S.T.O.P. the Harm (Acts 16:28) is a Biblical Counseling Approach to Offering Hope to the Suicidal that is Gospel-driven and church-based, which is a practical enough plan that most Christian congregations can prayerfully implement with positive results as the following outlines:   

            Strategic placement of the church for frontline suicidal prevention ministries

            The U.S. Surgeon General called upon the churches and clergy of this nation to more and more endeavor to intervene with the suicidal realizing that faith-based communities are often in the frontlines in terms of  interacting with those who are struggling with suicidal ideations. According  to the Hartford Institute there are approximately 350,000 churches in America; therefore, imagine if every church in America bolstered her  efforts in preventing suicides what great good could ensue.  The Apostle Paul in Titus 3:1 tells the Christian people to be ready for  every good work to include when the government calls upon us to help in  vital causes. Thus, the first thing a church must do is realize that they have a God-inspired mandate to make a Spirit-inspired difference for the  glory of Christ to help the suicidal in our midst.  

            Train each church member to be a ministry referral brokers

              Annually our church trains the members of the congregation in how to intervene in Christ’s name with the suicidal. This year we presented  that The American Association of Suicidology explains that a group of  suicidal intervention experts designed a mnemonic (IS PATH WARM) to help us better identify those struggling with suicidal thinking. In this       mnemonic the PATH stands for the signs of: Purposelessness, Anxiety, Trapped, and Hopelessness (hopelessness is the most urgent of these  signs that indicates that a person is susceptible to suicidal thoughts). Of  course, once those signs are introduced to Christian people it is clear to  them that the sufficiency of the Gospel of grace effectively addresses        these deep-seated personal issues as described by the PATH:  Purposelessness (John 15:16, Ephesians 2:10, Philippians 3: 14), Anxiety  (John 14:27, Philippians 4:6-9), Trapped (John    16:33, Ecclesiastes 8:6, 1 Corinthians 10:13), and Hopelessness (John 10:9, 14:1, Romans 15:4, 1 Peter 3:15). The bottom line is that the church, due to the Gospel of God  in Christ (Romans 1:16), is able to offer abundant hope to those in need.  

            Orchestrating conversations of hope in Christ

                        After training our church members on how the Gospel of grace intervenes  in the struggles of the suicidal, we provide them an Emergency Ministry Referral Sheet (an example available at the end of this post) that contains 24/7 crisis intervention phone numbers, Christian counselors contact information, financial advice (often money pressures tend to lead to suicidal thinking) and Biblical  references that address those in exigent circumstances. We have  found this to provide our members the wherewithal to offer tangible help and hope to those in need, but even more, it gives them information to coach their family or friends in how to help those they encounter who are in difficult straights.   

            Public Prevention Service Announcements initiated by the Local Church

             Simply putting a public service announcement on the front page of a church’s website will make a difference in preventing suicide. The announcement might look like: NEED HELP NOW? National Crisis and IMMEDIATE HELP Hotline: 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or If you are in crisis, then call 1-800-273-TALK (8255). Why is this effective? Because often the suicidal person is not familiar with this avenue of assistance and once he or she is introduced to this national crisis prevention number they may call it to receive help due to the fact that the call is free, the caller remains anonymous, it is confidential, and it is readily available. Imagine if the well over 200,000 churches in America  estimated to maintain church websites according to a LifeWay  survey actually included such a Good Samaritan public service announcement that God providentially could use to intervene in the  life of those struggling with suicidal thoughts.  

In any event, such an approach is in line with the noble New Testament tradition of St. Paul’s urgent message in Acts 16:28 of Do not harm yourself! that he called out to the suicidal jailer, or as the King James Version puts it Do thyself no harm, which was an effective message of intervention then and it will be, by God’s grace, now as churches adopt the S.T.O.P. the Harm program or other like ministry plans to bring the hope of Christ to our neighbors in crisis.

       Special Note: Why is enacting such a proactive suicidal prevention program in your church so important? Well, Gary Collins, the dean of Christian counseling and coaching, talks about a study of suicidal teenagers showing they often come from good homes—that should scare every parent and every church on the planet to make proactive changes. In fact, the study reports that 85 percent of these teenagers expressed that they saw no reason for living since their lives seemed without purpose.  As one youth said, “I’m not afraid to die; I’m afraid of wasting my life.” Therefore, it is incumbent upon the church founded by the Lord Jesus and saved by His precious blood to be Good Samaritans offering the hope, purpose, and grace in Christ to those considering harming themselves. As Billy Graham urges, “Suicide is extremely serious and tragic in God’s eyes, and if someone who is reading this is contemplating suicide, I beg of you to reconsider and seek help for whatever your problem may be. God loves you—whether you believe it or not—and He does not want you to end your life. Put your faith and hope in Christ and His love for you. You are never alone if you know Him because nothing ‘will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord’ (Romans 8:39). Turn to Him today, and by faith ask Christ to come into your life. When we know Christ we are never alone.”

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Emergency Ministry Referral Sheet

If You Are in Crisis and Need Immediate Help (Call 911):

 Call 1-800-273-TALK (8255)

Call 1-800-NEW-LIFE (639-5433)

If You Need Financial Counseling:

Crown Financial Ministries (www.crown.org)

• Consumer Credit Counseling Service (Atlanta, GA)
• 24 hour phone (1-800-251-CCCS) or internet counseling (www.onlinecounsel.cccsatl.org).

American Association of Christian Counselors Referrals: The Christian Care Network (CCN), is a national referral network of state licensed, certified, and/or properly credentialed Christian counselors offering care that is distinctively Christian and clinically excellent (http://www.aacc.net/resources/find-a-counselor/).

Resting in Jesus Christ as Your Lord and Savior (John 1:12, 3:16, 14:6, 17:3): If you sense that you need to receive and know the Savior who is our Lord Jesus Christ, then follow the Gospel Steps to Life at http://evangelismexplosion.org/resources/steps-to-life/ or you can call or email the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (1-877-247-2426 or help@bgea.org).

 Helpful Bible Verses in Times of Crisis (compiled by H. Norman Wright): 

Comfort: Psalm 73:23; John 6:37-40   

Anxiety: Matthew 11:28

 Fear: Hebrews 13:6; Psalm 23        

Peace: Romans 5:1-8; John 3:16      

When you feel weak: Isaiah 57:15; Ephesians 3:16

 Despair: Psalm 46:1; Ephesians 1:18  

Depressed: Psalm 40:1-3; John 10:10 

Grief: Psalm 119:28; Revelation 21:3-5; John 11:25; John 14:1-2

 Times of trouble: Psalm 50:15; John 16:33

The IQ-BEST Biblical Process of Coaching 

            While studying the story of the great personal coach of the Old Testament, Jethro, I discerned a biblical process of coaching that I term IQ-BEST, which is a play on the notion of the Intelligence Quotient. However, here IQ means Impact Quotient in terms of how much spiritual impact do we make for the cause of Jesus Christ with our own lives. In any event, here is what the acronym IQ-BEST stands for:

