On Zombies, Heath Lambert, and Gatekeeping in the Biblical Counseling Movement
“When Lambert’s post was released, it was met with responses ranging from resounding approval to astounding appalment…. some biblical counselors appreciated Lambert putting into words the uneasiness they were feeling concerning different developments within the BCM. On the other hand…” - London Lyceum
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Critics of “secular” counseling often seem to assume that counseling outside of BCM groups is all the same…. which is to say, as if it is not performed by humans.
The truth is that having degree from a particular institution, a certification in a particular state, and being employed by a not-identified-as-Christian clinic tells you very little about the clinician’s worldview, understanding of human nature, approach to helping people, etc.
Where I agree solidly with BCM:
- Humans are sinners and that affects everything we think, feel, desire, and do.
- You can’t fix all behavioral problems with talk, medications, groups, etc.
- There are clinicians who are antagonistic toward Christian faith and potentially harmful in their influence on believers.
- Even ‘secular’ clinicians who are supportive of their clients’ religious beliefs (even Christianity in particular) are not going to directly attempt to disciple you or teach you the Bible.
- Christians should view everything they do, including working on mental/behavior problems, in the context of their growth in the faith and their relationship with God.
There might be another point or two that belongs in that list.
That said, a biblical view of human nature doesn’t require us to reject the idea that some mental/behavioral problems can be mitigated, even solved, at the practical level. You don’t have to understand sin and the soul to understand that an attitude or habit or perspective on a past experience is messing your life up. You don’t have to be a Christian to understand that the way someone is thinking is defeating them.
It’s a remarkable feature of common grace in the world that so much help is available without having a clue about eternity and the things that matter most.
Mitigating human misery in the here and now is good work, though it doesn’t save or sanctify anyone. But neither does orthoscopic surgery, or plumbing, or lots of other things.
Add in the fact that Biblical counselors are also only human. They, too, have blind spots, doctrinal gaps, biases, communication weaknesses, etc.—just like their ‘secular’ counterparts.
Views expressed are always my own and not my employer's, my church's, my family's, my neighbors', or my pets'. The house plants have authorized me to speak for them, however, and they always agree with me.
I am a member of First Baptist Church, and I agree with most things from Heath, but we deviate slightly in some places. This is one of those areas. We have probably one of the largest biblical counseling programs of any church in the country. I am a big believer in a Christian worldview. I am a bigger believer that the Bible contains the answers to our challenges. But I also believe that there are physical elements to our challenges. Especially as it relates to trauma. As someone who has gone through it, not only do I believe it, I know it. I chose to mix the two, and it made all the difference.
There are some mental health problems that cannot be solved solely with Biblical verses (although a Biblical worldview and Scripture does help significantly) and those mental health problems/challenges can primarily be helped through medical approaches (and I am not talking medicine).
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