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Counseling the Hard Cases
Biblical counselors have worked for decades to demonstrate that God’s resources in Scripture are sufficient to help people with their counseling-related problems. In Counseling the Hard Cases, editors Stuart Scott and Heath Lambert use the true stories of real patients to show how the truths of God’s Word can be released to bring help, hope, and healing into the lives of those who struggle with some of the most difficult psychiatric diagnoses.From pastors and academics to physicians and psychiatrists, a world-class team of contributing counselors share accounts of Scripture having helped overcome bipolar, dissociative identity, and obsessive compulsive disorders, postpartum depression, panic attacks, addiction, issues from childhood sexual abuse, homosexuality, and more.The book also shows how the graces of Christ, as revealed in the Bible, brought powerful spiritual change to the lives of such people who seemed previously burdened beyond hope by mental and emotional roadblocks.Contributors include John Babler, Ph.D., Kevin Carson, D.Min., Laura Hendrickson, M.D., Garrett Higbee, Psy.D., Robert Jones, D.Min., Martha Peace, RN, Steve Viars, D.Min., and Dan Wickert, M.D.
373 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 1, 2012
182 people are currently reading
882 people want to read
About the author
John F. MacArthur Jr.
1,344 books1,931 followersJohn F. MacArthur, Jr. was a United States Calvinistic evangelical writer and minister, noted for his radio program entitled Grace to You and as the editor of the Gold Medallion Book Award-winning MacArthur Study Bible. MacArthur was a fifth-generation pastor, a popular author and conference speaker, and served as pastor-teacher of Grace Community Church in Sun Valley, California beginning in 1969, as well as President of The Master’s College (and the related Master’s Seminary) in Santa Clarita, California.
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March 12, 2018
Where to even begin? My primary thought on reading the final page of this book was, "Thank God it's over." The second thought was "My review on Goodreads is gonna be long." As a Christian psychology major, this book made me want to bang my head against a wall.
It begins by setting up a false premise of there only being three types of counselors - those who believe Scripture is all that is needed to solve all problems, those who believe psychology is all that is needed to solve all problems, and those who believe both Scripture and Psychology are good, but that Psychology ultimately trumps Scripture. This right away eliminates the existence of all the counselors who believe psychology can be an invaluable, God-given tool to help us counsel, but believe Scripture to be the final authority.
Then the book goes on to present several example "hard cases" which prove the sufficiency of Scripture to fix any problem no matter how severe. However at the end of many of these individual stories, a small disclaimer reads that the story was not actually a real case but taken from numerous cases and clients over the years and jumbled together to prove their point - which in my opinion makes those stories little better than fiction. Counselees and their issues are not interchangeable. You can't take 1 issue from 5 different counselees, pretend they all happened to one counselee, claim you cured that "hard case" using a particular method, and then tag on a disclaimer that the "hard case" was actually a bunch of smaller cases jumbled into one big one to prove your method works.
Another issue I had with this book is the total lack of non-Christian counselees. Every counselee in this book is a Christian who wants to be a better one. Are we not to try and help non-Christians at all? What hope can we offer those with hard issues who are not yet Christians? This is not addressed even once.
The women with issues in this book (which interestingly is 70% of the "hard cases" presented) are often shown as being irrational, fearful, selfish, incompetent, and well... "hysterical" would be a good word for how they come across. Their husbands are repeatedly presented as caring, innocent, hard working guys who just want their suicidal wife to get her act together enough to cook a meal and have it on the table by the time he gets home from a long day at work. Oh, and also keep the house clean and look after the children. This book was published in 2012, but it often reads as if it were written in the 1950s.
The rejection of mental illness diagnoses throughout this book is reminiscent of the 1950s too. And this is where the book becomes dangerous. There is an utter rejection of and misrepresentation of all of psychology: its "labels", its medications, its counselors, and its science. All the worst of early psychology is paraded out as proof that psychology as a whole is evil, untrustworthy, and damaging (recovered memories of sexual abuse and demonic rituals, shady hypnosis, over-prescribing of medications, and even using some of Freud's wackier theories) with no regard to the truth that Psychology has largely and long since rejected many of these ideas from the field.
There is an over arching theme that mental illness medications are bad and unnecessary. While the writers are careful never to come out and say a counselee should come off their medication, there is an emphasis on how every single counselee does quit their medication by the end of the story. One counselor even admits to having to coach a counselee on what to say to the doctor to convince him she was well enough to withdraw from her psychotropic medications. Another never corrects a husband who repeatedly is stated to believe that a "true Christian" wouldn't need medication and "a growing Christian can handle life without them".
This kind of stuff along with statements about a counselee "getting grace" to not need medications in her struggles and instread leaning on Jesus for help and "the Spirit of God (breaking) through with the gospel and (leading a counselee) to discontinue her secular-based therapy" (for example) give a reader the sense that medications for mental illness problems are shameful, unnecessary, weak, and unhealthy, psychology is unChristian, and even worse that mental illness itself does not truly exist. These are incredibly dangerous and naive views to hold to - especially for so-called counselors.
Other issues problems with this book:
- Symptoms of "depression and anxiety" are called "sinful" and are pointed out as proof of the counselee "going off track and following worldly things".
- Diagnoses of psychiatric illnesses are labelled "hope-destroying" and those "stuck" with them are "damaged goods" - even while those labels are brushed off as just fancy names for heart problems.
- Inaccurate definitions and symptoms of psychiatric disorders are given and then poked full of holes.
- A wife tells the counselor repeatedly that she is afraid of her husband and he brushes it off as her just being vengeful because the husband is always on her to get all her "homemaker responsibilities" done. With the open support of the counselor, the same husband confiscates his wife's keys so she can't leave the house while he is at work. When she finally leaves, the counselor sits down with the couple's young children and tells them their mother is not "obeying God right now". When she quits counseling, the counselor sets up a coordinated church effort to inundate her with phone calls calling for her to repent and return home.
In closing, this particular quote from the book basically sums up how bad this book is:
"(After quitting psychotropic medications cold turkey) Julie slid into an out-of-control mania that could not be overcome even by hours of biblical talk. All of our efforts to talk her down—face-to-face or by phone—were fruitless. On one occasion, from 12:45–1:30 in the morning we sat by the phone as I repeatedly sought (to no avail) to center her mind on Ps 121:1–2: “I lift my eyes toward the mountains. Where will my help come from? My help comes from the LORD , the Maker of heaven and earth.” Thankfully, this episode was short-lived, and Julie was soon stabilized with the help of her prescribed medication."
It begins by setting up a false premise of there only being three types of counselors - those who believe Scripture is all that is needed to solve all problems, those who believe psychology is all that is needed to solve all problems, and those who believe both Scripture and Psychology are good, but that Psychology ultimately trumps Scripture. This right away eliminates the existence of all the counselors who believe psychology can be an invaluable, God-given tool to help us counsel, but believe Scripture to be the final authority.
Then the book goes on to present several example "hard cases" which prove the sufficiency of Scripture to fix any problem no matter how severe. However at the end of many of these individual stories, a small disclaimer reads that the story was not actually a real case but taken from numerous cases and clients over the years and jumbled together to prove their point - which in my opinion makes those stories little better than fiction. Counselees and their issues are not interchangeable. You can't take 1 issue from 5 different counselees, pretend they all happened to one counselee, claim you cured that "hard case" using a particular method, and then tag on a disclaimer that the "hard case" was actually a bunch of smaller cases jumbled into one big one to prove your method works.
Another issue I had with this book is the total lack of non-Christian counselees. Every counselee in this book is a Christian who wants to be a better one. Are we not to try and help non-Christians at all? What hope can we offer those with hard issues who are not yet Christians? This is not addressed even once.
The women with issues in this book (which interestingly is 70% of the "hard cases" presented) are often shown as being irrational, fearful, selfish, incompetent, and well... "hysterical" would be a good word for how they come across. Their husbands are repeatedly presented as caring, innocent, hard working guys who just want their suicidal wife to get her act together enough to cook a meal and have it on the table by the time he gets home from a long day at work. Oh, and also keep the house clean and look after the children. This book was published in 2012, but it often reads as if it were written in the 1950s.
The rejection of mental illness diagnoses throughout this book is reminiscent of the 1950s too. And this is where the book becomes dangerous. There is an utter rejection of and misrepresentation of all of psychology: its "labels", its medications, its counselors, and its science. All the worst of early psychology is paraded out as proof that psychology as a whole is evil, untrustworthy, and damaging (recovered memories of sexual abuse and demonic rituals, shady hypnosis, over-prescribing of medications, and even using some of Freud's wackier theories) with no regard to the truth that Psychology has largely and long since rejected many of these ideas from the field.
There is an over arching theme that mental illness medications are bad and unnecessary. While the writers are careful never to come out and say a counselee should come off their medication, there is an emphasis on how every single counselee does quit their medication by the end of the story. One counselor even admits to having to coach a counselee on what to say to the doctor to convince him she was well enough to withdraw from her psychotropic medications. Another never corrects a husband who repeatedly is stated to believe that a "true Christian" wouldn't need medication and "a growing Christian can handle life without them".
