CHRISTIAN COUNSELING
What Is Christian Counseling?
SoulCare Counseling is a Christian counseling center. What is Christian counseling? You might be surprised to learn that there is no counseling method called “Christian counseling.” People think that Christian counseling means the counselor reads some Bible verses and preaches to the client. Not so. Christian counselors are trained, professional counselors with Master’s Degrees in counseling. They use a variety of counseling methods that are proven and effective in helping people change. The counseling methods are not Christian or unchristian; they are just tools. What makes Christian counseling Christian is that the counselor is a Christian who uses whatever counseling tools are appropriate, but does so within the framework of a biblical, Christian worldview, values, and assumptions.
At SoulCare Counseling, our counselors are either working toward or have earned a Master’s Degree in counseling and are licensed by the state of Texas as a professional counselor. They are also all born-again, Bible-believing Christians. All faiths are welcome and the counseling is done in a safe, non-judgmental environment.
Christian Counseling Statement of Faith
SoulCare Counseling is a Christian counseling center. As such, our counseling philosophy and practice are guided by deeply held faith convictions, which are drawn from the Holy Scriptures. The following is a synopsis of our beliefs on key issues and their Scriptural foundations:
God is the creator and sustainer of all. He is one God who exists eternally as a trinity of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit with no division of His essence or being. (1 Timothy 2:5; Psalm 90:2; Matthew 28:19)
Jesus is God who became flesh by the miracle of the virgin birth. He lived a sinless life, revealed the glory of God, died willingly as a substitute to atone for sin, rose bodily from the grave, ascended to the right hand of God where He is our High Priest, and is one day returning to reign as King of kings and Lord of lords. (John 1:1,14; Matthew 1:18; Hebrews 4:15; John 10:18; 1 John 2:2; Mark 16:6; Hebrews 6:20; Acts 1:9; Revelation 11:15)
The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God the Father and God the Son. He reveals Jesus, convicts of sin, draws, and regenerates repentant sinners. He baptizes, indwells, and seals believers into the body of Christ. He imparts gifts for Christian service and produces Christian living. (Romans 8:9; John 15:26; 2 Corinthians 4:6; John 16:8; Titus 3:5; Mark 1:8; 1 Corinthians 3:16; Ephesians 1:13; 1 Corinthians 12:4-11; Galatians 5:16-24)
The Bible, composed of the Old and New Testaments, is God’s inspired and infallible Word. It is the supreme standard and final authority for all conduct, faith, and doctrine. (2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:20-21; Psalm 119:89; Isaiah 40:8; Psalm 19:7-11)
Human Beings are created in the image of God as His supreme work and as such have infinite worth and dignity, but by willful transgression became sinful and justly fell under the condemnation of a holy God. Therefore, all people are in need of Christ’s gift of salvation. (Genesis 1:27; Romans 5:18-19; 3:23; 6:23)
Salvation from sin’s guilt and condemnation is the free gift of God received through repentance and faith in the righteousness and atonement of Jesus made available through His death and resurrection. Anyone who will put their trust in Jesus alone and confess Him as Lord will be imputed with His righteousness, made into a new creation, and kept eternally secure. (John 3:16; 1:12; 14:6; Ephesians 2:8; Romans 10:9-10; 2 Corinthians 5:17; John 10:28; 1 Peter 1:3-5)
The Church is the body of Christ of which He is the head. Its members are all who have placed faith in Jesus. Believers are called to assemble in a local church. The church’s mission is to make disciples of all nations (evangelism), baptizing them (fellowship), and teaching them to obey all that Jesus commanded (discipleship). The ordinances of the church are believer’s baptism by immersion and the Lord’s Supper in remembrance of His death. Its officers are elders (pastors) and deacons. (Ephesians 5:19-30; Colossians 1:18; 1 Corinthians 12:13; Matthew 28:18-20; Acts 2:41; 8:12; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26; Philippians 1:1; 1 Timothy 3:1-13)
The Family was established by God and built upon the institution of marriage, which was and is one man and one woman united in a covenant commitment for life. Symbolic of Christ and the Church, marriage is to be intimate, loyal, and pure. Thus, sexual intimacy is to be reserved for the sacred “one flesh” union of marriage. While all people deserve love and compassion, and God offers redemption and restoration to all who repent of their sin through faith in Jesus, the Scriptures are clear that any form of sexual behavior outside of marriage, such adultery, fornication, homosexual or bisexual conduct, incest, bestiality, pornography, or gender re-assignment, violate the will and purpose of our Creator. A healthy marriage and family can only exist when it is built upon the solid rock of God’s design for marriage. (Genesis 1:27-28; 2:18-24; Matthew 19:4-9; Mark 10:6-9; Ephesians 5:31-33; Hebrews 13:4; 1 Corinthians 6:12-20; 7:1-9)
Christian Counseling is rooted in Scripture. God is “the Lord who counsels me.” Jesus is “Wonderful Counselor.” The Holy Spirit the paraclete, called alongside to help and guide us into truth. Christian counseling is conducted by men and women who are born-again, committed believers in Jesus with a devotion to the Bible as God’s immutable, infallible, and authoritative word. Christian counselors have been called, gifted, and trained for the profession of counseling and approach it with a biblical worldview that informs and guides whatever therapeutic model they employ. (Exodus 15:26; Isaiah 9:6; John 14:16-18; 1 Thessalonians 5:11,14; 2 Timothy 3:16-17; Psalm 119:24; Hebrews 4:12; Hebrews 10:24-25)