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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
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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 • 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 self-discipline, 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 I did What I should have done What God wants 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)
Salamat po! COMPETENT TO COUNSEL:Introduction to Nouthetic Counseling Rolan Monje