This kind of stuff along with statements about a counselee "getting grace" to not need medications in her struggles and instread leaning on Jesus for help and "the Spirit of God (breaking) through with the gospel and (leading a counselee) to discontinue her secular-based therapy" (for example) give a reader the sense that medications for mental illness problems are shameful, unnecessary, weak, and unhealthy, psychology is unChristian, and even worse that mental illness itself does not truly exist. These are incredibly dangerous and naive views to hold to - especially for so-called counselors.
Other issues problems with this book:
- Symptoms of "depression and anxiety" are called "sinful" and are pointed out as proof of the counselee "going off track and following worldly things".
- Diagnoses of psychiatric illnesses are labelled "hope-destroying" and those "stuck" with them are "damaged goods" - even while those labels are brushed off as just fancy names for heart problems.
- Inaccurate definitions and symptoms of psychiatric disorders are given and then poked full of holes.
- A wife tells the counselor repeatedly that she is afraid of her husband and he brushes it off as her just being vengeful because the husband is always on her to get all her "homemaker responsibilities" done. With the open support of the counselor, the same husband confiscates his wife's keys so she can't leave the house while he is at work. When she finally leaves, the counselor sits down with the couple's young children and tells them their mother is not "obeying God right now". When she quits counseling, the counselor sets up a coordinated church effort to inundate her with phone calls calling for her to repent and return home.
In closing, this particular quote from the book basically sums up how bad this book is:
"(After quitting psychotropic medications cold turkey) Julie slid into an out-of-control mania that could not be overcome even by hours of biblical talk. All of our efforts to talk her down—face-to-face or by phone—were fruitless. On one occasion, from 12:45–1:30 in the morning we sat by the phone as I repeatedly sought (to no avail) to center her mind on Ps 121:1–2: “I lift my eyes toward the mountains. Where will my help come from? My help comes from the LORD , the Maker of heaven and earth.” Thankfully, this episode was short-lived, and Julie was soon stabilized with the help of her prescribed medication."
November 6, 2023
Excellent! Fun to read because it's stories. But it's so much more than stories. They build the foundation and method for counseling throughout the book. Shows that the Bible is sufficient to deal with cases such as OCD, sexual abuse, postpartum depression, etc. Highly recommend!
November 5, 2023
Such an encouraging and thought-provoking book! The authors address a wide variety of issues that present for counseling-anorexia, bipolar, homosexuality, postpartum depression, and more. In every case, the authors outline their counseling course and how Scripture was able to change the hearts of their counselees to love and serve God more fully regardless of the severity of the problems.
May 25, 2025
Good book. If I learned anything from this survey of hard counseling cases is that 1) patience is a fundamental key, 2) don’t ever lose hope for the people you are counseling, place your hope that God can and does restore even the deepest wounds and self-destructive lifestyles (Joel 2), and 3) you can teach and encourage the whole counsel of God to someone but if they have a stubborn, proud heart it won’t matter. Unless the Lord works in their heart to desire genuine change and repentance (which does graciously happen), even the best counselors are at their wits end.
December 5, 2025
Before reading this I wanted to believe that Scripture was sufficient for all counseling situations, but had some doubts about difficult cases like the ones addressed in this book.
I was delighted by the simplicity of it all, and this book was a definite encouragement to me.
I was delighted by the simplicity of it all, and this book was a definite encouragement to me.
June 21, 2013
This is a must have & a must read for all pastors. I was going to say a must read for all pastors who do counseling but then all pastors should be doing counseling; if they are not there is a real problem with their ministry that needs to be addressed. (For some pastors there is a fear and/or a lack of confidence either in the Word or their ability to handle hard cases, this book will be an encouragement to you, a big time encouragement.)
This book centers on the sufficiency of Scripture. The inerrancy of Scripture is fundamental & most important Christian doctrine that must be defended with the utmost fervency. Yet, if the inerrancy of the Bible is defended & the necessity & sufficiency are neglected, then there is no victory, no joy & no hope. The contributors & editors all believe that the Bible is comprehensively sufficient to deal w/any problem that requires counseling.
It is also important & should be stressed that the descriptions & prescriptions of human problems found in God’s Word are far superior to anything that secular psychology has to offer (far too many people, even pastors, do not believe or accept that). There are two kinds of pastors who avoid counseling, 1) the kind who does not fully understand and/or believe in the Bible & the sufficiency of Scripture, 2) the kind who do not want to send the time necessary to help people w/serious & specific problems, they simply do not care about people the way Jesus exemplifies & commands. This book helps with number 1.
However one should know that “Counseling the Hard Cases” was not written to provide a step-by-step account of how to counsel different situations, but to show how the Word of God properly applied to a person's life brings about change. This book is helpful for anyone wanting to know more about what biblical counseling looks like & who wants to see how the doctrine of the sufficiency of Scripture is applied to the everyday life of all sinners. This book is strong on how each counselor reframes the problems dealt with as sin in a biblical worldview rather than as a disorder or a disease.
This is not a light read, & it is hard to prepare for the overwhelming experience of reading this book. While the book is extremely helpful, there is a certain weightiness involved in reading it. At the same time, it allows readers to feel some of the weight & fears of biblical counseling while simultaneously providing both biblical instruction & hope that Christ is building His church through the most ordinary means.
There is so much more I could say but I’ll stop, get the book & read it.
This book centers on the sufficiency of Scripture. The inerrancy of Scripture is fundamental & most important Christian doctrine that must be defended with the utmost fervency. Yet, if the inerrancy of the Bible is defended & the necessity & sufficiency are neglected, then there is no victory, no joy & no hope. The contributors & editors all believe that the Bible is comprehensively sufficient to deal w/any problem that requires counseling.
It is also important & should be stressed that the descriptions & prescriptions of human problems found in God’s Word are far superior to anything that secular psychology has to offer (far too many people, even pastors, do not believe or accept that). There are two kinds of pastors who avoid counseling, 1) the kind who does not fully understand and/or believe in the Bible & the sufficiency of Scripture, 2) the kind who do not want to send the time necessary to help people w/serious & specific problems, they simply do not care about people the way Jesus exemplifies & commands. This book helps with number 1.
However one should know that “Counseling the Hard Cases” was not written to provide a step-by-step account of how to counsel different situations, but to show how the Word of God properly applied to a person's life brings about change. This book is helpful for anyone wanting to know more about what biblical counseling looks like & who wants to see how the doctrine of the sufficiency of Scripture is applied to the everyday life of all sinners. This book is strong on how each counselor reframes the problems dealt with as sin in a biblical worldview rather than as a disorder or a disease.
This is not a light read, & it is hard to prepare for the overwhelming experience of reading this book. While the book is extremely helpful, there is a certain weightiness involved in reading it. At the same time, it allows readers to feel some of the weight & fears of biblical counseling while simultaneously providing both biblical instruction & hope that Christ is building His church through the most ordinary means.
There is so much more I could say but I’ll stop, get the book & read it.
October 17, 2022
This book is excellent. The purpose of the book is to show that the Scriptures truly are sufficient in every counselling situation. Whether a person is bipolar, OCD, schizophrenic, a sufferer of abuse, etc. Through the Scriptures God has given us all things that pertain to life and godliness. It is encouraging to read the cases here, and how people were helped by careful application of God's Word. It goes deeper than slapping a verse onto someone, it is bearing with people in the ministry of the Word. This is a book that pastors should read. We pastors are too quick to out-source counselling to professionals. Certainly we need to grow in our understanding of how to counsel people, but this is a ministry of the church.
October 9, 2025
Not only once, while reading this book, I caught myself saying "Hah, I don't think this problem could be solved only through biblical counseling". Especially when there were complex psychiatric diagnostic involved.
But I didn't realize that biblical counseling is not just talking about sin and searching for relevant bible verses. True biblical counseling also mobilizes other resources, from outside the church (medical advice and prescriptions, inpatient services) and especially from inside the church (small groups, service attendance, involving other believers for meeting specific needs).
This book helped me understand how biblical counseling differs from secular counseling and psychotherapy, and why it can be more effective if done correctly.
- Biblical counseling is not only one hour of talking followed by some homework. It is a complex process that mobilizes the entire Body of Christ for the suffering member
- Biblical counseling does not end if the counselee is unmotivated to change, but, just like Christ, the counselor and church leaders are seeking for the prodigal
- Biblical counseling is not expecting only behavioral changes, but a deep transformed life devoted to serving Christ and the neighbor
- Unlike what others think, biblical counseling is acknowledging that some problems need medication prescribed and monitored by a doctor
- Even if the behavior modification is not a goal in itself, biblical counselors use it as means for something greater
- Biblical counseling also involves mentoring the counselee on how to live his life for the glory of God
- Biblical counseling tells the counselee to serve God through serving others in spite of their suffering
...And many other differnces.
It was a transformative book, one that helped me restore my personal perspective on the power of biblical counseling.
I finish this book sort of half hearted because I'm skeptical that real biblical counseling can be achieved in romanian churches, but also with a prayer that our spiritual leaders would realize that this is the most effective counseling for the struggling believers.
