Here is why John MacArthur recommends reading the book "Bible Counseling and Difficult Cases"
Its critics have often caricatured the Bible counseling movement, accusing it of being hollow, superficial and very ineffective in the face of the greatest challenges facing men and women in this life. These criticisms are based on instances where people have given bad advice, or even harmful advice, while claiming to make the relationship Bible helping. However, the authentic relationship of Bible counseling is none other than the correct application of Bible wisdom by spiritually mature counselors. How could it be harmful?
When people of great piety, armed with confidence in the all-sufficiency of the Word of God, come in a spirit of prayer, with competence, kindness and assurance, to bring aid to those who are troubled, lost, suffering or who are grappling with some personal or spiritual problem, the Lord is supremely willing to use his Word through such counsel in any way that pleases him. His Word is the only thing that never returns to him void (Isaiah 55.11).
This is why I am happy to recommend this book Bible Counseling and Difficult Cases : True Stories demonstrating the sufficiency of resources offered by God in His Word. Different writers share the same dedication to the scriptures as a sufficient mode and method of helping relationship. It is this dedication that I have strived to maintain throughout my years as a pastor-teacher at Grace Community Church. It is also the dedication of our Faculty in the training of students of Masters College and Seminary. Each of us could say with deep conviction: "Your precepts are my delight, they are my counselors" (Psalm 119.24).
If you want to know authentic examples of a caring, wise, and biblically sound caring relationship as applied to people struggling with the intricacies of living in a fallen world, read on. The helping relationship advocated in this book comes from men and women who believe that the Word of God is perfectly capable of handling anything that the world, the flesh, and the devil can throw at the believer. Like me, these mature and experienced counselors are totally convinced that no human method of helping relationship is equal to the 66 books of the Bible in their depth, power, and enduring effectiveness.
The sufficiency and authority of the scriptures has been a central theme of my ministry for over half a century, and I am deeply grateful that one of the foundational principles upon which the counseling movement is built biblical is the attachment to the same principle. To use the words of Psalm 19: 8-12:
The law of the Lord is perfect, it restores the soul; the testimony of the LORD is true; he makes him wise ignorant. The ordinances of the LORD are upright, they make the heart glad; the commandments of the LORD are pure; they light up the eyes. The fear of the Lord is pure, and endures forever; the judgments of the Lord are true; they are all righteous. They are more precious than gold, than a lot of fine gold; they are sweeter than honey, than that which flows from the combs. Your servant also receives instruction; for those who observe them the reward is great.
May you benefit from reading this book written by knowledgeable counselors who take the Word of God seriously. Let the ideas they drew from scripture shape your own approach to helping those in pain.
- John MacArthur, Pastor-teacher, Grace Community Church, Sun Valley, CA; president, The Master’s College and Seminary
Obtain the book "Biblical Counseling and Difficult Cases" from the following Christian bookstores:
Christian Publications - https: // bitly / 39B9Bp1
CLC Canada -
Librairie Chrétienne de Québec - https://bit.ly/2HjIJxI
Excelsis - https: // bit. ly / 37kZhjL
House of the Bible - https://bit.ly/2ONAm1G
Amazon US - https://amzn.to/2vydmgA