Drawing from a wide range of resources and experts in Christian soul care, this book is a well-researched, easy-to-read, and practical guide for students and counselors both inside and outside of biblical counseling to better understand its aspects, methods, and goals. Biblical Counseling Basics equips readers with practical skills for one-another ministry and engages them with their divine call to counsel.
Since God first spoke words of life to Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, counseling has been foundational to God's people. Many of the most basic questions of psychology—who we are, why do we do what we do, and how do we change—are informed by the Bible, which speaks profoundly to each and every one.
In this resource, Dr. Jeremy Lelek offers a comprehensive approach to biblical counseling, beginning by retracing the movement's history, then exploring its basic tenets, and finally providing helpful insight for the future of biblical counseling.
Helping to connect the dots between soul care and theology, and including real-life case studies, readers are encouraged to apply theology to current issues and the here and now needs of others.
Also offering a way forward, this guide encourages counselors that the use of the Bible is central to their practices and development. Offering the Bible as the preeminent resource to address even the most complex mental and emotional struggles, Biblical Counseling Basics exposes readers to the finished work of Christ as the greatest hope for all believers.
"Lelek's book does what no other biblical counseling book does. It gives you a helpful history, it defines what it really means to counsel biblically, and it offers guidance for the future of soul care. If you have been called to care for people, this book should be in your library."
Paul David Tripp, President of Paul Tripp Ministries; author of New Morning Mercies
"This is more than biblical counseling basics. It is a wise telling of the history of biblical counseling, a useable systematic theology for counselors, and a thoughtful welcome to those who don't quite know what to make of it all. Thank you, Jeremy, for moving us ahead."
Edward T. Welch, Faculty member at CCEF; best-selling author of Side by Side: Walking with Others in Wisdom and Love
"When an accident left me a quadriplegic, I collapsed emotionally. I vaguely knew the Bible probably contained answers, but I had no idea where to look. Thankfully, I was introduced to a biblical counselor who made all the difference. He wasn't a trained professional; he simply loved Jesus and wanted to make him a reality in my life. Friend, you have the same counseling potential. It's why I love Biblical Counseling Basics. Want to help wounded people find life-giving hope? This book is for you!"
Joni Eareckson Tada, Joni and Friends International Disability Center
"Biblical Counseling Basics is an excellent primer for distinctly Christian counseling, as it clearly explicates the necessity and relevance of Scripture in the care of souls. Written in a narrative style, within the framework of a robust evangelical theology, it challenges readers to love struggling people with the mercy and grace of God in Christ."
Sam R. Williams, Professor of Counseling, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary
"'Blessed are the peacemakers' (Mt. 5:9). One way to make peace is by listening to others. This book uniquely demonstrates the biblical virtue of peacemaking by its author's willingness to listen to and value those inside and outside the biblical counseling movement—even those with whom he disagrees. What a gift to us all! May it have wide influence among biblical counselors, supporters (like me), and those Christian counselors who themselves have listened too little to biblical counselors."
Eric L. Johnson, Senior Research Professor, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary
"Jeremy Lelek has given a gift to the church and, frankly, a gift to me. As I read Biblical Counseling Basics, I found myself saying, 'Oh, now I understand.' I understood why some counseling (mine included) didn't work and why some counseling (mine included) did. It wasn't true or false because it worked or didn't work . . . it worked or didn't work because the basics were either true or false, biblical or pagan, from God or from the dark side. This book is so very important, and every Christian needs to read it. You will not only say, 'Oh, now I understand,' you will rise up and call Jeremy Lelek blessed for having written it."
Steve Brown, Distinguished author, Christian broadcaster, and visiting professor of Practical Theology at Knox Theological Seminary and Westminster Theological Seminary
"Bringing together the historical narrative of the biblical counseling movement and the eternal truths of Scripture that are preeminently relevant to the emotional, mental, and relational struggles of our day, Biblical Counseling Basics is a resource that will encourage and equip believers in their ongoing development as biblical counselors. If you desire to learn the foundations of this craft, and how to practically apply Scripture to the maladies of the soul, I highly recommend this book."
