O aconselhamento bíblico depois de Jay Adams

by Heath Lambert

Uma história sobre o nosso crescimento. Faça dessa a sua história
O aconselhamento bíblico depois de Jay Adams

HEATH LAMBERT

“A ascensão do movimento do aconselhamento bíblico foi um dos mais importantes desenvolvimentos dentro do cristianismo evangélico – e um dos mais promissores. Neste livro tão oportuno, Heath Lambert do­cumenta tanto a trajetória quanto a teologia, oferecendo o livro mais útil a surgir nesse movimento. Sou profundamente grato pelo retorno da suficiência da Escritura como o fundamento de todo verdadeiro acon­selhamento bíblico. Este livro servirá às gerações vindouras como um guia para o movimento do aconselhamento bíblico e sua importância.” - R. Albert Mohler Jr., Presidente de The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary

“Assim como qualquer movimento eclesiástico importante ao longo da história da igreja, o movimento do aconselhamento bíblico foi sujeito a muitas mudanças e a um crescimento considerável. Ele se tornou um agente global e multicultural de mudança para a igreja de Jesus Cristo. Heath Lambert escreveu um relato surpreendente das principais influên­cias que Deus, em sua perfeita soberania, causou nesse movimento. Este relato factual é uma importante contribuição para entender como e por que o movimento do aconselhamento bíblico teve um impacto tão pro­fundo e duradouro. É uma leitura indispensável para qualquer pessoa que queira entender o movimento.” - John D. Street, professor, Programa de Graduação MABC, The Master’s College and Seminary

Heath Lambert (PhD, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary) é o Diretor Executivo da Association of Certified Biblical Counselors (Associação de Conselheiros Bíblicos Registrados) e é Pastor Auxiliar na Primeira Igreja Batista de Jacksonville, FL. Lambert também é membro do corpo docente visitante no Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.

Genres: Counselling, Christian, History, Church History, Nonfiction, Christianity

240 pages, Paperback

First published November 2, 2011

About the author

Heath Lambert (PhD, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary) is the Executive Director of the Association of Certified Biblical Counselors and is the Associate Pastor at First Baptist Church Jacksonville, FL. He is also a visiting faculty member at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Lambert is the co-editor of Counseling the Hard Cases: True Stories Illustrating the Sufficiency of God's Resources in Scripture (B&H, 2012), and author of The Biblical Counseling Movement After Adams (Crossway, 2011), Finally Free: Fighting for Purity with the Power of Grace (Zondervan, 2013), and co-author of Transforming Homosexuality: What the Bible Says about Sexual Orientation and Change (P&R, 2015).

Reviews

[Phil Cotnoir · Rating 4 out of 5]

I snagged this off my brother's shelf and only barely asked for permission to borrow it. I've been trying to understand the Biblical counseling movement since very early on in my Christian life when I was won over upon first encountering the work of David Powlison in various outlets.

This book helped me put the pieces together. Jay Adams launched the Biblical counseling movement out of his need to teach practical theology at WTS in the late 60's / early 70's. Lambert suggests that Adams' book 'Competent to Counsel' was the first counseling or soul-care book to be published in over a hundred years. I find this incredible. Clearly there was a tragic dearth of good material for pastors and lay-leaders to use when trying to help Christians with sin and suffering in their lives. Lambert points out that this was largely due to the major challenges facing the church between the 1850's and the 1960's, namely modernity, liberalism, fundamentalism, and then the rise of secular psychotherapies from Freud, Rogers, and others.

So Adams is cast a Luther-like figure with sharp elbows who makes room for the Biblical counseling movement to take shape. He seems to single-handedly be the one to give the movement its early shape. The book does not shy away from pointing out what anyone with a bit of distance could see regarding the shortcomings of Adams, but it is also very clear in arguing for a generous spirit of gratitude for that foundational work. That's a good word we should heed. I love Luther from a distance; I'm not sure how I would have liked being a pastor in the next town or a fellow teacher at his school.

Lambert traces the elements of continuity and discontinuity between what he calls the first and second generation of the movement. He makes use of lengthy block quotes as he retraces the interactions between Adams and Powlison, Ed Welch, and others.

It's striking to me that, at the end of the day, biblical counseling sought to restore a biblical view of sin, mankind, and sanctification to the church. Yes, it applied those truths to a counseling context, but the scope of its biblical and conceptual work was so much broader than just 1-on-1 counseling. It's not for nothing that those authors and speakers who have been most instrumental in deepening and shaping my view of these things (sin, anthropology, and sanctification) have had direct or indirect connection to WTS and the constellation of pastors associated with it.

That being said, it's possible to become too insular and self-congratulatory. Anywhere that wise love (a good definition of counseling) is at work between one person and another, healing and growth can happen to some extent. I think this is worth celebrating, even if it is simply God's kindness and common grace.

One thing I found conspicuous for its absence was any hint of ressourcement (retrieval) among Biblical counselors. I assume this is not absent in the movement itself, but simply this book. What I mean is the attempt to reach back across the centuries and glean soul-care wisdom from the best writings of the church. I have in mind especially the Puritan writers, but I know there rich traditions in Catholicism and then reaching further back to the first centuries of the church. Augustine was certainly a careful observer of his own heart's sinful machinations and his insights have helped countless other Christians across the centuries to detect and deal with similar sins in their own lives.