I = Importance of the Biblical Coach

Q = Quality Questions form the Biblical Coach

B = Biblical Framework of Coaching Principles

E = Explanatory Statements of those Coached

S = S.M.A.R.T. Goals Indentified, Implemented and Achieved

T = Tips of Grace from the Coach to those Coached 

Now that you are introduced to this idea, let’s look at the personal coaching of Jethro as he interacts with his son-in-law Moses:   

I = Importance of the Biblical Coach

            Even the casual reader of Exodus 18 quickly picks up on the importance of coach Jethro in this episode between him and Moses. Jethro will give Moses greatly needed advice on how to become a more efficient and effective servant-leader on behalf of the people of Israelfor the glory of God. A number of times (13 times) in this chapter Jethro, the priest of Midian, is called “Moses’ father-in-law.” Why so many times since it seems redundant? Well, two straightforward reasons come to my mind. First, there seems to be a little Hebrew humor going on in the story. Even your in-laws can render you good advice as “Moses listened to the voice of his father-in-law and did all that he had said.” (Exodus 18:24, emphasis added) How often in ordinary life does a son-in-law listen to all that a father-in-law tells him? The ironic message here is that an extraordinary family event is occurring here—the in-law is giving great advice and it is being heeded! Second, the repeated emphasis in the biblical record of Moses’ father-in-law also highlights the importance of Jethro as a reliable coach in the life of Moses as Exodus 18:7 indicates. Jethro’s quality coaching of Moses will pay great dividends as he told his famous son-in-law, “Now obey my voice; I will give you advice . . . if you do this, God will direct you, you will be able to endure, and all this people will go to their place in peace.”     

Q = Quality Questions from the Biblical Coach

            Jethro is a master at asking penetrating questions as Exodus 18:13-14 reveals, “The next day Moses sat to judge the people, and the people stood around Moses from morning till evening. When Moses’ father-in-law saw all that he was doing for the people, he said, ‘What is this that you are doing for the people? Why do you sit alone, and all the people stand around you from morning till evening?’” (emphasis added) Jethro’s questions zeroes in on two key problems, one that Moses faced and the other the people suffered. Moses was doing way too much, which would have brought him to a frazzled psychological condition. Whereas the people where standing around. What is more frustrating to normal people then having to stand and wait in line? Jethro’s challenging questions bring all the issues into a comprehensive focus in order to work out solutions for them. This is the essential task of any skillful biblical coach.  

B = Biblical Framework of Coaching Principles

            Jethro operates in his communications with Moses in a biblical God-glorifying manner as the following verses indicate:

• And Jethro rejoiced for all the good that the LORD had done (18:9)

• Jethro said, “Blessed be the Lord . . . Now I know that the LORD is greater than all gods . . . sacrifices to God . . . before God . . . (18:10-13)

• God be with you . . . represent the people before God . . . bring their cases before God . . . men who fear God . . . God will direct you (18:19, 21, 23)

It is this God-centered emphasis of Jethro that is most appealing to his son-in-law. Moses transparently discloses his spiritual motives when he observed, “Because the people come to me to inquire of God . . . I make then know the statues of God and his laws.” In other words, because Jethro’s advice was squarely in line with the Bible it motivated Moses, a man of the Book. Everything a biblical coach advises must correspond to the Word of God in order for it to be powerfully effective in the life and times of the one coached (Hebrews 4:12, 2 Timothy 3:15-17).

E = Explanatory Statements of the Coach and those Coached

            Jethro listened keenly to the answers Moses gave to his questions. Moses replied, “Because the people come TO ME to inquire of God; when they have a dispute, they come TO ME and I DECIDE between one person and another, and I MAKE THEM KNOW that statutes of God and his laws.” (emphasis added) Jethro courageously responds, “What YOU are doing is not good. YOU and the people with you will certainly wear yourselves out, for the thing is too heavy for you. YOU are not able to do it alone.” (emphasis added) Jethro’s questions revealed that Moses was operating from a “me, myself, and I” perspective rather than a “we as the leaders of God” viewpoint. Jethro, like a good soccer coach, pointed out that as there is no “I” in the word TEAM—Moses needed to learn to rely on his team that the sovereign God surrounded him with for the purpose of leadingIsrael. A biblical coach will be listening intently to how those they coach interpret their situations—it is here where a coach can often glean the real problems within a person’s mindset that acts as a block for achieving greater success.   

S = S.M.A.R.T. Goals Indentified, Implemented and Achieved

            Every good coach will leave their client with S.M.A.R.T. goals to work on, which refers to specific, measurable, attainable, relevant goals that bring needed traction in completing the mission. Jethro gives specific steps for delegating to other men (look for able men; 18:21a) that were measurable (men who fear God; 18:21c) and attainable (from all the people; 18:21b). Furthermore, he gives him real relevant advice by telling Moses to look for men “who are trustworthy and hate a bribe.” Jethro even points out, “So it will be easier for you, and they will bear the burden with you”—it doesn’t get any more relevant than this for an overworked leader. He shows him how to gauge the positive traction for this endeavor as he achieved the process of appointing chiefs of thousands, hundreds, fifties and tens (18:22). In this regard, he presents the appropriate division of labor when he notes, “Every great matter they shall bring to you, but any small matter they will decide for themselves.”  It is not enough as a coach to tell someone to “go for it” or “you can deal with it to overcome it”—that’s not coaching but cheerleading. Coaching is when you tell someone how to “go for it” or the exact steps to walk in order to overcome a challenge. Jethro’s advice worked because it was workable—he showed his client, in this case Moses, how to precisely implement a winning plan. Now, that’s superb, expert biblical coaching. Any caring person can cheerlead, only a wise caring person can coach.     

T = Tips of Grace from the Coach to those Coached 

            Jethro’s major tip of grace to empower Moses included the idea of “delegating” and how it would make the entire judicial procedures more effectively efficient for all and more exalting to the glory of God. This tip of grace brought shalom to Moses and the people of God (Exodus 18:23). Each biblical counselor must prayerfully discern what grace-filled words from Scripture they can give to their client in order to impact their world for good.

Here’s an excerpt:

A San Francisco cable car holds 60 people. This blog was viewed about 2,600 times in 2011. If it were a cable car, it would take about 43 trips to carry that many people.

Click here to see the complete report.

Medications

Bible-based counseling will realize that medicine properly administered under the professional care of a competent doctor plays a humane (Psalm 104:15) and helpful (1 Timothy 5:23) role in the life of those who suffer. In the book Will Medicine Stop the Pain? a critical caution emerged many times. It went, “If you are presently on any form of medicine intended to help stabilize your emotions, please do not stop taking it unless you are under the direct supervision of your physician and you do so at a very slow pace.”  Even so, Welch says, “You will never find a psychiatric problem where biblical counsel—counsel directed to the heart—is anything less than essential.” Dr. Howard Eyrich brings this idea of medicine in proper perspective when he teaches that medicine should be the last resort and not the first one. The bottom line is once you are on a psychoactive medication; make sure you do not go off them without consulting your medical physician in order to seek their direct professional monitoring and supervision. Even so, As Dr. Edward Welch writes concerning taking medication properly prescribed, “Remember that it is neither sinful nor a sign of spiritual weakness to take medication.” Such is the wise counsel from a noted teacher of biblical counselors.

