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Top 5 Books on Biblical Counseling For Beginners
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It is about time for churches and Christ-followers to be involved in biblical counseling. As Christians, our minds and souls should be Christ-centered and regard Bible as the source of guidance. The only way of authentic change begins with knowing God and using faith to respond to Jesus’ grace. Although there are some minor differences to biblical counseling, it is simply the use of the Word of God to tailor and counsel people. It cares about the soul and human behavior. Biblical counseling is for both believers and non-believers. But for non-believers, the first step is to know God and be committed to the authority of God’s Words.
Biblical counseling is not just for helping others, also for self-counseling. As we all encounter highs and lows in life, we are the only ones who can provide counseling to ourselves at any moment. Therefore it is really necessary for all sisters and brothers in Christ to be involved in studying biblical counseling.
But where to start? Here we collect the top 5 books for biblical counseling for those new to it.
Top 5 Books on Biblical Counseling
Competent to Counsel is a classic and probably the first book of biblical counseling or Christian counseling you have heard. It has helped thousands of pastors, ministers, counselors, and Christian fellows. This book gives both general approaches to Christian counseling and specific responses to particular life problems. Changes in the personality, mind and behavior are brought by the Holy Spirit, using Christ-centered discussion and counseling. People, troubled in mental issues not only have immediate problems resolved, but it is effective to long-term problems as well. Competent to Counsel was first published in 1970 and has gone through over thirty printings and versions. It has established the foundation for a Christian counseling approach that is used in pastors’ further work around the world.
Instruments in the Redeemer’s Hands is the best-selling book of Dr. Paul Tripp. As a Christian, this book is a great one to start to learn and establish a basis of biblical counseling and how we can be part of the change process in others’ lives within the church. Paul Tripp helps us discover where change is needed at a deeper level, following the example of the Lord Jesus Christ. Additionally, it is tremendously important for us to lovingly speak the truth to others without breaking fellowship. As the author explains, God’s plan for His people can be concluded as people in need of change help people in need of change. He calls all His people to participate in ministry. This book can help us start to become an effective tool of change in the lives of others.
Seeing with New Eyes is a highly recommended must-read for those interested and devoted in biblical counseling. David Powlison helps Christians to see God in the counseling context. He trains us to see what’s in God’s eyes and follow Him to do what He does. As we have a deeper look and think about Scriptures, we will be more thoughtful and knowledgeable in understanding people, and more prepared and skilled in healing and teaching people. When you invite and include God in the counseling conversation and process, it changes how we think about the situation, insight, and diagnosis. Read this book and learn how Bible teaches about counseling models and changes our minds about what we live for.
How People Change is a revolutionary book for those who expect to change but feel trapped in their own desires. In this book, the heart and mind issues are exposed and explained in God’s eyes. Paul Tripp and Timothy Lane collaborated to help people make thorough and real change using biblical truth. Real and lasting changes are rooted in properly understanding the sufficiency of the grace and freedom that the Lord Jesus has brought us. No matter how many times you have tried and failed in changing, you all need How People Change, using the biblical pattern for spiritual change in a clear and practical way. The book doesn’t give us a simple biblical formula but helps us see how God is working on making the person you were supposed to be created.
We all speak to people every day and unconditionally, our words influence those listening. In another way, we can say that we are all counselors to our friends, families, and ourselves, whether we realize it or not. Speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. (Ephesians 4:15) As the bible verse reveals, it is necessary and significant for us to learn to speak truth in love. This book is a guided piece of work for strengthening communications in Christian communities. The principles in this book of David Powlison draw the clear outline of biblical counseling and help readers to become more effective counselors. If you are willing to be a better counselor and look for a better way to communicate with people in a difficult situation, just open this book. Those practical approaches in Speaking Truth in Love are definitely for you, those who long for redeeming relationships, and improving expressing faith and love more naturally and spiritually.
