Tripp summarized a complete approach to the

counseling process in four simple and easy-to-remember words in his book called,

Instruments in the Redeemer’s Hands.3 His outline was: Love, Know, Speak, and Do.

Each of the four words essentially incorporated the same concepts as two of Dr. Mack‘s

I‘s: Love (Involvement and Inspiration), Know (Inventory and Interpretation), Speak

(Instruction and Inducement), and Do (Implementation and Integration). This simple

outline is far easier for the counselor to manage and remember as he works his way

through a counseling case. Both outlines, however, deal with the counseling process from

the counselor’s point of view. The words themselves focus the counselor‘s efforts on how

he must behave in the counseling process. With humble gratefulness to the wisdom and

teaching of both of these writers and teachers, this paper suggests a third outline which

focuses on the outcome of each stage of the counseling process in the counselee’s heart,

rather than on the specific actions of the counselor. The outline presented here also

simplifies Dr. Mack‘s eight steps into four and exactly parallels Dr. Tripp‘s four key

words. To make the steps easily memorable, the outline starts each step with the same

letter. Its fresh contribution to the counseling process, however, is that it directs the

3
Paul David Tripp, Instruments in the Redeemer’s Hands: People in Need of
Change Helping People in Need of Change (Phillipsburg, NJ: P & R Publishing, 2002),
108-276.
 92

counselor to focus on the heart of the counselee. The outline draws attention to what is

happening in the counselee, rather than on what the counselor does to make it happen.

The outline is:

1) Explore the heart

2) Expose the heart
3) Engage the heart
4) Encourage the heart

Although the same outline applies equally well to counseling believers and

unbelievers, it will be applied in this paper to evangelistic counseling.

Explore the Heart (Involvement and Inspiration)

When the counselor and counselee first meet, the counselor generally knows little

of the counselee‘s story and problem. If he has requested some advance information

(such as a Personal Data Inventory), he may know the counselee‘s name, background,

and presenting problem. What he does not know are the particular details of the

counselee‘s case. He will have much to learn as he gains the trust of the counselee,

gathers data about the case, and instills hope that genuine change can occur. Even more

importantly, he will have to learn what is going on in the counselee‘s heart. From the first

handshake to the last of his data-gathering questions, the counselor should be absorbed in

discovering one primary piece of information: the counselee‘s heart reaction to the

circumstances he faces. Since this is the territory in which God has designed for change

to occur, it must be the focus in the counselor‘s exploration.

How will the counselor do this? First, he will listen to the counselee‘s language.

Does he blame others? What does he say he ―can‘t‖ handle or ―won‘t‖ put up with? How

does he describe his reaction to his difficult circumstances? Second, he will watch the
 93

counselee‘s body language. For example, is he confident, slouched, timid, or angry? 4

What is his body language in relation to others in the situation and the counseling room?

Third, he will observe his emotions. At what points does he cry, get tense or nervous, or

show anger? For the counselor who has learned the language of the heart, these are

important clues.

Learning the counselee‘s heart is especially important when the counselee is

unsaved. Many counselors may not have experienced the depths of depression, addiction,

immorality, or financial bondage faced by unsaved people whom they counsel. The

sinner may have sunk deeper into sinful behavior (his actions), express greater depression

or anger (his emotions), and be more confused in mind (his thinking) than the counselor

himself has ever been. He may find himself struggling to identify with the counselee‘s

experience. However, he can identify with the counselee‘s heart, because his follows the

same patterns. Jesus showed compassion and love to those He met (Matt 9:36; Mark

10:21) because He saw their distress and knew their hearts. The human counselor can do

the same because ―he himself also is compassed with infirmity‖ (Heb 5:2).

At this point, it will be helpful to introduce a diagram of biblical change

developed by Dr. David Powlison for a seminary course called, ―Dynamics of Biblical

Change.‖5 There are two presentations of the diagram (see next two pages).

4
One man counseled by this author came in with his wife, who had committed
adultery against him. He arrived with a sober face and a baseball cap turned around
backward. At the next session, his cap faced forward, a seeming sign of hope. By the
fourth session, his face had brightened and the cap disappeared for the duration of the
counseling!
5
For a published verbal description of this diagram, please see: Timothy S. Lane
and Paul David Tripp, How People Change (Greensboro, NC: New Growth Press, 2006),
199-205.
 94

Window #1: Problem

SSitituuaattioionn
Window #6: Good Actions Window #2: Sinful Actions

Good BBaadd
Fruit FFruruitit

Good Bad
Root Root
Window #5: Repentant Heart Window #3: Idolatrous Heart

Window #4: Biblical Truth

SSoolulutitoinon
Figure 7. The Three Trees Diagram
Figure 7. The Three Trees Illustration
 95

#1 – SITUATION/PROBLEM “ISSUE”

#6 – PUT ON GOOD FRUIT #2 – PUT OFF BAD FRUIT

Feelings Feelings

Actions Actions

Thinking Thinking

#5 – REPENTANCE GOD’S #3 – HEART I

GLORY DOLS

#4 – TRUTH/SOLUTIONS BIBLE

Figure 8. The Three Trees Note-Taking Sheet

 96

The first is a pictorial illustration; the second, a note-taking form. The heart-

searching process described in this paper builds from this diagram. (Note: the four-step

process described here is not a quick process. Several sessions of counseling may be

required to work through all the steps.)

The top window (Window #1) in the diagram represents the situation or problem

that the counselee brings to the counseling case. This is the counselee‘s presenting

problem. It could be a relationship conflict, addiction, or financial crisis. He usually

comes with his own interpretation of the situation. Often, he believes the situation is the

fault of someone else.

The first step in the counseling process, exploring the heart, illuminates this

situation and seeks to understand as much as possible about the situation itself: when it

occurs, what is its intensity, how long-standing is its duration, etc. The counselor can

record this situation and its details in the top window of the note-taking form. In addition,

he will also want to explore the heart in other areas of the counselee‘s life. Often, other

issues will contribute to the presenting problem.

The counselor can take one further action at this point which will instill hope and

gain involvement with the counselee. This is especially true for the unsaved counselee

who may not have had any previous experience with the Bible. It will be helpful for the

counselor to find some Bible passage or Bible story with which the counselee can

identify. He may use Psalm 42 and 43 for those who are discouraged or depressed,

Romans 7:12-24 for those who have tried and failed to change their own behavior, Luke

7:40-50 with those who are extremely conscious of their own sinfulness, Genesis 22 with

those who fear giving up some possession or relationship, or Mark 5:1-9 with those who
 97

are in helpless bondage to some behavior, and so on. After leading the counselee to a

passage like these, he can ask, ―Does that describe how you feel? Does that mirror your

experience?‖ When the unsaved person sees that the Bible talks about his own inner

turmoil, he will gain a respect for the Bible and hope for the Bible‘s solutions.

Expose the Heart (Inventory and Interpretation)

Before moving to this step, the counselor will need to make sure that he has

gained adequate information about the counselee‘s problem. Nothing backfires sooner

than for the counselor to head off in a remedial direction and then discover that he is

fixing the wrong problem. When he has garnered as much information as possible at this

juncture, the counselor can begin to address the heart itself. He may have some guesses

about the heart issues hidden below the surface in the counselee‘s case, but he will need

to expose the heart in order to be sure. His goal is also to expose the heart to the

counselee himself. This is especially important in dealing with the unsaved counselee

because it is this self-revelation that will form a counseling bridge from the presenting

problem to the need for salvation.

In the diagram on the previous pages, there is a barren tree in Window #2.

Because this tree represents that which is above ground, it represents the visible turmoil

and consequences of the presenting problem. The counselor may now ask just three

simple questions (in the following order) which, in most cases, will reveal the sinful heart

of the counselee immediately. The first question is: ―How did (do) you feel during that

situation (the situation defined in Window #1)?‖ When a situational event has been

specifically identified, the counselee generally has little problem remembering how he

felt, even when months or years have passed since the event. (In some cases, with men
 98

especially, the counselor may need to prompt with samples of emotion words.) The

counselee may say, ―I felt (feel) angry, or betrayed, or depressed, or fearful.‖ The second

question is: ―What did (do) you do in the situation?‖ Here the counselee identifies his

behavior: ―I left the house,‖ ―I hit her,‖ ―I filed for divorce,‖ ―I stole the money,‖ ―I buy

more drugs,‖ etc. The third question asks: ―What did (do) you think during that

situation?‖ Again, most counselees will be readily able to identify their thoughts: ―I

deserve to be treated differently,‖ ―I don‘t have to put up with this,‖ ―She is so

possessive,‖ ―It‘s happening again, etc.‖

Window #3 describes the root system for the barren tree, that which is below

ground. Windows #3 and #5 represent the heart of the individual. It is a significant step

for both the counselee and the counselor now to identify what is in the heart. A simple

question like, ―What do you think is going on?‖ will often prompt answers like, ―It‘s not

fair,‖ ―I deserve better than this,‖ ―I can‘t put up with this any longer,‖ ―I want to have

money again, etc.‖ If necessary, there are two questions that open up the heart. They are:

―What are you getting that you are not wanting?‖ or ―What are you wanting that you are

not getting?‖ Suddenly the counselee can see a love of money, or a desire for pleasure, or

a longing for peace, or a desire for release from pain, etc. Since the counselee himself has

identified the heart passion, he is quickly able to accept the diagnosis. He can now be

educated that his desire (which may be legitimate, even biblically), has become a

demand, and that he is trying to force others to meet it (James 4:1-3). This revelation puts

the unsaved counselee in a prime position to hear the gospel.

