Biblical (Nouthetic) Counseling

What is humanism and humanistic psychology? There is no better definition of it then the words of Isaiah, “Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes and clever in their own sight.” Humanism in general and humanistic psychology in particular is belief in humanity.

God drove man out of the Garden of Eden. Because Adam and Eve longed to return angels were posted to guard the entrance. Fallen man still longs after paradise. Ever since, the urge for paradise has consumed the human race. Psychology's goal is to make better men and women therefore, make a better world. 

Children are a gift from God. Parenting children should not be seen as a hardship. Even those labeled with ADHD. 

Psychological explanations dethrone biblical ones.  Men look to “science” for answers. Psychologists tell men the uncomfortable feelings are caused by some complex, repressed hurts, hidden memories, or low self-esteem.

Solomon compares sin to a net in which a rabbit or bird is trapped. Charmed by sin’s apparent pleasantness, Solomon said, man is first attracted to sin and eventually he is bound by it and cannot free himself. A sinful habit has been formed. 

In order to help people solve problems a counselor may have to address relativistic thinking. This is the fourth of four podcasts on relativism and its consequences. 

In order to help people solve problems a counselor may have to address relativistic thinking. This is the third of four podcasts on relativism and its consequences. 

In order to help people solve problems a counselor may have to address relativistic thinking. This is the second of four podcasts on relativism and its consequences. 

In order to help people solve problems a counselor may have to address relativistic thinking. This is the first of four podcasts on relativism and its consequences. 

Jesus prefaces His comments on forgiveness with a warning to the disciples; why? He goes on to say if a brother or sister repents you are obligated to grant forgiveness even if they sin against you repeatedly. Forgiveness is a promise and involves three things ever believer should understand.

You must never deprive your spouse of the sexual obligation God has commanded (1 Corinthians 7:5). Obedience in this area is as much a part of godly living as going to church, reading your Bible and prayer.  

A man came to me and said he has had a problem with anger for 20 years. He said I know it's wrong but I don't know how to change. This podcast addresses how to help him change. Whether it is anger, immorality, lying, drunkenness; I explain why the repetitiveness of his anger and how to change. 

Habits are learned ways of living. In the same way righteous habits are acquired so are unrighteous habits. Biblical counseling is not taking Bible verses, reducing problems to theological cliches and applying it to a psychological theory. Paul gives Timothy a four step process for change that pleases God.  

Hopelessness is a common feeling of people with psychiatric labels. They have been blinded by a psychiatric diagnosis and are told they must learn strategies to cope with their problem. Giving them hope by helping them see clearly is the goal of Biblical counseling. 

Hopelessness is a common feeling of people with psychiatric labels. They have been blinded by a psychiatric diagnosis and are told they must learn strategies to cope with their problem. Giving them hope by helping them see clearly is the goal of Biblical counseling. 

Increasingly, many people are questioning whether repressed memories are memories at all. Many insist that they are fantasies fueled by an overactive imagination coerced by an incompetent therapist. 

I examine four marriage topics; "Communication, Is Compatibility Important in a Marriage? Is Romantic Love Necessary in a Marriage? and Negative Influences On a Marriage." 

In order to help a person continue on the path of change they must have hope. Years of problems can have a defeating and disheartening effect that may lead to despair. It is useless to try to help a person that does not have hope. Immediately after the fall, at the same time God pronounced judgement, God gave hope (Genesis 3:15).  

Paul says, "Be angry". Not all anger is wrong. But then he adds "and do not sin" (Eph.4:26).  The goal is not to eliminate all anger; just sinful anger. Many Christians do not know how to distinguish between righteous and sinful anger. They think their sinful anger is righteous. 

God designed marriage as the foundational element of all human society. If marriage were of human origin, then man would have a right to define, regulate and set the rules. But God instituted marriage and only He has that right.   

The Bible provides a strategy for critical thinking that cuts-to-the-heart and enables you to challenge secular worldviews. In this four part podcast I will teach you the five point strategy. 

The Bible provides a strategy for critical thinking that cuts-to-the-heart and enables you to challenge secular worldviews. In this four part podcast I will teach you the five point strategy. 

The Bible provides a strategy for critical thinking that cuts-to-the-heart and enables you to challenge secular worldviews. In this four part podcast I will teach you the five point strategy.   

The Bible provides a strategy for critical thinking that cuts-to-the-heart and enables you to challenge secular worldviews. In this four part podcast I will teach you the five point strategy.     