While not trying to diminish the importance of medications in positively helping people, it is still essential to recognize according to the book Will Medicine Stop the Pain?, what they cannot do for you:

• Medicine cannot teach us to choose to think thoughts leading to peace and happiness instead of thoughts leading to anxiety or depression.

• Medicine cannot show us how to make lifestyle choices that will help keep our body healthy.

• Medicine cannot reveal how to respond to physical limitations with attitudes that build us up instead of tearing us down.

It is true that the Reformed Protestant faith is about Grace alone through Christ alone, but no one should be taking psychological-influencing (psychoactive) medications alone. It is not enough for a medical doctor to monitor the medication and the dosage levels, but they must also insist that regular counseling should coincide with the dispensing of such medications in lieu of the above limitations concerning these drugs. As Fitzpatrick and Hendrickson implore, “We believe that if you are going to take potentially dangerous drugs, it ought to be under the direct supervision of a physician specialist. We also recommend that you receive concurrent counseling from a Bible-believing counselor, and that you take the medicines for the shortest time possible.” This is one critical area that biblical counseling could play a huge role in assisting people—especially Christians—with maintaining and increasing a Christian world-view that focuses on the Bible as the final authority for faith and practice.

In this regard, medications serve to stabilize certain problematic emotional situations while Biblical doctrine stirs the Christian to grow further in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. We stipulate that medications often reduce someone’s pain, which is a Biblically mandated goal (Proverbs 31:6-7), but this verse would also support the author’s assertion that “pain medications can have the side effect of clouding our thoughts, which may make it harder for us to come to grips with our feelings.” Furthermore, it is best if medications can be safely diminished in the life of a believer while increasing healthy Biblical thinking in order to handle the psychological emotional pains of life (Proverbs 14:30, 17:22 & Nehemiah 8:10). Nevertheless, biblical counselors should not totally reject medication even on a long term basis but teach people to use it wisely, appropriately and for the right purposes.

 Exercise, Nutrition, Sleep and a Doctor’s Physical Examination

It is important for the biblical counselor to remember the basics of standard care that exercise is good for the counselee (1 Timothy 4:8) and that nutrition (Daniel 1:12-15), sleep (Ecclesiastes 5:12) and a complete medical examination by a doctor (Colossians 4:14) can alleviate much suffering—physical, emotional and spiritual. For instance, Dr. Archibald Hart writes about the need for proper sleep with, “Sleep prevents fatigue and helps to restore energy . . . Sleep provides the body with an opportunity for healing and rejuvenation . . . Dream sleep’s function is mainly psychological. It helps clear out unnecessary memory.” The truth is “we dream in order to forget—so we can then remember more (of the important things like God’s Word).” Moreover, Dr. David Amen talks about how blueberries are really brain-berries because of how beneficial they are to our brain’s proper functioning (nutrition).  Furthermore, it is settled knowledge that exercise bolsters our energy level and our immune system whereas some depression is caused by organic factors within the body that can be detected by a medical doctor at an annual physical. In fact, hypothyroidism can lead people into feeling tired, weak, and even depressed, yet many don’t know they have this condition even though often a simple blood test reviewed by a trained medical doctor can diagnosis it with definitiveness and then the physician can prescribe effective medical treatments.  Therefore, the wise biblical counselor will work as a team member with these other noble professionals (i.e. medical doctors, nutritionists, pharmacists, personal fitness trainers, neuroscientists), in order to bring the empirically best interventions derived from the sufficiencly of the infallible Word (Hebrews 4:12, 13: 7-9; Philippians 4:8; Titus 3:1; James 3:17-18)  showcasing how our Lord God Almighty the Creator, Redeemer, and Sanctifier bestows on the person in need His timely grace in Christ (Hebrews 4:14-16).

BCC Staff September 24, 2011

As part of our Biblical Counseling Coalition vision, we want to point you to the best of the best in robust, relational biblical counseling. Each week we’re posting (and then making available as an ongoing resource) interviews with churches, para-church groups, educational institutions, and individuals committed to biblical counseling.

Grace in the Mountains Biblical Counseling Center

This week we highlight the ministry of Grace in the Mountains Biblical Counseling Center. To learn more about their biblical counseling ministry, we interviewed Dr. Kenneth R. Jones.

BCC: “Pastor Jones, please tell our readers about yourself.”

 KJ: “GMBC is a ministry of Grace Church. I have been pastor here since 2003. Prior to coming to Grace, I pastored a church inNorthern Virginia where I also worked as a Lieutenant in the Sheriff’s Office. In that capacity, I ministered to a number of families who were impacted by the 9/11 attack on the Pentagon. I’ve written a book about the theological implications of that tragedy. I earned my Doctor of Ministry degree in Counseling at Birmingham Theological Seminary inBirmingham,Alabama, under Dr. Howard Eyrich.”

BCC: “Tell our readers about your ministry’s mission and vision.”

KJ: “Our aim is to support the public ministry of the Word (preaching, teaching) through providing the private ministry of the Word (counseling) in an effective, balanced, and winsome fashion that compassionately builds others up in Christ. Our main audience is to counsel anyone who is in a crisis situation and is willing to consider that the Christ of the Bible is the One who brings truth and grace. We are also about the ministry of coaching Christians to achieve their level best for Christ by focusing in on their exciting call from God to make a Spirit-inspired difference.”

BCC: “What is the history of your ministry/organization? Tell us your story.”

KJ: “The Holy Spirit convicted my heart concerning the importance of counseling while I was studying Malachi 2:6-7. The Hebrew word baqash (they will seek) implies that people will diligently demand from a priest authentic insight from God’s Word for their issues. Two ideas impressed me here: 1) When things are going right according to the Lord’s prescriptions, God’s people will be coming to the religious leaders for answers, yet I lamented that often in our modern age the last person sought for professional-level counsel is the pastor; and 2) Even if the people came, would our modern cadre of pastors really be equipped to render the best, competent, Christ-centered care available, which I answered in the negative since many pastors are abundantly trained in the public ministry of the Word (homiletics, 2 Timothy 4:2), but possess scant equipping in the private ministry of the Word (biblical counseling, 1 Timothy 4:12). Therefore, I set a course for myself to complete a Doctor of Ministry in Biblical Counseling from Birmingham Theological Seminary in order to better train in the art of Scripture-derived counseling. The wisdom of such an undertaking was proved right by the results, because now due to the doctorate, I receive referrals from hospice, ministries, pastors, medical personnel, and even the public school system. Most importantly, Adams is right that biblical counseling is “problem evangelism.” Since 2008, under the oversight of our church’s elders, Grace in the Mountains Biblical Counseling Center has provided many hours of pro bono biblical counseling to our community (90 percent served were not able to afford counseling; 50 percent were involved in exigent situations at first contact; 30 percent were unchurched, with most not knowing Jesus). I discovered that biblical counseling is a proactive, innovative, missional ministry that follows the Great Commission (both the evangelism and discipleship aspects of this command) by giving hurting hearts hope in the matchless name of Jesus, all the while, proving the sufficiency of God’s Word and demonstrating the competency of His ministers to engage in peoples’ real problems with redemptive solutions that bring forth remarkable results.”

BCC: “What is your succinct definition of biblical counseling?”