The first three windows of the chart provide greater insight into the world of the

unbeliever. He is stuck in a world of experiences, motivations, and reactions which are

 99

not conformed to the reality of the world as God meant it to be. They are ―a crooked and

perverse nation, among whom [we] shine as lights in the world‖ (Phil 2:15). They have

powerless idols, false hopes, and deceptive desires. They live in the first three windows,

but cannot advance into the fruitful side of the chart.

When the unbeliever truly sees the reigning desire(s) of his heart, he will realize

two things: 1) his ungodly desires (idolatrous worship of false gods) have been a huge

contributing factor in the situation he brought to counseling (his side of the conflict, for

example), and 2) it will take more than normal human solutions to remedy his heart. Now

that he has come face to face with his own sinful idolatry at the heart level, he will likely

have one of two reactions. Either he will resist the revelation and probably abandon the

counseling, or he will repent and be eager to find God‘s answers to his heart need. If the

counselee resists, the counselor may continue to pursue the counselee biblically, or he

may be forced to realize (like Jesus with the rich young ruler) that God has not prepared

the heart for repentance. If the counselee repents, the counselor is ready to begin step

three.

Engage the Heart (Instruction and Inducement)

The counselor may now move (mentally for sure and possibly on paper) with the

counselee to the bottom window of the chart. This is Window #4 and deals with the truth

of the gospel. When the counselee is unsaved, the counselor‘s next step is to show God‘s

answer to sin in the gospel. The fourth window has a cross in it (the third tree of the

diagram). The historical events of the gospel are brought into play: the incarnation of

Jesus as a baby, His life on earth, His death for sin, and His resurrection in spiritual
 100

power. The counselor is now drawing the counselee‘s heart in the direction of the Savior.

Working through this process in this way, however, has created a unique environment of

evangelism--the counselee is considering salvation through the lens of his presenting

problem! He cannot accuse the counselor of bait and switch because the counselor has

faithfully exposed his sinful heart through his original situation! At the same time, the

counselee is quick to agree that the problem he came with is much deeper than he thought

and that the gracious salvation of God is the only answer to his presenting problem! Yes,

he will have to deal with old habits of life that have contributed to his difficulty, but the

first step will be to get right with God in his heart.

The counselor has any number of methods with which to share the gospel with his

counselee at this point. (There are many tracts, pamphlets, or gospel presentations that

can be used either in the session or as homework. There is a partial list in the Appendix,

under question seven. The counselor is encouraged to become familiar with several so

that he knows which one is most applicable.) In most cases, it will be helpful to send the

counselee home with some gospel information that can be read and weighed during

personal reflection. This will forestall an emotional or hurried repentance that may be

regretted or abandoned later on. The counselor can rest in the sovereign work of God in

the counselee‘s life over the next week or so between sessions. The beginning of the next

session may well be spent harvesting the work of God in the soul during the week.

In most cases of evangelistic counseling which follow this pattern, it will be seen

that it was God‘s gracious hand that brought the counselee to counseling and that it was

His intention to ―grant them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth‖ (2 Tim 2:25).
 101

The counselor may rejoice with the angels in heaven ―over one sinner that repenteth‖

(Luke 15:7).

Encourage the Heart (Implementation and Integration)

The counselee‘s life and heart have now been transformed. Spiritual power (Rom

8:1-4) and spiritual discernment (1 Cor 2:14-15) are now part of his spiritual heritage.

The counselor may now joyfully encourage the new believer to put off the old man and

put on the new man as his mind is renewed by the Spirit of God (Eph 4:22-24). The

presenting problem now becomes the basis for further counseling. Old habits are

identified. Scriptural truth about those habits and required new habits can be explored.

The specific path out of Window #4 and up into the left side of the chart will depend on

the counselor‘s insight and the counselee‘s original situation. However, the heart has

changed; he has a new position and identity in Christ. The new believer can now put on a

new heart desire to glorify God (Window #5 and the good fruit tree). He can be led into

new thoughts, actions, and feelings (Window #6). Those new thoughts, actions, and

feelings will change his response to the situation in Window #1. In most cases, his

situation will not have changed, but the person in the situation will have been changed by

the grace of God to react to that situation in godly, biblically-motivated, and

commandment-oriented ways.

The counselor will generally need to walk with the counselee through the first

weeks of his new life as he forms new biblical habits and learns to love and obey his

Savior. With minor exceptions, these will usually be weeks of joy for both the counselor

and the counselee. This is an opportunity for the counselor to instruct the new believer
 102

about prayer, Bible reading and application, Scripture memory, church life, Christian

fellowship, and witnessing on his own. The counselor may even be able to help the

counselee find a fellow sufferer and walk with him through the same process he has just

experienced himself. As stated in the introduction, this new believer then typically enters

a local church family as a believer who is growing in discipleship and is not one who will

remain in an immature state.

So far, this paper has explored the potential, the principles, the pattern, and the

practice of evangelistic counseling. In the final section, the reader will join three local

church ministries who are intentionally using biblical counseling to evangelize their

communities. They represent the performance of evangelistic counseling.

 CHAPTER FIVE

THE PERFORMANCE OF EVANGELISTIC COUNSELING

In 2003 when this writer was first exposed to the format and theology of formal

biblical counseling, using that counseling for evangelism became a vision and a hope.

During the years of training in biblical counseling and through a course leading to a

Master of Arts in Biblical Counseling, the vision has continued and was the primary

impetus behind the research for this paper. The vision that local church evangelism could

be profitably exercised through biblical counseling seemed to hold true in theory, but

would it actually work in the real world? The answer is ―Yes!‖ and the following three

vignettes will demonstrate its validity. This chapter includes the stories of three local

churches that are consistently and victoriously reaping souls for the kingdom of God

through evangelistic biblical counseling. They are in three different states, they are led by

men of three different personalities, and they represent three different denominational

frameworks, but their passion and victory is one. The following information was gained

primarily through personal interviews with Dr. Bob Smith of Faith Baptist Church in

Lafayette, Indiana; Dr. Mark Hager of the Kirksville Church of the Nazarene in

Kirksville, Missouri; and Pastor Darrell Gustafson of Grace Covenant Church in Gilbert,

Arizona.

103
 104

Faith Baptist Church (Indiana)

Faith Baptist Church in Lafayette, Indiana is affiliated with the General

Association of Regular Baptists and has been vitally involved in the biblical counseling

movement from its early years. When Dr. Adams began to teach at Westminster

Theological Seminary and wrote Competent to Counsel, one of his first students was John

Bettler. Bettler then trained Dr. Bob Smith and his pastor, Bill Goode, who at the time

was pastor of a church in Gary, Indiana. Pastor Goode and Dr. Smith founded a training

center for biblical counselors in Gary. When Pastor Goode was later called to Lafayette,

he and Dr. Smith moved the counseling training center with them. Faith Biblical

Counseling Ministries continues today with a very similar mission to its founding: (1)

provide excellent biblical counseling to anyone who wants it free of charge and (2)

provide excellent training to help equip others to counsel those in their churches and

communities.1 Dr. Smith was the first executive director of the National Association of

Nouthetic Counselors (NANC), and Pastor Goode was its third.

Today, the biblical counseling center at Faith Baptist is the oldest of several

outreaches to the Lafayette community. The church also houses Faith Christian School,

Faith Community Center (a 65,000 square-foot community recreation facility that offers a

fitness center, child care, meeting rooms, gathering places, and a skate park), and the

Vision of Hope Residential Treatment Center (capable of providing biblical counseling

and residential supervision for up to 24 young ladies at a time).

1
Faith Ministries, ―History,‖
https://www.faithlafayette.org/counseling/about/history (accessed December 20, 2011).
 105

The biblical counseling ministry, however, remains as the backbone of that

outreach. The church has become known in the community for its counseling. It also has

a significant Internet presence. On December 1, 2011, a Google search for ―counseling in

Lafayette, Indiana‖ brought up the church‘s counseling website as the first hit.

Here is a record of a conversation with Dr. Bob Smith at Faith Baptist:2

Peabody: What estimates do you have of the number saved through the ministry

at Faith?

Dr. Smith: I don‘t have specific records--probably under half a dozen [in my own

counseling]. Some of the cases I work with are sort of uniquely referred to me because of

my medical involvement.

Peabody: For what reasons are unsaved people willing to seek counseling from

an obviously religious source?

Dr. Smith: It‘s free. We often ask, ―Why did you come here to church [for

counseling]?‖ They say, ―We understood it‘s free.‖ Sometimes they are referred by a

Christian friend or coworker. But it is known that we offer counseling to the community

and they don‘t have to pay for it.

Peabody: What types of people are referred to you by outside sources?

Dr. Smith: Just about anything that goes through the judicial system with one

exception. There are laws [that restrict referrals] because we are not licensed as far as the

state is concerned. What we‘re working on now is some of our people going through the

educational process so that they can be licensed. People in the secular system want to

send us people, but they are restricted by the laws. They like what the faith-based

2
Dr. Robert Smith, telephone interview by author, Lafayette, Indiana, November
30, 2011.
 106

ministries do. Licensing is not replacing any of our own certification. We‘ve had a great

relationship with one of the juvenile judges. They‘ve had their child-abuse seminars in

our community center.

Peabody: In what ways do you train counselors to take advantage of evangelistic

opportunities?

Dr. Smith: No specific evangelism training. All of the counselors here report. We

all know there are two goals--get people saved and move them on to maturity.

[Evangelism is] woven into the program; can‘t isolate it. Part of the basic stuff.

