COUNSELORS OR CON-MEN!


The World, the Word & You! Broadcast
Commentary by Dennis L. Finnan

For more than two millennia the world has traditionally placed great faith and trust in counselors in two fields of human need - the realm of the body and the spirit. Yes, physicians and ministers of God's Word, have had the confidence and trust of millions down through the ages. However, today that trust has been shaken in both fields, but none as badly as the field of Christian ministry. Today I want to talk about the field of Christian ministry and the importance of trust and confidence one must have in the servants who are called of God to care for the souls of men. Today, a new breed of preachers has arisen that for some are better called predators. This new breed seeks to use the important and sacred role of God's servant, for personal and financial gain. Alas, rather than a godly spiritual counselor dedicated to serving God's people, some of these men are no better than "con men."

My case in point involves a new form of false teaching that is being promoted these days in the church. It is a form of ministry that has swept through the halls of Christian academia without a question or check, that now is exposing itself for what it really is - human wisdom and thinking that is condemned in the Word of God. What is it? Friend it is the new thinking among the "followers of the Lamb," called Christian Psychology. And in a moment I'll tell you a story that will raise the hairs on your head. Stay tuned...

... In March 1994, a young Christian man named John Scott Rogers was listening to a growing popular Christian psychology radio program that is sweeping the nation. The topic of discussion was child abuse. The Christian psychologist on the talk show related to the radio audience that those who had been abused as a child were most likely to abuse their own children. John Rogers listened intently, for as a child he had suffered abuse and had some unresolved emotions concerning his father's abuse. Realizing that he was now a father himself, he became concerned about this statement and called the toll free "800" number for more information. Rather than receiving some helpful Christian advice, he was asked to give a detailed account of the abuse he suffered as a child. John Rogers assuming this Christian counselor was his friend and confidant, told many intimate details of his life as a child and his concern about the statement that all abused children become abusers themselves. His main assertion was that he disagreed with that statement, for he had never abused his children and said it was unthinkable in light of the abuse he suffered. The telephone counselor said that he needed to be hospitalized immediately at their New Life Clinics. Dumbfounded at that statement, he said "no thank you." At that moment the counselor became threatening and said he would be reported to Georgia Department of Family and Children's Services and in response, they would take away his children unless he came into the Clinic's Christian Psychiatric hospital for treatment which was, by the way, to cost $ 1000.00 a day for at least fourteen days!

To make this story short, he refused and hung up. The New Life Christian Clinic worker phoned the DFCS and lied by telling them this man was an abuser of his children and had confessed this to them and refused treatment. The next day the DFCS, with police escort, came and arrested John Scott Rogers and before his family handcuffed him and took him away. It was at that point the nightmare began which lasted for 62 days. Rogers was denied the personal unsupervised right to see his children, and suffered immensely to defend himself against the charges of this Christian psychology clinic's claim, and the state's legal proceedings against him. In effect, the New Life Clinics held him hostage. Their choice was either, be hospitalized in their clinic and pay them $ 14,000.00 for a couple of weeks therapy and be labeled a child abuser, or face jail, estrangement from his family and still be labeled a child abuser, something he never did nor would ever do as he determined in his heart.

At the end of 62 days of "Hell on earth," and thousands of dollars to defend himself, the matter was resolved as the state found no compelling evidence of child abuse and he was completely exonerated. This betrayal of a fine Christian family by today's new psychology preachers, who I believe would be better known as "con-men, or predators," exemplifies the serious nature of this false teaching permeating the Church. For the issue behind this so-called counseling is Christian Psychology. The new approach to ministry of the heart is no longer the pure Word of God, but now a "Freudian Psychological Therapy." Carefully interwoven into counseling with a Christian flavor, it has become the new teaching from God in many churches across the land.

I've told you this hair-raising story to let you know Christianity has been duped to believe that God's Word alone is not sufficient to meet the emotional and spiritual needs of humanity any longer. In the past twenty years a new breed of Christian preachers and counselors has arisen, who, utilizing humanistic psychology, have sought to "harmonize" the Scriptures with various concepts drawn from secular psychiatry and psychology. These "integrationists," as we might call them have experienced a phenomenal acceptance and growth. Millions of troubled souls have accepted their teachings as from God, and have bought into their ministry and counseling.

In essence, it says the Bible is insufficient for certain human needs, and the addition of human wisdom completes the Bible's teaching for all humanity's need. Of course, this has become a multi-billion dollar business that has built Christian organizations or more succinctly , dynasties that now prey on the emotionally troubled Christian community. But, I tell you friends this new counseling is nothing but a lie that Satan has fostered upon the naive church, and one that needs to be exposed and jettisoned . Now to help you understand the issues and what's at stake, let me share with you what psychology is in comparison to biblical truth, and that neither one has anything to do with the other.

