Why Choose Biblical Counseling Over Licensure?
Since I switched from a secular/integrated/licensed model of counseling to a pure biblical counseling model, I have been asked this question too many times to count: “Why?” For the first few years, I tried to talk about how it is unwise to integrate secular models with biblical truth, even with brilliant theologians whom I respect wholeheartedly; this did not seem to mean much. Then, I tried to explain the dangers and slippery slope that can occur when we do not view Scripture as authoritative, and once again, it fell upon deaf ears. However, in the last three years, I have had friends who have licenses leave them behind to pursue biblical counseling, so I asked them, “Why?” Here are a few reasons I think provide a practical defense of biblical counseling (non-licensure) over licensure.
Sex Issues
The first practical reason to choose biblical counseling over being licensed is how we can care for those who have been abused. I am not talking about mandatory reporting on behalf of minors, the handicapped, or the elderly; there are laws in place to protect those three people groups.¹ For the last five years, sex abuse scandals have rocked the church. Why haven’t people said more? What more can be done to help those who have been abused? My answer is going to ruffle even more feathers in the church: Get rid of licensed counselors in the church and go to a pure, non-licensed biblical counseling model. Guess who can report the abuse of someone outside of the mandatory reporting statutes? A biblical counselor who is serving under the authority of the church, first to the pastor and then to the police. Guess who cannot report the abuse of someone outside of the mandatory reporting statutes? A liscened counselor. According to the Rape Reporting Requirements for Competent Adult Victims, only three states have laws that mandate rape reporting: California, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island.²
Let’s consider another example: Your pastor has been commiting adultery against his wife by visiting prostitutes every weekend. He finally decides that he needs to get help. Guess who can report marital infidelity to the church leaders so church discipline and restoration can occur? A biblical counselor who has signed an agreement similar to what I have my counselees sign:
Confidentiality is an essential aspect of the counseling process, and I will carefully guard the information you entrust to me. We desire as much as possible to protect your privacy.
There are situations, however, in which I might believe that it is wise or mandated (biblically or legally) for me to share certain information with others. Some examples might be:
When there is concern that you or someone else might be harmed unless others intervene.
When abuse or another crime must be reported to the authorities.
When your pastor or church leadership is needed to provide pastoral assistance.
In counseling minor children, I might need to divulge information to parents or legal guardians.
Guess who cannot report marital infidelity to the church leaders so church discipline and restoration can occur? A liscened counselor.
Gender Issues
One of the first people who showed interest in biblical counseling was a friend out West. I won’t say his name to protect his confidentiality; let’s just call him Fred. His interest stemmed from the assault on Christian beliefs and the forcing of the LGBTQ+ agenda down the throats of Christians. California has always been against anyone helping those struggling with same-sex attraction (SSA). The state passed a law in 2012 saying, “It is illegal for licensed therapists to counsel minors away from same-sex attraction.”³ The law’s authors see it as similar to legislation on medical malpractice. Chad Griffin, president of the Human Rights Campaign, which actively supported the bill, made a statement following its enactment: “LGBT+ youth will now be shielded from a practice that is not only discredited as junk science but also has been shown to severely harm their well-being.”⁴ Those who support the law believe that since homosexual desires and behaviors are not psychologically unhealthy, attempts to eliminate these through therapy do not offer psychological benefits. In California today, a thirteen-year-old girl who experiences sexual attraction towards another girl and wishes to change these feelings is barred from seeking therapeutic help. This stance by a state legislature reflects a blindness regarding sexual and familial matters.
Guess who can help her if she desires to get help? A biblical counselor who is serving under the authority of the church. Guess who cannot help her if she desires to get help? Someone who is a licensed professional. Another reason that Fred moved to the realm of biblical counseling was that his wife, a licensed counselor, was reprimanded for not being willing to send a biological female to a male sober living home, and this was at a supposed Christian treatment center. If you don’t think these laws are coming to a state near you, you need to think again.
Church vs. State Issues
As Christians, we have to recognize the evolving challenges in our world, including the frequent attacks on our faith. This message does not oppose those who choose licensure; I count many dedicated individuals with a professional license among my friends who sincerely love the Lord. Despite extensive training, my choice to forego licensure is personal; I chose to fall under the church’s authority instead of the state’s. I am writing this to church leaders who might be undecided about the benefits of having a biblical counselor on their team. Including a biblical counselor on your team offers the freedom to care for your church members in a manner that perfectly supports biblical principles without the constraints of secular rules and laws often conflicting with biblical truth.
