GUIDING PRINCIPLES FOR CHRISTIAN

COUNSELING

THE BASIC PRESUPPOSITIONS OF CHRISTIAN

COUNSELING ARE UNIQUE:

1. They are based on the Bible, and see Jesus as the model counselor —

Isa. 9:6

2. Sin is recognized as the cause of a great percentage of human problems

3. Only an active, faithful, loving Christian can provide Christian

Counseling

4. The Bible is all about counseling - 1 Thes. 5:14.

5. The primary terms “psychology" (study of the soul), and "therapy"

(service) are best realized in a Christian framework.

6. All those who claim to be Christian Counselors are not really! In a bit of research done in 1992 and reported in the Journal of Psychology and

Theology, it was found that only 51.9% said their faith shaped their practice in a substantive way, 28.4% said that while their faith was

foundational, the majority of their process came from secular psychology, and 12.5% said their faith was only moderately related to

some aspects of their work.

7. The ultimate aim of all Christian Counseling is to bring clients to

salvation in Christ.

8. Bible content and prayer are primary tools for the Christian Counselor.

9. It is primary that many and perhaps most human problems in their

solution will require repentance, confession, change, and forgiveness.

10. The above statements do not say that counseling is a preaching exercise, nor is there to be an attempt to force clients into becoming

obedient; but it should be the aim of the counselor to make a case that complete mental and spiritual health can only come to the person that

finds ultimate fulfillment and integration of life through fellowship with Jesus Christ.

Carl Mitchell