A Paradigm Shift Frompastoral Counseling to Nouthetic Counseling in the Southern Baptist Convention: Jay Adams‟ Approach
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International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR) ISSN (Online): 2319-7064 Index Copernicus Value (2016): 79.57 | Impact Factor (2017): 7.296 A Paradigm Shift Frompastoral Counseling to Nouthetic Counseling in the Southern Baptist Convention: Jay Adams‟ Approach Oluwaseun A. Oladipupo (Justina) Abstract: The word nouthesia is a Greek word its verb form is noutheteo, which has to do with to admonish, correct or instruct. Nouthetic counseling not a new idea to the Bible, but pastoral counseling has been promoted as the practice of advising and guiding people in the church until recently when some scholars such as Jay Adams begin to advocate the need to go back to the Bible. This article investigates the paradigm shift in history from the pastoral counseling to the nouthetic counseling in the Southern Baptist Convention, which is one of the most prominent Christian denominations in the United States. It is the responsibility of Christian counselors in the twenty-first century, to guide and counsel biblically to advance the course of Christianity in the age of relativism. The article critically addresses that similarities and differences between pastoral counseling and nouthetic counseling. It also submits to the practical and effective use of nouthetic counseling approach that focuses on the change of heart of man by the power of God through his word and the help of the Holy Spirit. 1. Introduction will investigates the paradigm shift frompastoral Counseling to biblical counseling in the SBC in order to find out the The emergence of nouthetic counseling in the field of similarities and differences of Jay Adams‟ principles of counseling is a remarkable phenomenon in Christian counseling and pastoral counseling. In an attempt to explore theology today. This field of the counseling that argues for this paradigm shift, the first segment of this research will the sufficiency of scripture in addressing every human focus on nouthetic Counseling. The second segment will difficulty including psychological problems is contrary to discuss the history of pastoral counseling and Nouthetic the pastoral counseling that advocates for the integration of Counseling in Southern Baptist Convention and the third secular psychology, physiotherapy and philosophy with segment will address the Contemporary Pastoral Counseling theology. While Lambert advocates for the integration of in line with similarities and differences of nouthetic and psychology into biblical counseling because it will enable pastoral counseling. the Christian counselor to engage an atheistic society and the relativistic culture, Adams believe that a Christian 2. What is Nouthetic Counseling? counselor‟s duty is to evangelize and not to engage people.1 In addition, Adam believes that the duty of a Christian is to Nouthetic counseling emerged in the 70s by several proclaim the Gospel of Christ instead of dialogue. Several scholars; however, Matthew R. Akers in his work upholds scholars have contributed to the discussion of the shift from that counseling may be institutionalized recently but the pastoral counseling to biblical counseling most especially in practice of advising people is as old as the human race.5 Jay the Southern Baptist Convention. Although Wayne Oates, a Adams was one of the founding fathers of this field of professor in one of the seminaries of the Southern Baptist counseling. The word nouthetic derives from the Greek Convention, was considered to be one of the pioneers of word νουθετώ, which connotes admonition, instruction or pastoral counseling into theology, Jay Adams was one of warning.6 In his work, The Christian Counselor's Manual: those who advocates for the sufficiency of scripture in the The Practice of Nouthetic Counseling, Jay Adams define field of Christian counseling.2The SBC decided to pass a nouthetic confrontation in terms of counseling as resolution in its annual session in 2002 in an attempt "to “discernment of wrong doing in another that God wants reclaim practical biblical wisdom, Christ- centered changed, verbal confrontation of another with the word of counseling, and the restorative ministry of the care and cure God in order to change his attitude and behavior and of souls."3 confrontation another for his benefit.” 7 This kind of counseling is grounded in scripture, concentrated on Christ The resolution of the SBC is fundamental for the purpose of and renounces conventional psychology and psychiatry by upholding the view that scripture is “sufficient to answer seeing it as humanistic and as essentially opposed to comprehensively the deepest needs of the human heart" Christianity and as radically worldly. The main focus of which appears to be in line with Adams opinion.4 This work nouthetic counseling has to do with the art of using the Bible to address the counselee‟s behavior by using a Christian 1Heath Lambert, The Biblical Counseling Movements after Adams. Wheaton lll, : crossway 2012. 