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COUNSELING PRINCIPLES 

 

Purpose

 

I desire to glorify God by seeking to win non-believers to faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, and by edifying believers to live in obedience to God's Word, the Bible.  

 

Premise

 

I believe the Bible is a complete and final revelation from God in written form, without error in its original manuscripts, and completely sufficient for all matters of life, faith, and practice.  

 

The only coaching I provide is Biblical coaching. I do not recommend secular theories, therapies, or counseling.  I do not recommend any professional counselors who are not believers in our Lord Jesus Christ.  
 

Policies 

 

  1. I will pray and ask the Lord's wisdom and guidance during each meeting.  Dependency is upon the Lord for both the counselor and the person seeking counsel. (Proverbs 3:5-6; Ephesians 6:18; 1John 5:14-15)

  1. I do not coach men.  I have no desire to develop emoional dependency or create an environment that might lead to moral indiscretion. (1 Timothy 5:1-2) When more than one person is a part of the coaching process or when the coaching takes place in public view, exceptions may be made.

  1. I do not charge a fee for ministry or coaching.

  1. I do not guarantee or make promises of success that are not clearly taught in the Bible.

  1. I believe that a spiritual gift of counseling/coaching/discipling (Romans 12:8) has been given to believers in the church, and it is my desire to use this gift in ministry.  I am committed to a godly life-style and competent in my knowledge of the Bible and in coaching others. (Romans 15:14)

  1. I preserve confidentiality except in cases where criminal law codes or church discipline procedures countermand it.

 

Principles of Belief

 

  1. I believe that all people are born with a sinful nature, and that we experience the consequences of choices we have made and for which we are accountable. (Psalm 51:5; Romans 3:19-20, 23; 14:12; 11 Corinthians 5:10)

  1. I do NOT believe that other people (such as parents, children, relatives, friends, etc.), cultural backgrounds, social and family pressures, or physical environments are the reasons for our bad choices and sinful actions. (Ezekiel 18:20; James 1: 13-15)

  1. I believe that the greatest human need is a personal relationship and commitment to Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior from sin, death, and hell. I believe that people become Christians by personal faith in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ alone, not by personal merit, family heritage, or human performance. (John 1:12-13; Acts 16:31; Romans 10:9-10; Ephesians 2:8-10) 

  1. I believe that prayer, obedience to the teaching of the Bible, and the work of the Holy Spirit are essentials for personal growth, happiness, and deliverance. It is my role to lead and encourage all those seeking my help to depend upon God and to trust Him for victory and success. (Psalm 119:9,11; Matthew 16:41; Galatians 5:16)

  1. I believe that heterosexual marriage is the only relationship in which sexual intercourse should take place. I do not condone or approve pre-marital sex, homosexuality, adultery, incest, or any other sexual immorality condemned by God's Word, the Bible. I treat these matters as sin against God's laws and damaging activities to the physical, spiritual, and emotional health of those involved. (1Corinthians 6:9-11; 7:1-2; Hebrews 13:4; 1Peter 2:11; 2Peter 2:6-10)

  1. I believe that divorce should be avoided as a solution to marital difficulties. I believe that the Bible allows for divorce on the basis of two situations: 

a.       Sexual immorality (Matthew 5:31-32; 19:3-9)

 

b.       Willing departure of an unbelieving spouse (1 Corinthians 7:12-5)

 

  1. I also believe that forgiving your marital partner upon confession and repentance is the better way of dealing with marital difficulties than seeking a divorce. (Luke 17:3-4; Ephesians 4:32; Colossians 2:12-14)

  1. I believe that remarriage should occur only after one of the following things has taken place: 

a.       Death of a former spouse (Romans 7:1-3; 1 Corinthians 7:39)

 

b.       Divorce based on one of the two above-stated situations (Matthew 5:31-32; 1 Corinthians 7:15

 

c.    Remarriage of a former spouse to another person (Deuteronomy 24:1-4)  

  1. When divorce or remarriage has occurred without Biblical reason, I urge confession and repentance, believing in God's grace, love, forgiveness, and healing. I do not encourage couples to break up existing marriages in order to correct a previous sinful and selfish action. (Proverbs 28:13; Romans 5:20) 

  1. My counseling will focus on WHAT has taken place, rather than on WHY it occurred. (Jeremiah 17:9-10; 1 Corinthians 4:5) 

  1. I do NOT counsel people to love themselves, but rather to deny themselves. The Bible teaches that we already do love ourselves, and that we need to concentrate on loving and serving God first, and others second. (Deuteronomy 10:20-21; Joshua 24:14-15; Matthew 22:34-40; Luke 9:23; Ephesians 5:29)

  1. I believe that parents are responsible for the discipline and instruction of their children in the way of the Lord. I also urge children and young people to honor their parents and be obedient to them. (Proverbs 22:6; Ephesians 6:1-4; Colossians 3:20-21)

  1. I believe that corporal punishment of children should be done as the Bible teaches, in love, not anger, and applied to the child's bottom only.  I do not condone physical abuse of children (hitting them in other places of the body besides the bottom), and are required to report such cases to the civil authorities if they are brought to our attention with evidence substantiating it. (Proverbs 13:24; 19:18,29; 22:15; 23:13-14; 26:3; 29:15,17; Ephesians 6:4)

  1. I do not encourage or insist that an abused adult or child remain in the home where physical abuse occurs. It is my policy to confront the abuser. (Matthew 5:25; 18:15-17; Ephesians 6:4; 1Timothy 3:4, 12, 14)

  1. I do not recommend or condone abortion, suicide, euthanasia, or any method of taking human life. I believe that human life begins at conception and is sacred. (Genesis 1:26-27; Psalm 51:5; 139:13-16)

  1. I believe that the use of pornographic material (films, videos, books, magazines, or pictures) is sinful and should be avoided. (Matthew 5:28-29; Mark 4:24; Philippians 4:8; 1Thessalonians 5:22) 

  1. I believe that alcohol and drug abuse is condemned in the Bible and causes physical, spiritual, and emotional damage to the individual who is addicted.  I seek in counsel to warn those involved in such substance abuse of the dangers involved. (Proverbs 20:1; 23:29-35; 1Corinthians 3:16-17; 6:19-20; Galatians 5:16-23; Ephesians 5:18)

  1. I believe the physical body of the believer is the temple of the Holy Spirit, and encourage believers to avoid habits which are known to be harmful to the body, such as the use of tobacco, alcohol, drugs, gluttony, etc. 

  1. I believe that the Bible urges believers to live without financial debt and to pay financial obligations when they are due. I believe that people are in debt when their liabilities exceed their assets and when their expenditures exceed their income. I also believe that the love of money and the desire to be rich leads to many sorrows, sinful attitudes and practices.  We are urged in the bible to help fellow believers who are in financial need, and not to charge them interest on monies loaned to them to help in their time of need. (Exodus 22:25; Leviticus 25:35-38; Luke 18:18-30; Romans 13:7-8; 1Timothy 5:8; 6:6-10)

  1. I believe that a portion of one's income should be given to the Lord as an act of worship and as a desire to support His work in this world. (Deuteronomy 14:22-29; Psalm 96:8-9; Proverbs 3:9-10; Malachi 3:8-10; 1 Corinthians 16:1-2; 11 Corinthians 9:6-15)

  1. I believe that confession of sin and repentance (turning from sin to God and obedience to His Word) are essential in dealing with sinful attitudes and behavior. (Proverbs 28:9, 13; Luke 17:3-4; 11 Corinthians 7:9-11)

 



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