But it was the folks in Heaven
Who made me sputter and gasp–
The thieves, the liars, the sinners,
The alcoholics and the trash.

There stood the kid from seventh grade
Who swiped my lunch money twice.
Next to him was my old neighbor
Who never said anything nice.

Herb, who I always thought
Was rotting away in hell,
Was sitting pretty on cloud nine,
Looking incredibly well.

I nudged Jesus, ‘What’s the deal?
I would love to hear Your take.
How’d all these sinners get up here?
God must’ve made a mistake.

‘And why is everyone so quiet,
So somber – give me a clue.’
‘Hush, child,’ He said, ‘they’re all in shock.
No one thought they’d be seeing you.’JUDGE NOT!!

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In a culture where everyone seems to be in a hurry, our secular society has hijacked the term spiritual transformation and made it a new buzzword. The author, John Ortberg, was a former teaching pastor for Willow Creek Community Church and is now the pastor at Menlo Park Presbyterian Church. This book has mass market appeal in that it is not distinctively Christian. It can be used by anyone of any faith who is struggling with life’s ongoing struggles.

Ortberg (2002) opens the book by using the “Mighty Morphin Power Rangers” in our struggle for spiritual transformation. Morphoo is defined as “the inward and real formation of the essential nature of a person” (Ortberg, 2002, pg. 23). In our quest to follow Jesus, we don’t just do the things that Jesus would have done; we do them because we want to; because they appeal to us. The goal of spiritual transformation is the search for a deeper and more authentic experience. Ortberg (2002) described how our modern corporate society is full of inauthentic experience marked by boundary-markers. We are attempting to appear spiritual to other people when we really are not.

In the chapter Appropriate Smallness, Ortberg (2002) outlines certain sins that stand in the way of servanthood, such as pride, stubbornness, and vanity. He talks about the “Messiah-Complex” and how we all want to be God since it is human nature since the fall to be competitive. Ortberg (2002) tells us that we need angels to remind us that we are not God and the we need to stay humble and true to ourselves.

Ortberg (2002) reflects on the fact that as Christians we need to allow the Holy Spirit to guide us in our quest for transformation. Being led by the Holy Spirit is necessary if we want to be disciples of Christ. The book starts with several chapters introducing the concept of spiritual discipline. It then moves on into each discipline individually. Things like the practices of celebration, slowing, servanthood, confession, receiving guidance from the Holy Spirit, secrecy, reflection on scripture, developing your own rule of life, and experience of suffering are all covered.

References

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When Jesus commanded, “Judge not,” He was not implying that we should be naïve or imprudent. Of course we need to think critically and analytically in this world where we are often confronted with error and wrongdoing. Instead, He meant that we should not be condemning or accusing, a point Paul made eloquently: “Judge nothing before the time, until the Lord comes, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness and reveal the counsels of the hearts” (1 Cor. 4:5).

Poet Robert Burns made a similar point, writing of those whose actions are in doubt: “One point must still be greatly dark—the [motive]. Why they do it.” No one knows another’s motives. God alone can bring to light what is hidden in darkness; He alone can expose the intentions of the heart.

Jesus knows the latent forces that motivate others: the cruel beginnings, the fear, the disappointment, the broken heart, the sin that is resisted. Moreover, He is working in every submissive heart to bring it to maturity. Thus in the end—quite often contrary to our expectations—He will bring praise to those He has brought to completion.

The Lord alone can try the heart. Until He returns, let’s ask Him to help us examine our own. —David Roper

“Condemn not, judge not”—not to man
Is given his brother’s faults to scan;
One task is yours, and one alone—
To search out and subdue your own. —Elliott

Be slow to judge others, but quick to judge yourself.

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More on this topic will be coming shortly.

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References

Jones, S. L. & Butman, R. E. (1991). Modern psychotherapies: A comprehensive Christian  appraisal. Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic.

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Often counselors in training only look at what happens in the counseling session, the counseling techniques and their role as counselor without questioning why they are doing what they are doing.  That is a flawed approach for a Christian who is in the counseling field.  Whether you advertise yourself as a Christian counselor, or are practicing in a secular setting and are a committed Christian, you would want to know that what you practice adheres to a Christian belief system.  Therefore it is important that we learn how to assess the philosophical foundations of the established counseling theories, as we work towards developing our individualized counseling theory. 

Christian Philosophical Assumptions

Let us first examine what a Christian philosophical approach to the nature and existence of humans might include. First and foremost the theory would need to validate the existence of a God who is good, loving, and all powerful.  It would include all the many attributes that we already know so well about our God, since it is that God who created us and of whom we reflect since we are made in His image and likeness (Jones and Butman, 1991).

Christian Philosophical Assumptions about Human Existence

We as humans have value, meaning and purpose, yet are dependent on God. We are relational social beings. Our nature includes a spiritual or immaterial aspect. We are capable of doing what is right, since we are rational and moral beings, yet we also have a sin nature which attracts us to be rebellious against God’s ways.  Beyond our earthly purposes we have kingdom purposes, God ordained eternal objectives, that surpass our involvement in this world. We were created to be in relationship with God and to be holy (Jones and Butman, 1991).

References

Jones, S. L. & Butman, R. E. (1991). Modern psychotherapies: A comprehensive Christian  appraisal. Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic.

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– 1 Corinthians 2:16

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Each individual we encounter in therapy has their own unique story and no matter the methodology, treatment technique or mode of intervention, that story deserves a humane listener.  Whether using EST or other suggested approaches, “it is ultimately God who …? brings wholeness and healing to the hurting people that we minister to through psychotherapy and counseling” (Tan, 2003, p. 66).

References

C. G. Jung Institute.  (2010).  Training. Retrieved August 3, 2010 from http://www.junginstitut.ch/main/Show$Id=1103.html

Tan, S,-Y.  (2001).  Empirically supported treatments.  Journal of Psychology and Christianity, 20, 296-301.

Tan, S,-Y.  (2003).  Empirically supported therapy relationships:  Psychotherapy relationships that work.  Journal of Psychology and Christianity, 22(1), 64-67.

Yalom, I., D.  (2002).  The gift of therapy:  An open letter to a new generation of therapists and their patients. New York, NY:  HarperCollins.

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A brief review of the contents of Yalom’s (2002) Open Letter to a New Generation of Therapists and Their Patients, reveals important characteristics to consider when engaged in therapy; avoid diagnosis (except for insurance companies), therapists and patients are fellow travelers, empathy, letting the patient matter to you, create a new therapy for each patient … and the list continues for some 85 brief insightful chapters.  Yes, there is science (objectivity) involved, and, there is art (subjectivity) as well.  Yalom (2002) in the chapter about being helped by your clients shares the thoughts of Swiss Psychiatrist Carl Jung; “therapy worked best when the patient brought the perfect salve for the therapist’s wound and that if the therapist doesn’t change, then the patient doesn’t either” (p. 107).  Here healing becomes more than descriptions, predictions and explanations … this type of “healing alliance” is where meaningful change can occurs.

The integration of “science” with that of other modes, methods and models makes sense.  Corey (2009) when writing about integrations mentions that “one best way” of doing therapy will eventually be a thing of the past.

References
Corey, G.  (2009).  The art of integrative counseling (2nd ed.).  Belmont, CA:  Thomson/Brooks/Cole.
Jackson, S.  (2009).  Research methods and statistics (3rd ed.).  Belmont, CA:  Wadsworth.
Yalom, I.  (2002).  The gift of therapy:  An open letter to a new generation of therapists and their patients.  New York, NY.  HarperCollins.

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