Bonafide biblical counseling has become as scarce as hen’s teeth. Christian counseling in general is a mine field. This is due largely to the fact that some of what is presented has merit and makes attractive window dressing, which contributes to the deception. Most are oblivious and those who try to point out the dangers are treated like invading aliens from another planet. On closer examination, the light of God’s truth shines through and exposes the works of darkness. We will look into the unbiblical philosophical roots of the American Association of Counselors (AACC), a major Christian university, and certain individuals and organizations they endorse and promote. 

Influential evangelical pastors and leaders sing the praises of "Christian" psychology not realizing that they are promoting doctrines of demons and selling their followers short. Dave Hunt says it well….."to call it Christian psychology is an attack upon Christianity itself. This is all the more astonishing in view of the fact that ‘Christian’ psychology doesn’t exist. This fact can be proved very simply: go to any library or bookstore and look in the index of any psychology textbook. No listing for ‘Christian Psychology’ will be found." [1]

What does the Bible have to say about counseling? There are examples of bad counsel and equally bad results. The children of Israel listened to the counsel of Balaam and suffered dire consequences. (Numbers 31) David trusted Ahithophel, who had the reputation of being led by God, but betrayed David and aided his enemies. (2^nd Samuel 15) King Saul sought counsel from the Witch of Endor, a familiar spirit and lost his life because of it. (1^st Chronicles 10) Apparently it does make a difference from whom one seeks counsel. The only safe counsel is that which comes from the Lord, His Word and His Holy Spirit. Those who trust in corrupt counsel invite their own ruin which will come sooner or later. The Bible has plenty to say on this subject:

Only God Himself can judge the hearts of those who portray themselves as Christian counselors complete with impressive credentials when in fact they espouse man-made philosophies. Most are probably very kind and compassionate people who truly want to help others and sincerely believe they are following the Lord. But we have to use God’s truth as the standard, the only standard. No matter how renowned an organization is or how highly respected an individual, what really matters is if what they stand for measures up to God’s standard. Someone is sure to point out the element of truth that exists, but medicine laced with arsenic is more deadly than no medicine at all. As Bereans, we are to take a closer look. Examination shows that truth is compromised by leaven cleverly mixed in. God has made it very clear – His Word is the authority and there is no place for anything that conflicts with His Word. He commands us to come out and be separate. We are to be in the world but not to be corrupted by it. The Word cautions us not to draw water from broken cisterns.

T.A. McMahon states so well "God alone knows every thought, every action, every variable, how they interact, and what good or evil they will produce. The Spirit of Christ is our personal counselor. God's Word is our only true counseling manual, containing His insights, His corrections, His tender mercies, and His healing balm for whatever afflicts our heart and soul."[2[

Much of so-called Christian counseling is replete with buzzwords such as spiritual formation, spiritual journey, soul care, spiritual disciplines, etc.. The bottom line is that spiritual formation is bringing New Age practices and the occult into the church. Even a quick perusal of the sites promoting these practices clearly points this out. Some of these methods include centering prayer and practicing the silence and other contemplative practices that are a broad doorway to Roman Catholicism.[3]

Richard Foster (more on him later) has his own list of Spiritual Formation programs which includes churches, colleges, organizations and ministries. See the list. [4]

Another list of ministries involved in some form of spiritual formation is an interesting read - some have a semblance of it while others are actively promoting it. You may be shocked at some of the names on the list. See the list here: http://www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com/spiritualformationlist.htm

According to the website of the Spiritual Formation Forum, walking the labyrinth is among the activities at their nationwide conferences. [5] According to the International Labyrinth Society, a new age organization it is "a single path…..for personal, psychological and spiritual transformation." According to Wikipedia, "Labyrinths are used by many modern mystics to help the user achieve a contemplative state. By walking amongst the turnings, the user loses track of direction and of the outside world, and thus quiets the mind. [6]

"According to an article on the Natural Care College site, ‘soul care is the artistry of helping a person to find their personal and relational path to the sacred, where they are able to open to and live from their deeper self, reaching a higher level of living and loving through their own unique soul-nurturing spirituality and way of being in the world.’ In other words, soul care is finding the divinity that is within each person. It is just another ploy of Satan to lure the undiscerning into the trap of man’s desire to play God. As Thomas Merton put it, "It is coming to the realization of what is already there - God in every human being. See "Thomas Merton: The Contemplative Dark Thread" by Jackie Alnor at http://www.apostasyalert.org/Merton.htm

