The Best of Books on Theology and Counseling

Kellemen’s Christian The Best Of Guide
The Best of Books on

The Theology of Biblical Counseling and Spiritual Formation

Kellemen’s Christian The Best of Guide: Making your life easier by finding, summarizing, evaluating, and posting the best resources on a wide variety of topics from a Christian perspective.

The Twenty Most Influential Books on

The Theology of Biblical Counseling and Spiritual Formation

Note: The following books focus on a theology/theory of biblical counseling and spiritual formation. They do not highlight methodology/practice. They focus on a broad theory of people, problems, and solutions, they do not highlight specific “issues” in counseling (such as depression, anxiety, etc.).

Note: For the sake of space, I have not reviewed each of these books. However, I do have a 55-page document that reviews over 125 books on Biblical Counseling and Spiritual Formation: http://bit.ly/sYx1U. That fuller document explains that I do not endorse everything in all the books below. The books below are the ones that you want to be aware because they have shaped the various perspectives on modern biblical/Christian counseling and spiritual formation.

Bibliography

Adams, Jay E. A Theology of Christian Counseling: More Than Redemption. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1986.

Anderson, Neil T., Terry Zuehlke, and Julianne S. Zuehlke. Christ-Centered Therapy: The Practical Integration of Psychology and Theology. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2000.

Bredfeldt, Gary J. and Harry Shields. Caring for Souls: Counseling Under the Authority of Scripture. Chicago: Moody, 2001.

Clinton, Tim and George Ohlschlager, eds. Competent Christian Counseling, Volume One: Foundations and Practice of Compassionate Soul Care. Colorado Springs: Waterbrook, 2002.

Collins, Gary. Christian Counseling: A Comprehensive Guide. Revised edition. Nashville: Nelson, 1988.

Crabb, Larry. Understanding People. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1987.

Eyrich, Howard A. and William L. Hines. Curing the Heart: A Model for Biblical Counseling. Ross-shire, UK: Christian Focus Publications, 2002.

Fitzpatrick, Elyse. Idols of the Heart: Learning to Long for God Alone. Phillipsburg, NJ: P & R Publishing, 2001.

Johnson, Eric. Foundations for Soul Care: A Christian Psychology Proposal. Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic, 2007.

Jones, Ian. The Counsel of Heaven on Earth: Foundations for Biblical Christian Counseling. Nashville: B&H, 2006.

Jones, Stanton and Eric Johnson, eds. Psychology and Christianity. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity, 2000.

Kellemen, Robert W. Soul Physicians: A Theology of Soul Care and Spiritual Direction. Revised Edition. Winona Lake, IN: BMH Books, 2007.

Lake, Frank. Clinical Theology. Lexington, KY: Emeth Press, 2006.

Lane, Tim, and Paul Tripp. How People Change. Second Edition. Greensboro, NC: New Growth Press, 2008.

MacArthur, John F., Jr. and Wayne A. Mack. Introduction to Biblical Counseling. Nashville: W Publishing Group, 1994.

McMinn, Mark. Psychology, Theology, and Spirituality in Christian Counseling. Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale, 1996.

Peterson, Eugene. Christ Plays in Ten Thousand Places: A Conversation in Spiritual Theology. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2005.

Powlison, David. Seeing with New Eyes: Counseling and the Human Condition through the Lens of Scripture. Phillipsburg, NJ: P & R, 2003.

Pugh, John. Christian Formational Counseling: The Work of the Spirit in the Human Race. Mustang, OK: Tate Publishing, 2008.

Tripp, Paul David. Instruments in the Redeemer’s Hands: People in Need of Change Helping People in Need of Change. Phillipsburg, NJ: P & R, 2002.

Important Stuff

*Your Guide: Bob Kellemen, Ph.D., LCPC, is the Founder and CEO of RPM Ministries (www.rpmministries.org) through which he writes, speaks, and consults to equip God’s people to change lives with Christ’s changeless truth. He blogs daily at http://rpmministries.blogspot.com.