Peabody: How do you move from a counselee‘s presenting problem to the

gospel?

Dr. Smith: Here‘s an illustration. A professional guy. He came in and I knew

from another person that he wasn‘t saved. I saw the agony. I said, ―I want to give you a

different goal. I want to give you a biblical goal--pleasing God, which you can do every

day. You have a problem. You need a right relationship with God.‖ Next time he came, I

asked, ―Have you thought about this goal of pleasing God? You can‘t really become

more like His Son until you have a right relationship. God has answers and they are very

helpful, but until you have a right relationship, answers are not going to be effective for

you.‖

Peabody: What are typical first homework assignments to an unbeliever?

Dr. Smith: When a person has vagueness about his salvation, I assign the

booklet, ―Knowing Jesus Christ,‖ by the Navigators.3 I want him to understand what

Christianity is all about. I say, ―God desires evidence of your salvation.‖ The last

3
Knowing Jesus Christ: Book One of the Studies in Christian Living (Colorado
Springs, CO: NavPress Publications, 2000).
 107

question [in the booklet] is: ―Do you know for sure that you have eternal life? Why or

why not?‖ People don‘t understand biblical change if they don‘t understand what Christ

did on the cross and what hell is really like. This is a one-week assignment. All the verses

are in the back. I have him keep working on it if he does not complete it within the first

time. I also ask him to memorize 2 Corinthians 5:9 and read ―Christ and your Problems.‖

I have him read some Scripture. I ask him to list some of the difficulties he is

experiencing in life.

Peabody: What benefits do you see from evangelizing through counseling? How

does evangelistic counseling affect your church?

Dr. Smith: We‘ve seen people come to know Christ. One of our current deacons

was saved as a result of counseling received while his wife was divorcing him. A number

of people have become saved and are in active ministry. It gives the church a view of the

counseling ministry that this is part of our ministry as a church, even though they may not

be actively involved in it.

Peabody: At what point did you and Pastor Goode understand the value of

evangelism through counseling?

Dr. Smith: It‘s been kind of interesting, because in early years I was influenced

by Jay Adams [who taught] you don‘t really counsel unsaved people, you precounsel

them. What has changed that is the outreach ministry of the church--using counseling as

an outreach. Steve Viars [the current senior pastor at Faith Baptist] saw this sooner than I

did. Pastor Goode was very interested in reaching the community. He worked on

outreach in various ways, little ways, behind the scenes ways. Steve came in and made it

an outreach ministry. When we ―got it,‖ we began to move more rapidly. We want to see
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other churches do it. It‘s interesting to see how much it impacts their church. The whole

reason for a church is communicating the gospel. The methods of reaching unbelievers

have transitioned since I was a kid. Some of the ways we used to use aren‘t effective

anymore. The liberals have been reaching out through social means in the community and

it has become their gospel. We need to take back the ministry of social needs from the

liberals and do it ourselves. When we go into the public square and talk about issues, we

[Christians in general] are not known as being interested in social areas. [Being involved

in social areas] gives us a contact with them that‘s not a threatening contact.

(End of interview.)

Steve Viars, senior pastor at Faith Baptist Church, recently published an on-line

article called, ―Biblical Counseling as a Community Bridge.‖4 In it, he answers the

question, ―How can we reach our communities for Christ?‖ Here are excerpts from his

article:

There are many ways to answer the question I‘m posing. High on the list would
be the importance of churches equipping their members to spiritual growth in the
practical areas of everyday life. Another strong answer is churches choosing to
make biblical counseling services available to people in your community. At
Faith, we have been doing so now for over thirty years and have found it to be a
marvelous source of evangelistic contacts.
Each Monday, 25 of our staff members and key lay persons come together and
provide 60-100 hours of biblical counseling services free of charge to people in
our community. . . . A significant percentage of the people who come to our
community-based counseling center do not know the Lord. Most of us believe
that significant harm has been done by . . . shallow versions of the gospel. . . .
That is different in the counseling room. The setting provides a natural
opportunity for the person to ask questions to clarify what it means to become a
follower of Christ. . . . They know that if they ask for more time to think and pray
about the decision, you are willing to meet with them for as many weeks as they

4
Steve Viars, ―Biblical Counseling as a Community Bridge,‖
http://biblicalcounselingcoalition.org/blogs/2011/05/04/biblical-counseling-as-a-
community-bridge/ (accessed November 11, 2011).
 109

like. After they come to Christ, the process flows naturally into explanations and
discussions about how the gospel impacts every area of life. . . .
Every church is known for something. . . . Offering free biblical counseling to
people who are hurting communicates a message to those who live around you. . .
. A rather significant percentage of the men and women who join our church each
year met us at the doors of the counseling ministry. After they trusted Christ, they
began not just a short-term relationship with a counselor, but a long-term
relationship with a church family.

Kirksville Church of the Nazarene (Missouri)

Dr. Mark Hager provides another vignette. Mark is lead pastor of the Kirksville,

Missouri Church of the Nazarene, a certified counselor with both NANC and the

International Association of Biblical Counselors, and the founder and director of From

the Heart Biblical Counseling and Training Center. He holds B.A. and M.Div. degrees in

Pastoral Ministry, a Doctorate in Practical Theology, and is completing his Ph.D. in

Biblical Counseling. When he responded to the survey mentioned above, Mark wrote that

more than 75% of those he counsels are unbelievers at the time they begin counseling.5

He and his wife have provided free faith-based counseling to qualified applicants as a

community service since 2002. He said, ―I fish by advertising Free Certified Counseling

in the community.‖ Although he counsels ―many lost folks who don‘t put their faith in

Christ,‖ the center he directs sees more than ten families trust in Christ each year.6

Here are excerpts from a personal interview:7

Peabody: Do you keep any specific records of those saved in your ministry?

5
Survey results, Appendix, question 1.
6
Ibid., summary question.
7
Mark Hager, telephone interview by author, Kirksville, Missouri, December 12,
2011.
 110

Pastor Mark: No specific records. We purposely ―fish‖ there [among the

unsaved]. We use biblical counseling as one of the ways to fish.

Peabody: Why are unsaved people willing to consider counseling from an

obviously religious source?

Pastor Mark: Twofold. One is the providence of God in connecting people to the

gospel, drawing them to Himself. The second is that it is free. We don‘t care; we want

them to start where it is free. In my advertisement, I capitalize the word ―FREE.‖

Peabody: How do you and your counselors present the gospel?

Pastor Mark: Several different ways. Romans Road. ―Share Jesus Without

Fear.‖ I am a certified trainer with Evangelism Explosion. We don‘t have a counseling

method that we follow all the time. The one I use more than any is incorporating the law

and good works into a presentation of Ephesians 2:8.

Peabody: Do you get referrals from outside sources?

Pastor Mark: I did more when I was a counselor in St. Louis. Local aging and

disability government agencies. Judges who wanted faith-based counseling. I have my

doctorate degree and my certifications for credibility. Credibility is important with

unsaved people. I also do anger-management classes.

Peabody: How do you make your ministry known?

Pastor Mark: Yellow pages. A trifold advertising brochure available through the

church. We have some advertisement in every Sunday‘s bulletin. Saints in the church

make referrals. I advertise on the marquee in front of the church: ―Free Certified

Counseling for Qualified Individuals.‖ We have a website for our church and for our

counseling ministry.
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Peabody: How do you move from a presenting problem to the gospel?

Pastor Mark: Transitioning from the natural to the supernatural. My dissertation

is called, ―Evangelism in the Counseling Office.‖ Building involvement in the natural

environment.

Peabody: In what ways do you present the gospel?

Pastor Mark: For nonreligious people, I use a River of Life illustration. I draw

the River of Life on a whiteboard with a raft on the river. On the left, I put the Immediate

Perspective (presenting problem); on the right, Eternity: Heaven or Hell. I ask, ―Which

one do you think is more important?‖ Rarely do people say just fix [the presenting

problem] and go on. Then I transition to what they think it takes to go to heaven.

For religious people, I often use a Broad Road and Narrow Road illustration. I try

to ascertain that in which they are trusting. Religious people always have the right

answers with the River of Life illustration; they are often not under conviction about sin.

I explain the broad road has religious people on it. For religious people I also loan them 5

CD‘s called, ―Hard to Believe,‖ by John MacArthur, on Luke 9:23. I give the CD‘s and

five weeks of homework. They usually quit or repent.

Peabody: How do you connect unsaved counselees to your church?

Pastor Mark: I use a Ministry Cycle illustration. I draw a circle on a white board.

I put on it the teaching ministries of our church: Worship, Sunday School, Home

Fellowship Groups, Wednesday Night, Personal Counseling. I draw an arrow clockwise.

Most people want to pay for counseling. In lieu of accepting payments, I give them an

alternative. I say, ―When you have taken advantage of some of these other ministry

events in the cycle, you are eligible for another personal counseling appointment. The
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people who are paying for your counseling are in the church.‖ I get them to commit to

that. By the time of the next session, they have grown through church. Generally by the

end of counseling, they have enough friends in the church; they have been ministered to.

Grace Covenant Church (Arizona)

Grace Covenant Church is a Reformed Baptist Church in Gilbert, AZ. Darrell

Gustafson is Associate Pastor, Church Administrator, and Director of both the Biblical

Counseling Training Center of Arizona and of Grace Covenant Counseling Center.

The following is from a written interview with Pastor Gustafson:8

Peabody: Do you have any specific records of those saved through the ministry?