KJ: “Biblical Counseling is fundamentally a spiritual activity, under the supervision of the church leadership that applies the Word of God as a ministry tailored specifically to the individuals involved in order to better help them understand their identity and resources in Christ as proclaimed in the gospel. It is a Christ-centered (Colossians 1:17), Bible-based (2 Timothy 3: 16-17), ministry-focused (Galatians 6:9-10) approach to counseling under the guidance of the local church (Ephesians 3:21) that seeks to ethically follow the Golden Rule (Matthew 7:12) and the practices of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37) for God’s glory, the good of others, and for the spread of His gospel of grace.”

BCC: “Share about those who work with you and in what roles.”

KJ: “We have recently added gifted biblical counselors to our ministry who are professionals in their own right. Even so, they have each been further equipped through training at our church in the requisite knowledge of biblical counseling. We work as a team serving others in Christ’s name and seeking to recruit other professionals within the community to the biblical counseling approach to ministry.”

BCC: “What are the types of resources that people can find at your site/through your ministry?”

KJ: “On my blog I have written, informed by my years in law enforcement, on a Bible-derived description of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and Posttraumatic Growth Development (PTGD) as it is Presented in the Life of the Apostle Paul. Other topics of interest include: Christian Life Coaching’s Place in the Local Church; Why Reading Problems Should Matter to the Local Church; Serving Victims of Terrorism with a Gospel-centered Theodicy; Should Our Church Start A Biblical Counseling Ministry: Issues of Viability and Liability.”

BCC: “How can people be praying for you and your ministry?”

KJ: “My desire is to add a robust Biblical Coaching aspect to our counseling ministry in the near future. Prayers for wisdom and insight on how to best do this would be welcomed.”

BCC: “Thanks, Ken, for helping our readers to learn more about your ministry.”

Scriptural Survey of the Westminster Confession of Faith

1 Timothy 2:5

     Why study the Westminster Confession of Faith? Because it is a Christ-centered, Christ-glorifying, Christ-loving Confession of Faith that will coach you on how to better communicate your adoration for Christ to a watching world. Christ is our one and only Mediator. It is this doctrine of Christ the Mediator that theWestminster theologians used to organize their Scriptural understanding of the person and work of Jesus Christ our Lord.

      Christ the Mediator is proclaimed in chapter eight of the Westminster Confession of Faith. Jesus is reported to be the only Mediator between God and man, which is a quote of 1 Timothy 2:5. What does the term Mediator mean? A Mediator is a go between—that is someone who is able to reconcile two parties. Christ, therefore, is our only bridge to God the Father as Jesus declared in John 14:6. In other words, the only reason we are able to access the throne of grace is because Jesus rolled out the red carpet for us by the shedding of His precious blood upon the cross. We can only go to the heavenly Father through our go between—through our only bridge—that is Jesus Christ our Lord. Five times in this chapter the Lord Jesus is called the Mediator (notice the preceding article and the capitalization of mediator) thereby proclaiming Christ as the only way to salvation. Thus we see clearly now that Christ is the center of the Westminster Confession of Faith. In fact, the eighth chapter presents the saving gospel of Christ’s cross and resurrection, which not only speaks well of this confession that eloquently states the truth with courage, but shows its evangelical interest in proclaiming the good news about our Lord and Savior. It unambiguously declares that Christ’s substitutionary atonement on the cross is the only event that satisfies God’s just claim against us sinners who believe due to the Holy Spirit’s effective work upon our hearts.

     Most helpfully, it states Calvin’s doctrine that Christ, as the mediator, is also the prophet priest and king. As A. A. Hodge writes about this topic, “That the mediatorial office, in the exercise of which Christ accomplishes our redemption, embraces three distinct functions, viz., those of a prophet, of a priest, and of a king . . . These are not three distinct offices meeting accidentally in one office, but three functions inhering essentially in the one office of mediator.” This is best way to organize your thoughts and teachings concerning the life of Jesus Christ your Lord and Savior. The WCF shows us the preeminent way to describe the Preeminent One, which is to explain Him as the Amazing Mediator who perfectly fulfills the functions of Prophet, Priest and King. This is the genius of Reformed theology’s presentation of Jesus.

          Imagine you are on a short-term mission’s trip and you much teach a group of third graders the life of Christ, how would you do it? Here is where the WCF provides state-of-the-art theological coaching to us today. Preach to them that Jesus Christ is the only way to heaven since He is the perfect Mediator between God and men. Teach them that Christ as the Mediator started His ministry to us as a prophet (teaching, miracles, and model), fulfilled His ministry to us as a priest (died on the cross for our sins, prays for us), and continues His ministry to us as our ever-protective King (sitting on the right hand of God for our benefit and His glory). Counsel them that this three-fold function of the Mediator cures us of all that ails us in this fallen world (Christ as prophet gives light to our clouded minds, Christ as priest secures our reconciliation with God and our justification, Christ as King overcomes all our enemies and safely guides us home to heaven). Defend Christ (apologetics) by reminding them that no one except Jesus perfectly fills these functions of prophet, priest and king.   

       The eight sections of chapter eight provide an Christological tour de force survey on the teachings of the person and work of our Lord Jesus, which is second to none in history. It records beautifully the teachings of the Apostles’ Creed (see section 4) as well as the Nicene Creed (Which person is very God, and very man, yet one Christ, the only Mediator between God and man). It presents authorized historic biblical theology of the Council of Chalcedon about Christ’s person (two whole, perfect, and distinct natures, the Godhead and the manhood, were inseparably joined together in one person, without conversion, composition, or confusion) and the context is perfectly in line with the Athanasius Creed’s declaration of the Triune God of the Scriptures (The Son of God, the second person of the Trinity, being very and eternal God, of one substance and equal with the Father). Most impressively, the chapter quotes Scripture declaring that our Lord Jesus is “full of grace and truth” and is “the Lamb slain from the beginning of the world; being yesterday and today the same forever.”   

      Even so, the eighth chapter is not just a review of proper Christology because it quietly shows us to be more fully orbed in our teachings about the Lord Jesus. For instance, the Apostles’ Creed mentions nothing about the fact that Jesus lived a holy, perfect and sinless life. The Confession states that Jesus was “without sin” and that he had “perfect obedience” to the law of God.  As R.C. Sproul observes, “In one respect, Christ’s sinlessness is more astonishing than his resurrection. Other people have come back from the dead, but no other person has lived a sinless life. His perfect life is amazing because no one of us has ever loved the Lord with all of his mind, heart, and strength. None of us has loved our neighbor as much as we love ourselves.” Therefore, as ambassadors for Christ, we implore you, as it states in 2 Corinthians 5:21, to be reconciled to God because “for our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”  

      In addition, the Confession reminds us in its recital of the Apostles’ Creed (section 4) that we should also affirm that the Lord Jesus continually makes intercession for his people (John 17). As Gerstner, Kelly and Rollinson eloquently teach:

             In His exalted state Christ is continually making intercession for those for whom  He died. This is how he applies the atonement made for them, and this explains why believers, although forgiven, continue to ask for the forgiveness of their sins. Christ is busily and gladly brings His sacrifice before the Father’s throne on their behalf. And indeed this is what makes the prayers of the saints acceptable. Christ    prays for their prayers. John Chrysostom once told of a father who was about to            return from a long journey. His young son gathered a bouquet from the garden to give him. But before he gave his father the bouquet, mother removed all the   weeds, trimmed the stems, and arranged the flowers properly. In the same way Christ makes the prayers of the righteous avail.”