But I didn't realize that biblical counseling is not just talking about sin and searching for relevant bible verses. True biblical counseling also mobilizes other resources, from outside the church (medical advice and prescriptions, inpatient services) and especially from inside the church (small groups, service attendance, involving other believers for meeting specific needs).
This book helped me understand how biblical counseling differs from secular counseling and psychotherapy, and why it can be more effective if done correctly.
- Biblical counseling is not only one hour of talking followed by some homework. It is a complex process that mobilizes the entire Body of Christ for the suffering member
- Biblical counseling does not end if the counselee is unmotivated to change, but, just like Christ, the counselor and church leaders are seeking for the prodigal
- Biblical counseling is not expecting only behavioral changes, but a deep transformed life devoted to serving Christ and the neighbor
- Unlike what others think, biblical counseling is acknowledging that some problems need medication prescribed and monitored by a doctor
- Even if the behavior modification is not a goal in itself, biblical counselors use it as means for something greater
- Biblical counseling also involves mentoring the counselee on how to live his life for the glory of God
- Biblical counseling tells the counselee to serve God through serving others in spite of their suffering
...And many other differnces.
It was a transformative book, one that helped me restore my personal perspective on the power of biblical counseling.
I finish this book sort of half hearted because I'm skeptical that real biblical counseling can be achieved in romanian churches, but also with a prayer that our spiritual leaders would realize that this is the most effective counseling for the struggling believers.
January 1, 2024
A great book with diverse case studies; each one is tough.
My takeaway is: no matter how tough the situation is or how severe the sin is, we do not lose hope. When we faithfully minister the Word of God, God will faithfully change the counselee. Great is His abundant grace!
And with the gospel, all changes are possible. Our hope is Jesus Christ.
My takeaway is: no matter how tough the situation is or how severe the sin is, we do not lose hope. When we faithfully minister the Word of God, God will faithfully change the counselee. Great is His abundant grace!
And with the gospel, all changes are possible. Our hope is Jesus Christ.
February 5, 2025
The general argument of this book wasn’t new(maybe it was at the time) but the specifics were helpful and unique to difficult cases.
March 15, 2021
"Is the Bible sufficient for _______?"
This is the most potent question raised by this book for me, and I am thankful for its resounding answer from 2 Peter 1:3: "His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire."
This book did an excellent job of showing how the truths of scripture are sufficient for not only addressing challenging/complex symptoms through counseling situations, but ultimately changing counselees' hearts.
I was personally challenged by several of the accounts as I recognized similar heart/belief problem in myself as were described in the counselees. This made the scripture shared with counselees even more impactful to me.
Highly recommended.
This is the most potent question raised by this book for me, and I am thankful for its resounding answer from 2 Peter 1:3: "His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire."
This book did an excellent job of showing how the truths of scripture are sufficient for not only addressing challenging/complex symptoms through counseling situations, but ultimately changing counselees' hearts.
I was personally challenged by several of the accounts as I recognized similar heart/belief problem in myself as were described in the counselees. This made the scripture shared with counselees even more impactful to me.
Highly recommended.
August 3, 2015
While interesting, I did not walk away from this book convinced that the sufficiency of Scripture precluded the contributions of secular psychology. I think the dichotomy is a bit exaggerated. I praise God that the people in this book were helped by their counselors. That said, I'm not sure that some kind of integration or Christian psychological position wouldn't be better. Something that holds Scripture as primary but not exclusively could do a better job of recognizing that we are whole individuals (mind, body, soul) and not just people who need to kill idols in our hearts.
I hid that opinion when I read this because the editor of this book was my counseling professor. Shh...
I hid that opinion when I read this because the editor of this book was my counseling professor. Shh...
August 17, 2021
Wow, just wow. I am currently attending a biblical counseling course and am listening to this alongside the theology portion of the course. I know that God's word is the answer to our problems, but I did wonder how this is worked out in extreme cases. This audiobook is a testament to the power of the bible, God's redeeming work, and the gift of biblical counseling. Covering extreme mental health issues, addictions, infidelity, marriage, eating disorders, OCD, and much more, this book is a must for those interested in biblical counseling or just the power of Jesus and the gospel and how it changes us and intersects with this very fallen world. Highly recommended.
January 19, 2020
Very helpful to those studying Biblical counseling, those who want to offer help and hope to those around them, and for the sceptic who may wonder, "what kind of help could the Bible provide for those with difficulties, personality disorders, etc.?"
The sufficiency of the Bible is on full display and what a glorious picture it is to see the Word of God, used by the people of God, empowered by the Spirit of God to effect genuine change, bring healing, and inspire hope in the hearts of believers.
The sufficiency of the Bible is on full display and what a glorious picture it is to see the Word of God, used by the people of God, empowered by the Spirit of God to effect genuine change, bring healing, and inspire hope in the hearts of believers.
October 25, 2023
Although this book is meant as an example and encouragement to biblical counselors and pastors (who also should be able to counsel biblically), I think this is a good start for any Christian who thinks he needs psychologist/psychiatrist advice more than he needs counsel from Bible. And when one has seen that the Word of God really is sufficient in the "hard cases", then it would give assurance that the Word of God (and sometimes a wise counselor who could help us apply that mighty Word) is all that we need.
It is fun to see the real counseling, the practical homework, the process in its entirety. If you also like that part of the book, you would benefit from Lou Priolo's books and free audiotalks (available at his website), because he often shares what he has done while counseling others.
Šī grāmata atgādina pēc lielās nepieciešamības Latvijā pēc bibliskiem padomdevējiem, un liek slavēt Dievu, ka Baltijas Reformātu teoloģijas seminārā ir bibliskās padomdošanas programma, ko katrs kristietis var iziet (jo ir lēti un apvienojumā ar darba ikdienu), lai būtu par svētību sev, savai ģimenei un draudzei. Mūsdienās katram var piekarināt "mentālas diagnozes birku", bet Dieva Vārds mūsu iekšas/domāšanu/jušanu pazīst vislabāk. Dievs ir visvarens katrā diagnozē un Viņš nav atstājis mūs bez padoma. Tikai mūsu domāšana reizēm klibo, nesasaistot Viņa Vārda patiesības ar mūsu "reālo" dzīvi.
It is fun to see the real counseling, the practical homework, the process in its entirety. If you also like that part of the book, you would benefit from Lou Priolo's books and free audiotalks (available at his website), because he often shares what he has done while counseling others.
Šī grāmata atgādina pēc lielās nepieciešamības Latvijā pēc bibliskiem padomdevējiem, un liek slavēt Dievu, ka Baltijas Reformātu teoloģijas seminārā ir bibliskās padomdošanas programma, ko katrs kristietis var iziet (jo ir lēti un apvienojumā ar darba ikdienu), lai būtu par svētību sev, savai ģimenei un draudzei. Mūsdienās katram var piekarināt "mentālas diagnozes birku", bet Dieva Vārds mūsu iekšas/domāšanu/jušanu pazīst vislabāk. Dievs ir visvarens katrā diagnozē un Viņš nav atstājis mūs bez padoma. Tikai mūsu domāšana reizēm klibo, nesasaistot Viņa Vārda patiesības ar mūsu "reālo" dzīvi.
February 6, 2021
Hope in What Feels Like the a Hopeless
As a pastor, I so often feel overwhelmed by the various counseling situations, but this book offered testimonies, not of profound insight but of biblical faithfulness. God's word and gospel basics really do penetrate even the most "impossible" of cases. This is a great book that should be read by counselors and counselees alike to remind us all that there really is hope to be found in Christ and the good news of His life, death, and resurrection for all sinners, even the hard cases.
As a pastor, I so often feel overwhelmed by the various counseling situations, but this book offered testimonies, not of profound insight but of biblical faithfulness. God's word and gospel basics really do penetrate even the most "impossible" of cases. This is a great book that should be read by counselors and counselees alike to remind us all that there really is hope to be found in Christ and the good news of His life, death, and resurrection for all sinners, even the hard cases.
August 17, 2023
The authors have an advantageous perspective since their goal was to provide free, Biblical guidance with practical assistance to the struggling individuals who crossed their paths. Believing the Bible is sufficient in answering any complicated issue gave them the passion to point people to Christ instead of analyzing from a psychological standpoint. This book is an encouragement that any believer can be powerful in supporting others through difficult and confusing circumstances.
May 23, 2019
Extremely interesting. Gleaned a lot of tools and info to use while counseling.
January 6, 2021
Stuart Scott and Heath Lambert, eds, Counseling the Hard Cases: True Stories Illustrating the Sufficiency of God’s Resources in Scripture (Nashville, TN: B&H Academic, 2015), 318 pages.