My point is that, if biblical counseling is really a recovery of those key elements of Christian thought I mentioned a minute ago, then it is by no means created ex nihilo in the 1960's. Rather, it is recovering and developing streams of Christian thought from the past, whether it frames it that way or not.

In chapter 6 Lambert offers some commentary on the use of idolatry language and argues that behind those dynamics is a universal human reflex to self-supremacy. I think he argues the case pretty well it is a helpful paradigm for understanding the shape of human sin.

It would have been helpful to have a family tree diagram in the book with all the different Biblical counseling organizations on there showing how they relate and in what ways they differ. For example, we have counseling organizations in CCEF, ACBC (previously NANC), BCC, ABC, CBCC (here in Canada) and Biblical counseling departments at TMS, SBTS, SEBTS, SWBTS, and more. It's a bit confusing for an outsider.

By God's grace the church is in a very different place today than it was in the 60's with regard to resources to help Christian pastors, counselors, and laypeople minister God's Word to one another. May the movement continue to grow in healthy ways and may it be used to apply God's grace in transformative ways to countless lives.

[Emilio Garofalo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Muita coisa boa e útil para se pensar no movimento de aconselhamento bíblico. Parece-me que Lambert exagera em algumas críticas a Adams e limita demais o escopo do livro aos autores do CCEF. Embora estes corretamente sejam identificados como desenvolvedores do movimento de aconselhamento bíblico, há muitos outros ramos do movimento.

[Josh John · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lambert expresses in clear terms that the purpose of his writing is to trace and record the history of the biblical counseling movement, specifically describing “the improvements that have happened” within the movement (p. 24). He opens the first chapter by listing and expounding upon nine reasons that counseling as a ministerial responsibility seemed to decline in the century before the publishing of the book, Competent to Counsel, by Jay Adams. These reasons extended from the religious phenomena of the 1700s known as Revivalism to the recent World Wars (p. 25-35). However, between 1970 and 1979, Jay Adams published four major works on counseling which, according to Lambert, “made a vigorous and thorough proposal for restoring theological reflection to the counseling task.” These works led to great progression in recovering a biblical approach to counseling as opposed to the secular psychological approaches that had been gaining great traction in the previous century. Though “theological recovery” to the counseling movement was taking place in the 1970’s and 1980’s, the movement had much development in the coming years (p. 43-44).

This development was not concerning the basic premise of biblical counseling, namely the sufficiency of the Scripture to effectuate change, the necessity and framework of the gospel, or the process of progressive sanctification as the medium for change. These core tenets have always remained constant for biblical counselors, but the need to address issues such as the dynamic between sin and suffering, apologetics for counseling methods with those who hold to varying approaches, and methodological changes within the process of doing counseling have all developed in recent years. Lambert seeks to record faithfully these changes in recent history (p. 46-48).

Like the first generation of biblical counselors, the succeeding generation has maintained the need to retain the primary responsibility of counseling as a ministerial responsibility rather than abdicating this duty to secular spaces. Additionally, while maintaining that individual responsibility remains for one’s sinful conduct, Lambert demonstrates that effective counseling requires personal involvement in knowing the counselee himself (p. 66). This personal involvement is a way that biblical counseling has evolved from the foundation laid by the likes of Adams (p. 62-65).

One of the most refreshing chapters of the book is the fifth in which Lambert presents an area where the biblical counseling movement has not seen any “progress.” This is in the area of Scriptural sufficiency. Though men like Eric Johnson have (wrongly) asserted that the second generation of nouthetic counselors hold to a looser view on the sufficiency of Scripture, Lambert cites and explains that though the views of the second generation may express “differences in emphasis, tone, and application,” the same level of commitment to the sufficiency of Scripture has remained within the movement (p. 122, 136-137). This is an area that needs no progress and serves as a source of unity.

So often there is a desire for pastors to view problems in the life of the counslee as “black and white” as Job’s friends. However, the discipline of listening and the maintenance of grace, is an area of growth that is needed (p. 66). Furthermore, viewing the counselee in a monolithic fashion as a sinner and divorcing sin from his suffering will lead to a loss of love and compassion as was the case with Job’s counselors (p. 98-99). This has been a point of evolvement in the biblical counseling movement as a whole. Additionally, Lambert expresses the need for growth in the relationships between counselor and counselee, especially in regard to the pastor and congregant. While Jay Adams maintained the need for a formal and authoritative relationship (for good reasons as Lambert discusses, p. 88-90), Lambert shows the growth of the movement in developing more familial relationships from which truth can better flow while still maintaining authoritative tones when delivering counsel from Scripture. This growing balance in counseling relationships seems to be more biblical in light of passages such as 1 Thessalonians 5 and 1 Timothy 5 (p. 90-91).

The work by Lambert is a great asset to the pastor/counselor. For in showing the basic history of the biblical counseling movement, one can see the great foundational contributions of Adams as well as the biblical advancement of recent years in this field. Lord willing, the biblical counselor/pastor will seek to grow in his abilities to provide Scriptural direction for those to whom he ministers (p. 161).