*My Necessary Disclaimer: Of course, I don’t endorse everything in every article, book, or link that you’ll find in Kellemen’s Christian The Best of Guide. I report, you decide.

*Your Suggestions Are Welcomed: Feel free to post comments and/or send emails (rpm.ministries@gmail.com) about resources that you think deserve attention in various categories covered in Kellemen’s Christian The Best of Guide.

An Evangelical Theology for Kids 10 to 100!

An Evangelical Theology for Kids 10 to 100!

Book Review Details

Title: Big Truths for Young Hearts: Teaching and Learning the Greatness of God

Author: Bruce A. Ware, Ph.D.
Publisher: Crossway (2009)
Category: Parenting, Theology, Discipleship

Reviewed By: Bob Kellemen, Ph.D., LCPC, Author of Soul Physicians, Spiritual Friends, Beyond the Suffering, and Sacred Friendships (http://www.rpmministries.org/)

Recommended: A highly recommended antidote to the dumb-downed, frills, and cotton-candy approach so prevalent in American Evangelicalism today.

Review: An Evangelical Catechism for Kids Ages 10 to 100!

When someone like Bruce Ware, professor of Christian theology at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, and 2009 President of the Evangelical Theological Society, writes a book on theology, I take notice. When he writes it for parents and children—my interest is truly sparked.

Big Truths for Young Hearts: Teaching and Learning the Greatness of God is a modern-day Evangelical catechism. Ware’s purpose is to equip parents to raise their children to know and love God through raising them to know and love theology. How sad that such a goal seems so foreign in so many Christian circles today.

In many ways, as indicated by the precious foreword written by Ware’s young-adult daughters, Big Truths for Young Hearts is the “Theology 101” he taught (and modeled and lived) for and in front of his daughters. He’s just graciously sharing it with the rest of us. There is no grander testimony than their words, “Dad really believes the things that are in this book. His theology shapes the way he lives, as we have seen many times” (p. 11). There is no greater parental challenge than their challenge to us: “To parents: it may sound cliché, but we followed our father’s teaching in part because he practiced what he preached. Like all children, we needed to look up and see our parents looking up at a great God who has great things in store for those who love him” (p. 12).

Ware’s own testimony about the origin of the book mirrors his daughter’s memories. From the time they were toddlers, he tried creatively to teach them the same theology sequence he was teaching his seminary students. Ware has crafted his two-decade-long instruction of his girls into a theology book for parents and children.

The book covers the classic core doctrines of systematic theology. (Shh. Just don’t tell the children the “theological terms” in the parentheses below!)

*Chapter One: God’s Word (Bibliology) and God’s Own Life (Theology Proper)
*Chapter Two: God As Three in One (Trinitarian Theology)
*Chapter Three: Creator and Ruler of All (Theology Proper, The Sovereignty and Glory of God)
*Chapter Four: Our Human Nature (Anthropology) and Our Sin (Hamartiology)
*Chapter Five: Who Jesus Is (Christology)
*Chapter Six: The Work Jesus Has Done (Christology/Soteriology)
*Chapter Seven: The Holy Spirit (Pneumatology)
*Chapter Eight: Our Great Salvation (Soteriology, Election, Sanctification)
*Chapter Nine: The Church of Jesus Christ (Ecclesiology)
*Chapter Ten: What Will Take Place in the End (Eschatology)

Big Truths for Young Hearts is meant to be read together—parents and children. Each chapter is like a series of brief “theology devotionals,” each about three pages in length, and each concluding with Questions for Thought and with Memory Verses.

Frankly, as I read each chapter I kept thinking, “Now this is how theology should be taught to adults and to seminary students!” And I’m a seminary professor who teaches a class on theology for biblical counseling. In other words, any adult, no matter how well schooled in Evangelical theology, could and would benefit from this book. The book is beautifully written, Bible-saturated, Christ-centered, creatively-illustrated (word-pictures), and theologically-comprehensive.