Overview
In Counseling the Hard Cases one finds the sufficiency of Scripture displayed on almost every page. Whether directly addressed (as in chapter one), or indirectly displayed in the various case studies (a total of ten), there is no doubt in the respective authors’ or editors’ minds that God’s Word “is sufficient because Christ is sufficient, and God shows us in his Word how to encounter him in all of life’s complexities.” (13)
The first chapter seeks to provide an overview of the counseling debate within the church. This involves different worldviews as well as differences in one’s view of Scripture. The chapter is a helpful history of the development and extent of biblical counseling. Chapters 2-11 are written by individuals actively involved in biblical counseling. As the authors note, the cases may be actual individuals (whose names have been changed), or a conglomeration of individuals that, taken together, provide an overview of the issues and solutions. (xiii) These case studies follow a general structure:
• An introduction to the individual(s) and their problems
• A presentation of the help they have received from others
• A reorientation of the problem from a biblical worldview
• A discussion of the progress and changes throughout the counseling period
• A summary of the help and growth in the counselee(s)
• A concluding section discussing the strengths, weaknesses, and differences each counselor would take at the present
While these are not found in every chapter, they do provide a highlight into the general structure of the book.
The editors end the book summarizing the reasons why biblical counseling is the means by which God has equipped believers to address the complexities and problems of life within a biblical worldview.
Strengths
For a book on the topic of biblical counseling in general, and one that addresses complex issues such as bipolar disorder, addictions, dissociative identify disorder, and obsessive-compulsive disorder, to name a few), I was shocked at the preciseness (the book is only 307 pages in length, with an accompanying contributor, name, and Scripture index adding 9 pages).
The book deals with a deep subject (counseling in general), but does so that the average Christian can pick it up with little difficulty. They define terms (see page 3 for example) in a way that individuals with little to no experience in counseling can grasp. The limit the case studies to pertinent topics, only including what is pertinent in that particular counseling setting (for example, “Jackie” in chapter 8 only brings in additional details that help the counseling sessions progress).
Another strength is the notable, consistent application of biblical counseling norms. Without being exhaustive, I found the following consistently represented:
Counseling Methods
Journaling 41, 69, 72, 134, 150, 157, 243, 263
Reading Books 39, 109 (in footnote), 131, 158, 179, 230, 249, 254, 262-263, 264, 279
Gathering Information 69, 112, 125, 143, 176, 179, 207
The Gospel in Counseling 73, 123, 126
Confession & Repentance 74, 106, 128, 158, 272
Progressive Sanctification 42-44, 74, 160
Scripture 41, 75-76, 93, 101-102, 127, 214-215, 262, 265, 278
Gospel Indicatives & Imperatives 77, 214, 218, 244, 253-254, 264
Accountability 51, 80, 178, 196, 222, 265, 277
Hope 67-69, 113, 146, 148, 207, 234-235, 243-246
Homework 114, 139, 151, 223
Again, one can see that this list is not exhaustive. However, it does provide an overview of the normal practices of biblical counselors. In many instances, additional examples could be provided. However, this strength demonstrates the didactic nature of the book without being purposeful. That is, you begin to learn the ins and outs of biblical counseling without being aware of it.
Another strength of this book is the rawness presented in the case studies. These are real people with significant problems (though their names have been changed). Consider the depth of this introduction to Mariana, “Mariana’s father, an alcoholic, molested her for the first time when she was four years old.” (26) “In her adolescent years Mariana started cutting, turned to anorexic and bulimic behaviors, and struggled with depression…She habitually stayed awake all night to avoid having nightmares in a room with others and avoided showering or dressing in anyone’s presence.” (26) These are heartbreaking issues, and they are found with each one of the counselees. It is graphic emotion and real pain. I see this as a strength because Christians too often separate life from life. That is, we deal with the pleasantries of Sunday morning church while ignoring the evilness of sin and the despair that afflicts many. When asked, “How are you?” we customarily reply, “Fine!” Though inside a war may be raging, though our marriages may be on the rocks, though our health may be bad.
A final strength is the way in which the authors present the sufficiency of Scripture in contrast with the methods and ideologies of modern, secular psychology and psychiatry. Though examples could be provided from each case study, I want to focus on Dan Wickert’s section. After presenting the background of his counselee, Mary, Dan offers a brief treatment of medication and counseling. Without dismissing medication completely, Dan balances the extremes with two carefully worded questions that, in my estimation, will greatly benefit any biblical counselor. He asks, “Why do you want to stop [i.e., taking medication]?” (120) Unfortunately, many churches, pastors, and Christians look down upon those who utilize medication for mental and physical issues. This question addresses the ease to which counselees can often give into the fear of man. The result, of course, is not only sinful fear but also a potential medical problem. Another question he asks is, “How are you handling life on the medication?” (121) This is such a helpful way to look at this delicate situation. He goes on to write, “Are they handling the normal problems of life in a biblical, God-honoring way while they are on the medication? If not, then taking them off the medication usually will not help the counselee to please God.” (121) In the rest of that section and the following section, Dan provides more insightful comments balancing a particularly tough topic.
Weaknesses
While I have elaborated on the strengths (though certainly not in any exhaustive way), I would like to discuss two weaknesses. Though not directly stated, I think the book can imply that any Christian can pick up the Bible and address the complex issues presented through these hard cases. While that statement is not necessarily false, I think it can give the impression that if one is a Christian and can read the Bible then they are equipped to counsel any situation. I know that the authors would deny this. They would encourage a deep study of the Scriptures as well as an active faith. However, some who read this book may do more damage than good if they are not watchful for their own lives and doctrines (cf. 1 Tim. 4:16).
A second, though small, weakness is the failure to include an organize structure of the counseling process. While it is presented general (as evidenced by the table above), I think they book would be further strengthened if the authors provided a bullet-point summary of the counseling process. Obviously, this could be overwhelming to the reader, so discretion would need be applied. However, for many counselors this would prove to be an additional benefit.
Who should read it?
The book is written to a Christian audience, and I think it should be read primarily by Christians. I also think anyone involved with counseling (secular, integrationist, or biblical) would do well to read the book. For the secular counselor, this book may help present the foundational principles of biblical counseling in a language they speak. It also may alleviate any unnecessary objections to biblical counseling. The integrationist should read this work as well. Unfortunately, we often speak past one another in our discussions of counseling. This book serves to clear up some confusion on part of the biblical counseling movement. It also presents an often-distorted view of biblical counseling’s understanding of medication (see, for example, chapter 5). Finally, any biblical counseling (lay or professional) would benefit greatly from this work. It is written, as I have already mentioned, in clear and precise language. It provides insight into the process of biblical counseling. It also encourages the counselor that these hard cases, though certainly not easy, are within the realm of the sufficiency of God’s Word.
Overview
In Counseling the Hard Cases one finds the sufficiency of Scripture displayed on almost every page. Whether directly addressed (as in chapter one), or indirectly displayed in the various case studies (a total of ten), there is no doubt in the respective authors’ or editors’ minds that God’s Word “is sufficient because Christ is sufficient, and God shows us in his Word how to encounter him in all of life’s complexities.” (13)
The first chapter seeks to provide an overview of the counseling debate within the church. This involves different worldviews as well as differences in one’s view of Scripture. The chapter is a helpful history of the development and extent of biblical counseling. Chapters 2-11 are written by individuals actively involved in biblical counseling. As the authors note, the cases may be actual individuals (whose names have been changed), or a conglomeration of individuals that, taken together, provide an overview of the issues and solutions. (xiii) These case studies follow a general structure:
• An introduction to the individual(s) and their problems
• A presentation of the help they have received from others
• A reorientation of the problem from a biblical worldview
• A discussion of the progress and changes throughout the counseling period
• A summary of the help and growth in the counselee(s)
• A concluding section discussing the strengths, weaknesses, and differences each counselor would take at the present
While these are not found in every chapter, they do provide a highlight into the general structure of the book.
The editors end the book summarizing the reasons why biblical counseling is the means by which God has equipped believers to address the complexities and problems of life within a biblical worldview.
Strengths
For a book on the topic of biblical counseling in general, and one that addresses complex issues such as bipolar disorder, addictions, dissociative identify disorder, and obsessive-compulsive disorder, to name a few), I was shocked at the preciseness (the book is only 307 pages in length, with an accompanying contributor, name, and Scripture index adding 9 pages).
The book deals with a deep subject (counseling in general), but does so that the average Christian can pick it up with little difficulty. They define terms (see page 3 for example) in a way that individuals with little to no experience in counseling can grasp. The limit the case studies to pertinent topics, only including what is pertinent in that particular counseling setting (for example, “Jackie” in chapter 8 only brings in additional details that help the counseling sessions progress).
Another strength is the notable, consistent application of biblical counseling norms. Without being exhaustive, I found the following consistently represented:
Counseling Methods
Journaling 41, 69, 72, 134, 150, 157, 243, 263
Reading Books 39, 109 (in footnote), 131, 158, 179, 230, 249, 254, 262-263, 264, 279
Gathering Information 69, 112, 125, 143, 176, 179, 207
The Gospel in Counseling 73, 123, 126
Confession & Repentance 74, 106, 128, 158, 272
Progressive Sanctification 42-44, 74, 160
Scripture 41, 75-76, 93, 101-102, 127, 214-215, 262, 265, 278
Gospel Indicatives & Imperatives 77, 214, 218, 244, 253-254, 264
Accountability 51, 80, 178, 196, 222, 265, 277
Hope 67-69, 113, 146, 148, 207, 234-235, 243-246
Homework 114, 139, 151, 223
Again, one can see that this list is not exhaustive. However, it does provide an overview of the normal practices of biblical counselors. In many instances, additional examples could be provided. However, this strength demonstrates the didactic nature of the book without being purposeful. That is, you begin to learn the ins and outs of biblical counseling without being aware of it.
