Book Details
- Author: Howard Eyrich, William Hines
- Publisher: Christian Focus/Mentor (2007)
- Category: Church/Ministry
Discerning Reader Editorial Review
Reviewed 03/26/2010 by Bob Kellemen.
Recommended. Presents a truly biblical model of counseling, and does so in a comprehensive, comprehendible manner.
Authors Howard Eyrich and Williams Hines write in the spirit of historic Puritan soul care. Along with the Puritans, Eyrich and Hines believe that "the Bible rightly applied can take a person successfully through the process of sanctification in a way that pleases God and brings peace to the soul" (p. 11). While many assent to this conviction, too few have developed workable paradigms for thinking through the implications of this foundation for the ministry of counseling. Curing the Heart does just that, while wisely and humbly stressing that their view is a model, not the model.
The Sufficiency of Scripture
Section one presents the need for a biblical approach, arguing for the development of a biblical psychology where the Creator informs the counselor about the nature of the creature. The authors' biblical psychology presents the Bible's message about humanity in a living and dynamic way, and shows how to use the Bible as a counseling tool that targets the heart.
While not expending a great deal of time on the issue of secular psychology, the authors do present a balanced, biblical perspective. "Disciplines such as psychology, sociology, history, and medicine are, at best, able only to make general observations. They cannot answer the why of the human condition" (pp. 18-19). They go on to note, "This is not to say that their observations are simplistic. At times they are very complex and creative. It is to say, however, that they are limited because they lack the knowledge of what is behind creation and the meaning of life within the creation" (p. 18).
Having carefully nuanced the place of secular psychology, the authors succinctly define biblical psychology/counseling and the sufficiency of Scripture.
The sufficiency of Scripture means that Scripture contains all the words of God he intended his people to have at each stage of redemptive history, and that it now contains all the words of God we need for salvation, for trusting him perfectly, and for obeying him perfectly (p. 25).
The Relevancy and Profundity of Scripture
The authors address the criticism leveled against some biblical counseling - that it simplistically uses pet verses with little regard to the depth of problems or the individual being counseled. Poetically and forcefully they reply,
The biblical counselor does not indiscriminately use Scripture as though it were a mystical mantra nor do we use it as a hammer to pound truth into people. The biblical counselor should be a mature person who sees the battle in the counseling office as a battle against all that a person is, including his history, his intellect, his will, his depth of understanding of Scripture and certainly his standing before God in terms of salvation (p. 35).
Having laid this foundation, the authors develop an approach that targets the heart - the fullness of who we are. Before developing that approach, they sagely address the heart of the biblical counselor (section two). Here they highlight the content, character, and competence of the biblical counselor.
A Relational Model for the Biblical Counseling Process
Then in section three, they overview the counseling process. Here readers find a plethora of counseling intervention methods, each explained biblically and practically.
While they present a process, Eyrich and Hines carefully explain that "the process is variegated, fluid, interrelated, and complex" (p. 82). In other words, it is a guide based upon Scripture and followed relationally with wisdom, not a straight-jacket followed mechanically. Their process involves:
- Building Involvement
- Gathering Data
- Isolating Problems
- Determining Direction
- Rethinking Problems
- Confronting
- Giving Hope
- Gaining Commitment
- Assigning Homework
- Evaluating Homework
- Building Involvement (The Process Continues and Expands)
Their lengthy section on building involvement in the counseling relationship is a sometimes neglected element of modern biblical counseling. Biblically and practically, Eyrich and Hines tackle the vitally important issue of counselor-counselee connection.
As the authors move through the three skills of gathering data, isolating problems, and determining directions, they frequently reference Dr. Jay Adams' foundational methods from nouthetic counseling. As the "father" of the "modern biblical counseling movement," biblical counselors owe much to Adams' legacy. However, at times in these three areas it seems as if the authors were a tad over-dependent upon Adams, not sharing enough of their own development of Adams' model. In the other counseling methods and competencies, Eyrich and Hines blended in a more comprehensive array of additional sources, also adding their own biblical insights and counseling experiences.
Their excellent manual is made even better by the inclusion of four appendices with practical helps for actually ministry. Curing the Heart should be mandatory reading for lay leaders, pastors, counselors, and students interested in understanding and developing their model of biblical counseling and their skillfulness as a biblical counselor.