As a parent of two young adult children, and as a parent who attempted to do similar training with our children, I repeatedly asked myself, “At what ages would this book ‘work’”? The reading level is likely best suited for the late elementary to the young adult. I would imagine that most children—toddler through fourth grade—might have somewhat of a difficult time staying with the reading.

I was a little surprised that there were no “Instructions for Parents.” This excellent book could benefit from a “Parents’ Manual” which could give parents ideas for how to “teach” and not just “read” these truths. What creative methods might a parent use? How could a parent best engage a child in the material? What personal life applications could parents and children discuss? How could parents apply the Deuteronomy 6 principle of “throughout the day” inculcation of truth applied to life? Big Truths for Young Hearts is a “what to teach book” (and does it extremely well). It is not, per se, a “how to teach” book. Perhaps a companion training book is in the works.

That said, Big Truths for Young Hearts is still a tremendous book for adults, young adults, middler schoolers, and high schoolers. It is an excellent book for parents to explore and apply with their pre-teens and teens. It would make a fine Sunday School book for teachers in grades 5th through Senior Saints! Youth groups, small groups, and homeschooling groups all will find Big Truths for Young Hearts very attractive, informative, and beneficial.

Seven Questions Every Biblical Counselor Must Answer

Seven Questions Every Biblical Counselor Must Answer

In yesterday’s blog (http://tinyurl.com/o8cmq8) (Whatever Happened to Truth?), I included a section on Seven Questions Every Biblical Counselor Must Answer.

Many of my readers asked, “Where do you address each of those seven questions in Soul Physicians (http://tinyurl.com/d8grf6)?”

Glad you asked!

Seven Biblical Counseling Questions Addressed in Soul Physicians

1. Do I know how to use God’s Word to change lives?

I address this question everywhere in the book. I also provide concentrated focus on it in pages 1-58.

2. Do I comprehend how the Trinity serves as the foundation for how I relate to others?

Pages 59-116.

3. Do I understand people—biblically?

Pages 117-214.

4. Can I diagnose problems—biblically?

Pages 215-322.

5. Can I prescribe God’s solutions—biblically?

Pages 323-500.

6. Do I grasp how our eternal future makes all the difference in how we live today?

Pages 501-540.

7. Am I able to dispense God’s grace and care for others competently?

I cover this throughout the book, including in the two personal application/ministry implication discussion guides at the end of each chapter. Additionally, in my second book, Spiritual Friends (http://tinyurl.com/coh23r), I spend the entire book equipping pastors, counselors, and lay people how to develop twenty-two biblical counseling relational competencies.

*Quick Link to Your Copy of Soul Physicians on RPM Ministries: http://tinyurl.com/d96hc6

*Quick Link to Your Copy of Spiritual Friends: http://tinyurl.com/qh5tj4

PS:

Of course, the idea is not that I have “cornered the market” on the right answers. As I tell my students frequently, “Be a Berean and take these content areas and test what I teach against the inspired, inerrant Word of God.”

Whatever Happened to Truth?

Whatever Happened to Truth?

Do you need a theological foundation for your people-helping ministry?

Do you want to know the seven topics every person must master if they are to do truly biblical ministry?

On the first page of my first book, Soul Physicians (http://tinyurl.com/d8grf6), I describe why we need a theological foundation for people ministry. I also outline the seven-part foundation we must understand if we are to have a comprehensive and compassionate approach to the personal ministry of the Word of God.

The Physician’s Desk Reference

Two books are standard in any physician’s office: The Physician’s Desk Reference (PDR) and The Merck Manual of Diagnosis and Therapy (Merck). Both are considered “Bibles of medical knowledge and practice.”

With its 3,223 pages of prescription drugs, the annually updated PDR is the most comprehensive, widely used drug reference available. It details the usage, warnings, and precautions for more than 4,000 prescription drugs.

Merck is the most widely used medical text in the world. It provides the latest information on the vast expanse of human diseases, disorders, and injuries, as well as their symptoms and treatments. Intended for physicians, it is still useful for the lay person. As one sage has commented, “a must for everyone in a human body.”

