Taylor University Pillars at Taylor University TUFW Alumni Publications Publications for TUFW and Predecessors Summer 1995 Fort Wayne Alumnus Taylor University Fort Wayne Follow this and additional works at: https://pillars.taylor.edu/tufw-alumni-publications Part of the Higher Education Commons Recommended Citation Taylor University Fort Wayne, "Fort Wayne Alumnus" (1995). TUFW Alumni Publications. 58. https://pillars.taylor.edu/tufw-alumni-publications/58 This Book is brought to you for free and open access by the Publications for TUFW and Predecessors at Pillars at Taylor University. It has been accepted for inclusion in TUFW Alumni Publications by an authorized administrator of Pillars at Taylor University. For more information, please contact [email protected]. \ V \ - W" Psychology: From A Different Perspective ^ Taylor University PERSPECTIVE Fort Wayne Campus 1025 West Rudisill Blvd. Fort Wa\ne, Indiana 46807 President: Dr. Jay Kesler I graduated from Hope College with a degree in psy- Provost: chology; little did I reahze how valuable that training Dr. Daryl Yost would be in my ministry. Time and again, as I worked with Vice President Fort Wayne Campus: young people in Youth For Christ and as I pastored in the Dr. Robert Nienhuis church, I relied on the training I had received. Vice President for University Relations: Dr. Charles Jaggers It was my training in psychology that helped me to Director of University Relations: understand why people acted as they did in certain situa- Mrs. Sherri Harter tions, that helped me to be more compassionate with Director of Alumni/Church Relations: people who were hurting emotionally, and that helped Rev. William Gerig me know what to say and do when confronted with various needs. My training, however, was largely secular. It wasn't until I went to seminary that I began to understand what the Bible has to say about FORT WAYNE ALUMNUS is published the psychological needs of man. periodically by Taylor University, Fort Wayne Campus for alumni, friends, faculty We begin our discussion of the psychology program at TUFW with an excerpt from Dr. and staff by the Office of University Rela- Larry Crabb, Jr's. book, Basic Principles ofBiblical Counseling. Dr. Crabb contends, and tions. Inquiries and comments should be we agree, that "the timing is right for Christians who take God seriously to develop a directed to: Taylor University - Fort Wayne biblical approach to counseling which asserts the authority of Scripture and the necessity Campus, Office of University Relations, 1 025 and adequacy of Christ." West Rudisill Blvd., Fort Wayne, IN 46807. Our psychology program does exactly that. We take God very seriously and we are Writers: seeking to teach a biblical approach to psychology which integrates scriptural truth with Dr. Marc Barnes Kristin O'Malley the best of psychological theory. The result is Christians trained and equipped for service Sherri Harter Lisa Paul in the church and in a variety of social service agencies. Dr. C. Joseph Martin I am grateful for the psychology program at Taylor Fort Wayne. I am thankful for Drs. Photographers: Barnes and Martin who are committed to teaching biblical truth and psychology. And I am Dave Cole Jim Garringer excited to think of the difference that our graduates are making in the churches and helping agencies as they apply their learning to the real needs found in society. Taylor University complies with all federal and state nondiscrimination laws. Taylor I believe you will find this issue of the Fort Wayne Alumnus to be both interesting and University is an equal-opportunity institu- encouraging. If you know of someone who is interested in working with people and is tion. Direct inquiries to the Office of the wanting a degree in psychology, I trust you will encourage them to consider Taylor President, Taylor University, Upland, IN University, Fort Wayne. We have something good to offer! 46989, 3 1 7-998-520 1 , or the Office of Civil Rights, Washington. DC. On the Cover- Dr. Robert Nienhuis Taylor University approaclics the psy- Vice President Fort Wayne Campus cholof^y majorfrom a different perspective. FORTWAYNE ALUMNUS ^ Ptyctiologj/. from A Olttofont PBf$pecliv0 4 BROADENING OUR VISION -Dr. Larry Crabb for the unique ministry of biblical coun- Most people have problems. I am convinced that the local church Some don't get along with should and can successfully assume re- seling. The development of the local their husbands or wives, some sponsibility within its ranks for restor- church into a counseling community are worried sick about money or their ing troubled people to full, productive, employing its unique resources of fel- kids, many are depressed or nervous, creative lives. One psychiatrist recently lowship and ministry is an exciting con- others just feel empty inside and unful- commented that his patients