Running head: THEORY CRITIQUE: ADAMS WITH BACKUS AND CHAPIAN

LIBERTY UNIVERSITY LIBERTY BAPTIST THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY

THEORY CRITIQUE: ADAMS WITH BACKUS AND CHAPIAN

A PAPER SUBMITTED TO DR. JOHNNY BAKER IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE COURSE EVAN 507 THEOLOGY AND SPIRITUALITY IN COUNSELING

BY JASON ANDREW BARR

PENSACOLA, FLORIDA SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 3, 2013

THEORY CRITIQUE: ADAMS WITH BACKUS AND CHAPIAN

Concise Summary of the Content Dr. Jay Adams presents the goal or objective of counseling as change in a person. That is, change and the heart are central themes in the counseling process. The question assumes that people need counseling because they need to change or be transformed in their thinking which will eventually lead to a heart transformation. What do people need changed into? Dr. Adams says its Christlikeness that is described as the freedom to choose obedience to the Word and will of God, which in turn will have a positive impact on ones life and relationships. To this end, he presents a four-step process which centers on the Word of God as the main source for truth. As Christians we submit to the Bible as the inerrant and infallible Word of God, therefore no other sources are needed (Adams 1986, 20). Specifically addressing The Apostles Pauls words to Timothy 2 Timothy 3:14-17, Dr. Adams builds on four elements: Teaching, convicting, correcting and discipline training in righteousness. These four elements, once fully developed, become the process for Christian counseling. Teaching becomes an important aspect of Christian counseling because we live in a postmodern world which resists objective truth. To combat this, the counselor must teach the truth of Gods Word in such a way that His standard of living is communicated to the counselee. Through the teaching process, it is important for the counselor to have personal involvement, to be enthusiastic and relevant. The counselor must show the love of Christ like an apostle (Adams 1986, 94), a love for biblical doctrine and use relevant illustrations as did Jesus. This will lead to the second step, which is often tied to the first, in which conviction of the heart and soul leads to an awareness of Gods standard. This step involves the counselees relationship with God and should be a positive stage because God convicts us because he loves us. We cannot leave the counselee in the condition, which is ideally on ones knees before the Lord. We must help them

THEORY CRITIQUE: ADAMS WITH BACKUS AND CHAPIAN

stand up which is the meaning for the Greek word correction (Adams 1986, 139). The counselee is then encouraged to stand up and stand on the Word of God, and to stimulated them to get on the narrow path toward righteousness. Repenting of sin and restoration in relationships are essential to this step, as well as church discipline if applicable. In the final step, the counselee is trained to develops habits and practices that glorify God. Much like exercise, this step is hard work! Backus and Chapian suggest that understanding and embracing Gods truth is the goal of counseling. It can be said that the truth will set you free. In this light, the authors discuss misbeliefs which are described as the root cause of the feelings and mental illness symptoms that counselors see in counselees today (Backus & Chapian 2000, 17). Through the counseling process, counselees should be encouraged to wrestle with the misbeliefs they have developed throughout their lifetime and begin to work toward embracing the truth which is found in the Bible. For example, the way that we think is sometimes based upon how we feel others think we should think. We then try to adapt ourselves to this way of thinking in order to be accepted by others. This makes a person lose themselves and cease to identify with who they are. This lack of understanding of oneself can lead to emotional and mental instability. Backus and Chapian provide specific cases that address misbeliefs in areas such as depression, anger, anxiety, lack of self-control, self-hate, fear of change, never taking a chance, our relationships with others and being indispensable. The authors present a simple four step process which begins with assisting the counselee in identifying various misbeliefs. These beliefs are then compared to the many truth claims presented in the Bible and the counselor and counselee argue against them. It is in the third step of the process that the counselor is led to replace his or her misbeliefs with the truths that are

THEORY CRITIQUE: ADAMS WITH BACKUS AND CHAPIAN

presented in Gods Word. As the counselee begins to accept and embrace the real truth of as provided in Gods word, he or she will begin to be set free and feel differently. This, again, is because or feelings and behaviors are closely tied to what we believe. Once our beliefs are correct, then feelings and behaviors will change. Evaluation of Strengths and Weaknesses Dr. Adams clearly falls within the Nothing Buttery model of integration. Dr. Adams states that there is no need to add secular psychology to Christian counseling because the Bible is the source of all truth and needs no additions (Adams 1986, 39). He also makes the statement that Jesus did not need psychology yet was the Wonderful Counselor (Adams 1986, 35). One could say, Jesus is God and has no need for psychology, but I am human and do not possess such knowledge. To counter this I would say that we do have that wisdom and knowledge of God because He has provided to us His Word! This has led me to rethink my response in the first discussion board as I now lean toward the Nothing Buttery model of integration. This is a strength in that it calls both the counselor and the counselee to lean on the eternal word of God which is contained in the Bible. If Christlikeness and transformation are the goals, then the Bible should be all that we need! Adams also provides a process in which counselees wrestle with their life circumstances and life history (past events) with the wisdom of Scripture in order to become convicted (if necessary) and to have heart-transformation. This is a lengthy and deep process in which the Holy Spirit molds and shapes the counselee into the person God wants him or her to be. Counselees will examine their experiences and see how God has used them, good or bad, to shape their character. Backus and Chapian, on the other hand, have a feel good attitude in that one only needs to change his or her thinking in order to change ones behavior. Thus, change is

THEORY CRITIQUE: ADAMS WITH BACKUS AND CHAPIAN

done by the individual and not God. The counselee will have an I did it! attitude verses the God gets all the glory attitude. Who is doing the work? Is it the counselor, Holy Spirit and counselee working together, or is it the counselee simply making Im good enough statements long enough until it is believed? They also suggest that people can be happy in spite of their circumstances. I am not against happiness, but I believe there is a difference between joy and happiness. The goal of counseling should be the joy of the Lord which transcends circumstances and experiences. Happiness is contingent upon circumstances and experiences. Personal Reflection and Application In this weeks presentation, the speaker said that you will either like or dislike Dr. Jay Adams and his model of counseling. I am one who likes it! After reading Adams, I now have a better understanding of the Nothing Buttery model of integration. That is, no integration is necessary! Adams does hint at some usefulness for secular psychology, but it is for filling out purposes. That is, psychological principles may help with information, but are not useful in the counseling process (Adams 1986, 39). Gods Word is sufficient for all matters of life, which includes counseling. Finally, there is more to our feelings than just our thinking. My grandfather was very influential in my life even though he died when I was ten years old. Six years later my mother died on my birthday (sweet sixteen). My thinking about death drastically changed and it was more than just a change in thinking that needed to take place. It took soul-searching and much prayer to see the bigger picture that was more than just my stinkin-thinkin. I had to wrestle with forgiveness and providence along with other such themes in order to fully see that it was God at work in and through these experiences. It was He that was developing the character and faith that I have today.

THEORY CRITIQUE: ADAMS WITH BACKUS AND CHAPIAN

References Adams, Jay E. (1986). How to help people change. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan. Backus, William and Chapian, Marie. (2000). Telling yourself the truth. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Publishing Group.