Doctrine

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What is your view of God?

God is the beginning and end of all things. He is immortal and uncreated, existing outside of time. He has revealed Himself to people as three: Father, Son, and Spirit.

What is your view of man?

Jesus created man in His image, which means humanity has unique attributes in creation:

· An eternal soul and spirit

· The ability to love

· The ability to desire

· The ability to reason

· Self-awareness

· God-awareness

· The ability to choose

· The ability to worship

· The ability to make and change things

 

 

What do you believe about the sufficiency of Scripture?

Scripture is sufficient—it contains everything necessary—for knowing and handling all things that pertain to living life on Earth (2 Peter 1:3). It is inspired by God and useful for teaching, reproof, correction, and training in righteousness, which is necessary to make, mature, and restore disciples of Christ (2 Timothy 3:16).

What do you believe to be the purpose of counseling?

The purpose of counseling is as Paul states in Ephesians 4:13: unity of faith, clear understanding of Jesus, and spiritual maturity. Its goal in dealing with people who have problems is, as Paul says in Galatians 6:1–2, to restore those who have fallen and to bear one another’s burdens. It aims to strengthen a person’s relationship with Christ, from which right living comes. Since eternity with Christ is God’s ultimate goal, counseling seeks to aid that goal using the means God provides.

What do you believe about the church’s involvement in counseling?

The local church has the primary responsibility for making, maturing, and restoring saints. Therefore, it must be equipped to handle what people experience in life. It should be the central place where counseling occurs. But many local churches have lost the vision and interest for that responsibility. Therefore, DLM seeks to help churches restore that vision and then equip them for their role in personal ministry.

What is the root of man’s problems?

Humans were uniquely designed by God to worship and serve Him. Created as eternal souls with an eternal spirit, we possess temporary physical bodies on Earth and are destined for permanent spiritual bodies in the life to come. At the center of our being is the heart—the inner person—which is the seat of worship, spiritual life, intellect, decisions, and desires.

Worship involves extreme devotion and intense admiration, encompassing love, desire, reason, choice, and service—the latter being inseparable from worship. People naturally worship what they value most, and this act is continuous. God intended for humanity, starting with Adam and Eve, to worship and serve Him alone.

However, God granted humans free will—the ability to choose whom or what to worship. He did not force Adam and Eve to worship Him; instead, He provided them with options. Tragically, they chose to desire and worship something other than God, setting a precedent for all humanity. This choice marked the beginning of idolatry—valuing and serving created things rather than the Creator.

As the Apostle Paul stated: “They exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen” (Romans 1:25). This tendency to worship false gods or idols is the root of all problems and sin in people’s lives.

Idols are the things people desire so intensely that they are willing to sin to obtain them or sin when they do not get them. This leads individuals to use others or things to serve their idols, turning those people or things into idols themselves. Such actions undermine genuine love and relationships, as someone who uses another to fulfill their desires cannot truly love them.

This “worship disorder” manifests in various personal and relational difficulties. Idols are terrible masters; the strength of one’s bondage to an idol is proportional to the intensity of their desire for it. As people prioritize created things over God, they experience spiritual bondage and numerous challenges.

Therefore, the root of man’s problems is idolatry—a misdirected worship where the heart prioritizes created things over the Creator. Recognizing and addressing this root cause is essential for overcoming the sins and struggles that stem from it.

How is man responsible for his problems?

Every person is responsible for the choices they make in life. All people have free will to choose what they will worship. The choices made in response to life experiences result from what they value and, therefore, what they choose to worship—directly related to the idolatry mentioned earlier. They respond to their circumstances based on what they treasure in their heart. Jesus said, “For it is from within, from the human heart, that evil intentions come: fornication, theft, murder, adultery, avarice, wickedness, deceit, licentiousness, envy, slander, pride, folly” (Mark 7:21–22). Therefore, no one can stand before God in the end and claim they were not responsible for their thoughts, speech, and actions, regardless of their life circumstances. God has given all people what they need to overcome the tendency to worship created things: “By His divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life” (2 Peter 1:3).

How does the Gospel affect your counseling?

Without the good news of the Gospel, there would be no point to biblical counseling. The goal of biblical counseling is to restore a person’s relationship with Christ and return them to worshiping Him in spirit and truth. If Christ had not completed His work on Earth—making it possible for each person to be restored in their relationship with God—there would be no hope of internal heart change. A change of heart is necessary to change behavior. Without the work of Christ and the Spirit in people’s hearts, the only goal left would be behavior modification to make life on Earth more pleasing and to “feel” better. This is the goal of counseling methods that exclude God and the Gospel in their worldview.

What is your view of sanctification?

Sanctification is the gradual work of heart change that takes place over the entire life of a believer. It is aided by a person’s surrender to the work of the Spirit in their life, their interaction with other believers, and their familiarity with the Scriptures. It results when a person worships Jesus in spirit and truth and is shown by an increasing surrender to God in the circumstances they face.

What is your view on medication for a counselee?

Medication is outside the responsibility of our counselors. Since it is regulated by the State through licensed physicians, it is not included in our approach to helping people. If an individual has sought assistance through that means, that is their decision. We will work with people on or off medication but will not recommend they either start or stop it. In some cases, it has proven useful to certain individuals. Some problems have a physical factor; in those cases, medication may help. However, it addresses a different problem than that which biblical counselors are asked to address (see the answer to the purpose of counseling). It is vital to understand that there are no chemical solutions to spiritual problems. Not all problems are spiritual, nor are all problems physical. People are created as body, soul, and spirit. It’s important to consider all aspects when helping someone.