The The Soul Physician’s Desk Reference

If the PDR and Merck are the Old Testament and New Testament for physicians treating the body, then the Bible is God’s final, authoritative word for soul physicians treating the soul. It is the soul physician’s desk reference manual for dispensing grace. It’s “a must for anyone who is a soul.” God’s Word provides not only the latest, but the eternal, lasting information on the soul’s design and disease, as well as its care and cure.

What do we discover as we read the pages of the Soul Physician’s Desk Reference (SPDR)? We learn what makes Christian counseling Christian. We learn our Great Physician’s authoritative truth about:

1. Nourishing the Hunger of the Soul: Preventative Medicine—God’s Word

2. Knowing the Creator of the Soul: The Great Physician—The Trinity

3. Examining the Spiritual Anatomy of the Soul: People—Creation

4. Diagnosing the Fallen Condition of the Soul: Problems—Fall

5. Prescribing God’s Cure for the Soul: Solutions—Redemption

6. Envisioning the Final Healing of the Soul: Home—Glorification

7. Dispensing God’s Care for the Soul: Spiritual Friends—Sanctification

These seven biblical categories are essential for developing a theology of soul care and spiritual direction. In Soul Physicians (http://tinyurl.com/d8grf6), we examine them meticulously, as a physician would the skeletal structure of the human body.

Watered-Down or Nourished with the Spring of Living Water

Christianity today is all-too-often watered-down. You can attend church and not even need to bring a Bible. You can attend seminary and not even be equipped thoroughly in biblical studies and biblical languages. You can go through training in biblical counseling and not even open your Bible!

However, if you want to do truly biblical counseling, then you must have a biblical foundation. The bare minimum includes the seven content areas listed above.

Seven Questions Every Biblical Counselor Must Answer

If we are to do God’s work in God’s way, with depth of insight, then we need to be able to ask and answer the following seven questions:

1. Do I know how to use God’s Word to change lives?

2. Do I comprehend how the Trinity serves as the foundation for how I relate to others?

3. Do I understand people—biblically?

4. Can I diagnose problems—biblically?

5. Can I prescribe God’s solutions—biblically?

6. Do I grasp how our eternal future makes all the difference in how we live today?

7. Am I able to dispense God’s grace and care for others competently?

Truth and Love

If we can’t answer these questions, then we need to go back to “soul school”!

It was the Apostle Paul who prayed that our love would abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight (Philippians 1:9). Society today says, “Let your love abound more and more in more love!”

No. We need truth and love—love grounded in God’s truth.

We have no “love life” if we have no “truth life.” We need both, with our love founded in God’s Word.

Do you need a theological foundation for your people-helping ministry? I do!

Do you want to know the seven topics every person must master if they are to do truly biblical ministry? I do!

*Quick Link to your copy of Soul Physicians on RPM Ministries: http://tinyurl.com/d96hc6

Soul Physicians, Part I

Praise for Soul Physicians

To Order Your Copy at 40% Off, Please Visit: http://tinyurl.com/d96hc6

“Soul Physicians is a great and unique book: deeply shaped by Scripture; promoting of a personal engagement with biblical teaching and with Christ; challenging and focused against sin; but practical, gentle in spirit, and discerning in method and counseling skill. The book itself exemplifies what a biblical counselor should be like. Its use of a redemptive-historical structure (creation-fall-redemption-consummation) alone is worth the price of the book, since the value of this framework has not yet been fully realized in Christian counseling. It should be widely used in counseling programs and local churches that value the Bible.”
—Eric Johnson, Ph.D., Professor of Pastoral Theology and Biblical Psychology, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary

“The Puritan writers were excellent counselors because they were also excellent theologians. Dr. Kellemen follows in that rich tradition; his quality leadership in counselor education flows from the depth of his theological underpinnings. Few books on counseling today are true to biblical hermeneutics; Soul Physicians is one significant exception, which is why I am using it as a required text for our course exploring Methods of Biblical Change.”
—Dr. Dow Pursley, Director of Counseling Programs, Baptist Bible College Graduate School

“Soul Physicians is an outstanding contribution to the fields of counseling and pastoral theology. It has succeeded remarkably in uniting counseling theory and the authority of Scripture. I know of no other work that is so insightful and equally practical. I strongly recommend Soul Physicians to pastors, educators, and everyone who is interested in intensifying practical sanctification.”