[Tyler Eason · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a good read for anyone who is interested in learning more about the history and methodology of biblical counseling. Lambert does an excellent job on showing right appreciation for the first generation of biblical counselors, but also in revealing areas where advancement has taken place and where more growth needs to occur.

[Kristopher Schaal · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very enlightening read for anyone who plans to interact with the literature produced by the biblical counseling movement. In the book form of his doctoral project, Lambert provides a helpful summary of Adams and then a description of how the movement has changed in the next two generations. His discussion of the differences between Adams and Powlison is especially helpful. This book gave me a feel for the “lay of the land” and will make other books I read from the movement as I work on my ACBC certification more profitable.

As a side benefit, Lambert does an excellent job of modeling how to appreciate a former generation while also respectfully critiquing it and building on its foundation. That is an ability that will serve any leader well.

[Dan · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favorite movies, A River Runs Through It begins with the narrator saying “Long ago, when I was a young man, my father said to me, “Norman, you like to write stories.” And I said “Yes, I do.” Then he said, “Someday, when you’re ready you might tell our family story. Only then will you understand what happened and why…”’

In After Adams, Lambert gives a succinct and excellent evaluation of the last forty years of biblical counseling. It combines first class scholarship with a passion to help people with the gospel of Jesus Christ, a combination that is both informing and edifying to the reader. Lambert claims that his book “is about a group that has spent the last four decades trying to help the church figure out how to have conversations with troubled people in a way that is most faithful to the Scriptures and most honoring to Jesus Christ” (48). This claim proves true as he shows what has changed and has been held firm in the second generation leaders of the biblical counseling movement. In a sense, he looks at the family history of the Biblical Counseling Movement and tells the family story, so that we can understand what happened and why.

Lambert begins by giving nine reasons that counseling diminished for one hundred years between the puritans and Adams, ranging from theological issues such as revivalism and fundamentalism to practical, cultural influences like the economic changes from the industrial revolution. These nine points give the context to understand the world that Adams worked in, thus help in understanding his ministry. Next After Adams moves to discussing the advances in how counselors think about counseling. Chiefly, these advances include the focus on suffering in addition to sin with the second generation being more sensitive to suffering, as well as advances in the area of motivation. While Adams places sin at the center of motivation, second generation counselors focus on idols of the heart. When speaking of advances in methodology, Lambert cites three continuations (information gathering, instruction, and implementation) of Adams’ methods, along with advancement in relationship between counselor and counselee. In the last of the main chapters, Lambert claims that apologetics have changed over eight key meetings, but there is still much room for advancement. Chapter five serves as a defense against Dr. Eric Johnson’s critique of the biblical counseling movement that puts traditional biblical counseling (first generation) and progressive biblical counseling (second generation, for the most part) against each other. Lambert shows that though their emphasis and tone may be different, their position on sufficiency is the same. After Adams concludes by giving the main area in the biblical counseling movement that still needs improvement - idolatry, especially in its relation to self-exaltation.

Overall, Lambert does an excellent job of explaining how and why the biblical counseling movement has changed since the work of Adams. Through the three main chapters, he adequately explains the changes in theory, methodology, and apologetics. Furthermore, the supplemental chapters dealing with the cultural and theological reasons for the neglect of counseling, the defense against Johnson, and path forward do not necessarily show advancements in the movement, but are helpful in understanding why it looks and functions the way it does. Perhaps one of the greatest strengths of the book is Lambert’s distinction between what Adams believed and taught. Several times, Lambert affirms that Adams acknowledged certain truths such as suffering (52), authority (88), and affection in counseling (92), yet does not emphasize them in his writing. For one who believes “methodology and practice plainly reveal what’s truly central to a theory,” (81) this distinction between belief and emphasis is insightful and helpful to understanding Adam’s work.

In Conclusion, The Biblical Counseling Movement After Adams accomplishes its goal of explaining how the group of counselors has moved forward in ministering the gospel of Jesus Christ to broken, hurting people. It is both informative and inspiring, showing the reader how far the movement has come and the great work the giants of the first and second generation have accomplished and also pleads with the reader to continue on with the task. This book comes highly recommended, especially to students who read the works of many leaders because it helps to make a connection between the thoughts and emphases of each author. Furthermore, it builds somewhat of a reverence for the counseling task and a great appreciation for those giants whose shoulders we now stand on.

[Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this book to be very helpful and informative. It provided a perspective on Jay Adams that I hadn't seen before and cleared up some misunderstandings I personally had about his beliefs. As someone who typically learns about a movement by gleaning information as she comes across it in her reading, I also appreciated getting a big picture perspective on where the BC movement came from, where its been, and where its going. Definitely a good read for anyone interested in better understanding biblical counseling as a movement.

[Josh · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an outstanding book. Insightful analysis of the history of the biblical counseling movement since Jay Adams. Lambert is detailed in his research, honest about weaknesses, yet at the same time charitable in his conclusions. Very valuable for understanding where the field of biblical counseling stands now, where it came from, as well as where it needs to go in the future.