Indeed, as it has been said, Christ can make sense out of a confused prayer, which is a great encouragement for us to pray often and with great expectations.  

        Nonetheless, these grand and glorious truths about Jesus are not the end of the story. Let me ask you this question, “How would end this chapter on Christ if you were writing it?” Well, I believe the way the Westminstertheologians concluded the chapter bears testimony to their pastoral heart and brilliantly captures Christ’s impeccable care for His people. After mentioning how Christ purchased and effectually applied redemption to His flock, the Confession ends with, “and governing their hearts by his Word and Spirit; overcoming all their enemies by his almighty power and wisdom, in such manner, and ways, as most consonant to his wonderful and unsearchable dispensation.” Obviously, the Westminster theologians desired for the people of God to go forth from this discussion about Christ with holy, unflinching confidence in the victory Jesus won for us. This chapter ends with the same type of spirit and assurance as 2 Corinthians 2:14 which heralds, “But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession.”

       Now this point is extremely critical to the healthy, happy and holy Christian life conducted within the Kingdom of Christ (as is competently presented in the 1992 landmark book Power Religion, which is a collection of a number of Reformed authors biblical view points on our victory in Christ). In fact, in order to establish that God in Christ overcomes all our enemies the Westminster theologians quote Luke 10:19 and Colossians 2:15 that both serve us well as we seek to apply this doctrine to our own lives. Read the following biblical verses to find the power of never, which means that as you are in union with Christ nothing the evil one can do can harm you:

1. Read what the Lord Jesus preached (Luke 10:19)

                        The Power of “Never” in the Words of Christ!

2. Read what the Apostle Paul taught (Colossians 2:15, 2 Timothy 4:18 )

                        The Power of “Never” in the Life of Paul.

3. Read what the Apostle John wrote (Revelation 12:11, 1 John 5:18)

                        The Power of “Never” in the Christian life.

4. Read what the Apostle James declared (4:7)

                        Do you experience the victorious power of “Never” in your life  because God in Christ will never leave you nor forsake you (Hebrews 13:5)?

(Using the word D.E.C.E.M.B.E.R. as a Mnemonic device for Memory Retention)  

Doxology and Worship

The straightforward but magnificent call, “Let us worship God” might just be the most under-utilized form of helping those with mental disorders. Even though the Bible is very clear on the benefits of worship for our mental health. The Psalms bear eloquent evidence that going into the house of God does wonders for turning mental disorders into mental stability (Psalm 42:5). For instance, the book of Daniel reminds us that King Nebuchadnezzar, at least, suffered mental disorder because of unmitigated pride that dishonored God’s glory (4:28-33). What was the cure? The king testified (4:34), “At the end of that time, I, Nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes toward heaven, and my sanity was restored. Then I praised the Most High; I honored and glorified him who lives forever.”  This is not an isolated episode because Asaph is Psalm 73:16-17 testified, “When I tried to understand all this, it was oppressive to me till I entered the sanctuary of God; then I understood their finally destiny.” How was it oppressive to him? He answers in Psalm 73:21-22, “When my heart was grieved and my spirit embittered, I was senseless and ignorant; I was a brute beast before you.” (emphasis mine) The cure for this mental distress was coming into the House of God to learn from God (Psalm 73:23-28).          

Although there is no recorded modern case study that shows the healing effects of exalting God in worship (Psalm 92:8, 99:5) on the person suffering from mental problems, the Bible is abundantly clear that keeping away from idols (1 John 5:21) and coming near (James 4:7-9) to the one true God is incredibly beneficial for the human mind and the human condition (James 4:2, 10). Jay Adams captures this truth well when he wrote:

                        In counseling, it is important to explain and emphasize adoration.

                        Counselees typically are oriented toward the solutions to their

                        problems, and they tend to forget the One Who brings those

                        solutions. Self-centeredness is one common underlying cause

                        of counselee problems . . . As the spirit of adoration grows, the

                        counselee’s ability to handle life in the right attitude grows too.

                        One cannot spend time in loving adoration of God without

                        experiencing the many good effects that accompany adoration.

Adoration of our awesome God is the antidote to all aloneness, apathy and arrogance.    

Evangelism

            Romans1:16says it best that the Gospel is the power of God unto salvation. Biblical counseling shortchanges the process when it forgets that its first duty is to share the Gospel and that nothing can be truly accomplished without Christ. Where there is no Gospel proclamation there will be diminished episodes of God’s power in people’s lives. Christ Jesus came to rescue sinners; therefore, we can do no less as biblical counselors.

Church Fellowship

It is in when the church is gathered together in the Risen Lord where the most powerful healing can take place for the glory of God and the good of others. The Christian church can help those with problems by welcoming them into their fellowship, providing bible-based support groups, and teaching people that taking their medicine is not only a good health practice but also a biblical means of assistance (2 Kings 20:7, Proverbs 31: 6-7:, 1 Timothy 4:8, 5:23, Luke 10:34). The local Christian church can have an enormous impact on the life of a counselee by simply “speaking the truth in love” in an encouraging manner (Ephesians4: 15).

Expository Preaching

            Nothing can substitute for acquiring good mental health and a strong spiritual disposition than a Christian submitting to the regular expository preaching of the Word of God. As John Calvin has opined, “God has ordained his Word as the instrument by which Jesus Christ, with all His graces, is dispensed to us.”

Meditation on the Word of God

            The biblical counselor should be confident in the infallible power of the word of God (Isaiah 55:10-11) on making a huge impact in the lives of people—even those with mental health issues or worse (Mark 5:15). The book, The Healthy Christian Life from the Minirth-Meier Clinic, makes the point that “One of the most powerful tools available to help maintain a healthy Christian life is Scripture memory, especially when combined with Scripture meditation.” There are research studies that suggest that more involvement in the Bible leads to better mental health. In the book, The Healthy Christian Life, professional Christian counselors apply Bible verses to people who are suffering from: Schizophrenic disorders, Paranoid Disorders, Dissociative Disorders, Narcissistic Personality and the Sociopath. In fact, the final chapter of their book is called Handling Mental, Emotional and Behavior Disorders where they provide Bible studies specifically designed for people suffering from mental disorders. These clinical counselors developed these Bible studies because they have discovered how healing these particular Scriptural passages have been to clients in the past who were suffering from mental issues.

The fact that Bible meditation can help those with mental disorders does not surprise the biblical counselor because we are aware of the great promises contained in Psalm 19 and 119. For example, biblical counselor Wayne Mack helps people with mental disorders become God-centered in their thinking instead of man-centered as he says, “Helping people to develop a right concept of God and true God-centeredness in their lives is very important.”  In fact, helping people get a right perspective of God and a correct evaluation of themselves is critical for good mental health. In Romans 12:3 Paul uses a play on words to indicate how important it is to have a proper faith-based mindset for the Christian. The famed Greek professors A.T. Robertson exegetes this verse with these telling words, “Self-conceit is here treated as a species of insanity.” Jacob Firet, Professor of Practical Theology at the Free University of Amsterdam makes this most encouraging statement, “The word of God is not just a vibration in the air: it breaks into a situation and creates a new one (Jeremiah 23:29) . . . When a person has heard a word and gained new understanding, however trivial, that person is no longer exactly the same as before . . . The word has power to clarify, by which understanding arises; and the power to influence, by which change occurs.”