—Dr. Don Fowler, Professor of Biblical Studies, Liberty University

“Unlike many other books currently available, Soul Physicians can easily serve as a primary and comprehensive resource for those studying the theology of soul care. Dr. Kellemen’s innovative approach places the theology of soul care in the appropriate context of the Christian’s spiritual formation and discipleship. The text provides the vital addition of significant questions for the reader’s study and reflection, thus providing further options for classroom use in plenary or small group discussion.”

—Dr. Mara Crabtree, Associate Professor of Spiritual Formation and Christian Spirituality, Regent University School of Divinity

“Soul Physicians is a truly meaningful and valuable treatment of the theological, spiritual, and psychological dimensions of counseling, soul care, spiritual formation, and the relationships between them. It can serve as a textbook, a personal study guide, or a resource handbook for those desiring to approach people-helping from a thoroughly Christian and biblical viewpoint.”

—Dr. Richard Averbeck, Professor of Old Testament and Semitic Languages, Trinity Evangelical Divinity School; Director of the Spiritual Formation Forum

“In Soul Physicians, Robert W. Kellemen explores seven key biblical categories for developing a theology of soul care and spiritual direction. The result is a thoroughly biblical systematic theology written with the insights and illustrations of a mental health professional—appropriately constructed against the backdrop of a relational emphasis. I highly recommend this book as an important reference for evangelical pastors, counselors (both professional and lay), and other soul care providers.”
—Gary W. Moon, M.Div., Ph.D., Vice President and Chair of Integration, Psychological Studies Institute, Author of Falling for God

“In Soul Physicians, Dr. Kellemen captures the essence of delivering practical ministry in the real world. His teachings are applicable to the ‘every member a minister’ approach to caring for others, as well as being foundational for the professional Christian counselor. This material has enabled me to incorporate solid biblical principles into my counseling practice.”
—Melvin Pride, Director of Strategic Planning, Southern Baptist Convention of Maryland and Delaware

“The information in Soul Physicians, the perspective it gives on life, and the passion with which it is written has been the catalyst for my walk with Christ soaring to an entirely new level. The framework for life it presents has deepened my understanding of who Jesus is and provided me a clearer picture of God’s plan for my personal life and pastoral ministry. It has greatly enhanced my understanding of people and equipped me to powerfully minister to them.”
—Pastor John Heater, Youth Pastor, Forcey Memorial Church

“I read Soul Physicians expecting to learn many facts that I would need to become an excellent Christian counselor. God’s plans were that and so much more. He used Soul Physicians to speak truth into the deepest regions of my heart. It is naїve of us to plan to make an impact on those who are hurting, and hurting others, without first dealing with those parts of ourselves. Soul Physicians gave me a thorough knowledge of the subject, an increased self-awareness, and a realization of the many sensitive areas I face as I minister to God’s people. Soul Physicians is an apt title for a work that so eloquently presents the application of the Word of God to human suffering and sin.”
—Terri Polm, Lay Counselor

To Order Your Copy at 40% Off, Please Visit:

http://tinyurl.com/d96hc6

Soul Physicians: A Theology of Soul Care and Spiritual Direction

Understand People, Diagnose Problems, and Prescribe Solutions—Biblically!