are all basi- cept which needs further thinking. As a filled, still others have problems with cally hungry for love and acceptance. basis for such thinking, the obvious ques- alcohol or sex. There are not enough Where should true love be more evident tion needs to be answered. What is a professional counselors to handle all the than in a Christ-centered local church? biblical approach to counseling? Ur- problems. Even if there were, few people Jesus prayed that His people would be gent, intelligent, and widespread atten- could afford the expensive and lengthy one. Paul speaks of rejoicing and weep- tion must be devoted to developing an series of sessions often involved in tra- ing with one another and bearing each approach to helping people that is con- ditional professional counseling. It must other's burdens. To the degree that the sistent at every point with Scripture. be admitted further that the success Lord's design for His Church is imple- record of psychologists and psychia- mented, the deep need for love, which if trists does not justify the confidence that unmet generates psychological prob- What is a biblical therapy avail- affordable professional lems, will be satisfied within the Church. approach to counseling? able to all is the answer. People need not only love but also a The increase in personal problems and a purpose for living. Life must have mean- growing disillusionment with profes- ing, a purpose, and a goal that is neither Every concept of bibhcal counseling sional efforts to solve them have re- self-produced nor temporary. Again the must build upon the fundamental premise sulted in an openness to other approaches. local church is designed to meet that that there really is an infinite and per- The timing is right for Christians who need. The Holy Spirit has distributed sonal God who has revealed Himself take God seriously to develop a biblical spiritual gifts to each member of the propositionally in the written Word, the approach to counseling which asserts body. The exercise of those gifts con- Bible, and personally in the living Word, the authority of Scripture and the neces- tributes to the most important activity Jesus Christ. According to the testi- sity and adequacy of Christ. Bitterness, going on in the world today, the building mony of both, the most basic problem of guilt, worry, resentment, anger, self- of the Church of Jesus Christ. What a every human being is his separation pity, envy, and lust are eating away at magnificent, eternally significant pur- from God, a gulf made necessary by the the spiritual (and often the physical) pose for living is available specifically fact that God is holy and we are not. lives of people. In the back of our minds, within the framework of the local church. Until this chasm is bridged, people may we Christians have privately thought temporarily and partially solve their per- that commitment to Christ and depen- sonal problems by approximating bibli- dence upon the power and leading of the Life must have meaning, a cal principles but they can never possess Holy Spirit should really be what the an absolutely satisfying life now nor purpose, and a goal that is doctor orders. But secular psychology eternal life hereafter. The only way to neither self-produced nor and psychiatry have sold us on the no- find God and to enjoy life with Him is tion that emotional problems are the temporary. through Jesus Christ. When we agree result of psychological malfunctioning with God that we are sinful, repent of our and hence are the unique province of the sins, and trust in Jesus' blood as full psychological specialist. O. Hobart If we are to hope for success in such an payment of our sins' penalty, it brings us Mowrer, noted psychologist, has indicted immense and seriously neglected re- into an intimate relationship with God (a the church for selling its spiritual birth- sponsibility, pastors need to return to the staggering fact) and opens the door to right of teaching people how to love biblical model not of ministering to their vital living. effectively to the sometimes antagonis- people but of equipping their people to tic brother of psychiatry for a mess of minister to each other by using their Now if Christians are to realize the vi- propaganda pottage. spiritual gifts. Congregations need to sion of displacing secular counseling regain that wonderful sense of "koinonia" with abiblical approach operating within fellowship and to practice true commu- the local church, we must neither niini- nity. Pastors need also to understand the The timing is right for Chris- mi/e these doctrinal essentials nor stop scriptural perspective on personal prob- with them. Evangelicals often do one or tians who take God seriously to lems and to reinforce biblical counsel- the other. It simply is not enough to develop a biblical approach to ing efforts from the pulpit.