[Benjamin Phillips · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good. Well-given recollection of recent events and development of doctrine. Honours Adams while criticizing him and answers the most common objections to nouthetic counseling.

[Paul Lamey · Rating 4 out of 5]

This will become a key work in understanding the history and growth of the biblical counseling movement in its first four decades. Not all are pleased with Lambert's thesis. Bill Vaughan refers to this book as "Nothing more than a thinly (or not even thinly)-veiled attack on Jay Adams." I'm not sure we read the same book.

However one sees it, seeking to build on Adam's formative base is not an attack on Jay Adams. In fact, Adams welcomed critical reflection and knew that his work was not the last word on anything. Adams even noted, "My foundation surely has planks that are rotten and some that are missing. The reader must watch where he walks." Lambert, rightly, sees that "Adams brought the force of a founder--and the flaws that come with it. Adams was a Luther." That doesn't sound like an attack but a measured tribute to a catalyst for change (which Lambert goes to great lengths to show).

For a more rigorous treatment, I would encourage readers to see Lambert's dissertation, "The Theological Development of the Biblical Counseling Movement from 1988" which is available publicly on the web through ProQuest. By the way, it is dedicated to Jay Adams, "who reawakened generations to the sufficiency of Scripture."

On another note, Lambert's chapter 6, "An Area Still in Need of Advancement" is an excellent chapter that could be used as a stand-alone section on the nature of sin, especially as it relates to the concept of idolatry. He brings some much needed clarity to the subject and this chapter will become required reading on the subject for my students and counselees.

This book will be an excellent addition to the student of the movement and for those wanting to know where biblical counseling can still grow and change.

[S. Paterson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really helpful for me as an introduction to the world of biblical counseling and in addressing concerns I had in some areas such as balancing sin/suffering, expressing genuine compassion and patience toward counselees, and engaging better those outside the movement.

If you want a drive-by overview of the biblical counseling movement and its development, this is it.

[Nick Lees · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a helpful and necessary read for anyone who was involved in biblical counseling. It helps you understand the history of the biblical counseling movement since its founding by Jay Adams. It's an easy read without much fluff. I regret that I've put off reading it so long but glad I finally did.

[Lucas Bragança · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excelente livro! Analisa a situação do aconselhamento bíblico desde Jay Adams (1ª geração) até os dias de hoje (2ª geração), analisando as diferenças e avanços entre as gerações. O autor escreve muito bem e fez um ótimo trabalho de pesquisa. Excelente para principiantes se inteirarem no assunto.

[Colby Reese · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very well done history on the biblical counseling movement.

[Steven H · Rating 5 out of 5]

A SUPPORTIVE VIEW OF BIBLICAL COUNSELING SINCE JAY ADAMS

Heath Lambert is senior pastor of the First Baptist Church of Jacksonville, Florida; he was formerly a professor of biblical counseling at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.

He wrote in the first chapter of this 2012 book, “This is not a book about counseling. … it is really a book about ministry. The fact is that counseling is ministry, and ministry is counseling. The two are equivalent terms. ‘Counseling’ is the word our culture uses to describe what happens when people with questions, problems and trouble have a conversation with someone they think has answers, solutions, and help. Those kinds of conversations are what ministers do every day… So don’t think that just because this book is about counselors, it doesn’t have anything to do with your ministry. That it is about counselors means it has EVERYTHIING to do with your ministry.

“In fact two very different groups have been guilty of cutting the theological foundations away from the counseling task. The first group is secular psychologists … who ultimately seek to help people solve their problems while ignoring Christ and his Word…. A second group misunderstanding the issue is… conservative, Bible-believing, Christ-exalting ministers of the gospel. These conservative ministers fail to grasp that counseling is an essential part of ministry and so disconnect theology from counseling… they are wrong about the theological, ministry-driven nature of counseling. Each of these groups of people fails to understand the intrinsic connection that counseling has with ministry and theology. The truth of the matter is that I used to be in the second group. Let me tell you my story.”

“My mother was addicted to vodka during the first 11 years of my life… I would sit with my mother during her many visits to Alcoholics Anonymous meetings… I overheard a great deal of talk about ‘the disease of alcoholism’… At a very young age I remember thinking, ‘It doesn’t SEEM like a disease.’ … The point here is that even before I became a believer, I was not convinced about the application of a disease model to problems such as drunkenness that were clearly moral in nature, because such problems involved issues like self-control and avoidance rather than being merely physical.” (Pg. 22)

He continues, “years later, after I became a Christian … one of the first books I read was the first book Jay Adams wrote about counseling, ‘Competent to Counsel.’ … From that point on I was a wholehearted believer in biblical counseling… I certainly did not want to BE a counselor. I wanted to be a pastor… A few years later I reported … for my first paid pastoral position… I was in for a surprise. The first meeting was with an elderly couple who were having marriage problems and wanted advice… The second meeting was with a mother and her daughter, who had been molested, and they wanted help they had not received from secular therapists. The third meeting was with a mother who wanted help knowing how to control a difficult child.

