Larry Crabb's Gospel [Paperback]

Martin Bobgan (Author), Deidre Bobgan (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 22, 1998

Dr. Larry Crabb is well-known for his books on counseling and Christian growth. While he refers to his counseling model and methods as biblical, this book shows how secular psychological theories influence his teachings about the human condition, how people change and grow, and how they can find God. The book provides a detailed analysis of Crabb's psychotheology with descriptions of his need-driven theology, his teachings on unconscious motivators of behavior, and his exposing process. The authors trace Crabb's journey of jolts, shifts, and expansions and show that while Crabb's books may progressively sound more biblical, his eclectic theories and methods remain psychologically bound.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Martin Bobgan holds four college degrees, including a doctorate from the University of Colorado, and is the president of PsychoHeresy Awareness Ministries. Deidre holds an M.A. in English from the University of California at Santa Barbara and is a member of Phi Beta Kappa. They have coauthored numerous books and articles.

Product Details

• Paperback: 205 pages
• Publisher: EastGate Publishers; 1st edition (July 22, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0941717143
• ISBN-13: 978-0941717144
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 2.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,727,779 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

18 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Sad, August 6, 2001

By 

Holly S. Wise "Doug and Holly" (Rocky Mount, VA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Larry Crabb's Gospel (Paperback)

I personally think it's sad when a book is written that leads people closer to God and it has other books written about it in criticism. If not for Crabb I likely would not have made it as a Christian. Reading the Bobgans book was discouraging in that they clearly did not see the way God's Word was brought to life by Crabbs refreshing insights. For instance, Crabb was accused of using psychological tactics like sharing from his own personal experiences to trick people into buying his teachings. What if Crabb was being honest, which I have every reason to believe from the way his thoughts have changed my life????? I would stake my faith on the fact that Crabb's words are closer to God's heart than Bobgans.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars BOBGAN BULL, February 23, 2010

By 

Susan K. (Encinitas, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Larry Crabb's Gospel (Paperback)

What is so sad about this book is that it is reflective of EVERY book that the Bobgan's write. As a conservative Christian woman who is also a medical professional, I find that the Bobgan's beliefs concerning psychology are profoundly flawed on many levels. Although I believe strongly that the Bible calls us to "test and discern" and assure that the counsel that we receive in ALL areas of our life are congruent with Biblical teaching, their beliefs about psychology and psychiatry are more in line with the Christian Scientist and are frankly outrageous. Like their other books, they exhaustively research and trash upstanding professional Christians who are honestly and wholeheartedly committed to helping other Christians understand and cope with the suffering that is inherent in life with in a Biblical framework. Although I do not espouse agreement in every area that Larry Crabb's speaks of, having read Mr. Crabb's book I was moved by his sincerity in helping the body of Christ and helping Christians to gain insight and understanding on the coping and management of life here on earth. On the contrary, like all their other books, the Bodgan's are not interested in edifying or building up the body of Christ nor do ANY of their books offer answers beyond prayer and Biblical reading. As important as those concepts are, Jesus's ministry was all about relationship and connection not only to Jesus and God the Father but to each other. The Bobgan's beliefs are cultish in that they isolate and alienate and they "blame" the Christian who is suffering psychologically with actual biological illness, poor coping skills, addiction or emotional pain but passively saying that if they only read their Bible enough and prayed enough that it would be sufficient to "heal them". Hence my remark, they are the "Christian Scientist of the Mind" , therefore a cult and thus dangerous...steer clear of these two!

9 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars The Art of Integration, November 12, 2003

By 

E. Nicole Saylor "Clinical Psychologist" (Knoxville, TN) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Larry Crabb's Gospel (Paperback)

What I think the writers of this book have missed, as well as the two previous reviews, is the powerful art of integration. Integration of all areas of one's life: professional, personal, spiritual, etc. is no easy task. The writers fail to realize that yes, Larry Crabb's books are about psychology...from a Christian perspective.

While the Bible is the guiding and final word on all matters, the Bible alone is not sufficient to guide a professional practice in psychology. Just as the Bible can not be a text book for a carpenter, or a medical doctor. The Bible relays TRUTH, but God also uses other areas to reveal general truths. The Bible has no way to guide an examination of neurotransmitters in the brain or how to treat schizophrenia or bipolar disorder. The Bible gives the ground work for the human condition. However, we live in a fallen world, simply meaning that things are not the way they are supposed to be. Therefore, humans are not the way we are supposed to be...and things are generally messed up.