Counseling Presuppositions

• God has given us everything we need in His Word to live life in a manner that pleases Him (II Peter 1:3,4). We must not integrate man's wisdom with biblical truth in order to solve our problems and live a victorious life. As a matter of fact, Scripture promises that when we degrade God's Word by placing it on a level with man's thinking, serious consequences occur (Proverbs 1:22-32; 14:12; 30:5,6; Isaiah 5:20,21; Romans 8:6-8; I Corinthians 3:19,20).
• Biblical counseling is based upon the biblical teaching that we will each give an account of ourselves to God (Romans 14:12; II Corinthians 5:10) and that each one will bear the consequences for his own sin (Ezekiel 18:20; Colossians 3:25). Counselees are shown that they are responsible before God solely for their own behavior and that they are not responsible for changing anyone else's behavior.
• In learning to assume responsibility for their own behavior, counselees need to understand the conflict between their old self and their new nature (Romans 6; II Corinthians 5:17; Galatians 5:16). Counselees must determine, by an act of their will, to lay aside their old way of life with its lusts and deception and to begin to act in a way which reflects the new nature God has given them (Ephesians 4:22-24; Colossians 3:5-17). A counselee must develop godly thought patterns (II Corinthians 10:5; Philippians 4:8) if he is to have a renewed mind and be successful in living a life that corresponds to the new nature which is created by God in holiness of the truth (Romans 12:2; Ephesians 4:23,24).
• Any changes that a counselee makes must be made in order to please God and not to please himself, his parents, his spouse, or anyone else (II Corinthians 5:9,15; Colossians 1:10; I Thessalonians 2:4,6). This requires a commitment to obey God's Word and not to depend on or be ruled by feelings, regardless of how strong or persuasive they may be (Galatians 5:16-17).

Counseling Agreement Form