“To say that I had absolutely no idea what had hit me would be putting it mildly… I realized in the span of one week that I should not only wish biblical counselors well but figure out how to do what they were doing…. So I began to work hard to understand biblical counseling… In fact, I got a little carried away and ultimately earned a Ph.D. on the topic.

“I tell you that story because I want you to know how I came to see that learning about counseling is really about how to do ministry well… The other reason I tell you that story is to help you understand something I began to figure out about biblical counselors… I started to notice that not everybody sounded the same… Specifically, people who wrote during the first twenty years of the movement often sounded different from those… in the last twenty years of the movement. I also noticed that these differences were really improvements. The movement was… changing for the better… The purpose of the book is to … describe the improvements that have happened to the biblical counseling movement… because I believe … you will be a better church member, friend, brother, parent or minister who is more equipped to have the kinds of conversations Jesus wants his church to have.” (Pg. 23-25)

He notes, “[Jay] Adams denied the existence of inorganic mental illness. The operative term here is ‘inorganic.’ Adams never denied the existence of physical (i.e., organic) problems and diseases in the brain. What he explicitly denied is the notion of mental illness that is disconnected from pathology.” (Pg. 37)

He adds, “Adams’s four major books on counseling were published between 1970 and 1979.” (Pg. 43)

He goes on, “But by the late eighties and early nineties new leadership began to rise up…. This new blood wanted to continue to think about conversational ministry that was theologically informed in the same tradition as Adams… the clear leader was David Powlison. Powlison had come to faith in Christ as a adult… disillusionment with the mental health system was a significant catalyst for his conversion… Powlison was able to exert massive influence in directing the discussions that biblical counselors were having… the new group of biblical counselors, taking their cues from Powlison, have advanced the movement in several different ways.” (Pg. 44-45)

He continues, “First, there have been conceptual advancements. Counseling concepts… are how counselors THINK about counseling… Biblical counselors have advanced the theological reflection of Adams… in two important ways. (1) They have brought … an understanding of how to do ministry to people who are suffering as well as to people who are sinning… (2) [They]… have developed the movement with regard to motivational issues… why people do the things they do. Contemporary biblical counselors have sought to improve … based on the biblical teaching of loving, brotherly, one-anothering relationships. The final area of advancement … is apologetics… the importance of talking with advocates of other models … in a tone that is … less bombastic than Adams’s.” (Pg. 45-46)

He adds, “I will refer to … Adams as the ���first generation’ of biblical counseling… [And] Powlison and those who have followed him … as the ‘second generation.’” (Pg. 47) He points out, “The model that Jay Adams developed included a heavy emphasis on confronting sin patterns observed in counseling. While the second generation has not abandoned the need to confront sin, it has sought to advance the movement by seeing the counselee in a more nuanced way as both a sinner and a sufferer.” (Pg. 50)

He states, “Adams did acknowledge suffering… The topic at hand is the DEGREE to which Adams addressed the issue… Adams did not have a reputation for addressing suffering in his work… Why is it that both his opponents and his friends found Adams’s treatment of suffering wanting?... Second, in Adams’s early works he made efforts to describe the various sources of people’s problems in living. He did this twice ,and in both places a biblical understanding of suffering was glanced over.” (Pg. 52)

He explains, “Powlison points away from idolatry as the worship of actual physical images and toward a more internal problem… Powlison … contend[s] that these heart idols originate from within and without… It would be difficult to overstate the influence Powlison’s contribution has had on biblical counselors… the movement has been defined by the usage of Powlison’s … ‘idols of the heart’ metaphor [and] has been used extensively by any number of authors.” (Pg. 75-76)

He suggest, “Adams founded the biblical counseling movement … in the context of a counseling movement that had embraced a Rogerian notion of person-centered counseling. Adams’s counseling model sought… [to deal] with sin in an authoritative way… he tended to focus on problems above people. Contemporary biblical counselors … [are] not person-CENTERED, but person ORIENTED.” (Pg. 94)

He reports on the Krisheim symposium [1978], in which Adams and his supporters met with ‘second generation’ counselors: “The result … was not the hoped-for bridge building but rather more sustained division. The integrationists were deeply put off by Adams’s vociferous tone during the debate… The Krishseim symposium had a devastating effect on the efforts of leaders … to talk to one another. An interpersonal rift divided the leaders of the biblical counseling movement from the integrationists.” (Pg. 104-105) Later, he observes, “For Adams, bombast was a conscious tactic…. There are times when deeper appreciation of the biblical call to speak the truth in love might have led to a different approach on Adams’s part.” (Pg. 158)

He concludes, “Just as Adams’s work of force was necessary to launch the plane, the second generation’s work of finesse was necessary to improve the quality of flight… What SHOULD be expected is theological reflection and development that makes wise and loving Christians increasingly competent to counsel.” (Pg. 163)

This book will be of keen interest to Christians
studying the biblical counseling movement.

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

I guess anyone who has read about Biblical Counselling would have know Jay Adams, Edward Welch, David Powlison, and many others. But few would know that the there are some differences between the first (Adams) and the second (Welch & Powlison) generation of biblical counseling.