First off, as a Christian minister, I tell you no one should be considered a man of God, called by God to minister to your soul and spirit, unless he comes to you in the spirit of genuine sacrificial love and care for you. If anyone comes to you and offers you help, hope and instruction and comes with a price, I believe the Scriptures teach he or she is not sent from God. This may be difficult to accept in the light of a commercialized Christianity today, but it's time to expose the money-making business that Christian con-men and predators have established by using God's Word and their expertise of it, to bilk Christians out of billions of their dollars to gain personal riches. How much should a person pay for Christian advice, teaching, and instruction? Do you really want to know? Well, the Bible answers,

Isaiah 55:1 (NIV) ""Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk WITHOUT MONEY AND WITHOUT COST."

Amazing isn't it! Yet today, those who claim to be gifted by God with a knowledge of His Word to help God's people, now come to you with a price tag. The new Christian slogan might well be - "pay or your get nothing!" Many Christian psychologists charge thousands of dollars for their help, and I tell you, such a thing is not of God! Why even the Lord Himself warned all men, as He closed His final revelation with these words,

Revelation 22:17 (NIV) "The Spirit and the bride say, "Come!" And let him who hears say, "Come!" Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life."

It's time to say it, God authorizes no man, no ministry, no Christian to come to you claiming they are from Him, when they charge you for their services. As hard as it is to accept this in these days of Christian business, God demands that anything connected with His Word and communication of it, must never be with a price, but free to all.

Now someone will say, "fine and dandy," but then how is a counselor, the preacher, the author or singer to live? The answer is on a free will offering basis. All of God's servants, are to trust the Lord for their care, keeping and ministry to others. Does this sound crazy or strange? Not according to God and the early Christian Church. Why, this was the basis of all first century New Testament Christian ministry which can be substantiated in the Bible. Listen to God's Word which states,

3 John 1:5-8 ( New Living Translation) "Dear Friend, you are doing a good work for God when you take care of the traveling teachers who are passing through, even though they are strangers to you. 6. They have told the church here of your friendship and your loving deeds … for they are traveling for the Lord and accept nothing from those who are not Christians. So we ourselves should support them so that we may become partners with them for the truth."

There you have the principle of all Christian ministry. Whether it be missionary work, church Pastoring and Bible teaching, or the ministry of writing, publishing, even singing for the Lord - all should be without price, on a free will offering basis, or at the least an absolutely no corporate or personal profit basis.

Yet today, the Christian ministry of psychology that has permeated the Church now stands to ruin God's people with teaching and greed that has no place there. What's wrong with Christian psychology? The answer is, it's in serious conflict with the teaching of God's Word. Let me summarize these major differences for you to consider today.

To begin, the most important thing you can know about God's Word is

(1) IT IS ABSOLUTELY COMPLETE AND SUFFICIENT TO MINISTER TO EVERY HUMAN NEED OF THE HEART, SOUL AND SPIRIT.

The Bible tell us,

2 Peter 1:3 (NIV) "His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness."

2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NIV) " 16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, 17 so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work."

Yet through Christian Psychology, we are told by its counselors, that the Bible is not sufficient in all areas, and that man needs to look within his own wisdom, gathered by experts, to complete this ministry tool. Therefore, along with the Bible most or all of secular psychology's techniques and theories may be incorporated into Christian counseling needs. Friend this is wrong, unbiblical and depreciates God's Word and leads to the nightmare I related to you earlier in the Broadcast. So, anyone who comes to you and gives you counseling outside the Bible, is not following God's truth and should be rejected. Secondly, the Bible teaches that

(2) MAN'S WHOLE NATURE IS CORRUPT AND AS SUCH HE IS INCAPABLE OF DISCERNING TRUTH FROM ERROR, RIGHT FROM WRONG, THAT WHICH IS GOOD AND HELPFUL, FROM THAT WHICH IS HARMFUL AND EVIL.

The Bible tells us that within man is no good thing! We read in,

Jeremiah 17:9 (NIV) "The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?"

Psalms 58:3 (NIV) "Even from birth the wicked go astray; from the womb they are wayward and speak lies."

Romans 3:9-10 (NIV) "What shall we conclude then? Are we any better ? Not at all! We have already made the charge that Jews and Gentiles alike are all under sin. 10 As it is written: "There is no one righteous, not even one;"

As such, we can only trust God's Word and all that it teaches about ourselves, our world, our relationships between each other and of course with God and our destiny. Psychology teaches that the Bible needs human wisdom to "explain what is best for man." This means that in some areas, modern Christian psychology should be granted priority over the Bible.

Christian psychologists repeatedly say that the Bible speaks primarily or only, to the believer's spiritual life, but modern Christian psychology gives us the needed "tools or knowledge for dealing with the more complex human problems," we face today. Yet repeatedly, the Bible counters this by telling us, Christians are to seek God's Wisdom above all else including "alleged," human wisdom. We read in the Bible,

Colossians 2:8 (NIV) "See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ."