Pastor Darrell: That is a tough question because we have never been into

numbers of those we thought converted through our ministry. We (Janet and I) have

counseled over 1300 individuals, which include around 400 couples, since 1993 when we

started the Counseling Center. This is what we do with our lives to the tune of 6-8 cases a

week. In taking little ―d‖ disciples, and the Lord making them into Big ―D‖ disciples,

probably 200 or so have turned genuinely to Christ. It is so hard to know if the person

was a babe in Christ or unconverted with the ―easy believism‖ that is out there today.

Peabody: For what reasons are unsaved people willing to seek counseling from

an obviously religious source?

Pastor Darrell: Because many of them think they are Christians (saved). Because

they were raised in a Christian home and went to church or made a profession of faith at a

youth camp of some sort, someone led them to make a profession of faith but no noticed

8
Darrell Gustafson, e-mail interview by author, Gilbert, Arizona, December 5,
2011.
 113

change, walked forward in an altar call. In a few cases, people are tired of the world and

churches just giving no answers or sending them to psychologists or integrationists for

months or years of so-called counseling and drugs.

Peabody: How do the counselors in your ministry present the gospel in the

counseling room?

Pastor Darrell: First, we ask questions [about their religious experience] on

forms that we require them to fill out from our web site and send in before we meet with

them. Sometimes, we know where we are probably going in evangelism from some of

their answers. Also, when it becomes fairly obvious that we are dealing with an

unbeliever, we start saying ―If you are a Christian, or if you are a believer, or if you are

converted, then these are the things we should start seeing manifested in your life‖ and

take them to the Scripture to show them. Sometimes, we present it right up front when we

see no solid talk of conversion. We tell them that we just want to make sure they

understand what God has to say about salvation so we can help them the very best we

can. We find very few offended about it because they are expecting something from the

Bible.

Peabody: What types of people are referred to you by outside sources?

Pastor Darrell: Almost all from pastors of other churches but a few have been

burned out psychologist caseworkers.

Peabody: In what ways do you make your counseling ministry known

specifically to an unsaved public?

Pastor Darrell: Word of mouth has kept us with all the case load we could

handle.
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Peabody: In what ways do you train counselors to take advantage of evangelistic

opportunities?

Pastor Darrell: I recommend Will Metzger‘s book To Tell The Truth9 for study. I

have taught a course through it and use it in my presentation while going through the

NANC certified material. We are always looking to evangelize as we see such a low

commitment to Christ and the church in our day. We teach that one is saved by the gospel

and has to live the gospel every day, so it is not hard for us to incorporate the gospel

message in all of our counseling.

Peabody: How do you move from a counselee‘s presenting problem to the

gospel?

Pastor Darrell: We would work right into the performance problem as what have

they done or what they are doing: devotions, church attendance, involvement in using

spiritual gifts etc.? Are they obeying God‘s word in general? This seems to take us right

into whether God has done a saving, life-changing work in their hearts or whether they

are just going through the motions. Many grab at these suggestions and admit there was

never really a change. Then we are open to ask, ―Would you like to hear the greatest

story ever told?‖

(End of interview.)

These three ministries demonstrate every week that biblical counseling works as

an evangelistic method. They have proven in real terms that unbelievers will seek biblical

counseling to resolve issues in their lives, that unbelievers will listen to the claims of the

gospel, that unbelievers truly can be converted in the counseling room, and that

9
Will Metzger, Tell the Truth: The Whole Gospel to the Whole Person by Whole
People (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2002).
 115

unbelievers who enter through the counseling door can become active, serving, and

mature saints in the local church.

 CONCLUSION

The writer would like to conclude this paper by sharing the stories of two

counselees, a husband from one couple and a wife from another, who have genuinely

come to Christ through his own counseling ministry in the past year. The theology and

process presented in this paper have been practiced in these real counseling sessions and

proven fruitful. Although the two couples involved were counseled separately, their

stories will be woven together under the four-part outline presented in chapter four.

Names have been changed and details flattened to protect confidentiality.

Explore the Heart

Jill and her husband asked for counsel after she committed adultery in the

marriage. They were both under thirty years old, had been married several years, and had

children. Their marriage had grown stale, however, and she had been attracted to men at

her work. As a result of the shake-up in the marriage, he had recently professed faith in

Christ and was occasionally attending church. She sometimes went with him. They

desired to maintain their marriage, but trust was absent and their relationship was close to

the breaking point. They were desperate for help, yet still clung to self-protection from

the hurts each had received. Subsequent questioning revealed that he had turned to

pornography as a substitute for a healthy marriage relationship.

Jim and his wife asked for counsel because of frequent fighting in their marriage.

They were a young married couple and wanted to have children, but feared bringing

children into the discord their relationship held. He wanted to hang onto his friends and

116
 117

sports activities he had enjoyed before the marriage. She was possessive of his time and

attention, and his time with friends produced frequent fights. They had lived together for

several months before their marriage. She had a weak testimony of salvation as a teen; he

knew something of the death of Christ, but was depending on his own effort for salvation.

Expose the Heart

Jill claimed low self-esteem and had never ―felt good enough‖ in her marriage. As

we completed the ―Three Trees‖ worksheet together, it became clear that she wanted to

be desired, appreciated, and honored. When she did not receive those encouragements

from her husband, she began to look for them from other men in her acquaintance. The

desire of her heart was to get attention and be important to someone else. She had found

such attention briefly from other relationships, but it had brought with it guilt and

remorse.

Jim was a quiet kind of guy and not very relational, but he valued his friends

because they enabled him to do what he wanted to do when he wanted to do it. He

resented his wife‘s desire for relationship time. His desire was for his wife to cooperate

with his agenda, let him do as he pleased, and allow him peace.

Engage the Heart

When Jill and her husband understood what had happened in their own hearts,

they were ready for some help. They went home after the second session with an

evangelistic homework assignment. They were to read the booklet, ―Ultimate Questions,‖
 118

by John Blanchard1 and look up the Scripture references and their contexts in their own

Bibles as they came to them in the booklet. (Scripture quotations are printed out in italics

within the booklet, and the actual references are listed in the back. The booklet has 110

Scripture references.) They were counseled to take the time they needed, but they came

back with the project done by the following session. When asked if she had ever received

Christ as Savior (as the booklet discussed), Jill said, ―Yes, just this week, as I read the

booklet!‖ When questioned in various ways, she demonstrated that her conversion and

understanding of the gospel was genuine and that she realized her sinful heart had

brought about her immorality.

Jim and his wife completed the same assignment, also early in the counseling

sessions. They completed the assignment and she confirmed her earlier salvation with

genuine conviction. Jim seemed to understand the gospel story all right, but said he was

not ready to make a decision to receive Christ. He went home that week with the

following bold assignment: ―Review the ‗Ultimate Questions‘ booklet and make a

decision whether or not to receive Christ as Savior.‖ When he returned the next week, he

had made a commitment to Christ.

Jill and Jim were now new believers, but immature. The next weeks were a

delight as they learned how life in Christ was to be lived out and how His presence and

strength could help them overcome their presenting problems.

1
John Blanchard, ―Ultimate Questions‖ (Darlington, England: Evangelical Press,
1987).
 119

Encourage the Heart

Jill became a new person. She and her husband continued several weeks more in

counseling. She learned God‘s truth about marriage and morality. She learned to love her

husband. They made some life-changing decisions together and bonded together as they

had never done before. They memorized the books of the Bible along with their children,

who attended a children‘s Bible club. They graduated to continue in strength. They are

active in their local church and encouraging other young couples.

Jim continued on with his sessions, even when his wife stopped attending. He

became a leader in his home and learned how to love her selflessly, as Christ loved the

church. He also memorized the books of the Bible, as well as purchased his own Bible to

read and use. His marriage continues to present its struggles, but he has become God‘s

agent within the marriage to love his wife and sacrifice himself for her.

These are the stories of two sinners who turned to Christ and found new life in

Him. Their life crises brought them to counseling and their strength through Christ has

enabled them to resolve those crises and prepare them to live to the glory of God for the

rest of their lives. They are living proof that evangelistic counseling is a golden

opportunity for biblical counselors, local churches, and evangelists.

 APPENDIX ONE

12 QUESTIONS ABOUT EVANGELIZING COUNSELEES

SURVEY RESULTS

Key to Answers:
(3) Grace Covenant Church, Gilbert, AZ (Darrell Gustafson)
(4) Institute of Biblical Counseling & Discipleship, Escondido, CA (Jim Newheiser)
(5) Grace Community Church, Sun Valley, CA (Bill Shannon)
(6) Valley Bible Counseling Center, Lancaster, CA (Wayne Johnston)
(7) Biblical Counseling & Education Center, Visalia, CA (Chuck Andrews)
(9) Hope Biblical Counseling and Training Center, Fort Myers, FL (Virginia Stewart)
(10) Clear Horizons Biblical Counseling Ministry, Statesboro, GA (Craig Rowe)
(11) Faith Biblical Counseling Center, Sharpsburg, GA (Dave Birch)
(13) Biblical Counseling Center, Arlington Heights, IL (Sherry Allchin)
(15) Faith Biblical Counseling Ministries, Lafayette, IN (Robert Smith)
(16) Redeemer Presbyterian Church, Overland Park, KS (Nathan Currey)
(21) Mount Carmel Ministries, Grandview, MO (Rick Thomas)
(23) Biblical Counseling Institute, Garrettsville Ohio (Joe Propri)
(27) Grace Bible Church, Granbury, TX (Keith Palmer)
(28) Calvary Bible Church, Fort Worth, TX (Dan Kirk)
(29) From the Heart Biblical Counseling Center, Kirksville, OH (Mark Hager)

1. What percentage of those you counsel are unbelievers when they begin counseling?

Under 25% 11
(28) I would say, however, that most of the unbelievers who come for counseling
think that they are believers until their unbelief is exposed by the word of God in the
counseling process.
25-50% 3
50-75% 1
Over 75% 1

2. What process do you use to determine whether or not a counselee is a believer or an

unbeliever?