Biblical Sacraments

            The Holy Spirit designed baptism to adopt a believer of Christ into the family of God. Once you are in the Christian family you are entitled to all the fullness of Christ and all of His treasures (Colossians 2:2-3, 9-10). One of those treasures is the Lord’s Table (i.e., the Eucharist, Holy Communion, Breaking of Bread), which proclaims the Lord’s death on the cross until He comes in power and glory (1 Corinthians11:23-26). Even so, until His Second Coming this holy banquet hosted by the Son of God reminds us to taste and see that the Lord is good—strengthening us to handle every struggle upon this earth.

Empowered Service for God’s glory

            Dr. Jay Adams, based on James 1:25, makes this bold and correct claim, “The blessing comes in the doing, not before. That means that a counselee may not be allowed to plead, ‘I’ll do what God requires when He sends me the wisdom or strength.’ Instead, he must do as the Scriptures say and trust God to provide what is needed whenever He wishes.” This truth has been demonstrated many times within my counseling experience. If the counselee adopts a passive attitude toward their discipleship then the results will be anemic but when they implement the principles of Scripture then the power of God is realized in their lives. 

Reformed Protestant Theology

The sufficiency of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ to heal today, as expounded by the Reformed Protestant Theology, is as amazing today as it was in the New Testament. The Spirit of Christ through the Word of God still transfigures sinful minds into the image of the Creator. In Matthew 4:23-24 we read:

                        Jesus went throughoutGalilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching

                        the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness

                        among the people. News about him spread all overSyria, and people

                        brought to him all who were ill with various diseases, those suffering

                        severe pain, the demon-possessed, those having seizures, and the

                        paralyzed, and he healed them.

The Puritan Matthew Henry exposited these words with this heavenly observation of the all-sufficiency of Jesus our Lord:

Wherever Christ went, he confirmed his Divine mission by miracles, which were emblems of the healing power of his doctrine, and the influences of the Spirit which accompanied it. We do not now find the Savior’s miraculous healing power in our bodies; but if we are cured by medicine, the praise is equally his. Three general words are here used. He healed every sickness or disease; none was too bad; none too hard, for Christ to heal with a word. Three diseases are named; the palsy, which is the greatest weakness of the body; lunacy, which is the greatest malady of the mind; and possession of the devil, which is the greatest misery and calamity of both; yet Christ healed all, and by thus curing bodily diseases, showed that his great errand into the world was to cure spiritual maladies. Sin is the sickness, disease, and torment of the soul: Christ came to take away sin, and so to heal the soul (emphasis mine).

Perhaps, the most impressive feature of Reformed Protestant theology in healing people with the Christ-sufficient salve is John Calvin’s presentation of the threefold office of Christ (Prophet, Priest and King). As Kim Riddlebarger in his essay on The Triple Cure: Jesus Christ— Our Prophet, Priest and King explains . . .             

Later Reformed theologians, such as Francis Turretin, introduce the threefold office of our Lord as the divinely revealed solution to the threefold disease of ignorance, guilt, and pollution described above. It is Christ, as prophet, priest, and king, who offers the threefold cure to our fatal disease. Turretin sets out the threefold office as the remedy for human sin as follows . . . The threefold misery of men introduced by sin-ignorance, guilt, and tyranny and bondage by sin-required this conjunction of a threefold office. Ignorance is healed by the prophetic; guilt by the priestly; the tyranny and corruption of sin by the kingly office. Prophetic light scatters the darkness of error; the merit of the Priest takes away guilt and procures reconciliation for us; the Power of the King removes the bondage of sin and death. The Prophet shows God to us; the Priest leads us to God; and the King joins us together and glorifies us with God. The Prophet enlightens the mind by the Spirit of illumination; the Priest by the Spirit of consolation tranquilizes the heart and conscience; the King by the Spirit of sanctification subdues rebellious affections. (emphasis mine)

Riddlebarger points out that Turretin’s conception “effectively captures the thrust of the biblical data concerning Christ’s person and work to rescue us from the horrible consequences of sin.” Indeed, it also captures the hope in the heart of those with self-defeating sinful behaviors who find their Savior in Jesus Christ our Lord. Riddlebarger expressed well the essence of Reformed theology with “As Calvin noted, the threefold office of Christ is certainly one of the best ways to explain our Lord’s redemptive work, which by design overcame our ignorance, our guilt, and our corruption, and which even now provides us with illumination, redemption, and hope in the present.” (emphasis mine) Therefore, the Christian church operating from the perspective of Reformed theology is equipped from God’s infallible Word to step up to Christ-centered biblical counseling services for those in their congregation and community. Jesus the almighty prophet can speak to all seeking a Divine Physician to help them in their distress (Hebrews 4:14-16). The loving kindness of Christ the High Priest can resolve knotted-up guilt issues in anyone no matter what their DSM-IV-TR diagnosis. Nothing that oppresses us here on earth—even mental problems—is beyond the power of the glorious King Jesus to conquer now and forever. Reformed theology teaches that everything is under the almighty sway and control of the Lord of heaven and earth. Knowing this and living with this truth in our hearts is the manifest key for victory that the Holy Scriptures give us. Nothing and no one is beyond the reach of the Almighty God’s all-encompassing plan. The healing power of God’s sovereignty is amazing; touching even those frail of mind—like us (Romans 8:5-11).  Soli Deo Gloria

Biblical Counseling Your Brain

Knowing the Four Types of Lobes in Counseling Our Brains

When you go to church and the preacher tells you to stand up to read the Word of God something incredible is happening at that time. Well, you might not know this but just by holding the Bible and listening to Gods Word all four lobes in your brain (DiPezio and DeSalle 13) are working. Here I’ll show you:

1. The occipital lobe is responsible for your eyesight and helping you understand things, right? So when you are following the pastor reading God’s Word on the pages in the Bible you are looking at it so that you get the message, which means your occipital lobe is hard at work. 
2. The frontal lobe deals with problem solving, emotions, reasoning, and body movement.  While you are hearing the preacher read the Bible to you, you are problem-solving because you are wondering how this applies to my life. You get excited about who God is and what He does, and you even are using body movements just by standing up. 
3. Parietal lobe is active in understanding the sensations of touch. Well, when the preacher is preaching you are holding the Bible and using your fingers to follow along on the page, which that makes your parietal lobe get busy. 
4. The temporal lobe operates your hearing and your ability to memorize your favorite Bible verses. This means your memory is working when you are hearing Gods Word being preached to you because it is such good writing you don’t want to lose it!

Therefore, now do you see how great God really is when He makes all of the lobes in your brain work just by going to church? Isn’t the brain so amazing, and that is exactly how God made it? God is awesome!!! God is so majestic, talented, and faithful to make us this way.