 

What is the Holy Spirit’s role in counseling?

The Spirit is the means by which connection and communication with God take place. His role is beyond full understanding. The Holy Spirit’s role in a believer’s life is fundamental and essential, though difficult to define precisely. Without the work of the Spirit, it is safe to say that the heart change people desire would be impossible.

How does true change come about in a person’s life?

True change occurs when a person is willing to acknowledge the true condition of their relationship with Jesus. If sin is a factor in their problem, then agreeing with Him that it is a factor and seeking His help to overcome it is necessary. Overcoming involves confession of the sin (agreeing with God about what the sin is and acknowledging having committed it), repentance (changing of the heart), and a change in behavior (works that result from a changed heart and doing things that please God rather than self).

 

 

 

Approach to Counseling

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How would you describe your center and your ministry there?

Deeper Life Ministries is a biblical counseling center that strives to give biblical counsel to those who ask. We work with single women and married people in navigating common issues of life, such as depression, anger, bitterness, grief, and conflict in relationships. We offer premarital counseling upon request on a walk-in basis.

What is your standard of authority in your counseling process?

Our standard of authority is the Bible. In Matthew 28:19–20, Ephesians 4:11–14, Galatians 6:1–2, Romans 15:14, and 1 Thessalonians 5:14, there are clear references to and instructions for making and restoring disciples. That is what our counseling process entails: making and restoring disciples.

How do you explain the effects of sin to a counselee?

We explain them in terms of worship disorders, as described earlier. The effects of sin are the behaviors that result from these worship disorders. We illustrate that their sin is a result of what is going on in their heart, not merely their life circumstances or the situations they face. We use various methods to illustrate this, from examples in the Bible to examples from their own lives or the lives of others.

How does true change come about in counseling?

In a biblical worldview, counseling is not the source of change in a person. True change comes when the person decides to become serious about their relationship with Jesus and invests their life in learning how to relate to Him. A desire to love, know, and serve Jesus forms the foundation for a changed heart. The Holy Spirit plays a significant, though unseen, role in that change.

Upon what do you base your counseling?

As described above, we base our counseling on an understanding of how people are made and what they desire in life. What they choose to desire forms the basis of what they worship. Naturally, people desire things that please and satisfy themselves. This natural tendency to worship self and things that enable selfish desires is unbreakable by any human effort or technique. But Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross, His shed blood, and His resurrection provide the solution. He released people from bondage to those false gods and restores their relationship with Him. With a restored relationship with Jesus, they have the tools available that can free them. The point of all this is the restoration of the relationship, not merely the removal of symptoms. Some forms of idol worship result in lifelong consequences, but people can thrive in them if they have a restored connection with the Lord.

How do you use the Bible in counseling?

We use it in several ways. One is as a blueprint for methods and techniques for interacting with people. Another is as a source of information about who Jesus is and what He intended when He created the universe in general and people in particular. We use the Bible to help a person understand the value they have in God’s eyes and the purpose they have in God’s overall plan. We also use the Bible as a source of illustrations of concepts and principles we try to help them internalize. These concepts and principles are obtained from Scripture.

What would an opening counseling session look like?

Generally, it involves getting to know the person or persons—their identity and the situations in which they find themselves. It focuses on becoming aware of their circumstances, including the people, history, experiences, feelings, and responses they have had. It includes trying to understand their current relationship with God, how they view Him, and what they think about Him. In other words, it is focused on getting a “snapshot” of life as it is for the counselee currently, and an overview of what led them to that point. It forms the foundation of a counseling relationship. An initial visit may also include outlining the steps forward, what to expect, and a plan for them to follow.

Do you have a general outline of steps that you follow while counseling somebody?

Since we follow a more organic approach to people’s difficulties, we do not have specific steps of any program. Our general approach involves developing an initial relationship with the client, learning what they are facing and their background. We ask questions about their situation that reveal more of where they are in their heart and mind, and how they understand God, themselves, and others. We continue according to where that interaction leads us. Most problems develop over time, so it takes time to change the heart that developed them. We try to help facilitate new approaches to problems and new ways of thinking. In other words, our approach is to help them, through a renewed relationship with Jesus, grow in their ways of handling life and its problems, specific to that person.

What are a few basic truths that all counselees need to know when counseling with you?

They need to know who Jesus is and have a relationship with Him. If they do not, our focus will be on helping them see the need to start one. We will not force anyone to become a Christian, as that is a personal decision. But without that relationship, there is not much we can help with. When people first call to make an appointment, we try to understand their relationship with Jesus and their level of understanding of the Gospel. Also, continued cooperation, willingness, and effort are needed to continue the counseling relationship.

What is the counselor’s role in the whole process?

The counselor is a tool in the hands of Jesus, facilitating the reconciliation of the counselee with Him. They act as guides or coaches, providing direction and motivation to the client to do the work of change. It is the client who does the work of change, not the counselor. A counselor is a friend and someone who offers encouragement as well as admonition.

 

Are there any cases that you don’t handle, especially those involving medical issues?

We welcome those who come with a cooperative heart, a desire for solutions, and willingness to be instructed. People who come here need to be functional, able to live responsibly, and not be a danger to the staff, other clients, or neighbors. We do not have the facilities to help those with severe physical disabilities. Also, there are some “hard cases” that may require longer term or more intense interaction than we are able to provide. We will not take those needing such care, but will try to refer them to other resources that can.