Join the growing number of lay people, pastors, professional counselors, and students who are using Soul Physicians as the twenty-first-century theology manual for Christian counseling. Learn our Great Physician’s authoritative truth about:

Nourishing the Hunger of the Soul: Preventative Medicine—God’s Word

Knowing the Creator of the Soul: The Great Physician—The Trinity

Examining the Spiritual Anatomy of the Soul: People—Creation

Diagnosing the Fallen Condition of the Soul: Problems—Fall

Prescribing God’s Cure for the Soul: Solutions—Redemption

Envisioning the Final Healing of the Soul: Home—Glorification

Dispensing God’s Care for the Soul: Spiritual Friends—Sanctification

Robert W. Kellemen, Ph.D. LCPC, is Chairman of the Master of Arts in Christian Counseling and Discipleship Department at Capital Bible Seminary where he has field-tested Soul Physicians for a decade. In his three pastoral ministries, Bob has trained hundreds of lay people as soul physicians. As a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor, he brings a practitioner’s sensitivity to his writing. Bob is also the author of Spiritual Friends, Beyond the Suffering, and Sacred Friendships.

Is the Emergent Church Theologically Healthy?

Theological Insight into the Emergent Church Movement

Book Review: By Robert W. Kellemen, Ph.D., LCPC, www.rpmministries.org

Classic Book Review Date: 2005

Book Author: D. A. Carson

Book Publisher: Zondervan, 2005

Because the Emergent Church Movement is new and so disparate, a brief primer is necessary to intelligently review D. A. Carson’s groundbreaking work, Becoming Conversant with the Emerging Church: Understanding a Movement and Its Implications.

The Emergent Church began to emerge in the early 90s (to the extent that a date can be affixed) through the writings of authors such as the late Stanley Grenz, Brian McLaren, L. Newbigin, N. T. Wright, and Don Miller (to name a few). In his first chapter, Carson provides a summary of his understanding of the Emergent Church. “At the heart of the ‘movement’—or as some of its leaders prefer to call it, the ‘conversation’—lies the conviction that changes in the culture (post-modernism) signal that a new church is ‘emerging.’ Christian leaders must therefore adapt to this emerging church. Those who fail to do so are blind to the cultural accretions that hide the gospel behind forms of thought and modes of expression that no longer communicate with the new generation, the emerging generation.”

D. A. Carson (Ph.D., University of Cambridge) is research professor of New Testament at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield, Illinois. In February 2004 he presented the substance of this book as three Staley Lectures at Cedarville University. (Readers interested in a review of Carson’s original lecture series, can visit http://people.cedarville.edu/employee/millsd/ the home page of David M. Mills, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Philosophy, Honors Program Director, Cedarville University.)

Carson’s core premise is that we must not only be aware of and interact with post-modernity, but also have our assessments of it and responses to it shaped by biblical theology. Becoming Conversant with the Emerging Church assists readers to understand and evaluate the Emerging Church and its response to post-modern culture.

In his Preface, Carson explains how he plans to accomplish his purpose.

“Whenever a Christian movement comes along that presents itself as reformist, it should not be summarily dismissed. Even if one ultimately decides that the movement embraces a number of worrying weaknesses, it may also have some important things to say that the rest of the Christian world needs to hear. So I have tried to listen respectfully and carefully; I hope and pray that the leaders of this 'movement' will similarly listen to what I have to say.”

Carson begins by defining the Emergent Church as a protest movement against modernist churches and pragmatic mega-churches. In this section, Carson offers a perceptive introduction to the movement and its leaders and begins his critique of what he sees as troubling weaknesses of the movement. He style is frank, thoughtful, and fair throughout. He constructs for readers a list of Emergent Church core principles in the form of contrasts, such as narrative over against propositional truth, and experience over against rational insight. While Emergent Church writers would say that they highlight a both/and approach (such as narrative and propositional truth, the emotions and affections and rational truth), Carson adeptly reveals extremes in these contrast areas.

After providing his list of emphases, Carson offers observations on several praiseworthy aspects of the Emergent Church. These include areas such as valuing authenticity, understanding the need to read the times, reaching out to those who are left out, and exploring the degree to which traditions now followed may or may not be biblical. This section is an example of Carson's desire to present a fair and balanced portrayal of the Emergent Church Movement.