Elyse Fitzpatrick, Author of Counsel from the Cross
"Here is a clarion call to grasping the rich history of biblical counseling with its solid commitment to the sufficiency of Scripture; healthy inter;action with secular thought, using the Scripture as the measure of all knowledge; advocacy of surgical accuracy in the use of Scripture and acute avoidance of proof texting; the centrality of theology proper as the context for counseling; and thoughtful challenge regarding law and ethics."
Howard A. Eyrich, Director of DMin in Biblical Counseling, Birmingham Theological Seminary; Fellow, Association of Certified Biblical Counselors
"Biblical counseling needs more scholars, teachers, leaders, and practitioners like Jeremy Lelek, nuanced in their approach and willing to embrace the complexities of the human psyche. I commend Biblical Counseling Basics to anyone desiring a practical primer on how the Scriptures relate to the care of souls."
Greg Wilson, Lead Counselor at Soul Care Associates; care deacon at The Village Church, Flower Mound, TX
"Biblical Counseling Basics is an important book in the field of Christian counseling. Lelek provides a much-needed balance to the negative and often uninformed debates that permeate the field. He examines biblical, historical, and contemporary perspectives; identifies the foundational counseling principles; and emphasizes the importance of a transformed heart, not just external behavioral changes. His view is uncompromising in acknowledging the authority and role of Scripture in counseling. In the process, he uncovers the nuanced variety of views in biblical counseling, as he follows the biblical mandate to seek unity in Christ within the fellowship of the saints (1 Cor. 1:10; Eph. 4:3)."
Ian F. Jones, Professor of Psychology & Counseling, Chairman of the Division of Church & Community Ministries, and Baptist Community Ministries' Chair of Pastoral Counseling, New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary
"If you're a Christian entering the world of counseling, it may seem like you're traveling in a small boat into a vast ocean. The philosophical currents are strong. The history is deep. The possible directions of travel are endless. What are the dangers? How do you navigate the relentless ideological waves? Whose words do you trust? How does God fit, or you fit, or Scripture fit? Where do you begin? Biblical Counseling Basics tackles these kinds of questions. Jeremy Lelek gives you a good place to begin. He maps some relevant history, helps you gather bearings in the present debates, and invites you to set a course into ministry that takes God, Scripture, and theology seriously when it comes to the wise care of human souls."
John Henderson, Associate Pastor, Del Ray Baptist Church, Alexandria, VA; author of Equipped to Counsel
"Biblical Counseling Basics is a thorough, accessible, practical resource that will be at home in the hands of licensed practitioners, pastors, and everyday disciple-makers. If you are called to walk wisely and biblically alongside people as they navigate the precarious terrain of the heart, this Christ-centered work will bless you and help you."
Chris Freeland, Senior Pastor, McKinney Church, Fort Worth, TX
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If you’re just starting off in your biblical counseling education, this book is perfect! The author does a great job of introducing the topic and explaining it to any newbie.
A great resource material
Encouraging and challenging. My first counseling book.. Wish I read it earlier. I would recommend to anyone else who is interested in counseling
This was a pleasure to study with my highlighter in hand. Very informative. Well-written and as interesting as it is helpful. Highly recommend.
Part of a Psychology & Counseling, Ph.D. course required book, I was overjoyed to find such a readable, useful introduction to Biblical Counseling, by a scientist-practitioner who knows his field, as well as those who originated Biblical Counseling. The Association of Biblical Counselors (ABC), run by the author, was another invaluable resource, as Dr. Lelek remains available to help students and those learning Biblical Counseling. Really top-notch, by a secular-trained clinician who "gets" the modalities he compares to Biblical Counseling. Get it now. I am a retired Army LTC Behavioral Health Officer, who has worked with many Chaplains, always searching for excellent supervisors and material. This will add to your war-chest, for clients.
