1. Discuss the basic presuppositions of Jay Adams. The basic presupposition with Jay Adams is II Peter 1:3, which basically teaches that the Bible contains "all things necessary for life and goodness." Therefore, the Scriptures are our only counseling text, covering ways to deal with all the problems clients might bring to counseling. Proper preparation for counseling is training in theology and a call by the church to minister as a counselor. Only methods based on Scripture are true counseling, and counseling is more properly active teaching than passive listening.

2. Discuss personality based on Jay Adams’ perspective. According to this view, people are fallen, sinful beings, lost in their sins without Christ, and unhappy because of their sins.

3. Discuss the cause of problems according to Jay Adams. All sins are caused by sin. Sinful living, failure to love God above all, and failure to love one’s neighbor as oneself is the focus of counseling (Matthew 22:37-39). Even when sinned against, our unhappiness and distress are because of our sinful responses to the sin of others.

4. Discuss the theory of counseling according to Jay Adams. His theory of counseling says that love should be the primary motivation of the counselor. Change occurs because of Jesus’ substitutionary death, breaking the power of sin in the life of the client. Jesus did not die on the cross to change the client’s genes, heal his memories, or heal his mental disease. The therapist produces change by nouthetic counseling, which means: (a) a change from old patterns of living to biblical patterns, (b) confrontation of the client’s sins by verbal means, and (c) a concern by the therapist springing from biblical love.

Jay Adams is a pastor with a background in public speaking and theology. He equates verbal confrontation of sin with counseling and says to do less is only creating healthy non-Christians. Gary Collins says that the best way to counsel is to be a paraclete (comforter) like the Holy Spirit. He says that Adams is too limited.

In counseling with non-Christians, evangelism is a precondition to in-depth change. "Pre-counseling" is helping the client address problems in order to prepare for the presentation of the gospel and may be needed before true biblical counseling can occur. Counseling without using the gospel is damaging because the person may be relying on outward rather than inward change. In pre-counseling, the counselor makes it plain that this counseling is preliminary to real counseling.

In counseling with the Christian, Adams bases his approach on II Tmiothy 3:16. The nouthetic counselor confronts the client with God’s requirements for faith and life that are found in the Scriptures (teaching), uses pertinent Scripture portions to promote the confession of sin (conviction), helps the client get out of problems through forgiveness, which implies a changed relationship with God and others (correction), and shows the client alternative scriptural lifestyles pleasing to God (training in righteousness). The counselor tries to introduce God into every problem and every counseling session as the center of the solution. Pleasing God is the highest priority, not the relief of the client’s problems. With Jay Adams, the client’s responsibility is stressed. For example, when we pray for nourishment, we are to work so that God can supply that need. We are to put off the old man and put on the new. Changes are made by the Holy Spirit’s power, which enables the client to accomplish the changes.

5. Discuss the counseling methods that are recommended by Jay Adams. Nouthetic counseling is largely behaviorally focused, directive, and prescriptive. The counselor tells the client what to do to fix the problem. Adams trained with Hobart Mowrer, a liberal but committed Christian, at the University of Illinois. Mowrer was the behaviorist who developed the bell and pad method for treating enuresis (bed wetting). When the child wet the bed, a loud bell would sound that would wake up the parents. The parents would make the child change clothes and bed coverings, and this negative activity in the middle of the night would discourage the bed wetting.

Of the 240 pages in Adams’ book, Christian Counselor’s Handbook, 37 pages say that sin is the problem, 20 pages talk about love, support, and empathy, 10 pages address the client’s motivation to change, 46 pages talk about putting off and putting on (dehabituation-habituation), 10 pages talk about goals, 38 pages address directive assessment, and 50 pages talk about homework.

Adams’ ten-step method for counseling include: (a) attempt to have all relevant parties present, (b) do not slander or gossip about those not present, (c) examine each person’s personal responsibility in the problem, (d) analyze each person’s sin, (e) lay out biblical plans of action, (f) emphasize put-off put-on that is in accord with the basic change that has already occurred in Christ, (g) work within the church using its full care, discipline, and resources, (h) expect change following every session, plan for it, and prescribe it, (i) focus on the period between sessions when change usually occurs, and (j) teach counselees the biblical dynamic of the change that has occurred. End the session with prayer, and only pray during the sessions when led by the Spirit.

6. Discuss the training of counselors. Lay counseling is by the discipleship method (seeing and hearing) rather than merely hearing as in the Greek academy. The foundation is a thorough understanding of Scripture. Counseling methods are learned by text, lecture, discussion, case study, role playing, observing actual counseling, and performing counseling with feedback. Counseling involves relating to people and speaking the truth in love, but it is more than these. One cannot just tell people to change and expect them to change. Part of change is getting the client to see the problem differently. The Bible is a map, but it is not all encompassing.

				Tom of Bethany

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