John Bunyan's classic Pilgrims Progress depicts the Christian life. We are surrounded by all sorts of vendors wanting to sell us what appears to be the true and genuine article. The only way to pass safely through Vanity Fair is to ignore the merchants and insist, whatever you may buy, buy truth and whatever you sell never sell truth. 

Man is a material and immaterial being. The immaterial part of man i.e. the heart affects the material part of man i.e. the body. This truth has tremendous implications in counseling. Sinful behavior that issues from the heart can produce uncomfortable feelings in the body like depression, anxiety, shame, guilt, etc.  

Charles Spurgeon called Satan the ape of God. Just as an ape will mimic a person so Satan mimics God. God sends Christ, Satan sends false Christs (Matt. 24). God sends prophets, Satan sends false prophets (Matt. 7). Satan's program involves misleading men concerning his plan so as they follow his imitation they are convinced they are following God. 

"I sinned" is correct. It is incorrect to use psychological euphemisms such as, "I made a mistake, poor choice, I have an obsessive compulsive disorder, or oppositional defiant disorder. Grace and forgiveness can only be experienced when a person understands they have sinned. Sin matters. 

How can the church minister to people that express feelings of being a male or female in the wrong body? I will address the worldview that drives the transgender debate, the cause of the feelings referred to as gender dysphoria and how the church should respond. 

Does it matter to God how you VIEW your work? Does it matter to God how you DO your work? Whether you work in an office, factory or at home a large portion of your time is at work. A person that does not work becomes dissatisfied. The dissatisfaction will manifest itself physically and mentally. 

What do patients and psychotherapists do? They speak and listen to one another. They have a conversation. Many believe psychotherapy is a medical intervention however, there is noting medical about it.       

The cornerstone of psychiatry's disease model is the concept that a brain-based, chemical imbalance is the cause of mental disease. This is a thoroughly discredited theory. 

How concerned should we be when we hear reports mental illness is epidemic? They tell us one in four people have or will be diagnosed with a mental illness and the only way to control this is to increase funding for mental health. What they never tell you is the diagnostic method they use to make these claims is subjective and unscientific. 

In order to understand mental illness we need to ask ourselves; what is bodily illness? What do we mean when we say someone is ill? Illness refers to an abnormal biological condition.The words "mental" and  "illness" can only be used metaphorically and not literally. 

How can looking back at the Reformation 500 years ago be helpful regarding counseling today? There are similarities between then and now. Ecclesiastical leaders compromised the inerrancy and sufficiency of Scripture. There was widespread ignorance of the Bible. Immorality was rampant. Sin was often referred to as a sickness however, it was used in a metaphorical sense. Today, we have dropped the metaphorical use and refer to sin as sickness in a literal sense. 

I call the longing in man's heart "the urge for paradise". Ever since the fall the urge for paradise, a better world has consumed the human race. The psychologies explain this urge as a great evolutionary impulse driving men on to perfection. The utopian dreams of psychology are based on an erroneous view of man. 

There is a lot of confusion about the word counseling.There are two categories people fall into when it comes to this question of counseling. First, there are those who say counseling is an optional ministry. Second, are those who say counseling is not optional, but commanded. Paul said his ministry consisted of preaching and counseling. 

The movement to legitimize homosexuality began in the 1960s. The issue is not homosexuals are not free to practice homosexuality. It's a free country. It is their insistence that others approve of something they believe is wrong. That is what fuels the homosexual debate. 

Over the past 50 years the idea of esteeming one's self has had a tremendous influence on the Christian church. Today many pastors, psychologists and counselors teach that a negative self image is the basis of nearly all psychological problems and it even leads to sinful behavior. Part 5 New podcasts released on the first and fifteenth of every month. Don't forget to subscribe to the podcast.  Website: http://www.davidmtyler.org/  

Over the past 50 years the idea of esteeming one's self has had a tremendous influence on the Christian church. Today many pastors, psychologists and counselors teach that a negative self image is the basis of nearly all psychological problems and it even leads to sinful behavior. Part 4 New podcasts released on the first and fifteenth of every month. Don't forget to subscribe to the podcast.  Website: http://www.davidmtyler.org/  

Over the past 50 years the idea of esteeming one's self has had a tremendous influence on the Christian church. Today many pastors, psychologists and counselors teach that a negative self image is the basis of nearly all psychological problems and it even leads to sinful behavior. Part 3 New podcasts released on the first and fifteenth of every month. Don't forget to subscribe to the podcast.  Website: http://www.davidmtyler.org/