Another strength of this book is the rawness presented in the case studies. These are real people with significant problems (though their names have been changed). Consider the depth of this introduction to Mariana, “Mariana’s father, an alcoholic, molested her for the first time when she was four years old.” (26) “In her adolescent years Mariana started cutting, turned to anorexic and bulimic behaviors, and struggled with depression…She habitually stayed awake all night to avoid having nightmares in a room with others and avoided showering or dressing in anyone’s presence.” (26) These are heartbreaking issues, and they are found with each one of the counselees. It is graphic emotion and real pain. I see this as a strength because Christians too often separate life from life. That is, we deal with the pleasantries of Sunday morning church while ignoring the evilness of sin and the despair that afflicts many. When asked, “How are you?” we customarily reply, “Fine!” Though inside a war may be raging, though our marriages may be on the rocks, though our health may be bad.
A final strength is the way in which the authors present the sufficiency of Scripture in contrast with the methods and ideologies of modern, secular psychology and psychiatry. Though examples could be provided from each case study, I want to focus on Dan Wickert’s section. After presenting the background of his counselee, Mary, Dan offers a brief treatment of medication and counseling. Without dismissing medication completely, Dan balances the extremes with two carefully worded questions that, in my estimation, will greatly benefit any biblical counselor. He asks, “Why do you want to stop [i.e., taking medication]?” (120) Unfortunately, many churches, pastors, and Christians look down upon those who utilize medication for mental and physical issues. This question addresses the ease to which counselees can often give into the fear of man. The result, of course, is not only sinful fear but also a potential medical problem. Another question he asks is, “How are you handling life on the medication?” (121) This is such a helpful way to look at this delicate situation. He goes on to write, “Are they handling the normal problems of life in a biblical, God-honoring way while they are on the medication? If not, then taking them off the medication usually will not help the counselee to please God.” (121) In the rest of that section and the following section, Dan provides more insightful comments balancing a particularly tough topic.
Weaknesses
While I have elaborated on the strengths (though certainly not in any exhaustive way), I would like to discuss two weaknesses. Though not directly stated, I think the book can imply that any Christian can pick up the Bible and address the complex issues presented through these hard cases. While that statement is not necessarily false, I think it can give the impression that if one is a Christian and can read the Bible then they are equipped to counsel any situation. I know that the authors would deny this. They would encourage a deep study of the Scriptures as well as an active faith. However, some who read this book may do more damage than good if they are not watchful for their own lives and doctrines (cf. 1 Tim. 4:16).
A second, though small, weakness is the failure to include an organize structure of the counseling process. While it is presented general (as evidenced by the table above), I think they book would be further strengthened if the authors provided a bullet-point summary of the counseling process. Obviously, this could be overwhelming to the reader, so discretion would need be applied. However, for many counselors this would prove to be an additional benefit.
Who should read it?
The book is written to a Christian audience, and I think it should be read primarily by Christians. I also think anyone involved with counseling (secular, integrationist, or biblical) would do well to read the book. For the secular counselor, this book may help present the foundational principles of biblical counseling in a language they speak. It also may alleviate any unnecessary objections to biblical counseling. The integrationist should read this work as well. Unfortunately, we often speak past one another in our discussions of counseling. This book serves to clear up some confusion on part of the biblical counseling movement. It also presents an often-distorted view of biblical counseling’s understanding of medication (see, for example, chapter 5). Finally, any biblical counseling (lay or professional) would benefit greatly from this work. It is written, as I have already mentioned, in clear and precise language. It provides insight into the process of biblical counseling. It also encourages the counselor that these hard cases, though certainly not easy, are within the realm of the sufficiency of God’s Word.
February 26, 2024
This is a hard book to review for several reasons. The cases presented are incredibly difficult, and there are aspects that incredibly pertinent to knowing Jesus as the ultimate source of strength and redemption throughout those difficulties. Each chapter is a different difficult case. I think my favorite was the one on crippling fear, mostly because it was written by a medical doctor turned Biblical counselor. Ultimately the book boils down to deeply psychological issues resolved through the power of Christ. Which I agree with, however coming from a medical background this book often completely dismisses and belittles psychological disorders and mocks them for not being "real." A lot of these cases are handled from a solely biblical perspective, rather than a wholistic one. I believe a lot of these verses, worksheets, and advices are pertinent to recovery, but in conjunction with medicine. In other words there are many concepts here I would incorporate in caring for others, but I would not say this is the standard to look at alone.
A couple notable quotes:
"Although this fear of losing family and friends can sound natural and right, it is typically founded on a premise of entitlement.
The unstated assumption is that "I deserve to have a healthy family and nice friends" or "I don't deserve a sick family and judgmental friends. For Mary this assumption turned into a stronger conclusion: "I must have what I deserve or I cannot be happy. I must have what I deserve or God is not good." This demand led to crippling anxiety."
""I feel it to be true; therefore, it is true." Such patterns of belief are a poison to trust in Christ and his promises. It is deceptive and precarious logic; it elevates a sin-cursed person's perception of circumstances above the absolute truth that God has established. To ignore this absolute truth is to say, essentially, "My perception, my logic, and my thinking are just as good, accurate, and credible as God's." In contrast tie imprisoned apostle Paul urged believers to set their minds not a their feelings but on what is true (Phil 4:8)."
A couple notable quotes:
"Although this fear of losing family and friends can sound natural and right, it is typically founded on a premise of entitlement.
The unstated assumption is that "I deserve to have a healthy family and nice friends" or "I don't deserve a sick family and judgmental friends. For Mary this assumption turned into a stronger conclusion: "I must have what I deserve or I cannot be happy. I must have what I deserve or God is not good." This demand led to crippling anxiety."
""I feel it to be true; therefore, it is true." Such patterns of belief are a poison to trust in Christ and his promises. It is deceptive and precarious logic; it elevates a sin-cursed person's perception of circumstances above the absolute truth that God has established. To ignore this absolute truth is to say, essentially, "My perception, my logic, and my thinking are just as good, accurate, and credible as God's." In contrast tie imprisoned apostle Paul urged believers to set their minds not a their feelings but on what is true (Phil 4:8)."
January 30, 2022
Our culture is so ingrained with the idea that if a person is struggling with a mental illness they need to begin meeting with a psychologist/psychiatrist/therapist. This belief is challenged by the Bible and those involved in the Nouthetic/Biblical Counseling movement, who argue that Scripture is sufficient to handle all of the problems that people face (see 2 Tim. 3:16-17 and 2 Peter 1:3). Whenever such a view is presented, however, the immediate response is usually "But what about _____?" Issues such as eating disorders, schizophrenia, hallucinations, addiction, and abuse are all cited as proof that there are some things that Scripture is not equipped to handle.
Or is it? In "Counseling the Hard Cases", a variety of well-respected Biblical Counselors present a series of difficult case studies in which people going through extremely difficult "mental health" issues were counseled and led out of their behavior through the Word of the God and the ministry of the church. Some had already tried to receive secular help but to no avail, while others came directly to their pastor or Biblical Counselor first. Either way, all of them found that their problems were a combination of physical and spiritual factors but mostly spiritual, and all of them found the peace, love, and freedom that only Scripture can bring to a sinful heart.
I recommend this book to anyone, but three types of people will especially benefit from it: pastors/counselors who believe that Scripture is sufficient for counseling but are afraid of handling the "hard cases," skeptics (pastors, counselors, and others) who do not believe that Scripture is sufficient to deal with the "hard cases," and sufferers who need encouragement and hope that their problems are not nearly as irreversible as the secular world suggests. Rather than being "sick" or "disordered," people are sinners who need to hear about the grace, mercy, and power to change that has been offered to them by the cross of Christ.
Or is it? In "Counseling the Hard Cases", a variety of well-respected Biblical Counselors present a series of difficult case studies in which people going through extremely difficult "mental health" issues were counseled and led out of their behavior through the Word of the God and the ministry of the church. Some had already tried to receive secular help but to no avail, while others came directly to their pastor or Biblical Counselor first. Either way, all of them found that their problems were a combination of physical and spiritual factors but mostly spiritual, and all of them found the peace, love, and freedom that only Scripture can bring to a sinful heart.
I recommend this book to anyone, but three types of people will especially benefit from it: pastors/counselors who believe that Scripture is sufficient for counseling but are afraid of handling the "hard cases," skeptics (pastors, counselors, and others) who do not believe that Scripture is sufficient to deal with the "hard cases," and sufferers who need encouragement and hope that their problems are not nearly as irreversible as the secular world suggests. Rather than being "sick" or "disordered," people are sinners who need to hear about the grace, mercy, and power to change that has been offered to them by the cross of Christ.