120
 121

(3) First of all, I read their PHPE [Personal History / Problem Evaluation form]1
before they come in. This can give me a good idea, but not conclusive because some
know the words but are not converted and others do not know how to articulate their
faith but may be converted. If they profess to be believers, but I have my doubts, I
give them Scripture to look up and some to memorize. Matthew 7:21, John 17:3, John
14:15 and others.
(4) In the first session I have them give their testimony to see if they understand the
gospel. We also realize that some may know the right answers, but still be lost (James
2:19), so sometimes as the case progresses (or fails to progress) the possibility that a
counselee may yet be lost may be raised again (1John 2:3-4).
(5) Their testimony along with fruit produced in their lives.
(6) Ask questions regarding the Gospel: what they believe a person must do to be
saved, their conversion or lack thereof, fruit since, motives currently.
(7) The PDI and also interview with questions.
(9) Evangelism Explosion questions, as well as Campus Crusade.
(10) I discern where a counselee is from the PDI I use and through questions. Then,
through the use of Scripture, I seek to lead them to see their need.
(11) Our application asks a pointed question about their salvation and asks why they
believe they are saved. We have them tell us their life story. We use the old question
from EE, ―If God asked you why He should let you into His kingdom, what would
you say?‖
(13) Our intake forms (PDI – 4 pg. questionnaire) asks if they are saved, how they
would answer the question of why would God let them enter heaven when they die,
and asks if they are certain of their salvation. We ask for clarification of what they
wrote there that sometimes leads into a discussion about a personal relationship with
the Lord.
(15) 2 basic questions: 1. If you were to die today would you know for certain you
would go to Heaven? 2. If you were standing at the gate of Heaven and God were to
ask you, ―Why should I let you into Heaven?‖ what would you say?
(16) I use the PDI section on Spiritual Information as a starting point for asking many
questions.
(21) Using such things as testimony of salvation and then passages such as 1
Corinthians 2:14-3:4; Matthew 7:14ff, Sower and the Seeds. Others listed in the
study guide, Are they Genuinely Saved?
(23) PDI form; profession of faith, initially. If I‘m the least bit suspicious, I ask,
―What does it mean to be a Christian?‖ And, ―What makes a believer different from
an unbeliever?‖
If they give good answers, I‘ll try to ascertain their understanding of sanctification.
(27) Initially, the PDI and first session data gathering are the means to assess the
likelihood of a counselee‘s salvation. I‘ll often include an assignment on
understanding the gospel in the session one homework. Obviously, what really
reveals a more accurate assessment of the counselee‘s spiritual condition is observing
how he responds to the Scriptures throughout the counseling process.

1
This is essentially the same form which is also called a Personal Data Inventory
in Jay Adams‘ literature.
 122

(28) Of course, we ask them to tell us about their relationship with, etc. We also ask
them the standard E.E. question, ―If you were to die today and God were to ask you
why He should allow you into His kingdom, what would you say?‖ Beyond that,
however (and most importantly), we observe how they respond to the clear teaching
of Scripture. If they are consistently unwilling to obey Scripture, there is a problem.
We say, ―Around here we have a special name for people who live in unbelief. We
call them… ‗Unbelievers.‘‖
(29) PDI form information and interview

3. What process do you use to expose an unbelieving counselee to the need for the
gospel?

(3) Answer: As in a recent case of premarital counseling, the man hardly knew
anything about Christianity, and the woman was raised in a church setting but neither
of them was converted. I told them my concerns up front, gave them Peter Jeffery‘s
book ―From Religion to Christ,‖ and went through it with them the next time. After 6
sessions, I was still hitting the gospel from different directions and still saw only good
people but no conversion. On harder cases to discern, when assignments are not
finished, I go to John 14:15 and Matthew 7:21 and to a fruits of the spirit needlepoint
on our wall and ask if they see these things in their lives. I stay honest with them but
love them and point them to Christ. I believe that the Great Commission is to take
little ―d‖ disciples, teach them everything Christ has commanded, and let the Holy
Spirit make big ―D‖ disciples. Faith comes by hearing and hearing from the Word of
God.
(4) If he cannot even explain the way of salvation, I will directly go through a passage
like Romans 3:20ff or the thief on the cross to explain justification by faith alone in
Christ alone. If he knows the right answer, but his life seems to remain entrenched in
sin, I might use the passages in I John which explain that we know we have come to
know the Lord if we obey Him and love the brethren. I also may tie the gospel to the
counselee‘s presenting problem. The gospel provides the answers (i.e., how we can
be reconciled to one another, or how our marriages can be transformed, or how we
can be set free from besetting sin), and the gospel provides the power (Rom 6:1ff)
through union with Christ.
(5) Their disbelief by actions proves to themselves their need for Christ.
(6) Use Scripture to show the need (Rom 1:18-32, Rom 3:10-26, Eph 2:1-3, and so
on) and use Scripture to describe each point of the Gospel.
(7) No particular process. I share the gospel and reveal their need.
(9) Initial presentation of salvation; then weaving the gospel throughout the
counseling.
(11) I try to paint the big picture; life is about pleasing God, not living for our own
kingdom. I use a chart which I draw on a marker board to show the conflict of two
kingdoms, man‘s and God‘s kingdom. These are also given to them as they leave as a
handout to study as a part of their homework.
(13) We ask if we can explain further what we mean by a personal relationship. I use
a tract called the Bridge and then send them off with the booklet ―Ultimate
Questions‖ if they are open, or I use a chart I designed called ―Your Life in Christ,‖
 123

and then send them off with a written explanation of what we talked about from that
chart. I try to help them see that the principles of God‘s Word work whether or not
they are believers, but long term, if they solve immediate problems and have no
eternal solution to the problem of sin, I have not really helped them with what matters
most. When they have a personal relationship with the Lord, then He will help them
with their immediate problems because of their eternal relationship with Him as His
beloved children.
(15) By showing the hope of biblical answers to their problems but also the need to
have a right relationship with the author of the Bible for help to understand and apply
those answers.
(16) I think we will get a skewed or pat answer from most professing believers and
unbelievers if we are focusing simply on the future get out of hell fire insurance type
questions: ―If you were to die today, what answer would you give the Lord for why
he should let you into heaven.‖ I like to ask: ―When God looks down on you right
now, what does He say about you?‖ If the response is not related to union with Christ
in some maturity appropriate way they can express it, then there is a definite gospel
deficiency. Which means they are either unbelievers, or have one variety or more of
a false gospel. Or simply ask again the question, ―Who is Jesus Christ to you?‖
(21) Showing from Scripture the true nature of a saint contrasted/compared with their
present life and conduct.
(23) I look for wrongdoing that they are aware of and admit to. I‘ll use Scripture to
define it as sin, and then talk about the only cure for sin, whatever kind it is. I teach
that his underlying problem is simple: an inability to deal with sin, and this falls into
two categories: one‘s own sins, and those committed by others that offend him. The
gospel comes easily and naturally after this simple, but clear introduction.
(27) I use a number of items: I will take 1-2 sessions and overview the gospel (I have
used Stuart Scott‘s Presenting the Gospel in its Context material as well to do this).
We regularly use the Two Ways to Live tract published by Matthias Media (and our
new favorite tract is an adaptation of Two Ways called Two Roads). I may refer them
to sermon CDs which unpack the gospel. But all of these resources are used in the
framework of the counselee‘s problem: that is, we try to frame the counselee‘s
problem within the larger context/problem of being alienated from God because of
sin, and thus the gospel being the larger need and solution.
(28) We use the process above. Many times, when confronted with the reality of their
own unbelief, people will ask, ―What shall I do?‖ At this point we really hone in on
the Gospel and what it really is biblically.
(29) I use several methods I developed to help the counselee, under the guidance of
the Holy Spirit, to see his spiritual condition; 1) The River of Life illustration, 2) The
Two Paths illustration, and 3) The Good Works illustration using Ephesians 2:8.

4. What is the most effective way for a biblical counselor to motivate an unbeliever to
continue biblical counseling? (Highlight or underline your selection.)

• Offer hope for resolution of the presenting problem (7) (9) (13).
(6) If that person does not become a Christian, there is no hope: Romans 8.6-8 makes
this very clear.
 124

(15) It is wise to relate that solution to the gospel.

(16) It is OK to use this as a starting point, but to use it to reveal the deeper problem.
I think we wrongly orient someone to the relief of symptoms, and God wants you to
feel better, be happy gospel of self (the most dangerous and natural gospel out there)
if we say you can have Jesus fix your problem when the problem is you. See also
Paul David Tripp ―A Quest for More,‖ and John Piper ―God is the Gospel.‖

• Demonstrate concern and compassion (7) (28)

(16) Always a good approach toward hurting souls, but some self satisfied or prideful
people will need to be rebuked, and while that is out of concern and compassion, it
does not feel that way oftentimes.