My Example of Counseling My Brain

However, how does all of this teach us about how to best counsel our brains? Well, when I go to the doctor to get a shot I freak out and my brain goes nuts, so the next time I go to the doctor’s office I will bring a squishy ball. Why? It will help part of my brain (parietal) not focus so much on the shot’s pain because my brain will feel both the squishy ball and the shot, which should make it less painful. If just using the ball doesn’t work, I’ll look away and repeat out loud to myself Philippians 4:13 that says, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” That will put to work my occipital, frontal and temporal lobes to help my brain not key in so much on the shot. How does this help me? This is helpful because 1) I am not thinking about the shot because I am placing my thoughts on Christ (frontal), 2) I am hearing Philippians 4:13 and not what the nurse is doing (temporal), 3) It should not hurt as much because I am not looking at the shot going in (occipital), and 4) I am problem-solving because I am figuring out how to better receive a shot (frontal).

Why will this work? Because Daniel G Amen, M.D., who is a leading Christian researcher on the brain, talks about how people have ANTs in their thinking. ANTs stand for Automatic  Negative Thoughts in your mind. He says “Think of these negative thoughts that invade your mind like ants that bother a couple at a picnic.” So what do you do about this? Dr. Amen tells people get an ANT-eater in your brain! I am so thankful that God gave me Philippians 4:13 as my Ant-eater of the negative thoughts that sometimes fill my mind. So that’s my story and I am sticking to it because by knowing the Bible and how God makes the brain work it helps me and I hope it helps you too! 

Bibliography

Amen, Daniel G. ANT Therapy: How to Develop Your Own Internal Anteater to Eradicate Automatic Negative Thoughts. AHHA. 22 Aug. 2011 < http://www.ahha.org/articles.asp?id=100>.

DiSperzio, Michael A. and Rob DeSalle. Your 21^st Century Brain: Amazing Science Games to Play With Your Mind. New York: Sterling Publishing, 2010.

Eliot, Lise. What’s Going On in There? How the Brain and Mind Develop in the First Five Years of Life. New York: Bantam Books, 1999.

Mathers, Douglas. Brain: You and Your Body. New York: Toll Associates, 1992.

Walker, Richard. Brain: Our Body’s Nervous System. Connecticut: Franklin Watts, 1998.

Paul’s letter to the Philippians models brilliantly what biblical coaching is all about because it trains the Christian to think holy, joyous and powerful thoughts (4:8).  The crescendo verse of the epistle is “I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.” Notice that this great verse occurs in chapter 4 (4:13), which means that the entire book precedes it. Therefore, to fully and appropriately apply this verse to our spiritual life we must learn the truths in the other chapters as well. Some of the most striking and energizing verses precede this most loved verse and even prepares us for its declaration (4:13). Here is a sampling with coaching questions attached:

Philippians 1:6 (New International Version)

⁶being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.

What is happening in you according to this verse? How does that make you feel?  Notice the two words in the verse that begins with the letter “c”. What connections do make from that?

Philippians 2:13 (New International Version)

¹³for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.

This verse confirms the above one. What four letter word that begins with “g” is repeated in 1:6 and 2:13? That’s a four letter word you need to use to replace other less productive four letter words in your self-talk.

Philippians 3:13-14 (New International Version)

¹³Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, ¹⁴I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

What is the one thing Paul does? Notice he has to do it! God stirs his heart up and gives him the power but he still has to actually do it! So do you, are you doing it now?

Philippians 4:13 (New International Version)

¹³I can do everything through Christ who gives me strength.

What a blessed gift! When have you received this God sent gift in your life? Do you realize that as a believer in Christ you have this power in you right now as you face your challenges?

Philippians 4:19 (New International Version)

¹⁹And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.

How many of your needs does God help you with through your Lord and Savior Jesus Christ? Again, how many? So that includes now as well, right?

You can see why simply flipping through these verses and asking pointed questions can effectively impact someone’s thoughts, beliefs and outlooks. People often get down on themselves and say, “I can’t do it.” However, a good coach will tell them to drop the “t” in can’t and say, “I can do it.” Even so, a biblical coach will go much further and show them that God in Christ is motivating them to achieve the plan that He as set before them. Taking people through Philippians is a tour de force of experiencing the victory of Christ in our lives.   

In fact, if you go back through the earlier verses, you will see a progression of doctrinal thought that looks like this:                                                         

Each step prepares you for the next. Step one tells us that God has a plan for our life and He will accomplish what He wills in us (1:6). We are encouraged because God has a plan but we are empowered when we realize that it is more than a plan. We actually have a personal relationship with God that gives us the stamina to see His mission through because the Almighty God is working in us (2:11-2). Even so, chapter 3 demonstrates to us many principles that we need to follow of Paul’s to get the most out of life (3:13-13). Then and only then can we fully grasp the great spiritual truth of the power we have moment by moment in Christ Jesus our Lord (4:13). Thus we can celebrate God’s provisions in every area of our being and life (4:19). The bottom line is that in Philippians Paul coaches each of us when he writes in 4:9, “Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.” Are you willing to be coached by the Apostle to the Gentiles and put his example into effect in your own life?

Biblical Coaching for the Emerging Christian Political Leaders

             As we enter into the 2012 Presidential race, I will coach an imaginary Christian political leader who is trying to implement biblical wisdom as they serve this great nation as a public servant. This particular political leader desires to engage me on a few “tactical topics” in order to improve his operational effectiveness as Jethro improved the leadership of Moses in Exodus 18. This leader informs me that he isn’t interested in learning what to debate (he feels the Bible has already shaped his convictions on the issues) but how the Bible would coach him to debate the issues of the day. He also is interested in learning how to better handle the unfair criticisms he will endure along the way as he faithfully stands up for the moral and just causes of the Scripture. In this light, he asks me this leading question, “What verses in the Bible would help me make the best decisions and enact them in the best ways possible?” In response, I advise him “The whole counsel of God is filled with pithy wisdom that addresses your exact concerns, yet I would focus initially on one passage in Scripture that will most dramatically impact your ability to implement your political goals for Christ.”  Therefore, our hypothetical Christian political leader agrees that these topics sound provocative, practical, and pointed enough to address his concerns. From this point, we engage in a coaching conversation of consequence together as I apply the story of Hezekiah to his life. 

Coaching Hezekiah

            Sometimes it is best to start with a negative example in order to clearly see what we do not want to happen and to learn the necessary wisdom to make sure that we do not repeat those same mistakes in judgment. There is no better positive-negative example in Scripture of a good politician making bad policy then King Hezekiah. Hezekiah, according to the biblical record, was a courageous religious reformer in Israel’s history who successfully brought the nation back to her heritage of the proper worship of God. In fact his name means, “Yahweh is my strength.”  He started off as a strong leader who eventually had an outstanding career as the king, establishing many good things for his country. He displayed a vibrant devotion to Yahweh and His word (2 Kings 18:5-6).  Nevertheless, that does not mean he didn’t make poor decisions along the way. So, why do good politicians make bad policy? The answer is found in Isaiah 39:1-8.

Coaching Commentary

            Isaiah 39:1-8 discloses to us seven mistakes that King Hezekiah commits on his way to making his biggest blunder as the king. The fact that chapter 39 ends the first section of the Book of Isaiah (1-39, 40-66) demonstrates that it is intended to be a paradigm story for all future leaders to ponder so that they will discern how to please God in all their decisions (Ephesians 5:7-10). Therefore, this passage is the perfect place to begin our discussion on, why do good politicians make bad policy sometimes? 