December 26, 2023
Biblical counseling at its root is intensive Bible study. Living in a sinful world is painful, difficult, and discouraging. Health issues of body and mind often need the help of a physician who can diagnose and prescribe needed medications, while a pastor or Biblical counselor can come alongside with help for spiritual needs. The Bible does not promise instant healing for physical needs, nor does it boast that it heals all mental and emotional needs. However, it does offer a Savior that rescues from sin and walks with His people through every trial.
This is where Counseling the Hard Cases excels. It is a helpful resource pointing to Scriptures that may fit a counselee’s needs.
However, there are some weaknesses that cannot be ignored. Namely, the chapters on Ashley and Julie brought up concerns. In the case of Ashley struggling with anorexia, the counselor played the role of nutritionist, setting the rules of what Ashley should eat. A nutritionist would have been much more knowledgeable with both anorexia and the nutrition Ashley needed. Counselors should be careful to recommend appropriate resources when they are outside their knowledge base.
With the case of Julie, it reads like failed marriage counseling, heaping blame on Julie and losing sight of the change in her husband’s life that could have kept Julie from struggling much more than she needed to. When Julie was clearly not interested in changing, the counselors continued to chase her down, pointing out her failures and need for repentance . This does not look anything like Jesus. The father let the prodigal leave. Jesus never chased down Judas. People get to choose what they will do with Jesus.
I recommend prayerful consideration when reading this book.
This is where Counseling the Hard Cases excels. It is a helpful resource pointing to Scriptures that may fit a counselee’s needs.
However, there are some weaknesses that cannot be ignored. Namely, the chapters on Ashley and Julie brought up concerns. In the case of Ashley struggling with anorexia, the counselor played the role of nutritionist, setting the rules of what Ashley should eat. A nutritionist would have been much more knowledgeable with both anorexia and the nutrition Ashley needed. Counselors should be careful to recommend appropriate resources when they are outside their knowledge base.
With the case of Julie, it reads like failed marriage counseling, heaping blame on Julie and losing sight of the change in her husband’s life that could have kept Julie from struggling much more than she needed to. When Julie was clearly not interested in changing, the counselors continued to chase her down, pointing out her failures and need for repentance . This does not look anything like Jesus. The father let the prodigal leave. Jesus never chased down Judas. People get to choose what they will do with Jesus.
I recommend prayerful consideration when reading this book.
February 24, 2013
Introduction
In Counseling the Hard Cases, Stuart Scott and Heath Lambert have assembled a treasure-trove of examples from multiple pastors, authors and counselors that help define what biblical counseling is and how to properly apply it in the lives of real people. Both Scott and Lambert are professors of Biblical Counseling at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky, and through my personal interaction with Stuart Scott, I know that he himself has spent many years as a pastor of a local congregation, elder at another, and counselor to many.
Summary
Churches around the world are filled with believers and non-believers alike that face a variety of problems in their everyday life. For much of the twentieth century, pastors of congregations would help where they could, but if these problems ventured into a “taboo” area, or entered into the realm commonly handled by psychologists, they would often outsource the problem to a “professional” outside of the church. In the 1960s this began to change, as an author named Jay Adams started to write about how counseling can sufficiently be done using the Scriptures as the only necessary source for counseling (3). Over the next few decades, lines were drawn between various counselors, and today a basic division can be made between the secular psychologists, the Christian counselors, and the Biblical counselors (5). In brief, the secular psychologists see the Scriptures as irrelevant for counseling, Christian counselors see the Scriptures as relevant but insufficient, and Biblical counselors see the Scriptures to be both relevant and sufficient (6).
In order to defend Biblical counseling against the naysayers that have ridiculed the movement as too simplistic, Scott and Lambert seek to defend this position based upon two foundational elements (7). First, in order to unpack the difficult challenges that many people face, a redefinition of secular psychology's diagnosis needs to be made in light of Biblical terminology. This is addressed because secular psychology seeks to adjust the external situations in one's life, i.e. anxiety, addiction, or fear, rather than addressing the internal turmoil, which is spiritual and theological in nature. Secondly, to avoid simplistic assumptions and the out-of-context Scriptural applications made by many, a careful examination of the Biblical texts must be made. Biblical counselors do not see the Bible as a scientific text, nor do they think that it provides all of the information on a given topic that one may desire. Instead, they view it as sufficient to provide everything that one may need to address all of the problems of the inner-man (16).
Following an introduction that fills out what I summarized above, the book highlights ten different “hard cases” where the contributing biblical counselor was involved with a believer during a very difficult time in their life. These cases are presented as being real-life situations, with names changed to ensure privacy and sometimes a slight modification to paint a fuller picture based on that author's experience with similar situations. For the most part, each author employes a very similar framework when dealing with a problem. After spending some time learning about the client's personal life and whether he or she is a Christian, the counselor will slowly work through the Gospel to remind the believer of who they are in Christ. Depending on the situation, this may involve reading a devotional on the Gospel, journaling, and/or memorizing verses. Following this, counselors typically shift towards analyzing heart-issues by seeking to expose false idols that remain in the believer's heart. Each counseling case addressed in the book brought a completely new aspect of our fallen world into play by addressing topics such as childhood sexual abuse, obsessive-compulsive disorder, postpartum depression, paralyzing fear, anorexia, bipolar disorder, dissociative identity disorder, homosexuality, addictions and adultery.
Critical Evaluation
I must admit that I did not expect this book to be very “gritty”. After reading the introduction I casually moved into chapter two, titled “Mariana and Surviving Sexual Abuse” by Laura Hendrickson. Within the first three paragraphs I found myself saddened by the hurt that Mariana has carried for much of her life. Having little girls of my own caused me to stop and pray for them and wonder who around me has faced similar pain. The care and gentleness expressed by the counselor taught me much about applying the Gospel into the life of another. As Mariana's pain continued to be exposed I was interested to learn how false idols had taken over much of her life, giving her brief satisfaction but never bringing true peace. After many months of examining Scripture, working with a Biblical counselor, and re-evaluating her thinking, Mariana started to see and believe the truth. This, in turn, led to a growing transfer of worshipping false idols to more faithfully worshiping her God and Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.
As I read through the cases I was continually struck by the time and devotion it took for each of these counselors to see fruit from their efforts. Often the weekly meetings would last for an hour or more, continuing for around ten months. In the case titled “Julie and Addictions and Adultery”, the counselor worked with Julie for over two years from start to finish. This devotion of time has made it apparent that Biblical involvement in the lives of others is truly a sacrifice. Rather than being satisfied with mere behavioral modifications, each case first drove towards heart modification which, in turn, led to behavioral modification. My one critique is in the area of “failed counseling”. It would have been helpful if each contributor briefly provided an analysis of the mistakes that they have made throughout their counseling years.
Conclusion
Without a doubt, this book has been a blessing to me and Lord-willing to those around me. I was able to interact with many of my own problems as I read this book, writing down notes and suggestions to better examine myself, God's Word, and the sin that entangles me. The contributors brought much wisdom to the table as they regularly showed support for medical examinations and expressed extreme caution when discussing any drugs that a client may be taking. In conclusion, their efforts showed me that believers often need the help of other believers to see clearly during our battles against sin and idolatry so that we can further worship God who provides all joy and peace.
In Counseling the Hard Cases, Stuart Scott and Heath Lambert have assembled a treasure-trove of examples from multiple pastors, authors and counselors that help define what biblical counseling is and how to properly apply it in the lives of real people. Both Scott and Lambert are professors of Biblical Counseling at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky, and through my personal interaction with Stuart Scott, I know that he himself has spent many years as a pastor of a local congregation, elder at another, and counselor to many.
Summary
Churches around the world are filled with believers and non-believers alike that face a variety of problems in their everyday life. For much of the twentieth century, pastors of congregations would help where they could, but if these problems ventured into a “taboo” area, or entered into the realm commonly handled by psychologists, they would often outsource the problem to a “professional” outside of the church. In the 1960s this began to change, as an author named Jay Adams started to write about how counseling can sufficiently be done using the Scriptures as the only necessary source for counseling (3). Over the next few decades, lines were drawn between various counselors, and today a basic division can be made between the secular psychologists, the Christian counselors, and the Biblical counselors (5). In brief, the secular psychologists see the Scriptures as irrelevant for counseling, Christian counselors see the Scriptures as relevant but insufficient, and Biblical counselors see the Scriptures to be both relevant and sufficient (6).
In order to defend Biblical counseling against the naysayers that have ridiculed the movement as too simplistic, Scott and Lambert seek to defend this position based upon two foundational elements (7). First, in order to unpack the difficult challenges that many people face, a redefinition of secular psychology's diagnosis needs to be made in light of Biblical terminology. This is addressed because secular psychology seeks to adjust the external situations in one's life, i.e. anxiety, addiction, or fear, rather than addressing the internal turmoil, which is spiritual and theological in nature. Secondly, to avoid simplistic assumptions and the out-of-context Scriptural applications made by many, a careful examination of the Biblical texts must be made. Biblical counselors do not see the Bible as a scientific text, nor do they think that it provides all of the information on a given topic that one may desire. Instead, they view it as sufficient to provide everything that one may need to address all of the problems of the inner-man (16).