• Share the gospel as early as possible in the counseling process (29)

(6) [Gather data first so you know how to communicate the Gospel most effectively.]
(16) The gospel is necessary from beginning to end of every session whether they
have been believers 50 years or never professed faith in Christ. Sharing the gospel is
not the prerequisite box to check, and then once you do, set out to give a list of do‘s
and don‘ts to get sanctified. I see the renewing of the mind of Ephesians 4 as the way
in which gospel truth transforms, motivates, empowers the ―put offs‖ and ―put ons.‖
Making evangelism such a separate category can create legalistic Pharisees set out on
self-sanctification rather than Philippians 2:2-12 and Ephesians 2:10 believers
empowered by the gospel for new living.

• Other:
(3) I would say all 3 but a solution to their presenting problem can only be achieved
in Christ‘s work, through the Word of God applied by the HS.
(4) Depends upon the situation. I favor all of the above in different settings.
(5) To show them that their problem is caused by their separation from God.
(6) I do not think that is the goal. If he will listen to the Gospel, I will give him
homework and meet with him for up to 3-6 months, communicating the Gospel from
many different passages in God‘s Word. In that case, my most effective way of
motivating him to continue is to tell him 1) the goal is his salvation, 2) we will focus
on the Bible and what it says about God, man, sin, salvation, and other value systems,
3) I care about him: am glad to serve him, will pray for him, will prepare thoroughly
for our meetings. But if his response is in essence, ―I am not interested in the Gospel,
but I like talking with you. Will you continue to meet with me?‖ then my answer is
―No.‖ Giving an unbeliever the false idea that the Bible will help him overcome sin is
1) not true (Rom 8.6-8), 2) affirms his unbiblical view that solving his presenting
problem is more important than regeneration, and 3) may give the impression that you
do not think that he is dead in sin (Eph 2.1-3).
(11) Perhaps a combination of all of these. I try to show them that the heart of the
matter is their personal relationship with Christ. God is ―Creator, Sovereign, and
Savior.‖ I usually quote Augustine‘s prayer, ―You have made us for Yourself and we
have no rest until we rest in You.‖ I also try to lift them up to God‘s providence;
―You are not here by accident.‖ I want them to see that ―cosmetic‖ change will not
last; God wants their hearts.
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(16) So maybe the third option with my qualification.

(21) All of the above.
(23) I cannot decide between the last two! Presenting the gospel SHOULD be the
answer, but if not served with love, it will be as ―sounding brass.‖ (Hope is necessary,
too, but it comes with a proper presentation of the gospel.)
(27) I don‘t know that there is a ―most effective way.‖ I think all of the items listed
above need to be part of the counseling process, but I also think that every counselee
is different. The biblical counselor needs to listen, assess what is going on from a
biblical perspective, and then connect the counselee‘s problem to his ultimate need
for Christ. I think that can happen in dozens of ways, and needs somewhat to be
tailored to the individual (obviously not tailoring the message of the gospel, but how
the gospel connects to the person‘s problem).
(28) We have found that people will come in search of the truth and stay for the love.
Compassion and truth together form a strong weight that helps people want to stay
with the counseling process.

5. What dangers are inherent in counseling the unbeliever?

(3) Giving them tools to fix the problem if not addressing their eternal destiny. They
may not see a need for Christ, but only self help.
(4) One danger would be a false outward conversion because he wants God to be a
genie to make his life better, rather than to truly repent and believe in the Lord.
Another undesirable outcome is that the unbeliever will stop counseling when he sees
that your agenda demands his surrender to Christ (like the Rich Young Ruler walked
away from Jesus).
(5) None. However, their increased knowledge makes them more accountable.
(6) see 4.
(7) Their lack of understanding of the Scriptures.
(9) They could become effective Pharisees.
(11) I think the greatest is to just deal with the external presenting problem and to fail
to keep the gospel central. As Paul Tripp says, we can make them more functional in
their idolatry if we lose focus of the glory of God in Christ.
(13) Making the assumption that they know more than they do, or believe what you
assume they believe when they do not in fact believe what you believe and assume
they do.
Another danger is ―fear of man,‖ meaning we fear what they think of us as a
counselor more than having a genuine love and concern for their eternal welfare, so
we fail to be sure they are true followers of Christ.
(15) The person‘s goal will not be focused on honoring God but on pleasing self.
To really honor God requires a right relationship with Him through salvation.
The counselee may make superficial change without a relationship with Christ and be
satisfied with that. The person literally cannot be counseled without the indwelling
Holy Spirit since He is the One who motivates and empowers real change. The
counselee may think the counselor is only interested in proselytizing. There will be
only limited progress without salvation.
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(16) Telling someone how God would have him address his problem without the
Holy Spirit‘s enabling power to do so, thus creating an impossible situation and from
his perspective, he can then write off biblical counseling as yet another thing that
―doesn‘t work.‖
(21) The most significant danger is creating an environment where they conclude that
they are saved. Another danger is embarrassment for the Gospel because we are
giving life changing principles to someone void of life changing power (mind of
Christ, Holy Spirit, etc.)
(23) Offering hope in something other than Christ. Allowing him to believe that
outward improvements in behavior are pleasing to God, and are genuine changes.
(27) I agree wholeheartedly with Jay Adams that you cannot really counsel an
unbeliever, since ―intensive discipleship‖ requires that you be a disciple. You can
(and should) do ―precounseling‖ (evangelism). And by that, I mean you could spend
several weeks with an unbeliever, looking for multiple ways to show how the
unbeliever‘s problem connects to his ultimate need for Christ. I think there are
several dangers (maybe temptations would be a better word) in doing this: 1) Giving
up after one or two sessions when an unbeliever does not respond to the gospel. 2)
Moving on to try and give some ―biblical principles‖ to the unbeliever in hopes that it
will help. 3) Having a one-size-fits-all, ―canned‖ approach to evangelism, rather than
prayerfully considering how to connect each session back to the counselee‘s need for
the gospel. 4) Not accepting a counselee‘s clear rejection of the gospel. If he clearly
rejects the gospel, then you might (and probably should) still continue to try to
minister to him, but not under the guise of ―counseling.‖ I find that trying to continue
counseling after this has occurred is almost always counterproductive as it usually
results in counseling toward other goals (rather than salvation of the counselee).
(28) The biggest danger I see is that we might inadvertently communicate that the
counselee is in good standing with God because of the changes in his behavior. We
have to be careful that we are not teaching them to be good Pharisees (legalists) who
are nothing more than religious unbelievers.
(29) Spiritually-dead people cannot understand spiritually-discerned things (Biblical
Truth) – 1 Corinthians 2. You will only get people to agree with you in order to
alleviate the pain and problems, but not to please the Lord (Eph 5:10).

6. What Scripture passages have you found particularly helpful in evangelizing

unbelievers through biblical counseling?

(3) Mathew 7:21; John 17:3; Matthew 19:16-30; John 3:1-21; Matthew 25:31-46; and
the story of Zaccheus, depending on their story.
(4) Romans 3:20ff. Thief on the Cross. Phillippians 3:9 (along with the context).
(5) It depends on their personal belief. For those who do not believe Jesus is God, I
need to use Scripture of His deity, etc.
(6) For a person unaware of the true Gospel, go through it step by step in the
Scriptures. For one who followed an ―easy-believism‖ Gospel message and has never
repented of sin (along with believing in the true Gospel): Romans 6.4-14: have
counselee read the passage, then ask: ―Have you ever come to Christ in this way?‖
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Next, discuss the passage verse by verse, explaining dying to sin and repentance.
Or… Romans 8:6-13: Have the counselee read the passage and make two columns:
―living in the flesh‖ and ―living in the Spirit,‖ then ask, ―Which are you?
(7) Depending on the problem that brings him here. The first thing I do is to reveal to
him that the Scriptures have the answers. Then I take him through his need for the
Savior. The Romans Road is the most common, but I use the Scriptures wherever
God leads. I think that is our problem as believers; we think there are only certain
ways we can help people understand about the Savior‘s love.
(9) The Roman Road.
(11) Romans 1:16-32; Romans 3:23-25; John 3:16; Romans 5:1-2; Titus 3:5.
(13) Depends on where they are in their thinking – not a one-size-fits all approach!
(15) Romans 3:23 – all are sinners and the definition of sin. Romans 6:23 – the wages
of sin. The only way I can pay for my sin is by going to hell but the debt is never paid
since the time there is forever. Revelation 20:10; Luke 16:24 – hell is an extremely
terrible place. John 3:16 – God loves us so much that He made the provision for our
sins. Christ lived a sinless life and does not need to die for any sins in His life. 2
Corinthians 5:21 – Christ‘s death is an acceptable substitute for my payment for my
sin. Romans 10:9,10 – The person must believe (and confess) to be saved. Salvation
means that Jesus becomes the new boss of our lives. He will do a better job of
running our lives.
(16) The passages from above #4 as well as simple Romans road verses.
(21) This all depends on where the counselee is (lifestyle, etc.) A religious person
would be Nicodemus. A repeat failure might be the Samaritan Woman, etc.
(23) Other than the typical ones we all know, I like Genesis 1:26 coupled with
Ephesians 5:1.
(27) As I said above, I think where I go in Scripture depends completely on the
presentation problem… at least initially. Ultimately, I like to get to places like
Romans 1:18ff (to frame the problem through the lens of worship), 2 Corinthians 5
(to help them see that they need to be reconciled to God), Romans 3 (which unpacks
in just a few verses the main mechanics of the gospel: justification, redemption, and
propitiation), Romans 5 (which illustrates God‘s great love in sending Christ), Psalm
103 (which highlights many of God‘s attributes, including His willingness to forgive
sin), and sometimes even just going back to Genesis 1-3 to get the big picture in mind
(especially for people that have little to no Bible background).
(28) 2 Corinthians 13:5 and the entire book of 1 John. The former passages call them
to examine themselves in light of the biblical test. The latter passage provided that
test.
(29) Matthew 7:21-22; Ephesians 2:8-9; ―Romans Road‖ sometimes; John 8:12
(stumbling through darkness - NLT); Luke 14.

