Introduction to Biblical Counseling [Hardcover]

John F. MacArthur Jr. (Author), Wayne A. Mack (Author), Master's College Faculty (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 28, 1994

Solid theological foundations of biblical counseling are clearly presented in contrast to humanistic and secular theories of psychological counseling. A practical, proactive and relevant book for students, church leaders and lay people. This collection of writers represents some of America's leading biblical teachers and counselors.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

JOHN F. MACARTHUR pastors Grace Community Church in Sun Valley, California, and serves as president of the Master's College and Seminary. A well-known Bible expositor and conference speaker, he has written more than six dozen books, including the MacArthur New Testament Commentary series and the MacArthur Study Bible. He is the Bible teacher on Grace to You, an international radio broadcast.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 432 pages
• Publisher: Thomas Nelson (June 28, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0849910935
• ISBN-13: 978-0849910937
• Product Dimensions: 9.6 x 6.5 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #310,552 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Widely known for his thorough, candid approach to teaching God's Word, John MacArthur is a popular author and conference speaker and has served as pastor-teacher of Grace Community Church in Sun Valley, California since 1969. John and his wife, Patricia, have four grown children and fourteen grandchildren.
John's pulpit ministry has been extended around the globe through his media ministry, Grace to You, and its satellite offices in seven countries. In addition to producing daily radio programs for nearly 2,000 English and Spanish radio outlets worldwide, Grace to You distributes books, software, audiotapes, and CDs by John MacArthur.
John is president of The Master's College and Seminary and has written hundreds of books and study guides, each one biblical and practical. Best-selling titles include The Gospel According to Jesus, Truth War, The Murder of Jesus, Twelve Ordinary Men, Twelve Extraordinary Women, and The MacArthur Study Bible, a 1998 ECPA Gold Medallion recipient.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Anyone interested in biblical counseling must but this book, December 27, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Introduction to Biblical Counseling (Hardcover)

Introduction to Biblical Counseling authors MacArthur and Mack develop an easy to read and understandable text that conveys to the reader the importance of nouthetic (biblical) counseling. I strongly recommed it as a must for any minister's library or anyone in the counseling field. It controdicts all main-stream psychological theories, while revealing the power and truth that the Bible holds. From cover to cover, I found myself fully embracing the simplistic yet accurate method of nouthetic counseling the writers desired to convey.

14 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Classic Text for Nouthetic Counseling, March 27, 2005

By 

Robert W. Kellemen "Doc. K." (Crown Point, IN United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Introduction to Biblical Counseling (Hardcover)

"Introduction to Biblical Counseling" has been a standard text in nouthetic (from the New Testament Greek word "noutheteo" meaning to exhort out of concern leading to change) counseling for over a decade now. Pastor John MacArthur and Professor Wayne Mack successfully edited a fine introduction to the history, theory, and practice of nouthetic counseling.

The authors focus their thinking around three core concepts: the historical role of lay and pastoral counseling in the local church, the sufficiency of Scripture in the change process, and the methods for implementing such care. The first two sections develop this historical and biblical approach to counseling. These sections are followed by sections on the process and practice of biblical counseling (all of the process sections were written by Professor Mack).

Readers of this text will receive a clear introduction to the concepts central to nouthetic counseling. What they will not receive, and no book can provide all one needs for counseling (other than the Scriptures), is information on what might be called "parakaletic" (from the Greek word "parakeleo" meaning coming along side with encouragement for one suffering) counseling. In other words, "Introduction to Biblical Counseling," while a fine overview of the historical and biblical role of helping believers to overcome sin and to grow in sanctification, is not an introduction to the historical and biblical role of helping believers to deal with the evils that they suffer in a fallen world.

Historically and biblically, both lay people and pastors have always dealt with both suffering (the evils we have suffered) and sin (the sins we have committed). "Soul care" is the historic term used for the process of sustaining and healing those enduring unjust suffering. "Spiritual direction" is the historic term for the process of reconciling and guiding those struggling with personal sin issues.

In the decade since this book was penned, nouthetic counselors have focused more on this area of suffering. To date, they have yet to collate their thoughts into a one volume set like "Introduction to Biblical Counseling." Such a publication will be a welcomed edition to the growing training literature of nouthetic counseling.

Reviewer: Dr. Bob Kellemen, author of "Soul Physicians: A Theology of Soul Care and Spiritual Direction" and "Spiritual Friends: A Methodology of Soul Care and Spiritual Direction."

13 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Leave Freud at Home, October 1, 2001

By 

Rob Anderssen (Owego, NY United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Introduction to Biblical Counseling (Hardcover)

Simple and engaging, yet very informative. I recommend this book to any Christian counselor who feels the Bible alone is not fully equipped for counseling. MacArthur makes a very strong argument for its adequacy and confronts all doubters head on. A great introductory resource for new pastors and counselors.