Following an introduction that fills out what I summarized above, the book highlights ten different “hard cases” where the contributing biblical counselor was involved with a believer during a very difficult time in their life. These cases are presented as being real-life situations, with names changed to ensure privacy and sometimes a slight modification to paint a fuller picture based on that author's experience with similar situations. For the most part, each author employes a very similar framework when dealing with a problem. After spending some time learning about the client's personal life and whether he or she is a Christian, the counselor will slowly work through the Gospel to remind the believer of who they are in Christ. Depending on the situation, this may involve reading a devotional on the Gospel, journaling, and/or memorizing verses. Following this, counselors typically shift towards analyzing heart-issues by seeking to expose false idols that remain in the believer's heart. Each counseling case addressed in the book brought a completely new aspect of our fallen world into play by addressing topics such as childhood sexual abuse, obsessive-compulsive disorder, postpartum depression, paralyzing fear, anorexia, bipolar disorder, dissociative identity disorder, homosexuality, addictions and adultery.
Critical Evaluation
I must admit that I did not expect this book to be very “gritty”. After reading the introduction I casually moved into chapter two, titled “Mariana and Surviving Sexual Abuse” by Laura Hendrickson. Within the first three paragraphs I found myself saddened by the hurt that Mariana has carried for much of her life. Having little girls of my own caused me to stop and pray for them and wonder who around me has faced similar pain. The care and gentleness expressed by the counselor taught me much about applying the Gospel into the life of another. As Mariana's pain continued to be exposed I was interested to learn how false idols had taken over much of her life, giving her brief satisfaction but never bringing true peace. After many months of examining Scripture, working with a Biblical counselor, and re-evaluating her thinking, Mariana started to see and believe the truth. This, in turn, led to a growing transfer of worshipping false idols to more faithfully worshiping her God and Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.
As I read through the cases I was continually struck by the time and devotion it took for each of these counselors to see fruit from their efforts. Often the weekly meetings would last for an hour or more, continuing for around ten months. In the case titled “Julie and Addictions and Adultery”, the counselor worked with Julie for over two years from start to finish. This devotion of time has made it apparent that Biblical involvement in the lives of others is truly a sacrifice. Rather than being satisfied with mere behavioral modifications, each case first drove towards heart modification which, in turn, led to behavioral modification. My one critique is in the area of “failed counseling”. It would have been helpful if each contributor briefly provided an analysis of the mistakes that they have made throughout their counseling years.
Conclusion
Without a doubt, this book has been a blessing to me and Lord-willing to those around me. I was able to interact with many of my own problems as I read this book, writing down notes and suggestions to better examine myself, God's Word, and the sin that entangles me. The contributors brought much wisdom to the table as they regularly showed support for medical examinations and expressed extreme caution when discussing any drugs that a client may be taking. In conclusion, their efforts showed me that believers often need the help of other believers to see clearly during our battles against sin and idolatry so that we can further worship God who provides all joy and peace.
June 5, 2019
As a committed Christian, I appreciated the authors emphasis on the Scripture in the counseling of others, and the power of the Word of God to change a person's life. But I found their view of Christian counselors who not only call upon the truths of Scripture but also upon certain truths of psychological study (that may not be "revealed by Scripture" yet are corroborated by Scripture) overly generalized and "humbly" arrogant. Their statement on page 9 of their introduction that says, "biblical counselors have consistently stated that the observations of secular psychology can often fill in gaps for - and provoke counselors to more careful biblical reflection about- all manner of issues." Yet they go on to demonize most secular contributions. They also take issue with the "labels" used by secular psychology, while promoting their own labels. This seems a little disingenuous. I agree that there are many slants and interpretations of secular psychology that don't square with my faith. I also agree that there are some psychological systems and theories that approach things from an atheistic or agnostic foundation. But none of this means they are devoid of all truth...even if they have labeled it or attributed it to the wrong source. I appreciate their zeal but feel that their book is an example of their own "proof text" with only successful case studies of Christians. I will take away things from this book that I will continue to use. But there are many things I will leave in this book.
November 4, 2020
Very helpful. Through personal counseling accounts, the sufficiency of Christ in the word is illustrated, explained, and applied to real-life situations. Not only is this a helpful companion to books that argue for biblical counseling. It is a book I would consider giving to a "hard case" to read for themselves so they can see what Christ has done in other "hard cases."
There are specific counseling stories told in the following areas: Sexual abuse, Obsessive-compulsive disorder, postpartum depression, paralyzing fear, anorexia, bipolar disorder, dissociative identity disorder, homosexuality, as well as addictions & adultery.
The conclusion seeks to argue for a focus on God's Word both publically through preaching and privately through counseling. In so doing though in their appeal on this point they seem to swing from the error of saying preaching is all that a pastor should be doing to the false dichotomy that they were trying to avoid of either/or, instead of both/and. That critique aside, I found the appeal to focus on ministering top people personally through biblical counseling biblical and important.
There are specific counseling stories told in the following areas: Sexual abuse, Obsessive-compulsive disorder, postpartum depression, paralyzing fear, anorexia, bipolar disorder, dissociative identity disorder, homosexuality, as well as addictions & adultery.
The conclusion seeks to argue for a focus on God's Word both publically through preaching and privately through counseling. In so doing though in their appeal on this point they seem to swing from the error of saying preaching is all that a pastor should be doing to the false dichotomy that they were trying to avoid of either/or, instead of both/and. That critique aside, I found the appeal to focus on ministering top people personally through biblical counseling biblical and important.
August 16, 2022
This book was very eye-opening and convicting in regards to how well it reminded me of the sufficiency of scripture, and how it revealed what little value I have previously given to the amazing, transforming work of the Lord in instances of mental illness. The stories were encouraging and inspiring. I'm very thankful I read this book.
There were some concerns, of course. The book carries a bit of a judgemental vibe that mildly condemns use of medications to battle mental illness, which in some cases is warranted, but I also happen to work in a field that has given me insight to how well medications can work alongside spiritual counsel. Not everything is spiritual and can be fixed by healing the spirit. One does not go to see a pastor to be counseled when he has a broken leg, and one does not always go to see a pastor either when he is hearing voices and is depressed or anxious without cause. The good aspects of the book should be taken graciously, but I wouldn't suggest setting the finished book down with a mindset that all mental illness can be cured with spiritual intervention alone.
There were some concerns, of course. The book carries a bit of a judgemental vibe that mildly condemns use of medications to battle mental illness, which in some cases is warranted, but I also happen to work in a field that has given me insight to how well medications can work alongside spiritual counsel. Not everything is spiritual and can be fixed by healing the spirit. One does not go to see a pastor to be counseled when he has a broken leg, and one does not always go to see a pastor either when he is hearing voices and is depressed or anxious without cause. The good aspects of the book should be taken graciously, but I wouldn't suggest setting the finished book down with a mindset that all mental illness can be cured with spiritual intervention alone.
August 1, 2014
As a graduate student at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary we had the privelige to read this book.
Counseling the Hard Cases is a collection of stories from eleven contributors from varied occupational backgrounds including theological professors, medical professionals, and others who have recognized secular psychology did not address the cause of a problem, but the symptom. Conviction of the Sufficiency of Scripture is a central theme in active discipleship leading to change within individuals for the glory of God. The book offers a glimpse into counseling challenges and approaches that different people have used in situations. The goal of biblical counseling is to aid the counselee in recognizing dependence upon God the Holy Spirit to work through His Word and is sufficient in the areas it professes (2 Timothy 3:14-17; 2 Peter 1:3-4) which is salvation and sanctification.
Lambert’s introduction of biblical counseling’s reliance on the Sufficiency of Scripture in counseling is critical in introducing the book. It establishes that even the most challenging counseling situations can be overcome through the application of Scripture. The chapters that follow introduce different case studies giving a detailed account of a counseling situation and how a different contributing counselor addressed and facilitated change through Scripture. The Sufficiency of Scripture resonates as the central theme in each counseling session as God’s Word lives and is applicable today as it was when it was breathed (2 Timothy 3:16). The counselors and writers highlight the struggles with sin and are not isolated to one area of a person’s life, but rather each overlaps into several other areas of the person’s worldview. It is an excellent reminder that “a little leaven leavens the whole lump” (1 Corinthians 5:6). In addition to communicating the stories within the case study, each author breaks down their process and considerations of counseling biblically. In doing so, the myth that biblical counseling is inferior to the secular counselor is dispelled. Lambert sums it up this way, “We must embrace it as an article of faith, trusting in our God of steadfast love, that his way of communicating with us is superior to other modes we might prefer (18).
