What is Biblical counselling?

Biblical counselling is the personal application of God’s Word, addressing life’s challenges through the lens of the gospel within the framework of God’s redemptive narrative—Creation, Fall, Redemption, and Renewal.

What it is not: It is not about offering quick fixes or methods, but about growing in wisdom and love for God and others. Rooted in Scripture, Biblical counselling helps individuals recognize their need for Christ, confront sin and suffering with faith, and find direction in walking with God. Biblical counselling is about glorifying God and trusting His purposes by embracing weakness, boasting in Christ rather than self-sufficiency (2 Cor 12:9). At its core, Biblical counselling is face-to-face gospel ministry. It is helping people walk in faith through their struggles, equipping them with the truth of God’s Word, and pointing them to Christ as their ultimate hope and healer. 

What should I expect during biblical counselling sessions?

Biblical counselling is a collaborative and prayerful process where God’s Word is shared and applied through meaningful conversations. Because biblical counselling is a collaborative process, active participation is essential. In order to experience growth and healing, each counsellee must engage wholeheartedly in the counselling process to deepen their relationship with the Lord. This includes the expectation that each counsellee will attend sessions on time, bring a Bible, complete assigned homework, and remain actively engaged in a church community. These homework assignments often include, but are not limited to, reading Scripture, prayer, extra-biblical reading such as biblical articles, chapters of books or resources, Scripture memory and citation, and journal entries.

What about the relationship between modern psychology and biblical counselling? We firmly believe it is wise to approach the relationship between psychology and Christianity with discernment, recognizing the limitations of psychological science. While psychology can provide valuable insights into human behaviour, thoughts, and emotions, it cannot address every question about life, meaning or the human soul. Likewise, while the doctrine of Scriptural inerrancy establishes that Scripture in the original manuscript does not affirm anything that is contrary to fact, it also does not give complete details on every topic, which is why observation, inquiry, and learning are valuable. Importantly, the necessity of wisdom to recognize that human interpretations of both natural and biblical data are subject to error and bias is imperative. Therefore, we believe that psychology and theology should be examined with humility, always rooted in the biblical truth that God's wisdom and truth is absolute. We believe that, like medicine, psychological science evolves and develops over time through new insights and discoveries, making ongoing discussions with Christianity essential. Acknowledging humanity’s ability to learn and grow does not diminish Christ’s authority. This means that psychological insights can complement biblical counselling. We further acknowledge and believe that though God created natural law, he is not bound by it, therefore, empirical evidence cannot be considered the ultimate authority.

In conclusion, while psychology offers valuable tools for understanding human behaviour and supporting emotional and mental well-being, it must always be approached through the lens of Scripture. When used with discernment and humility, psychological insights can complement the work of biblical counselling, but must never override or replace the authority of God’s Word. Ultimately, we affirm that human understanding is limited, but God’s wisdom is perfect and supreme.