Counseling opportunities and situations hit us all. Neighbors, co-workers, fellow church members and family come seeking direction or help in a trying situation. Often times, whether as pastors or parishioners, we feel pretty helpless. To the rescue comes a new 288 page paperback "Biblical Counseling Basics: Roots, Beliefs, and Future". This resource is penned by Jeremy Lelek, PhD, president of the Association of Biblical Counselors and Metroplex Counseling, a licensed professional counselor in the state of Texas, and a lecturer. The volume primarily attempts to "unpack the single question, What is biblical counseling" (1)? It is written for moms, dads, ministers, and data processors, and meant to arouse the perception that to do biblical counseling is in your grasp. As noted in the subtitle, Lelek goes into the roots and genealogy of biblical counseling. He moves briefly through the early church fathers, medieval era, the Reformers, then the Puritans and up into the present. In the first two chapters the author not only schools us on how biblical counseling rose out of concern for the growing milieu of secular psychology , but also the different perspectives and approaches in Christian counseling. The author ends the book close to where he began as he addresses the issue of epistemology and the future of biblical counseling in the present environment. "The weight of the book sits in it's middle descriptor, which is about beliefs and practices in biblical counseling. This section is something of a theology of biblical counseling, where the author runs through many categories in systematic theology and shows how they apply in a counseling situation: the role of God's revelation, who God is and how his attributes apply in a counseling scenario, what is humankind, where does the body fit into counseling, and what is the church's role in soul care. This middle section covers twelve chapters, and works out how Christian ""counselors not only need a rich theology of motivation but also a vibrant theology of change"" (153). As Lelek illustrates his points, using true-to-life counseling situations, it encourages the reader that they just might actually be able to help others! ""Of the many items in """"Biblical Counseling Basics"""" I could point out, I take note of two subjects that were of interest to me. First, when the author is describing deceptive desire, and that we are to put off these desires that produce corruption, he then lays out a table of four deceitful desires, their accompanying futile beliefs, and the way they corrupt. The four desires he mentions are: acceptance, security, control, and love (148). When I read this I stopped and read it again. I immediately scribbled in the margin, """"How are these deceitful desires?!"""" None of those listed are evil or immoral in and of themselves. In fact, all of them are useful in promoting what is right and good and godly. Take acceptance as an example. Paul tells us in Romans 14 that God's kingdom is not a matter of eating and drinking but """"of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit"""" (14.17). The Apostle then declares, """"Whoever thus serves Christ is acceptable to God and approved by men""""(14.18). And lastly he directs the readers, """"So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding"""" (14.19). Acceptance is part of the godly motivation for caring about fellow Christians that Paul is promoting (and a case could be made that security, control and love are also). I was puzzled by Lelek's table. It was in the following paragraph that the explanation comes forth: """"It is important to note that not all the desires listed under """"deceptive desires"""" above are wrong or sinful. Rather, a particular form of sin's deception is that it influences people to desire these good things to the point that they become evil"""" (148). This is exactly what James aims at when describing desires that lure and entice us (desire seeks to gain dominance); once desire has gotten the upperhand (when it has conceived) then it gives birth to sin (James 1.14-15). I was glad that Lelek saw the difference between desires, and dominating desires that lead to sin. """"Secondly, the author rightly critiques the church's reactions to people's struggles with sin. """"""""Unfortunately, the community of faith has not always been a safe place to struggle. Just open up about wrestling with a porn addiction, homosexuality, severe depression, or manic delusions and watch the room clear...In many cases, this has unfortunately reduced the community of saints to a religious Gestapo, eager to punish or ostracize anyone unable or unwilling to offer immediate conformity to a set of rules. Paul's instruction to restore with a spirit of gentleness is too often lost"""""""" (166). Ouch! But, really, a good """"""""ouch"""""""". """"""""Though """"""""""""""""Biblical Counseling Basics"""""""""""""""" will not make a person an expert counselor, it will, at the least, kindle a hopefulness that one can actually fulfill Galatians 6.1-2, """"""""""""""""Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ."""""""""""""""" Pastors and parishioners alike should snatch up a copy, read it thoughtfully and prayerfully, and mark it up with highlights and notes for future reference. I highly recommend the work."