The strength of the book is the demonstration of the method of biblical counseling as it is practical and applicable for the “hard cases” as well as the frequent. Researchers often seek extreme cases in order to develop a fuller understanding of a specific phenomenon in order to lend credibility to a methodology. As a result, the reader is lead toward growth in Christ and glorifying God with the counselor as a guide. The cases highlighted reveal sin that is prevalent in society, rather than “rare” or foreign concepts including: sexual abuse, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), postpartum depression, fear, and various addictions. It is the application of methodology that ties biblical counseling cases together. The patterns of identification of sin as the counselor patiently and lovingly listened while taking notes as instructed in Proverbs 18:13. Next, affirmation was provided that they are not alone in their struggle, temptation is as aspect of sinful person (James 1:13-15) and God desires to help (1 Corinthians 10:13). Hope is found in the Gospel and offered to encourage and trust God. Together the counselor and counselee reflected on issues of the heart. Each person is in need of transformation. Guided discipleship through reading and memorization of scripture and keeping journals allowed the team to track progress, and patterns, of temptation and struggle. Biblical terminology allows an issue to be addressed in light of the spiritual and theological confusion and resulting chaos. A careful examination of the Bible provides the resources necessary to address the problems of the inner-man. Churches are filled with believers that face a variety of situations. How one reacts to each situation may result in sinful behavior. The behavior is a symptom, sin is the cause. What heart attitude is causing one to sin? It is often a lack of biblical understanding. Counseling is focused discipleship. Where discipleship ideally teaches within the experience and consequences of sin, counseling focuses on change from sin. There are two divergent paths within counseling, the secular psychologist and Christian counselors. Biblical counselors view the Scriptures to be both relevant and sufficient to changing a person through the Holy Spirit. Confession and repentance with an understanding of progressive sanctification shows that the Word of God’s ability in both the one-to-one counseling setting and as a church community, highlight in chapter four concerning postpartum depression, to help one another. The book explains persons as psychosomatic unities of body and soul and their effects upon each other.
From an apologetics perspective, the biblical counselors demonstrated the strengths of their view. However, would a Christian psychologist or pharmacist be persuaded, or encouraged to research biblical counseling further? Within evangelical counseling, the position of the Sufficiency of Scripture is the minority. Another aspect of clarification would be the work of the Holy Spirit in sanctification, realizing the Holy Spirit is often misunderstood. Additional emphasis would be helpful.
Counseling is hard work. It includes prayer and willingness on the part of the counselee, but God provides all that is necessary. It is a wonderful reminder of application of the Scriptures. Does one understand the guidance role of Scripture? Stuart Scott and Heath Lambert have successfully compiled articles that provide evidence that Scripture is Sufficient to deal with the hard cases.
Counseling the Hard Cases is a collection of stories from eleven contributors from varied occupational backgrounds including theological professors, medical professionals, and others who have recognized secular psychology did not address the cause of a problem, but the symptom. Conviction of the Sufficiency of Scripture is a central theme in active discipleship leading to change within individuals for the glory of God. The book offers a glimpse into counseling challenges and approaches that different people have used in situations. The goal of biblical counseling is to aid the counselee in recognizing dependence upon God the Holy Spirit to work through His Word and is sufficient in the areas it professes (2 Timothy 3:14-17; 2 Peter 1:3-4) which is salvation and sanctification.
Lambert’s introduction of biblical counseling’s reliance on the Sufficiency of Scripture in counseling is critical in introducing the book. It establishes that even the most challenging counseling situations can be overcome through the application of Scripture. The chapters that follow introduce different case studies giving a detailed account of a counseling situation and how a different contributing counselor addressed and facilitated change through Scripture. The Sufficiency of Scripture resonates as the central theme in each counseling session as God’s Word lives and is applicable today as it was when it was breathed (2 Timothy 3:16). The counselors and writers highlight the struggles with sin and are not isolated to one area of a person’s life, but rather each overlaps into several other areas of the person’s worldview. It is an excellent reminder that “a little leaven leavens the whole lump” (1 Corinthians 5:6). In addition to communicating the stories within the case study, each author breaks down their process and considerations of counseling biblically. In doing so, the myth that biblical counseling is inferior to the secular counselor is dispelled. Lambert sums it up this way, “We must embrace it as an article of faith, trusting in our God of steadfast love, that his way of communicating with us is superior to other modes we might prefer (18).
The strength of the book is the demonstration of the method of biblical counseling as it is practical and applicable for the “hard cases” as well as the frequent. Researchers often seek extreme cases in order to develop a fuller understanding of a specific phenomenon in order to lend credibility to a methodology. As a result, the reader is lead toward growth in Christ and glorifying God with the counselor as a guide. The cases highlighted reveal sin that is prevalent in society, rather than “rare” or foreign concepts including: sexual abuse, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), postpartum depression, fear, and various addictions. It is the application of methodology that ties biblical counseling cases together. The patterns of identification of sin as the counselor patiently and lovingly listened while taking notes as instructed in Proverbs 18:13. Next, affirmation was provided that they are not alone in their struggle, temptation is as aspect of sinful person (James 1:13-15) and God desires to help (1 Corinthians 10:13). Hope is found in the Gospel and offered to encourage and trust God. Together the counselor and counselee reflected on issues of the heart. Each person is in need of transformation. Guided discipleship through reading and memorization of scripture and keeping journals allowed the team to track progress, and patterns, of temptation and struggle. Biblical terminology allows an issue to be addressed in light of the spiritual and theological confusion and resulting chaos. A careful examination of the Bible provides the resources necessary to address the problems of the inner-man. Churches are filled with believers that face a variety of situations. How one reacts to each situation may result in sinful behavior. The behavior is a symptom, sin is the cause. What heart attitude is causing one to sin? It is often a lack of biblical understanding. Counseling is focused discipleship. Where discipleship ideally teaches within the experience and consequences of sin, counseling focuses on change from sin. There are two divergent paths within counseling, the secular psychologist and Christian counselors. Biblical counselors view the Scriptures to be both relevant and sufficient to changing a person through the Holy Spirit. Confession and repentance with an understanding of progressive sanctification shows that the Word of God’s ability in both the one-to-one counseling setting and as a church community, highlight in chapter four concerning postpartum depression, to help one another. The book explains persons as psychosomatic unities of body and soul and their effects upon each other.
From an apologetics perspective, the biblical counselors demonstrated the strengths of their view. However, would a Christian psychologist or pharmacist be persuaded, or encouraged to research biblical counseling further? Within evangelical counseling, the position of the Sufficiency of Scripture is the minority. Another aspect of clarification would be the work of the Holy Spirit in sanctification, realizing the Holy Spirit is often misunderstood. Additional emphasis would be helpful.
Counseling is hard work. It includes prayer and willingness on the part of the counselee, but God provides all that is necessary. It is a wonderful reminder of application of the Scriptures. Does one understand the guidance role of Scripture? Stuart Scott and Heath Lambert have successfully compiled articles that provide evidence that Scripture is Sufficient to deal with the hard cases.
August 31, 2023
Encouragement and help for those who care for souls
This is a wonderful book that focuses on the sufficiency of the Scriptures for counseling the hard cases that a Biblical, counselor or pastor might encounter. This is a compilation of the experiences of many capable counselors, and their wisdom. I learned a lot from this book, I was encouraged, as well as challenged to truly give myself to doing the hard work of caring for souls. This requires patience, love, mercy, and a deep commitment to the truth that God‘s Word has everything we need for every situation we might encounter in the counseling room. I heartily recommend this book. I learned a great deal from the cases that were presented, I am convinced you will benefit as well.
This is a wonderful book that focuses on the sufficiency of the Scriptures for counseling the hard cases that a Biblical, counselor or pastor might encounter. This is a compilation of the experiences of many capable counselors, and their wisdom. I learned a lot from this book, I was encouraged, as well as challenged to truly give myself to doing the hard work of caring for souls. This requires patience, love, mercy, and a deep commitment to the truth that God‘s Word has everything we need for every situation we might encounter in the counseling room. I heartily recommend this book. I learned a great deal from the cases that were presented, I am convinced you will benefit as well.
December 3, 2023
Encouraging stories testifying to the faithfulness of God and the sufficiency of scripture used in counseling. The biggest limitation of the reading is that it is a collected volume, so all chapters are by a different author - and therefore were written without awareness of what other prefaces / conclusions would be written by other authors. Therefore, the book tends to be repetitive, albeit unintentionally. I would also warn cautiously to anyone who has a sensitive conscience around details of horrific events, as some examples are very dark.
Thankful for Stuart Scott and Heath Lambert’s work - and especially thankful for their conclusion reflection on the pastor’s essential work of counseling in the pastorate.
Thankful for Stuart Scott and Heath Lambert’s work - and especially thankful for their conclusion reflection on the pastor’s essential work of counseling in the pastorate.
January 17, 2023
This compilation of stories demonstrates the helpfulness of a counseling approach that is centered on Scripture and discipleship. I was interested to see how many of the counselees profited mainly from time studying and believing the Bible. Also interesting were the practical steps that were sometimes taken to deal with stubborn issues. Each situation required patience and confidence in God's resources in Scripture. At least one of these stories was not well-written enough to help the reader understand the situation of the case, and what happened as the counseling began. This did not discredit the book, overall. It was helpful and encouraging.
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