These differences are presented in this book by Lambert, and he has carefully separated them into 5 chapters, with one remaining chapter on what biblical counsellors ought to continue to work on.

The first chapter sets the context of biblical counseling, the author (rightfully) acknowledges the seminal and crucial work of Adams, being the sole counsellor who was deeply driven by the truth to retain and restore counseling as the work of pastors and not for the “professionals”.

The second to fifth chapter talks about the various areas where the differences lies between the first and second generation of biblical counselors.

Three areas were highlighted in this section, first the what of counseling. The model of what counselling should be, what is causing this problems? With an emphasis on thinking in the aspect of how a a person who is being counselled can be both a sinner and sufferer at the same time.

Second, the how of counselling. How should counselling be done? Emphasis was given to cases of how people are suffering and also on how counsellors should learn to rejoice with those who rejoice and mourn with those who mourn, being able to put themselves in the shoes of others.

Third, the why of biblical counselling. Why should a christian use biblical counselling? This is one area that is not well addressed by Adams, who sees that since biblical counselling derives itself from the bible, it should be something held by all christians. The second generation has rectified this by trying to engage those within the christian circles and also secular circles as well.

One area that saw no significant change was on how they thought of the bible, Lambert defends against the notion that the second generation has moved from this position as reported by those outside the biblical counselling movement. Lambert shows how this conclusion is wrong and substantiates this claim from works of both generations of biblical counsellors.

Lastly, Lambert hopes that work will continue in the motivation aspects of people. Trying to people see that many a times, our problems arises because we seek to worship something else rather than God.

Lambert very helpful shows in each chapter the similarities and differences you find between the two generations and also presents these materials in a clear manner, i do not recall having difficulty in trying to understand any technical words that he used which is a remarkable feat.

For those who wish to know how biblical counselling has growth throughout these years, this is the book to read.

Ratings: 4/5

[Reid · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heath Lambert gives an overview of the Biblical Counseling movement, critiquing first generation authors and works (Jay Adams) and second generation authors and works.

Lambert makes the point early on that ordinary people in the past used to go to their pastors for care of the soul and personal problems, receiving counsel from the Scriptures. The trend in the 19th century, increasingly is for ordinary people to defer to 'experts' in psychology for help with their problems. Care and cure of the heart and soul has been replaced by care and cure of the mind, better thinking and perspectives, ignoring God and the Bible.

Lambert points out that Adams understanding started with man's biggest problem is sin and Christ and His redemption is the answer to man's problem. A big part of his approach emphasized putting off sin and putting on righteousness.
The second generation of counselors increased the awareness of thinking about the process as identifying with the counselee in terms of their suffering as well as being sinners.

Too many notes about the value of this resource. I will refer to this book often.

[Scott Ristau · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lambert’s dissertation-turned popular level book is an excellent introduction to Biblical Counseling, both as a movement and as a distinctively Christian approach to counseling. Thorough, succinct, and organized, the book surveys how the recent phenomenon known as the Biblical Counseling Movement developed over two generations chronicling how Bible-grounded Christians have thought, practiced, and talked about counseling. As Biblical Counseling enters its third generation of leadership, Lambert is willing to be critical of the movement when appropriate, as well as push back against unwarranted or in accurate criticism. Readers will also enjoy David Powlison’s excellent foreword opening the book and calling Christians to look to the generous wealth of sufficient resources in God’s word to help fellow sinners struggling with pain and sin. This book is practically a must-read for those seeking to train and practice biblical counseling, as well as those on the outside who would like to understand the approach of Biblical Counseling more accurately.

[Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author is an appropriate candidate for this subject. He met Jay Adams and studied under Eric L. Johnson who previously evaluated the biblical (nouthetic) counseling movement. Heath Lambert has a unique perspective on the subject. Further, he is both a practicing biblical counseling professor and pastor. It is good to have someone address the situation from both a practical and professional mindset.

Summary
As the title states, the book is about the biblical counseling movement after Jay Adams. The book begins with a forward from David Powlison. Powlison says, “We ought to be good at counseling, the very best at both receiving and giving. No one else’s explanation of human misery goes as wide and long or as high and deep as the Christian explanation” (12). The author shows that he is in wholehearted agreement. That is what this book is mainly about, evaluating and analyzing the movement to be “the very best at both receiving and giving” counsel.

In the first chapter, it is shown that biblical counseling has existed, in a sense, for a very long time (for example the Puritans, 25). However, it suffered a long period of neglect. Many things affected this decline, nine of the most important are listed (26-34). There was over a hundred year gap in which there was no substantive biblical book put out to help people with their problems, until 1970, when Adams’ published Competent to Counsel (26, 35).

The next chapter talks about “Advances in How Biblical Counselors Think about Counseling.” Adams had a focus on sin which is necessary, and especially for what he was facing in his context at the time. However, suffering was not addressed as it should have been. This fault is presently being worked on; this is a clear advancement in the biblical counseling world. Another advancement is in regards to motivation. Instead of mainly regarding behavior there has been an emphasis from where those behaviors flow from, the heart. This has led to much healthy talk about “idols of the heart.”
 