Over the past 50 years the idea of esteeming one's self has had a tremendous influence on the Christian church. Today many pastors, psychologists and counselors teach that a negative self image is the basis of nearly all psychological problems and it even leads to sinful behavior. Part 2 New podcasts released on the first and fifteenth of every month. Don't forget to subscribe to the podcast.  Website: http://www.davidmtyler.org/

Over the past 50 years the idea of esteeming one's self has had a tremendous influence on the Christian church. Today many pastors, psychologists and counselors teach that a negative self image is the basis of nearly all psychological problems and it even leads to sinful behavior. Part 1 New podcasts released on the first and fifteenth of every month. Don't forget to subscribe to the podcast.  Website: http://www.davidmtyler.org/

I hated counseling. I didn't know what to do when a church member said they were depressed, anxious, fearful or had an anger problem. I tried to convince myself that I was a pastor not a counselor, but I couldn't escape the fact that the Bible is a crisis-orient/problem-oriented book. So I began my search for a counseling model.  New podcasts released on the first and fifteenth of every month. Don't forget to subscribe to the podcast.  Website: http://www.davidmtyler.org/

Gary Chapman’s book, The Five Love Languages, has been read by millions of believers. While I disagree, for biblical reasons his basic premise, Chapman does give some good advice. For example, just like there are many languages there are many ways to express love and it is important to be conscientious of the way your spouse likes to be shown love. I couldn’t agree more however, Chapman’s epiphany came not as the result of an intense Bible study, but listening to a pediatric psychiatrist. Don't forget to subscribe to the podcast. New podcasts released on the first and fifteenth of every month. Website: http://www.davidmtyler.org/  

The early 1960s was the beginning of the psychologizing of the Christian faith. Integration was the key word. Christian theology needed psychology and psychology needed Christian theology. Psychology would help us better understand man’s behavior and theology would help us better interpret psychology. The one was necessary to the other. New podcasts released on the first and fifteenth of every month. Don't forget to subscribe to the podcast.  Website: http://www.davidmtyler.org/      

Celebrate Recovery was developed by Associate Pastor of Saddleback Church, John Baker. Baker states C.R. is adapted from the twelve suggested steps of Alcoholics Anonymous. Rick Warren states the principles on which C.R. are based are given to us by Jesus in the Beatitudes. Were the founders of A.A. Christians and do the Beatitudes give us the eight steps to recovery as Warren said?   New podcasts released on the first and fifteenth of every month. Don't forget to subscribe to the podcast.  Website: http://www.davidmtyler.org/    

All counseling issues are theological issues because all of life is lived before God; the heart drives behavior and the Bible speaks inerrantly and sufficiently to all matters of life and godliness.   New podcasts released on the first and fifteenth of every month. Don't forget to subscribe to the podcast. Website: http://www.davidmtyler.org/

The Old Testament book of Judges is about Israel's integration with the Canaanite culture. In a similar way the church has compromised and integrated with the culture. This has led to a "hybrid" Christianity; a blend of Christian theology and man's philosophy.  New podcasts released on the first and fifteenth of every month. Don't forget to subscribe to the podcast.  Website: http://www.davidmtyler.org/

God created man with meaning and purpose. Man cannot be known apart from his Creator. Psychology denies God's meaning and purpose and imposes a false meaning and purpose upon man. Psychology's presuppositions will always lead to wrong conclusions about man, his behaviors, thoughts and unfortable feelings.   New podcasts released on the first and fifteenth of every month. Don't forget to subscribe to the podcast.  Website: http://www.davidmtyler.org/    

In the mid 60’s a major shift began in how evangelicals viewed and dealt with sin. The church moved sinful and deviant behavior OUT OF THE CATEGORY OF SIN AND PLACED IT IN THE CATEGORY OF SICKNESS. For example, the sexual sinner Paul wrote about (1 Cor. 2:13) became the sex addict. The thief (1 Cor. 2:14) became the kleptomaniac. The drunkard (1 Cor. 6: 10) became the alcoholic. The rebellious child (2 Tim. 3:2) became afflicted with “Oppositional Defiant Disorder. The “deeds of the flesh (Gal. 5:19-20) have all been REDEFINED using psychopathological words. New podcasts released on the first and fifteenth of every month. Don't forget to subscribe to the podcast.  Website: http://www.davidmtyler.org/