5 Matthew R. Akers, „Nouthetic Confrontation in 1-2 Samuel: Two 2David Winfery, Southern Baptist Reject “pastoral counseling” Case Studies‟ in the Journal of Mid American Baptist Theological Biblical Therapy. Seminary, Vol.2, 2015:9-19. 3 Annual of the Southern Baptist Convention, One Hundered and 6 James Swanson, Dictionary of the Biblical Language with Forty –fifth Session, One hundred and Fifty seventh Year, Saint Semantic Domain: Greek, Oak Harbor: 1997. Louis, Missouri, June 11-12, 2002. 7Jay E. Adams, The Christian counselor's manual: the practice of 4 David Winfrey, Southern Baptists reject "pastoral counseling" Nouthetic Counseling. Zondervan,1986:14. Biblical therapy…24. Volume 7 Issue 8, August 2018 www.ijsr.net Licensed Under Creative Commons Attribution CC BY Paper ID: ART201917 10.21275/ART201917 134 International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR) ISSN (Online): 2319-7064 Index Copernicus Value (2016): 79.57 | Impact Factor (2017): 7.296 approach especially in a manner related to the biblical incorporating secular psychology into theology. The report concept of sin. Andre Ernest Godsey declares “The targets affirms that "physicians and counselors often ignore human of nouthetic counseling, a Bible-based therapeutic technique, sin and its effects, neglect our most fundamental human and are those counselee behaviors that are related to the spiritual needs, and therefore misunderstand our condition, Christian concept of sin. Hence, the controlling criteria for mistreat our problems, and sometimes unintentionally do treatment, the diagnostic model, and the prescription for a more harm than good.”13 The decision of the SBC eventually psychosocial illness among believing Christians are held by informs the reason why the Southern Baptist Theological nouthetic counselors to have been formulated some two Seminary took the leading by changing its pastoral millennia ago, and these principles are embodied within the counseling program into a biblical counseling program in Holy Bible.”8 According to MacArthur and Mack Nouthetic 2005.14 It is important to note that the decision is not only counseling is the “primary agent of constructive change in necessary but also important for the purpose of restoring the lives of counselee as fostered by the Holy Spirit”9Ed biblical principles and wisdom into the theological education Bukley notes concerning the biblical counseling‟s view of of the seminary and the denomination in bringing about of the sufficiency of scripture: care and healing for the souls of men. The description of the resolution and the emphasis of the Southern Baptist A necessary presupposition of biblical counseling is that Theological Seminary clearly indicate that the SBC is in God has indeed provided every essential truth the believer favor of the nouthetic counseling in line with Jay Adams needs for a happy, fulfilling life in Christ Jesus. It is the instead of Wayne Oates. belief that God has not left us lacking in any sense. The apostle Peter states it emphatically in his second epistle: Several authors have attempted to analyze the thought and “His divine power has given us everything we need for life views of Jay Adams on nouthetic counseling and biblical and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us counseling. If one looksat scripture carefully, one will find by his own glory and goodness” (2Pet.1:3). Note the word out that the mode of instruction and guidance used by the everything. God has provided absolutely everything man Holy Spirit is the word of God. It is interesting to note that needs for physical and spiritual life. This is a primary scripture calls the word of God the sword of the Holy Spirit consideration. If Peter is correct, then God has given us all who is the third person of the triune God. The Holy Spirit in the information we need to function successfully in this life. his counseling function at conversion convicts, converts and Every essential truth, every essential principle, every conforms sinners who accept Jesus into their lives into the essential technique for solving human problems has been image of Jesus Christ. In addition it is important to note that 10 delivered in God‟s Word. the same word of God was quoted by Jesus Christ to overcome the temptation by the devil in Matthew 4:1-11, Wayne Grudem , a systematic theologian, supports Bulkley which buttresses the authenticity and efficacy of the word of concerning the sufficiency of scripture by saying “Scripture God. In his work, Know the Truth: A Handbook of Christian [contains] all the words of God he intended his people to Belief, Milne Bruce affirms the sufficiency and efficacy of have at each stage of redemptive history, and that it now Scripture as he asserts, “the Bible teaches that it is directly contains all the words of God we need for salvation, for and sovereignly inspired by God and is therefore to be trusting him perfectly, and for obeying him perfectly.” 11 submitted to as his living word addressed directly to us.”15 It There is no doubt about the fact that nouthetic counseling is is on account of this that one may say that nouthetic very important for ministry most especially in the age of a counseling propounded and promoted by Jay Adams and the post-Christian culture.