Chapter three deals with advances in how counseling is done. Adams rightly understood that to exhort those in sin to repent and change their ways was a loving thing, however, sometimes he would exhort them in a seemingly less than loving way. There have been advances here, as we said, regarding suffering. Another good emphasis is counseling that is familial. “The counselor is still speaking authoritatively, but authority has a different tone when done in the context of a brother-sister relationship than when it is done in a general-corporal relationship” (91).

The next chapter discusses how the biblical counseling movement has grown in its apologetic engagement. In fact, you can see the development of Adams himself. The author helpfully breaks down and alliterates Powlison’s priorities for engagement: “construct, confront, and consider” (115). He also suggests “the way forward.” First, he explains the significance of teaching in the Christian academy. Second, pastors must be competent to counsel “and they must lead, train, and exhort the flocks to counsel” (118).
The next chapter asks and answers the question, has there been an advancement in how biblical counsels think about the Bible? The answer, no. Though, Johnson sees two different sets of biblical counselors (122-25). “Traditional biblical counsels” in the Jay Adams vein, and those that he sees as more open-minded he labels “progressive biblical counsels.” The author, however, shows that there is not a “progressive” group and a “traditional” group; they are both committed to the complete authority and sufficiency of Scripture (136).

In the next chapter, “An Area Still in Need of Advancement,” the author explores areas that need further attention. First, the author states that there are many helpful things about all the talk of “idols of the heart,” yet there are still shortcomings (139). This needs to be addressed from both the New Testament and the Old Testament. Further, he lists seven other things that still need advancement. This is a practical chapter.

In the conclusion, the author exhorts the following generations of counselors to be Bereans as Adams was, to seek to confirm more and more of their practice to line up with Scripture. He exhorts them to advance but reminds them not to neglect or minimize the work of the previous generations.

Critical Evaluation
The book was written in a gracious and wise manner. The author was truthful about some of the failures of past leaders in the movement. However, the tone was kind, loving, grateful, and respectful (see for example 161). To be honest, it is hard to be “critical” of a book I enjoyed as much as this.

The book was certainly sufficiently academic in its research yet not boring in its tone. It was logical and clear in structure. There was helpful commentary on the past that led to practical insights for the future. For instance, the author clearly pointed out Adams lack of attention on suffering and offered helpful solutions moving forward.

Conclusion
This book was written well and was quite engaging and practical for the topic. It will be a catalyst for the biblical counseling movement moving forward. I will reference it again in the future and prescribe it to those I know that are interested in biblical counseling. It was very insightful in what it covered yet it was not daunting in depth, I appreciated that. I also enjoyed the author's tone, he was unkind to none.

[Justin Dillehay · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good read for all who love biblical counseling. At the same time, I think you could get the gist by reading the intro and the ends of chapters. Also, his final chapter is also worth a full read.

[Andrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was assigned readying for a graduate course on the history and philosophy of biblical counseling.

It deals very briefly with the early origins of counseling (generally as "ministry") and the start of the field of psychology and then it gets into the movement started by Jay Adams and developed by his successors.

The author goes to great pains to be charitable toward Adams. In my opinion, it's a little overkill but I appreciate his heart in trying to show appreciation for what Adams has done (and I'm sure it helps that the author knows Adams personally; knowing the whole person is a great antidote to judgementalism). He then covers a few big topics in which the people that came after Adams (lead namely by David Powlison) have built on/corrected/developed the system. I'm not sure Lambert would say "corrected," but I would. My professor is one who doesn't seem to think it is fair to criticize Adams, but I don't find that realistic (regarding anyone) or honest/responsible. Adams has been criticized much from people who don't subscribe to his ideas about biblical counseling, but that doesn't mean that it helps anyone to sugar coat his work for those who might possibly be in his camp if some needed corrections were made.

It's not really fair because I haven't yet read anything by Adams himself, but I can't say that I have a super high opinion of him from all the things I've read about him - even in this book. There's something about how out of his way Lambert goes to show grace to Adams that makes me think that either Adams was incredibly prone to being misunderstood or he just never figured out how to dialogue nicely with anyone who disagreed with him. I have a hard time understanding how someone who is so bombastic (a word the author himself uses) and/or thin-skinned could be great with counseling, but I'm trying to withhold judgment until I read some of his stuff firsthand.

The book itself was helpful in understanding the basics of Adam's contributions (and, really, foundation) to the biblical counseling movement and the main areas in which it has grown since then, as well as who some of the main players are. Lambert tries to show where the first generation and the second generation shared common ground and where they diverged. It's written in an easy to follow style and it's not very long. Lambert makes some good observations and communicates in an open, non-defensive manner. I think it's a good place to start to get an overview or a refresher. And the final chapter, which is more of a caveat about the issue of motivation and "idols of the heart" as developed by the second generation, was a great exhortation about an area in which the movement can (and should) continue to grow.

I was pleasantly surprised by the tone of this book and the fairness with which the author tried to treat each person's words and work. I found elements of my own perspective represented in several areas and was appreciative of how the Lambert dealt with varying (sometimes opposite) viewpoints with grace and humility. I recommend this as a sort of insider's look at the biblical counseling movement. Lambert studied under Powlison and spent a good amount of time with Adams. He seems well positioned (and well suited) to write this book.