In the next section, Dr. Carson focuses on whether or not the Emergent Church is seeking to reform the Modernist Church through the Word of God (as Luther and Calvin sought to reform the Medieval Church with the Word of God). Noting the complexity of the movement, Carson offers specific critiques including: the Emergent Church does not truly understand post-modernity, it does not assess modernism and the Modern Church accurately or fairly, it tends to cater to post-modernity rather than confront it, and it fails to capture a balanced fully-orbed biblical theology instead choosing proof-texting (a very modern method). Carson provides logical argument and biblical theology to support his assessments throughout each of these areas of critique.

Finally, Carson presents his own positive view on a biblical theology of integrating truth and experience. This section is vital since many authors critique opposing views without ever presenting a biblically thought-through, real-world-relevant alternative. Here he also emphasizes the role of historical theology in developing current models of biblical theology and church methodology. This, too, is an often missed aspect in the Emergent Church Movement and in those critiquing it.

It’s difficult to overstate how important this discussion is. The Emergent Church Movement is a watershed issue at an epic time in Church history. D. A. Carson’s Becoming Conversant with the Emerging Church truly is a “must-read” for those who want to biblically ponder how to do ministry in today’s culture and how to develop a theology of how to do ministry in any culture.

Reviewer: Bob Kellemen, Ph.D., LCPC, is the author of Soul Physicians, Spiritual Friends, Beyond the Suffering, and Sacred Friendships. www.rpmministries.org

Discerning How to Be Discerning

Discerning How to Be Discerning

*A Reivew of: Tim Challies, The Discipline of Spiritual Discernment

Tim Challies is well known to the blogosphere and to the world of Amazon.com Reviews. John MacArthur has it right when he says of Challies, “His weblog is a favorite stop for thousands of Christian readers every day.”

On his weblog and in his Amazon reviews, Challies seeks to assess how well or how poorly a book thinks biblically about life. In “The Discipline of Spiritual Discernment” he offers a practical theology of how to develop the spiritual discipline of discerning truth from error, right from wrong. Or, as he puts it, this book “is written for all those who believe that it is the duty of every Christian to think biblically about all areas of life so that they might act biblically in all areas of life.”

The current historical context for Challies’ work is vital. We live in a day and age where, because of information technology, everyone can write, and, everyone can write against everyone else. Thus, we find a plethora of counterfeit truth claims in Christianity today while at the same time finding an excess of self-proclaimed prophets of discernment whose main task in life seems to be exposing the supposed duplicity of false prophets, sheep-in-wolves clothing, and Trojan Horsemen sneaking heresy into the church.

Obviously, both of these extremes harm the cause of Christ. Counterfeit theology fails to speak the truth. Counterfeit “discernment ministry prophets” fail to speak in love, and, nine times out of ten, also fail to speak the truth about those they critique.

Into this vast wasteland Tim Challies speaks. His ten chapters should be required reading for both groups. Those who claim to teach newly emerging ideas of Christianity need to learn from Challies how to erect biblical theologies for their ministry models. Those who claim to have cornered the market on spotting counterfeits need to learn from him how to develop true, biblical, loving, humble discernment.

Chapter by chapter, Challies calls readers to guard the deposit of the pure Gospel of Christ’s grace. Quoting author J. C. Ryle, Challies notes that we spoil the Gospel through substitution, addition, interposition, disproportion, and by confused and contradictory directions.

The heart of the book addresses the question of how we really know truth. Challies challenges readers to the highest possible view of the sufficiency of Scriptures, which he defines as forsaking all subjective means of supposedly knowing God and instead founding spiritual discernment upon God’s objective revelation of himself in Scripture. While agreeing totally with this foundational concept, it would be interesting to hear Challies and the authors of “Who’s Afraid of the Holy Spirit” (Wallace and Sawyer) engage one another. While Wallace and Sawyer believe 100% in the sufficiency of Scripture, they eschew the idea among many Evangelicals who seem to make the Trinity: “God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Scriptures.” This overly rational, Princetonian, modern, Enlightenment mindset often seems to eliminate the work of the Spirit in illuminating believers, replacing it with a mindset that seems to equate one’s interpretation of Scripture with the Scripture’s own inerrancy and inspiration. It confuses biblical, humble, openness and dependence upon the Spirit with “mysticism.” It confuses the use of God-given reason with the worship of rationalism. Saying that we believe in the sufficiency of Scripture is not enough. We must all acknowledge that we inevitably bring our self, our personality, our culture, and our experience to the text. How the Spirit works in the full human personality (relational, rational, volitional, and emotional) to help us to discern truth is perhaps a deeper issue that Challies might explore further in future works.