Not only do they endorse AA but they belittle those who don’t share their view. They arrogantly state that pastors and church leaders’ concerns about the program "are formed from ignorance and embraced without sincere investigation." [20]

The AACC states emphatically that AA is not a secular organization, but is based on Christian principles. "Mention of the ‘higher Power’ in the Big Book of AA has reference to total surrender of one’s life ONLY to a Judeo-Christian God. A personal daily dependency of divine mercy and grace, the constant exercise of gratitude and worship, healing and a "daily reprieve" from the sentence of death." They are saying that there is forgiveness and healing outside of Christ! They go on to say, "AA’s elimination of the person of Jesus, Buddha, Mohammed and other specific religious leaders was a calculated decision on the part of the early Christian leaders of AA. They declared their mission was "to stop short of becoming a theologically-based program so as to attract the greatest company of those desiring recovery." [21]

AA’s philosophy is to pull in the masses, instruct them to convert to a "god" of their own conception and then throw them to the wolves who are ready to devour them before they reach the door of a Bible-teaching church. To say Christ and Christ alone is the answer would be too offensive and would attract too exclusive. There’s that lie of Satan again, the pragmatic axiom "the end justifies the means." The AACC contends that the AA "conversion becomes one of repentance (turning around) toward a specific direction rather than an immediate one-time decision." [22] Think about what they are saying! Of course repentance is necessary, a change of direction, but it is brought about by that all important one-time decision to ask Christ into one’s life and possess the power of the Holy Spirit! Until that moment of decision, the soul is unregenerate and powerless! What a perversion of the Gospel of Christ! They are in essence saying - Clean up your life through AA, your "salvation" and deliverance from alcohol is through AA and the 12 Steps.

In 1960 Bill Wilson gave a speech to the National Catholic Clergy Conference on Alcoholism. During the ensuing question and answer discussion Wilson was asked why he did not use the term disease when he spoke of alcoholism in that speech. He replied, "We AA's have never called alcoholism a disease because, technically speaking it is not a disease entity. For example there is no such thing as heart disease. Instead there are many separate heart ailments, or combinations of them. It is something like that with alcoholism. Therefore we do not wish to get in wrong with the medical profession by pronouncing alcoholism a disease entity. Therefore we always call it an illness, or a malady, -- a far safer term for us to use." [23]

According to a report by T.A. McMahon, A.A.’s official biography indicates that the founder, Bill Wilson received the details of the 12 Steps through spiritual dictation – an occultic source. But does it really matter? Aren’t results what counts? The Word of God says to have nothing to do with these deeds of darkness. [24]

Wilson had been influenced by the opinion of psychiatrist Dr. Carl G. Jung that alcoholism could be cured by a genuine conversion,………… [25] This tends to make Carl Jung look good – but as McMahon’s report goes on to say, "The life and works of psychiatrist Carl Gustav Jung clearly reveal that his psychological theories came directly from "seducing spirits" Jung is far more popular today among professing Christians than Freud (the atheist) because of his perceived affinity for religion and things spiritual.

However, though his father was a Protestant pastor (who seriously doubted his professed faith!), Jung was anti-biblical and resentful of organized Christianity from his youth. His early symbolic visions revealed Jesus as a Dark Lord and God defecating on a cathedral…. His grandfather, pastor Samuel Preiswerk, conducted ongoing séances to commune with his deceased first wife, with his second wife and daughter (Jung’s mother) participating. The latter, who had bouts of insanity, reserved two beds in the Jung home for visiting ghosts. Jung’s doctoral thesis (published in 1902) was based upon séances conducted by his 13-year-old cousin, whom he placed in an altered state of consciousness through hypnosis in order to contact his and her dead ancestors. ……Jung’s teachings are doctrines of demons, gleaned directly from seducing spirits: Jung promoted all things occult, including astrology, alchemy, the I-Ching, mysticism, necromancy, visualization, dream interpretation, the active imagination, yoga, meditation, etc. Incredibly, his theories and recommended practices are endorsed in the teachings of some of the most influential people in evangelical Christianity. In many cases, ignorance is the principle reason, yet the demonic lies are nevertheless readily promoted and accepted among the sheep.