7. What resources (books, tracts, booklets, recordings, etc.) have you found particularly
helpful in evangelizing unbelievers through biblical counseling?

Books:
(3) From Religion to Christ by Peter Jeffery.
(4) Basic Christianity.
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(5) Fundamentals of the Faith, published by Grace Community Church.

(6) Wayne Grudem, Systematic Theology, p. 694-694, 713. Favorite book: The Cross
and Salvation, Bruce Demarest. Useful: Lectures in Systematic Theology, Thiessen.
Christian Theology, Millard Ericson. The Gospel According to Jesus, John
MacArthur.
(7) The Bible.
(11) Jim Elliff‘s Pursuing God.
(13) More than a Carpenter, Josh McDowell.
(16) Transforming Grace by Jerry Bridges.
(27) Anything by Paul Tripp or David Powlison I have found to be very strong on
connecting people to the gospel. Though I would not give it to an unbelieving
counselee for homework, I think Instruments in the Redeemer’s Hands does an
excellent job in helping counselors to do counseling with the gospel in mind.
(28) Do not know that we have really used anything but the Bible, although some of
our counselors have also used Dr. Stuart Scott‘s Gospel in Context powerpoint
presentation.
(29) Do not use them in counseling for evangelism.

Tracts:
(3) ―The Narrow Road That leads to Life‖ by William Nichols – International
Outreach, Inc. www.intoutreach.org.
(6) Evangelism Explosion/Discipleship Evangelism is good except a little weak on
repentance.
(7) Basic salvation tracts.
(9) ―4 Spiritual Laws,‖ ―Do You Believe?‖
(13) ―The Bridge.‖
(16) http://www.modernreformation.org/default.php?page=printfriendly&var2=270
(27) Two Ways to Live, Two Roads (Matthias Media). We used to use Ultimate
Questions, but have found the Matthias media tracts easier to understand and more
helpful in leading an unbeliever to realize that he has a choice to make. We also like
the emphasis in the Matthias media material that repenting/believing means following
Christ, not just assenting to some facts about Him.

Booklets:
(3) ―Ultimate Questions.‖
(4) ―Ultimate Questions.‖
(7) ―Christ and Your Problems.‖
(11) Martha Peace‘s Salvation Handbook and Blanchard‘s ―Ultimate Questions.‖
(13) ―Ultimate Questions,‖ and ―Christ and Your Problems.‖
(15) ―Knowing Jesus Christ‖ by NavPress.
(16) ―Ultimate Questions‖ by John Blanchard.

Recordings:
(3) Various sermons from our church and others.
(4) My sermons on Romans 6:23 and the Thief on the Cross.
(5) Various preaching messages.
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(6) Stuart Scott‘s detailed explanation of the Gospel.

(11) ―Quest for Joy,‖ by John Piper.
(13) Answers in Genesis DVD‘s.
(27) Stuart Scott, Presenting the Gospel in its Context.
(28) We also offer people recordings of preached messages from Scripture that
specifically speak to the issue of salvation and the dangers of religious unbelief.
(29) DVD‘s on Ray Comfort stuff sometimes, etc.

8. What homework assignments have you found particularly helpful in evangelizing

unbelievers through biblical counseling?

(3) Read the Scriptures that I listed above and give me a paraphrase of the content.
(4) Attend a Bible-preaching church. Read the gospel of John.
(5) Fundamentals of the Faith, published by Grace Community Church.
(6) Varies based on each counselee. I choose based on data gathered and analysis of
heart motives, thoughts, background, and preconditioning.
(7) Study forms we have developed.
(9) Reading the gospel of John.
(11) Salvation Handbook (#7, above); reading Scripture, i.e., John 3:1-36, etc. Also I
have them review and comment on the handouts I give.
(13) ―Ultimate Questions‖; some of the materials from Answers in Genesis (Ken
Ham).
(15) Use the booklet above. Read the verses listed above.
(16) It depends whether they are, in my assessment, gospel deficient or by profession
not trusting in Christ as their Savior.
(21) Bible studies on particular characters from the Gospels. If intellectual then
perhaps FYI from Josh McDowell‘s Evidence That Demands a Verdict
(23) Make a list of reasons why you hesitate to place your faith in Christ.
List your thoughts and attitudes about Christians you have known (without names).
What about the gospel message does not make sense to you?
(27) The tracts I mention above, Dr. Scott‘s Gospel in Context CD. Sometimes, I‘ll
have a counselee write out an essay on ―What is the gospel and how does it relate to
your problem?‖ One time with a Catholic counselee, I had her read the first three
chapters in McCarthy‘s book, The Gospel According to Rome.
(28) Again, we are usually dealing with people who think they are regenerate.
Therefore, we have them read through the book of 1 John and list all the
characteristics they can find of a true child of God. We then have them list all the
characteristics they can find of an unbeliever. We then have them compare their own
lives to these lists.
(29) I use Jesus Film DVD sometimes, but usually it is all face to face for any level of
success in communicating the saving grace of Christ.

9. In simplest terms, what does the unbeliever need to understand and do in order to be
saved?
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Needs to understand:
(3) That we are all born with a sinful nature because of Adam‘s sin, that we sin
because we are sinners, that God is just and has to punish sinners, and we are already
condemned.
(4) His sin against a holy God. The Person and work of the crucified and risen Christ.
The free offer of salvation through faith.
(5) Jesus is the answer to his problem.
(6) God is Holy, Man is dead in sin, Jesus Christ: sinless
sacrifice…Savior…propitiation…redemption, faith + repentance, assurance.
(7) Recognize their condition before a Holy God.
(9) He is a sinner, Christ died for salvation of the elect—the blood saves them, it is by
grace, not works.
(11) The big picture of God Who is there, man‘s fall, God‘s plan of redemption
through the Lord Jesus Christ.
(13) He is a sinner in need of a Savior and that Jesus is that Savior. Jesus died on the
cross in his place for his sin, rose from the grave as proof that the sacrifice for sin by
the ―God-Man‖ Jesus was accepted by God the Father.
(15) He is a sinner and cannot save himself.
(16) His sin and Christ‘s substitution. Depending on their biblical knowledge,
establish God as creator and judge and the Bible as exclusively true revelation of
what we are to believe and do.
(21) He is lost and eternally hell bound, separated from Christ.
(23) He is not like God, nor does he desire to be like God.
(27) A basic understanding of who the God of Scripture is, who he is as God‘s
creation, what sin is and how it separates him from God, what he deserves because of
sin, who Jesus is and how His work of redemption on the cross offers him an
opportunity to be reconciled and saved, and how a person would repent and believe in
order to be saved. I think Dr. Scott‘s Gospel in Context CD does a wonderful job of
overviewing all of the key issues that an unbeliever needs to understand.
In general, I try to aim at being more comprehensive than minimalistic in presenting
the gospel. More is always better. It is hard to say what the ―minimum‖ is that one
must believe to be saved, but I think the basic topics are listed above.
(28) There is a God to whom all men are accountable. All men are sinners who have
rebelled against their Creator and Lord (i.e., sinners). All sinners stand under the
impending, righteous wrath of God. ―But God‖ (Eph. 2:4), because of His own
mercy, love, and grace (not on the basis of man‘s works of righteousness) sent His
Son to fulfill the righteous requirement of God‘s law on our behalf, and then pay the
penalty of the law on our behalf, so that we might be saved.
(29) See their sin and true relationship with God for godly sorrow and conviction
leading to repentance.

Needs to do:
(3) Look outside of themselves to God and seek the Lord and do not let go until he
answers in a changed heart. ―Faith comes by hearing for salvation and growth through
the word of God applied by the Holy Spirit.‖
(4) Repent and Believe. (This question could take pages to answer.)
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(5) Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 16:31).

(6) Believe in the facts of the Gospel + repent of sin as a life purpose and turn to
honoring Christ as Lord.
(7) See Christ as one to have a personal relationship with, not just a figurehead of the
local church.
(9) Believe/trust.
(11) Repent of their sins, believe the Gospel, and put their faith in Christ alone, not in
themselves or any religious actions on their part.
(13) Respond to God‘s great love by trusting Jesus for salvation by faith, and then
begin the process of sanctification which confirms that there is now a personal
relationship with Christ.
(15) Basically accept or place his faith in Christ‘s death on the cross as the substitute
payment for his own sins.
(16) Faith and Repentance.
Here the Westminster Short Catechism is a helpful summary that can be expanded
upon.
(21) Repent, confess, and seek forgiveness.
(23) Confess his inherited rebellion to God‘s plan and embrace the gift of salvation
through Jesus, i.e., the restoration of the desire and ability to imitate God. (That is the
full gospel!)
(27) Repent and believe.
(28) The unbelieving counselee needs to believe what God has revealed about
Himself and man‘s hopeless condition apart from Christ (knowledge and assent), and
he must embrace these truths by humbly repenting of his sin and placing all his
confidence in Jesus Christ alone as His only Savior and Lord (Faith). If his faith is
genuine, it will be evidenced in changed behavior (not perfection, but direction).
(29) Repent/turn from their sin, trust in Christ alone, and FOLLOW Christ in
obedience. We are saved by grace alone, through faith alone, and in Christ alone.

