COMPETENT TO COUNSEL Introduction to Nouthetic Counseling Rolan

COMPETENT TO COUNSEL: Introduction to Nouthetic Counseling Rolan Monje, DPTh, MMin

As far as I am concerned about you, my brothers, I am convinced that you especially are abouding in the highest goodness, richly supplied with perfect knowledge and competent to counsel one another – Rom 15. 14 (Williams Version)

Outline I. II. The need to learn counseling Nouthetic vs secular counseling Aspects of nouthetic counseling

Pastoral (shepherding) concerns -- Christians are shepherds to some degree • Helping people with their past • Discerning various tendencies, personalities/temperaments • Inspiring genuine repentance

Pastoral (shepherding) concerns -- Christians are shepherds to some degree • • Coping with present problems Combating prevalent culture Mediating for people Occasional medical concerns/intervention

To be a good leader/shepherd • You need to know God • You need to know the Word • You need to know your people

Aspects of being ‘human’ • • Biological Psychological Social Spiritual

Even Jesus was ‘emotional’ • • Jesus was deeply disturbed in Spirit (Jn 11) He wept over Lazarus (Jn 11) He wept over Jerusalem (Lk 19) He was angry with his disciples (Mk 10) He was furious at temple commercialism (Jn 2) He showed astonishment (Mt 8) He had an emotional longing for friends (Lk 22) He showed compassion for widows, lepers, and blind men (Mt 20, Mk 1, Lk 7)

We all need help in the fellowship! • The Bible describes us as sheep (we have fellow-sheep)

Nouthesis in Paul • Col 1: 28 We proclaim him, admonishing [Grk: nouthetountes] and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ. NIV • It is he whom we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone in all wisdom, so that we may present everyone mature in Christ. NRSV

Nouthesis in Paul • Col 3: 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish [Grk: nouthetountes] one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.

Nouthetic vs. secular • “Nouthesis” is difficult to translate, but includes the concepts of ‘admonish, ’ ‘warn, ’ and ‘teach. ’ • Verb form denotes “counsel” or “put sense into. ” Related to “discipling. ” • This is a uniquely spiritual concept which Paul applies in the church context.

The secular viewpoint Anna Russell lyrics: I went to my psychiatrist to be psychoanalyzed, to find out why I killed the cat and blacked my husband’s eyes. He laid me on a downy couch to see what he could find…

The secular viewpoint Anna Russell lyrics: When I was one, my mommie hid my dolly in a trunk, and so it follows naturally that I am always drunk. When I was two…At three… Now I’ve learned the lesson this has taught That everything I do that’s wrong is someone else’s fault

Christian context • Takes into consideration the fallen state of man and so agrees in many respects with secular counseling • Does not remove responsibility from the person, for his/her actions • Reminds the person about the realities of spiritual warfare

The Bible calls us to ‘comfort’ and ‘liberate’ • • Lk 4. 16 -21 Is 40. 1 Is 42. 3 1 Thes 5. 14

Counseling is the Work of the Spirit • Effective counseling cannot be done apart from him! • John 14. 16 -17 calls him the paraclete (counselor) in the same sort as Christ. • The HS is the source of all genuine personality changes for santification (=growth away from sin and toward righteousnes).

Spiritual counseling • Notes the tendency to move away from the Spirit (Gal 3. 1 -3. . Who has bewitched you…having begun by the Spirit…) • Notes the tendency to drift; Heb 2. 1 -2 • Notes that many times, what the world calls “mentally ill” are people with unsolved personal problems. These are the problems that the HS wants to solve.

Elements of nouthetic counseling #1 PROBLEM – Something wrong, some sin, some difficulty – Maybe the same as what the world experiences – Christian view: a condition that God wants changed – Examples: Noah’s drunkenness, David’s immorality, Peter’s impulsiveness

Elements of nouthetic counseling #2 PAIDEIA - From the Greek word for “training up a child”; translated ‘discipline’ or ‘admonishment’ - Training by act and by discipline - Only done by word of mouth - In essence, carries weight of ‘confrontation’

Elements of nouthetic counseling #2 PAIDEIA - Specific instances: Nathan’s confronting David after his sin with Bathsheba Christ’s restoring Peter after his resurrection Failure ex: Eli and his sons (1 Sam 3. 13, he did not “restrain” them; Heb: ‘weaken’)

Elements of nouthetic counseling #3 PROGRAM - Specific, time-bound matrix of activity that addresses the problem - Will be effective only when the confrontation has been initiated and accepted - When effective, leads the person to selfdiscipline, producing fruit of the Spirit

Elements of nouthetic counseling 1 PROBLEM 2 PAIDEIA 3 PROGRAM

Challenges for us #1 PROBLEM • Don’t belittle or ignore the problem • Don’t jump into conclusions! Listen well. • Don’t rely on yourself; pray a lot • Don’t put down people for having problems

Exercise • Active Listening • Reflective Listening

Challenges for us #2 PAIDEIA • Don’t be afraid to confront • Don’t assume the problems will just go away • Don’t ignore the biblical examples

Challenges for us #3 PROGRAM • Don’t rely on ‘quick fix’ • Don’t do everything yourself; align people • Don’t spoon feed the person • Don’t create loyalty to yourself

Problem-solution guide • • • What happened What I did What I should have done What God wants What I now must do

What happened What God wants What I did What I should have done What I now must do

For further reading • Difficulty in integrating psychiatry and religion – OH Mowrer, The Crisis in Psychiatry and Religion (Princeton, 1961) – J Adams, Competent to Counsel (Grand Rapids, 1970) – W Kirwan, Biblical Concepts for Christian Counseling (Grand Rapids, 1984)

COMPETENT TO COUNSEL: Introduction to Nouthetic Counseling Rolan Monje