As is the typical pattern for my counseling courses at Luther Rice, our first discussion question in Foundations in Counseling was based on our reading assignment for the week. Our assignment was to present one of the theological perspectives on the nature of man. We were to support the view with Scripture, discuss how the nature of man is revealed in the Bible, and discuss the implications of the nature of man for biblical counselors.

We as counselors are stewards of God’s Word, not inventors. We discover God’s truth. Exchanged life counseling is an application of biblical truth by the Spirit of truth. The Holy Spirit is the counselor working through us.

Dr. Shepherd believes the greatest need in the life of a missionary is the message of the exchanged life, that is, the personal application of the cross in their life.

Dr. Jones uses the “1 John” tests to allow a person to see if they are saved. They are not ways of becoming a Christian, rather they are ways of seeing the evidences of being a Christian. He believes that the church is not good at making disciples, but good at making converts.

Dr. Solomon has seen the counseling issues in these last days becoming more and more serious and sinful. He believes that there has been psychologizing the church. The experience of the cross is generally not at the center of discipleship and counseling programs.

Every believer has been baptized by the Holy Spirit into Christ upon salvation. Our old self in Adam has been crucified (executed) with Christ at salvation. Our physical body dominated by sin has been rendered inoperative. Sin (noun) is still there in our body, but we are no longer dominated by it.

Dr. Gregory defines counseling as giving God’s advice for people’s problems from God’s Word.

Not every exchange is “sensational,” as you may expect listening to testimonies. For many it is a gradual discovery.

The Exchanged Life message has to be consistently taught in the local church. It must be preached from the pulpit and begins with leadership.

The more desperate the individual is, the more open they will be to the Exchanged Life message.

The following are highlights from Pastor Stoney Shaw’s presentation on the role of small groups in a church.

In this lesson, Dr. Jones examines John 15:1-5 in order to determine what it means to abide in Christ. Here are some salient points that he made in his lecture.

In lessons 14 and 15, two Exchanged-Life counselors presented their personal testimonies of their salvation, surrender, and exchanged life journeys.

Galatians 6:2 mandates that we show genuine concern for our client’s (heavy) burdens. However, in verse 5 we see that each should bear their own (reasonable) load. There is a balance between what we do for the client and what they should do for themselves. Rescuing people can sometimes delay them coming to the Cross.

In marital spirituotherapy, unlike traditional marriage therapy, individuals are not seen as a couple. Dr. Solomon believes that the problem is with the individuals, not the marriage. So, each person in the marriage is seen individually. The encounter with the Cross that leads to surrender and identification needs to be fundamental in the marriage. Dr. Solomon says that if Christ lives in the husband and Christ lives in the wife, then Christ can get along with Himself.

Rev. Travis states that legalism has to do with performance. He defines legalism as accepting any belief or conviction that favor with God can be earned. God is not influenced by our behavior, but rather what Christ achieved on the Cross. Acceptance before God is based on God’s grace, Christ’s shed blood, and faith, activated by the Holy Spirit. Adding anything to this formula is legalism.

Rev. Travis pointed out the only one who can live the Christian life is Christ, and it is in His life that we can live. He said that God’s primary purpose for us that we have Jesus’ life and that we become more conformed to Christ’s image.

Here are some highlights from Dr. Charles Solomon’s book entitled, “Discipling the Desperate: The Spirit’s Ministry to Hurting Believers.”

Dr. Solomon believes that although we define our ministry as counseling, it should actually be called clinical discipleship. Dr. Solomon starts out by stating that “The Church’s dependence upon programs, and lack of emphasis on discipleship, resulted in mass referrals to those trained in psychology.”

This is a brief taste of Dr. John Ernest Best’s book entitled, “Exchanged Lives! Stories of People Who Discovered That They Were Eagles and How to Soar by Their Union with Christ.” These stories, for the most part, are from the many people he and his staff have counselled at Exchanged Life Ministries Texas, in the Dallas area. This book and many other resources can be purchased at www.abundantlivingresources.org.

I recently read “When Friends Ask for Help: Biblical Advice on Counseling Friends in Need” by Dr. Harold Sala. In the preface, we read the following:

“More advice is given by friends than by all the psychiatrists, psychologists, and counselors put together. And why not? Who is in a better position to give advice than a friend?”