Rick Warren’s 30 million copies of The Purpose-Driven Life include Jungian concepts, such as psychological "types." Saddleback Church’s "Celebrate Recovery" program (see TBC Oct ’05), which has been exported to 4,500 churches and Prison Fellowship Ministries, is based on A.A.’s 12-Step principles. A.A. co-founder Bill Wilson received the 12 Steps during the time he was in contact with spirit entities. He later wrote a personal letter to Carl Jung thanking him for his influence.[26]

Quoting from My Name is Bill: His Life and the Creation of A.A. by Susan Cheever

"Wilson himself placed his faith not in God but in his own mind, yet he experienced what…’a genuine conversion’ moment in 1934—a bottoming out, a dark night of the soul. From this experience came Wilson’s ‘gospel of surrender and recovery’ …..Wilson’s penchant for Ouija boards and séances, and his sexual charisma… led to dalliances, jealousies and broken friendships. He corresponded with Carl Jung, made friends with Aldous Huxley,……and sought understanding through LSD. Sober for 37 years, this complex man died begging for a drink." A heavy smoker, he died of emphysema. [27]

Biola University, the traditional virtual bedrock of conservative Christian higher education, has opened itself to influences that would have its founders spinning in their graves.

Biola, through Talbot University, welcomed Ruth Haley Barton as a speaker. Sound familiar? She was mentored by Tilden Edwards who believes Jesus and Buddha are buddies. [28]

The Willow Creek group is another topic for another time, but they are in the thick of the Spiritual Formation movement. Lighthouse Trails reports that "After her training at Shalem, Ms. Barton became the Associate Director for Spiritual Formation at Willow Creek and helped to develop their Spiritual Formation curriculum. Since then she has started the Transforming Center, where pastors and leaders are trained in the art of contemplative spirituality." [29]

Those in charge at the AACC, Biola and other groups promoting these beliefs have obviously ignored this warning from the Lord:

The largest counseling organization of which some 50,000 Christian counselors are proud members, stands on the false premise of psychology and secular ideologies. Every counselor who touts their credentials as a member of this association has married themselves to corruption. A major Christian university has abandoned their conservative Christian roots and strayed from biblical truth to teach manmade philosophies. As I stated in the beginning, what is passing for biblical counseling these days is a mine field and can cause more harm than good. When those in spiritual need seek bread they are being given a stone.

It seems that this counsel from God’s Word has been long forgotten: 

[1[ http://www.thebereancall.org/Newsletter/html/1986/jul86.php

[2[ http://www.thebereancall.org/Newsletter/html/1994

[3}http://www.explorefaith.org/prayer/essays/center.html

[4[ http://www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com

[5] http://www.spiritualformationforum.org/

[6] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Labyrinth#Modern_labyrinths

[7] http://www.rpmbooks.org/author.html

[9] http://www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com/nouwenbuddhism.htm

[10] http://www.crossroad.to/Bible_studies/Message.html

[11] http://www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com/renovarestudybible.htm

[12] http://www.litencyc.com/php/speople.php?rec=true&UID=5187

[13] http://www.apprising.org/archives/2006/04/do_you_know_whe.html

[14] http://www.pfo.org/mguyon.htm

[15] http://www.laycontemplative.org/thesites/shalem.htm

[16] http://www.upanishad.org/dialogue/jesus_buddha.htm

[17] http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4926262/

[18] http://www.fromthelighthouse.com/blog/index.php?p=187&more=1&c=1

[19] http://aacc.net/conferences/world-conference-07/

[20] http://aacc.net/2006/07/18/aa-and-other-12-step-groups-are-pseudo%e2%80%9d-religions/

[21] http://aacc.net/2006/07/18/aa-and-other-12-step-groups-are-pseudo%e2%80%9d-religions/

[22] http://aacc.net/2006/07/18/aa-and-other-12-step-groups-are-pseudo%e2%80%9d-religions/

[23] ] ^[23] ^ A Conversation with Bill W. (2003). Retrieved on 2006-10-20. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alcoholics_Anonymous#_note-22

[24] http://www.thebereancall.org/Newsletter/html/2002/mar02.php

[25] ^[5] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alcoholics_Anonymous#_note-22

[26] http://www.thebereancall.org/Newsletter/html/2006/oct06.php

[27] http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1058/is_10_121/ai_n6044751

[28] http://www.talbot.edu/academics/programs/ma_spiritformsoulcare/ http://www.biola.edu/spiritualformation/

[29] http://www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com/newsletter091106.ht

 Article revised 11/07