[Blake · Rating 4 out of 5]

As I wrap up this book, my initial thought is that this is an excellent evaluation of the Biblical Counseling movement since it was kicked off "again" by Jay Adams in the early 70's. I say, "again," because I am more than overewhelmingly convinced that Adams merely called believers back to being followers of Jesus like the first century church was. Adams will be credited with impacting literally thousands of us who have followed in his wake, but like any ministry or philosophy of ministry that is put together by finite, sinful humans, there will be weaknesses. Lambert does an excellent job of showing the strengths of what Adams started and then helps the reader see how the Biblical Counseling movement has matured and grown, by addressing those initial weaknesses, while still holding solid to one issue that, if ever compromised, would make Biblical Counseling, well, no longer Biblical. That one issue is the sufficiency of Scripture.

When I graduated from Bible colllege, I was indoctrinated in a counseling philosophy that did not embrace the sufficiency of Scripture. In 1996 God awakened me to truth about His All-sufficient word and I began to read, Adams, Mack, Powlison, etc. I am eternally grateful to these men for their work and their willingness to stand for truth in the midst of the church that had so compromised. Lambert does an effective job in helping us see the history of the Biblical Counseling movement and how the maturing process has helped develop Biblical Counseling to a point where we can speak with confidence into a culture that is saturated with the broken cisterns of psychology.

[Bryce Beale · Rating 4 out of 5]

Heath Lambert was brought on as executive director of the Association of Certified Biblical Counselors not long after this book was published. Overall, I think he does a masterful job of tracing the modern biblical counseling movement from its undisputed founder, Jay Adams, through those he considers the "second generation," headed by David Powlison.

He notes that while the core motivations (chief among them the sufficiency of Scripture) and practices of biblical counseling are unchanged (he devotes one of his later chapters to this belief), in many areas the movement has matured since its infancy. Biblical counselors today tend to see their counselees as sinners and sufferers, not just sinners who need rebuke; they put more emphasis on the heart and idols of the heart than Jay did; etc. As someone certified with ACBC and relatively connected to the biblical counseling movement, these assessments all resonated with my own experience.

I'm not sure what to make of Lambert's penultimate chapter, his own critique of "idols of the heart" as popularized by Powlison. Lambert wants to nuance the discussion by placing the emphasis behind our idols, at the location of our self-seeking hearts. I do not know that any good counselor would disagree with his critique, but perhaps its level of nuance has kept it from being broadly used.

[Joshua Mesloh · Rating 5 out of 5]

An easy-to-understand summary of the BCM and its core foundations from the first generation of biblical counselors starting with Adams to the second generation with Powlison and others. It is a must-read for those who desire to counsel and learn where the biblical counseling movement came from.
Also, chapters 2 and 6 provide excellent insight and thinking on "idols" and the modern terminology surrounding them. Should we call sins idols even though we are not worshiping literal idols? Here, the survey of the language and ideas behind the issue reveals that it is more complicated than answering the question with a simple yes or no. A good initial resource for someone looking to write or learn about "idols" and "idolatry."

[Dominic Sunukjian · Rating 4 out of 5]

As someone who has over a dozen of Jay Adam's books in my library, I was a bit skeptical of the title however this book documents the history of the movement with insight and clarity and encapsulates the advances of the biblical counseling movement post-Jay Adams, much of which Adams himself admitted he left undone. It was originally a doctoral dissertation, and aside from illuminating the direction of biblical counseling moving forward, it serves as an apologetic of the sufficiency of God's word for understanding the motivation of people and the struggles of human relationships. A must-read for all pastors, and Christian and biblical counselors!

[Karen Soole · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a helpful book to read because it provided clarity on how and why the current biblical counselling movement developed. I am not personally convinced by the approach of this movement. Lambert's book clarified to me why the movement has taken off in the way that it has. The people involved have been deliberately seeking a higher profile and influence in pastoral care, church life and theological training. It also highlights how the movement is developing and maturing, e.g., moving away from the idolatry paradigm. It also is explicit that for people like Lambert this movement is like a second reformation. That alone should be a cause for alarm.

[Melvin Kauffman · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a helpful introduction to the context and beginnings of the Biblical Counseling movement and the necessary developments since Adams' bombastic, Luther-like pioneering of it. Like others said, by reading the introduction and first chapter you get the point without necessarily reading ch. 2-5. Chapter 6 is a great biblical theological look at idolatry as it relates to the fundamental human problem.

[Joseph Chung · Rating 5 out of 5]

A good book in reviewing the Biblical Counseling Movement initiated by Adams. The strengths and shortcomings of the Movement in the first generation were organized and clearly presented. Also it argued well how the second generation makes the Movement more biblical and helpful to believers. An excellent reading for any Christians who are serious in counseling ministry.

[Darin Vogt · Rating 5 out of 5]

A good review

A very good introduction as to why Biblical counseling and its development is the preferred method over the various integrational approaches within Christian counseling. Also illustrates both present and past weaknesses of Biblical counseling.

[Erik Spohr · Rating 3 out of 5]

Insightful.