Counseling: How To Counsel Biblically

About the author

John F. MacArthur

John Fullerton MacArthur, the co-author of this book, was born on 19th June 1939 to an accomplished preacher named Jack MacArthur. John has earned a place among some of the most influential Christian preachers of America and is one of the most recognizable and widely popular American Evangelical Christian preachers. Apart from these successes, he is also a popular author and conference speaker with numerous books published in his name.

John has served as a teacher and pastor in Grace Community Church which is located in Sun Valley, California, Since February 1969. He also became the president of The Master's College in Santa Clarita, California, in 1985. However, John largely earned fame and recognition through his radio program named Grace to You which was broadcast to Christian audiences across the globe. This radio program became the platform through which John was able to preach to a wider audience.

In terms of theological orientation, John is a Baptist who staunchly supports and follows an expository approach to preaching. He has also been the most frequently viewed Christian preacher on television and was frequently invited on popular TV shows like Larry King Live, where he represented an evangelical Christian perspective. Christianity Today has ranked John among the most influential preachers of the modern era.

John is also the author and editor of a little over 150 books, the most notable and widely popular among which is the MacArthur Study Bible. The book received a Gold Medallion Book Award and became the most successful work of John with more than 1 million copies sold worldwide. MacArthur New Testament Commentary Series, Twelve Ordinary Men and A Faith to Grow On are some of other best-sellers by the author that have earned worldwide acclaim.

Summary

John MacArthur's book, Counseling: How to counsel biblically, can essentially be termed a theological alternative to secular psychology. The book presents to the reader a set of concrete theological concepts that form the foundation of biblical counseling. These concepts are explained in a lucid and coherent manner so that the reader is able to easily differentiate them with secular and humanistic theories involved in psychological counseling.

Through this book, the reader learns to use a system of biblical tools that help them in bringing together their lives, the problems they encounter, and God. Most of the teachings contained in the book are based on three principle convictions that form the core of the book's teachings. These core convictions are discussed below:

Faith in Divine Healing

John believes that it is imperative for Christians to accept that the word of God is inarguably and unquestionably the supreme counseling authority for healing their broken lives. He explains that the incredible healing powers of God as well as his miracles can neither be underestimated nor questioned by men of faith. John reminds people of the many times in their lives when they are confronted by problems and predicaments that are beyond their control. He iterates that just the belief in God's creative power for ...