Biblical Counseling Is Discipleship

“19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:19-20) 

“Discipleship means imitation. We are called to imitate Christ until His image is formed in us.” — Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Jesus was clear. Disciples (and disciple makers by extension) are not called to merely "teach" Jesus' commands, but to teach "how to observe." This requires intentional application of what we're taught, applying the heart and wisdom of Christ to every arena of life.

Understood properly, therefore, biblical counseling and discipleship are two ways of describing the same mission.

Biblical counseling is the focused, intentional, and relational endeavor to help God's people observe God's word in our thinking, feeling, relating, struggling, and believing. It is the application of the love and wisdom of Christ to every human heart and situation.

1. Christ As Our Model for Discipleship

The foundation of all Christian discipleship is Jesus Himself, to conform to his image, and John 1:14 tells us:

"And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth."

Why did he become flesh, like one of us? To draw near with his grace and truth. To be our very present help in our times of need. (Ps. 46:1) Christ has modeled for us throughout his earthly ministry how to gift sufferes and sinners his personal ministry of the gospel. He gave counsel that is biblical and personal. He counseled not from a distance, but individually, verbally, and relevantly. So if our aim is to grow into his likeness, this must be our trajectory — conforming to Christ's ministry of personal, biblical words.

Discipleship, viewed through this lens, must be less of a classroom with a curriculum, or a quickly produced multiplication/leadership model; but more so a slow, patient, lifelong process of applying God’s counsel to all of life.

2. Counseling Is Not “Extra” 

Biblical counseling, to the extent that it guides the saints in observing what Christ has commanded us, is not "extra" discipleship, but discipleship more clearly defined.

It is the fuller application of the gospel and Scripture to all of life. This was why Scripture was given to us to begin with, so we'd apply it.

Scripture is meant to make us wise (2 Tim. 3:15), which means Scripture is meant to be applicable and tangible, ordinary-sounding and common-sensical, livable and doable, delightful and fruitful to those who put their trust and hope in it. Hence, effective discipleship will have the fruits of effective biblical counseling, equal to the task of producing Christlike disciples and disciple makers.

As Powlison said, “Counseling is the church’s frontline ministry of wise love.”

Wise love, we believe, is not acquired via curricula or programs, but through a lifelong endeavor to enter individuals' pain, confusion, suffering, sin, fear, and grief with the gospel hope and biblical wisdom of Jesus Christ. 

3. Discipleship Is About Growing in Love

Perhaps most importantly, discipleship as defined by Jesus is about growing in Christlike love.

" 34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. 35 By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:34-35)

If by "this" we will know who the true disciples are, we have no better definition of a true disciple than this — it is someone who, having been first loved by Christ, is now growing in Christlike love and care for others.

I recently came across a list detailing the attributes of a "health, disciple-making church." It listed many beneficial things — teaching sound doctrine, a culture of serving with joy, being non-consumeristic, multiplying more discipleship groups, etc. But Jesus' clear definition in John 13 was missing.

So, let us emphasize it, simply — that discipleship is about growing in our conformity to the love of Christ; loving others, gradually and actually, the way Jesus loved.

5. Biblical Counseling Is the Church’s Ordinary Calling—For All Believers

Powlison wrote,

“God intends that churches serve as schools of counseling wisdom. You serve a congregation of potential members of the pastoral care team... The church’s DNA includes wise counseling in daily life by people who already know and love each other.”

Every believer who is discipled deeply can become, in time, someone who can disciple—and counsel—others well. This ought to be the primary purpose of discipleship, not just pastoral care.

Pastors especially must embrace this calling, but the ministry of his wise care is for all believers with the indwelling Holy Spirit. 

6. Read The Pastor as Counselor by David Powlison 

To get a more detailed layout of the link between biblical counseling and my pastoral philosophy and vision, please pick up a copy of David Powlison’s The Pastor as Counselor for free at church. John