10. What tools or methods do you use to help an unbeliever see his sinful heart and come
to repentance?

(3) The Scriptures, through stories in the Word and my own or others‘ testimonies.
(4) The law is a tutor which leads us to Christ (Gal 3:24). Our inability to keep the
law and the knowledge of our guilt drives us to seek a righteousness which is not our
own. The counselee‘s inability to change himself shows that he needs God‘s
transforming grace. The failure of earthly things to satisfy drives him to Christ as the
living water and bread of life (Isa. 55:1ff).
(5) Romans 3:10ff.
(6) Scripture that deals with general sin (Rom 8:6-8, Eph 2:1-3, Rom 3:10-18);
specific sin (i.e., anger: James 1:20…etc.); their place apart from Christ (Rom 5:12-
21, Rom 8:6-13); the options for eternity (Rev 20 vs. Rev 21:1-6, Rev 22:1-5); the
purity of Jesus Christ (Heb 1:1-4, Philip 2.5-11, etc.).
(7) The Bible.
(9) The Holy Spirit convicts through God‘s Word.
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(11) The Bridge Illustration by Navigators. I also have power-point flip chart
presentation I call ―Four Images of Salvation‖ based on a chapter in John Stott‘s
book, The Cross of Christ.
(13) Typically they already see that or they would not have come for spiritual help
from a ―Biblical‖ counselor. Starting with the current mess they are in, most quickly
see their own sinful heart in making that mess. I think seeing God‘s love is more
effective in drawing them to Christ than to emphasize His wrath. Most already sense
His wrath and come in fear of that wrath. He loved us while we were still sinners!
That blows my mind!
(15) Attempt to show God‘s view of sin through understanding the horribleness of
hell, which is what sin deserves. Also show the contrast with Heaven to show God‘s
love for the person.
(16) The Spirit working through the Word is the only hope for the unbeliever to sense
his sin. Pointing to consequences in this life or hell in the life to come can only be
effectively realized when the blinders are removed and the Spirit enlightens--
1 Corinthians 2:10-16, especially 13-16.
(21) Biblical examples, characters, etc.
(23) Gather data on behavior (thoughts, deeds) and compare that with Scripture.
(27) The Word of God is the main tool, resources (as stated above) which unpack and
explain Scripture are the supporting tools. My methods are basically what I have
stated above: Listening to understand the counselee‘s problem, helping him
understand it from a biblical perspective as a manifestation of his larger need to be
reconciled to his God, then teaching and explaining God‘s plan in Christ to reconcile
sinners to Himself.
(29) I inventory their good works and then connect the Scripture to reveal the truth
about their good works and need for Christ. Only the Holy Spirit can expose the
sinfulness of a person‘s heart to the counselee.

11. In your experience or in the experience of this counseling center, how effective is
biblical counseling in evangelizing unbelievers?

(3) 10
(9) 10
(29) 10
(Note: We win over 10 families a year)
(6) 9
All unsaved counselees receive a thorough biblical explanation of the Gospel, the
necessary response, personal care, and the opportunity to discuss Scripture and their
objections.
(13) 8 9
(28) 8 9
I will answer by assuming that ―effective‖ means ―counselees trust in Christ,‖ though
I would not personally correlate effectiveness in evangelism with conversion. I think
Scripture defines effectiveness in evangelism as faithfulness on the part of the
proclaimer (1 Cor 2:1-5). Nonetheless, I think biblical counseling is an amazing
context in which to present the gospel with an audience that is usually very interested
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in hearing it. And the way you are recommending that biblical counselors use
counseling as a vehicle for evangelism by connecting it to the presentation problem of
the counselee is spot on. I think that is generally how Jesus did it (John 4, etc.).
(4) 8
(5) The Word is what is effective.
(21) 8
(23) 7
(7) 7
(15) 6
(11) 5
This is my current opinion of results in our center.
(27) 5
(16) In converting unchurched Harry or Mary 1.
But in exposing professing believers to the deep and life transforming truth of the
gospel of sovereign grace in its fullness as it related to all of their life much higher 8
or 9. That is, of course, dependent on the working of the Holy Spirit and the
condition of the heart soil in which the gospel is being sowed (Mark 4).

12. Do you have a written policy or guidelines for counseling an unbeliever?

(3) We do not yet but as we are starting to grow. This project of yours will help me
jump-start that policy with some of the things you asked and my answers.
(4) We do not have a written policy. We teach, along with Jay Adams, that one is
really precounseling an unbeliever because those who are still in the flesh are unable
to please God (Rom 8:7-8).
(5) No.
(6) Only instruction from our course. See attachment.
(7) Our guideline is simple evangelism, no matter how long it takes. They will either
accept the Word or reject it and stop coming. My only responsibility is to proclaim it.
(9) No policy.
(11) Not really. Only to say that our staff knows that unbelievers cannot really be
counseled, only precounseled as Jay Adams has said.
(13) Not that I‘m aware of.
(15) We have no policy.
(16) Nothing written, but I follow generally Jay‘s approach of evangelism as pre-
counseling as he has stated in Competent to Counsel and a brief explanation from his
website.
(21) No written policy.
(23) Nothing in writing. We do use a ―Fact Sheet on Biblical Counseling‖ which
explains to a counselee what to expect (Use Bible, give homework, respect
confidentiality, etc.).
(27) We do not have a written policy.
(28) We do not have written guidelines or policies.
(29) We do not have a written policy, but we do have regular training. My
dissertation is on ―Evangelism in the counseling session.‖
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Finally …

Printed below is the ―argument‖ that will guide the writing of my master‘s thesis. Do you
have any brief comments in response to that argument? If so, would you be so helpful as
to include them below? Thank you!

Summary Statement: This paper will claim that there is a way to use the biblical
counseling process to expose the belief system (or “heart idols”) of an unsaved counselee
using his original presenting problem, and to thereby set him face to face with the false
worship of his own heart (Heb 4:12). The counselee may then see clearly that repentance
toward God is not a side issue; rather, it is a necessary step to transform his sinful heart
and release the spiritual resources available to resolve the real-life issue for which he is
seeking counsel.

(3) I could not have articulated your concern any better.

Repentance, I believe, is the point of conversion, almost simultaneously with being born
from above.—The Narrow Road—Pamphlet is a must. A great book on evangelism is To
Tell the Truth by Will Metzger-----I was going to write one until I read his. It is what I
would have written.
(4) I like your thesis. I often use Isaiah 55:1ff in the approach you are offering. I also
agree that it is very wise to show how the gospel addresses the presenting problem.
(5) This cannot work for those who are not elect. Since we do not know who is elect, we
should approach each counselee with the desire to help him and give him hope, but
ultimately God needs to ―open the heart‖ as He did with Lydia.
(6) I like it. You have the right purpose and the right theology in assessing the core issue.
(9) Good.
(11) I like it. This is a very good purpose statement.
(13) Amen! That would also be our goal here at Biblical Counseling Center. It typically
takes several sessions of presenting the gospel in various ways, springing from their own
words and presenting problem to help them see their own sinful heart. Most come
already knowing something is very wrong, just not being able to connect all the dots yet
to see how they got to where they presently are. First step is really to find out what they
do believe before we jump in and tell them what they ―ought‖ to believe (at which most
would flee!). It takes some time to build the trust and relationship to have an eternal
effect on their belief system that they have been building for years already without you!
Christianity turns their world upside down and changes everything, from the inside out.
In a Christian world-view, life revolves around Christ. Most come in with life revolving
either around themselves, or around some dominate person or belief apart from Christ.
(15) You are correct to present gospel-oriented counseling, and starting there will
certainly aid subsequent counseling. Submission to God‘s command to be saved begins
the process of continual obedience to God‘s commands for progressive sanctification.
Connecting the gospel with their lives and showing its superiority over their views is the
basic issue in salvation. One of the reasons for accepting Christ is because heaven is
superior to hell.
(16) I do not get unbelievers wanting Biblical counseling from me unless they agree to
come for their spouse or other loved one who is. If the spirit has plowed up the soil of
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their hearts, I don‘t need a particular methodology or approach other than speaking the
truth to them and calling them to repentance. There comes a point where continuing to
see someone with the understanding this is counseling when there is no conversion will
be counterproductive and spiritual inoculating.
Here is what happens in my experience more often than not. I believe that many who
come for counsel naming the name of Christ do not truly embrace the gospel in its deep
transforming way, or have been such baby Christians drinking milk for so long that they
have no foundation to withstand the winds and waves of life, the temptations of the
world, the flesh and the devil. Consider a quote I came across recently that describes the
condition of many who would name the name of Christ, but most definitely need
―evangelizing.‖
(23) I agree totally!
(27) I agree wholeheartedly, though I think it is often very difficult to do!
(28) This is absolutely correct in my estimation. This is exactly how we approach the
evangelism of unbelievers in our church-based counseling center.
(29) This is a good summary statement. Additionally, I would add that we need to
remember that it is the Holy Spirit who uses the Word of God in providing any level of
success in the evangelistic process. I used to think that I could perfect the gospel
presentation, but the work of grace in a person‘s life before they arrive in the counseling
office is what I look for and now rely on to finish the saving work. I ―fish‖ by
advertising ―Free Certified Counseling‖ in the community and go through many lost folks
who do not put their faith in Christ. I am learning to rest in the saving work of God and
have more peace in not fretting over the ―results‖ of the evangelistic work in my
counseling ministry. Note: I have some other evangelistic illustrations not attached to this
survey and taught ―evangelism in the counseling process‖ workshop at NANC with
handouts.
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