It is in chapter three that Challies defines discernment. “Discernment is the skill of understanding and applying God’s Word with the purpose of separating truth from error, and right from wrong.” Personally, I would add, “for the purpose of exalting and enjoying God by loving God with our whole heart and loving our neighbor as we love ourselves.” This last part of the definition oft seems missing by some in the so-called modern “discernment” movement who seem to speak more to attack, than to attract, who seem to speak more to expose error without the commensurate motivation of restoring others to truth and reconciling relationships.

Challies further highlights our need to discern in the areas of doctrine and life: what is true about God and what is true about how we live for God. Spiritual discernment enlightens us to know who God is and to know the will of God for life—in terms of right and wrong behavior.

Since Challies states that discernment is a spiritual gift, in chapter seven he exegetes 1 Corinthians 12:10 and “the ability to distinguish between spirits.” He concludes that one cannot conclude whether this gift today is exactly the same as the gift of discerning of spirits in the early church. He concludes, based on a more expansive study of discernment throughout the Bible (rather than just based on 1 Corinthians 12:10), that there is a gift of discernment today. He notes, “People with this gift will have special ability to separate truth from error and to discern whether something originates with God or with Satan.” He further notes that even though not all have the gift, we all are to pursue this discipline.

One wonders if Challies were discerning this view from another author, if Challies might not chide that author somewhat. If we can’t demonstrate exegetically that it is a modern-day gift, then perhaps it is better not to call it a special spiritual gift given to certain saints, and rather do what Challies does in his last sentence of chapter seven and simply say it is a discipline that all should develop. It seems that some have jumped on this concept of a special, enduring spiritual gift for today (which may not be exegetically supportable), and concluded that they have been given the almost exclusive mantle of the prophet to expose error in a superior way to others in the Body of Christ.

Because of much current misuse of so-called “discernment,” I find chapters eight through ten the most crucial. In chapter eight, Challies exposes the dangers of discernment. Among these he lists items such as guilt by association and honor by association. These are two false, illogical, and ill-theological methodologies (mis)used extensively in the “discernment” movement. He also lists the error of failing to distinguish between the critical and the disputable. This is where “prophets of discernment” call others heretics because they disagree with them on an issue that the church has never labeled as one of the fundamentals of the faith. Witch hunting is another danger of discernment that Challies eschews. Challies rightly observes how “insufferable” such a process becomes and notes that “a person who continually stirs up anger and disagreement is committing an offense that the Lord hates.”

Challies also lists relying unduly on others, simplicity, pride, withdrawal, and truth without love as additional errors/dangers. This chapter is the proverbial “must read” for anyone who feels the subjective call to the ministry of “discernment.” Coming as it does from one of the young leaders in the area of true biblical discernment, it has a wonderful possibility of being heard and heeded.

Chapter nine is valuable for all readers—especially since God calls everyone to be discerning. Here Challies provides wisdom principles for developing wisdom. You can’t beat that.

While chapter nine highlights movement toward developing discernment, chapter ten emphasizes how to practice the ministry of discernment. Taken together, chapters eight through ten should become the manual for the discernment movement. Consecutively, they teach what not to do, how to mature in discernment, and how to practice the art of discernment: how to study the Bible, how to use the mind (reason), how to depend upon the Spirit, and how to read fairly other authors to discern truth from error. These three chapters are worth the proverbial price of the book.

Reviewer: Bob Kellemen, Ph.D., is the author of “Beyond the Suffering,” “Soul Physicians,” and “Spiritual Friends.”