Appendix Four – Selecting a Biblical Counselor

APPENDIX FOUR
Selecting A Biblical Counselor

-Pray that God will guide you to the right counselor.

-Select a biblical counselor from your home church if one is available.

-If your church does not have a biblical counselor, ask your pastor for a referral to a biblical counseling ministry in your community.

-Ask a fellow-believer for a recommendation to a biblical counselor who has helped them.

Here are some key questions to ask a prospective counselor:

-Are you a believer?  When did you accept Christ as your Savior?

-How  does your faith affect your counseling?

-Upon what do you base your counseling?

-How do you incorporate prayer into your counseling?

-How long have you been engaged in a counseling ministry?

-Do you charge for counseling and if so, what is the fee?

Remember that just because someone is a Christian does not mean he/she is a biblical counselor.  Some Christian counselors base their counsel on secular psychology.  Biblical counselors base their counsel on God’s Word, not secular psychology.

-Be sure your counselor is a born-again believer.

-Be sure your counselor incorporates prayer and the Word of God into counseling.

-Counseling is an interactive process, meaning that open and honest dialogue must occur between a counselor and a counselee.  If you cannot establish such dialogue, you might need to find a different counselor.

-Do not remain with a counselor who discredits God, discounts His Word, or criticizes the church and its leadership.

-Do not remain with a counselor whose lifestyle does not line up with the Word of God.

-Do not remain with a counselor who is manipulative or controlling.