1 Thessalonians 5:21-22 (NIV) "Test everything. Hold on to the good. 22 Avoid every kind of evil."

God warns us that fallen man thinks his wisdom within is superior to God's, and as such it is the test of whether God's Word is sufficient. This is the basis of ALL so-called Christian psychology today that has infiltrated the Church. From the teachings of Carl Jung, and other anti-Christian psychological counselors to the new "Psychospiritual Approach," that brings us "inner healing" and "inner guides" to illumine and direct us - these all have demonic and even occultic ties. As such, Christians must reject psychology and psychological counseling which is a "religious wolf, in pseudoscientific clothing." This is what Martin & Deidre Bobgan call, "Psycho-heresy," the new false teaching in the evangelical fundamental world of true Christianity.

I wonder friend have you bought into this new teaching? Are you funneling huge sums of money to those who seek it for their Christian counseling? Are you working for, or promoting the new Christian psychology ministries? If so, I suggest you get rid of it for what it is, the world's interpretation of the wisdom of God. Then, I would like to warn you - stay away from any teaching that speaks of "inner healing," a mixture of Freudian/Jungian concepts and spiritual beliefs. Stay away from things like the "Healing of Memories," or the "Recovered Memory Movement," or "Facilitated Communication," "Journaling," "Codependency," and all forms of "Hypnosis," which I believe are demonic pathways to the souls of men.

To sum it up, I'm of the persuasion along with a host of other ministers of God, that the term, "Christian Psychology," is really inappropriate for a Christian counselor or pastor to be engaged in. In place of this we should consider Biblical Counseling an entirely different ministry to the heart of man. As such, we must not replace the Bible as the sole source of wisdom for all of man's needs. For God knows the human heart. He alone has created us and His Word is sufficient for all our spiritual and emotional needs. The Bible reminds us,

Isaiah 45:12 (NIV) "It is I who made the earth and created mankind upon it. My own hands stretched out the heavens; I marshaled their starry hosts."

Psalms 139:13 (NIV) "For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb."

Psalms 139:1 (NIV) "… O LORD, you have searched me and you know me."

Psalms 139:3 (NIV) "You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways."

The Church needs to return to a biblical foundation that rejects all human wisdom that stands in opposition to the teachings of Scripture. It's sad these days that among Christians, the most popular books that sell are the "self-help" "self-esteem," books. Most Christians today, rather than attending serious Bible study, Discipleship or Prayer groups, are found floundering in the crippling "support groups," and "12-step groups" instead.

Yes, rather than talking about the dysfunctional families, we need to talk about the new dysfunctional church that has turned aside to myths and fanciful teachings of men rather than the pure Word of God. I tell you, the next great heresy most Bible believing teachers fear coming, upon us is the new "Psychologized Christianity." It is everywhere, and promoted by legitimate well-known Christian ministers and teachers who are being led away from "the way, the truth and the life," which is only found in the sufficiency of Christ and His Word.

Friend, let's get back to the Bible, let us shed our fascination for new truth outside of God's Word and let us return to the counsel and teachings of the Author and Finisher of our faith, Jesus Christ.

Here alone will we find safety and wholeness and be assured of that glorious promise of the fullness of life to come. Yes, today's problems assuredly need today solutions, but none will find them in any form of psychology or therapy. Whether it is the "Recovery Movement," the "Co-dependency Movement," the "Self-esteem Movement," "Healing of the Inner Mind Movement," or any 12-step programs - all are the "new gospel of psychotherapy," Satan's trap of victim mentality.

Yet we must remember, only God's true Word can deliver any and all of us from our sins and the bondage it brings. When we confess our sins, when we acknowledge our disobedience to God's laws for life and living, when we reach out to the only place of healing, God's touch of mercy, forgiveness and grace, we can be made whole again.

Well friend, as always, the choice is yours, you can either choose the truth that sets you free, or the awful bondage of "psychologized" Christianity. May God open every eye to see and every heart to seek only after our Lord and Maker, Jesus Christ. As tough as it is to say all these things, here I stand, I can say no more.

GENERAL RESOURCES:

The World, the Word & You! Broadcast is a non-denominational ministry based on the historic fundamental evangelical interpretation of the Scriptures.A copy of our doctrinal statement is available upon request.These weekly radio commentaries can be heard in selected areas around the nation. Dennis Finnan has been the speaker for 16 years, and serves as General Director. These transcripts are available free of charge to all who desire them. Also available are radio cassette tapes and printed booklets of each message. A free listing of all messages is available upon request also.

For further information, reprints, or a listing of all topics, please write to our speaker, Dennis L. Finnan(wwyfin@sparc.isl.net), or visit our webpage at [ http://www.isl.net/wwyweb.html ].