Mistake 1: Failure to commit their ways to the Lord.

            King Hezekiah makes the classic sin of leaning on his own understanding rather than relying in the Lord’s wisdom (Proverbs 3:5-7). He was overly impressed with his own diplomatic skills to get things done his way. He also was obsessed with using diplomacy in an effort to arrange dangerous alliances with other nations to gain his country’s complete political independence from the menacing Assyrians. Both of these beliefs were not only unfounded but opposed by the Almighty God who communicated His will through the prophet Isaiah to Hezekiah (2 Kings 18-20). According to Isaiah 39:2, he receives and engages his visitors with no thought of committing his ways to the Lord (Proverbs 16:3), no prayer to God for wisdom (James 1:5), and does not consult the Word of God, which is very much apart of his Divine job description (Deuteronomy 17:14-20, Joshua 1:5-9). In fact, the first time he probably thinks of God’s ways is when the prophet Isaiah comes in for the purpose of confronting the king (Isaiah 39:3, 5) and declares “Hear the word of the Lord of hosts.” It is too late to “hear the word of the Lord” after a political decision is made, so you must put together a systematic Bible study plan to preclude this situation from ever happening to you. Therefore, my suggestion is for you to secure the commentary entitled Nehemiah: Man in Charge by Dr. Campbell and let that inspire you toward a better adherence to the word of God while you serve in political office. Rather than focusing on the negative example of Hezekiah, this commentary highlights for you the life of Nehemiah who served as governor and turned out to be one of the most skillful political leaders in world history.    

Mistake 2: Failure to ask the hard questions necessary to secure an impartial investigation.

            Hezekiah failed to ask the hard questions that were necessary to secure an impartial investigation that would have revealed that these visiting dignitaries were up to no good. However, the prophet Isaiah did when he asked the king: 1) “What did these men say (their flattery and possible bribes in Isaiah 39:1 should have sufficiently alerted the king)? 2) “From where did they come to you? (the fact that they hailed from the archenemy Babylon should have been a warning clue!), 3) “What have they seen in your house? (no central intelligence agency in any part of the world would advise a leader to show their potential enemies all of the kingdom’s weapons and treasures as Hezekiah did, 39:2). You should resolve right now to do your due diligence in making impartial investigations the modus operandi of your administration. Even so, you should designate one staff member to be the champion of this cause who always can be counted on to dig deeper into the facts so that the absolute best decision to glorify God and bring good to others can emerge (Philippians 1:7-9). 

Mistake 3: Fanning the deadly flames of personal inflated hubris (2 Chronicles 32:31).

            When Hezekiah told Isaiah that his visitors came “from a far county” that was redundant and gratuitous information, which means it should be read this way, “from a far country—isn’t that impressive Isaiah that my fame has spread far and wide!” King Hezekiah displayed narcissistic hubris of the “it’s all about me” kind. Maybe, this is where good politician first go wrong when they flip their God-centered priories to those that are self-centered. The Apostle Paul gives an antidote to this personality quirk when he writes in Romans 12:3, “For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned.” Memorizing Paul’s verse and following Proverb’s advice to the king in 31: 9, “Open your mouth, judge righteously, defend the rights of the poor and needy.” Make sure you and your staff are proactively, consistently speaking up for the most vulnerable in society, but also actually visiting them to offer your help (James 1:27), which will assist you in humbling “yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you (1 Peter 5:6).” And if that verse doesn’t motivate you, perhaps the straight forward “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble (1 Peter 5:5)” will.    

Mistake 4: Overconfidence in his “rosy views” of people’s inclinations in our present world

            When the foreign visitors send King Hezekiah essentially “Get Well” letters, it appears that he does not consider the possibly of ulterior motives behind them and he reads “positive vibes” into the letters that probably weren’t intended by the foreign dignitaries. On the other hand, recognizing that “all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God” is a humbling concept for sure but also a protective one as well because it reminds us to have a check and balance system in place to guard against the tendency for sinful people to do us harm. The famous phrase, “Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely” really is true within a biblical perspective. On one hand, paranoia is not necessary (Proverbs 28:1). One the other hand, proper vetting, screening, and investigating certainly are in order (Proverbs 26:10). As President Reagan said, “Trust, but verify” or as Shakespeare advised, “Love all, trust few.”     

Mistake 5: Hezekiah’s complacency!

            When leaders think “we have arrived—nothing bad can happen to us now” it is a false sense of assurance that they possess, which is a treacherous type of complacency. Hezekiah showed such complacency when he naively showed his foreign guests the “whole armory”, which he even defends this egregious act to the prophet Isaiah (39:4). Such actions by King Hezekiah opened his kingdom door’s to an evil invasion because by showing those from Babylon his armory and treasures he tempted them unnecessarily, he gave away national intelligence secrets in the process to them, and thereby made his country a softer target for the Babylonians to overcome, which they eventually will do.

Mistake 6: Does NOT care about the upcoming generations, thinks ONLY of his.

            When the Prophet Isaiah declares God’s future judgment on Israelin response to king Hezekiah wrong-headed decisions, his response seems almost giddy. He thought, “There will be peace and security in my days.” (emphasis added) When we consider what the Divine judgment entailed (2 Kings 24:10-16) and the time span here, King Hezekiah’s response should break our hearts and then remold our hearts with the conviction that this must never happen again. When King Hezekiah’s country over a century later (598 B.C.) will go into exile under the Babylonians due to his ill-fated actions, those exiled prisoners in the Babylonian captivity musings on this account must have had the grievous thought, “I am glad Hezekiah had a good life but what about us?” As a God-honoring politician, are you going to be a statesman for all generations or an opportunist looking our just for yours? Politicians today seem preoccupied with “their legacy” but isn’t “their county’s legacy” more important?  Here is how John D.W. Watts, a reputable Old Testament commentator on the Book of Isaiah, sums up the life of king Hezekiah by writing, “His failure to assess carefully the situation compromised his throne, his place, the Temple, all his possessions, his capital city, and even the future generations of his own family. All this he surrendered for the impossible dream of freedom and independence. It was a fantasy because it was not based on God’s strategy and God’s leading. Hezekiah was satisfied to have things go well for the moment . . .” Don’t let that be you: Make sure you incorporate God’s strategy and God’s leading in each decision you make including the probable implications for future generations—you do not simply represent the needs of this current generation, but realize biblically speaking, you also represent the welfare of all future generations.   

Mistake 7: The fatal mistakes (2 Chronicles 32: 31) . . . failure to proclaim.

            You were not elected solely to implement your political agenda, but to fulfill the Lord’s mission for you life, which is to be an ambassador for God—proclaiming peace, love, and reconciliation in Christ, the Son of the Most High (2 Corinthians 5:20-21). When the foreign visitor came to King Hezekiah, he failed to introduce them to the great and glorious God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. So my coaching tip for you would be to get up each day while in office meditating on Matthew 6:33, “Seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you.” You should realize that a proper synonym for the Greek word for righteousness is the term justice, which makes it especially applicable to a politician who is a government official in a county that focuses on “justice for all.”