For my friends who are biblical counselors on the fence about getting a license, I understand that going that route offers more money, the ability to have insurance cover your sessions, and more job security. I do not know your financial situation and won’t say, “Just trust God with your finances.” I want you to know that my friends are leaving behind the very thing that you are contemplating getting. Don’t think that this cannot happen to you just because you don’t live on the coast. I’m not doing doom and gloom or trying to manipulate you into staying true to the biblical counseling movement. Look at the laws being passed or being voted upon in your state; our religious freedoms are constantly under attack. If you think Christians are in the majority, think again.
Barna.com describes Generation Z (born between 1999 and 2015) as the first authentically “post-Christian” generation. Remarkably, the rate of atheism among teens is double that of the general population. Additionally, Barna reports a significant decline in religious affiliation among teenagers: 29 percent among 8th graders, 25 percent among high school sophomores, and 27 percent among high school seniors in 2010, marking an average decline of 12 percent since the year 2000. For Generation Z, identifying as an “atheist” does not carry the negative connotations it once did. Twice as many teens claim this label compared to the broader adult population (13 percent versus 6 percent). Similarly, the percentage of those identifying as Christians decreases with each generation. While 75 percent of Boomers consider themselves Protestant or Catholic Christians, only 59 percent of individuals aged thirteen to eighteen describe themselves as some form of Christian.⁵
This is the world that we are living in, and one that is becoming more anti-Christian daily. However, there is hope because biblical counselors can provide these commitments that are central to the Association of Certified Biblical Counselors (ACBC).⁶
The Commitment to Scripture
The Commitment to Jesus
The Commitment to Care
The Commitment to the Church
The Commitment to Humanity
The Commitment to Purity
The Commitment to Competency
The Commitment to Methodology
The Commitment to Authority
The Commitment to Integrity
The Commitment to Reconciliation
Guess who can hold true conventionally to their biblical convictions, and all the commitments listed above, 100 percent of the time without worrying if the state will take away their credentials? A biblical counselor. Guess who cannot hold true conventionally to their biblical convictions, and all the commitments listed above, 100 percent of the time without worrying if the state will take away their credentials? A licensed counselor.
For years, I provided a theological and methodological defense of biblical counseling, and I think that is where I made my mistake. I am a practitioner who cares for my people and prioritizes caring for them well. My answer to “Why?” has been made clear after writing this article. I do biblical counseling because it provides a path to evangelize the lost and teach the saved without ever sacrificing my convictions or worrying about anything other than this: Am I being obedient to everything that God has placed on my heart?
¹ “Mandatory Reporting of Child Abuse and Neglect – Texas,” Child Welfare Information Gateway, May 2023, www.childwelfare.gov/resources/mandatory-reporting-child-abuse-and-neglect-texas.
² This compilation focuses on the reporting requirements associated with rape or sexual assault of competent adult victims, and it excludes reporting requirements associated with elderly victims, children, and vulnerable adult victims of crime. Please note the legal search was conducted with relevant search terms and may or may not have captured all related statutes. We also recommend checking both case law and current legislation for later modifications to the statutes listed below. It was last updated June 2016. National District Attorney Association. National Center for Prosecution of Violence Against Women.
³ David Talcott, “California’s Ban on Same-Sex Therapy,” First Things, November 7, 2012, https://www.firstthings.com/web-exclusives/2012/11/californias-ban-on-same-sex-therapy. “Therapists are barred from more than just what we might normally think of as ‘conversation therapy.’ They are also forbidden from helping their patients reduce feelings of same-sex attraction at all, regardless of whether they are trying to fundamentally change the patient’s orientation. The law does not apply to pastors and clergy, but it does apply to all forms of licensed mental health workers, including social workers and counselors. There is no exemption for therapists who have religious convictions. There’s no room for dissent at all.”
⁴ Talcott, “California’s Ban on Same-Sex Therapy.”
⁵ “Atheism Doubles Among Generation Z,” Barna, January 24, 2018, https://www.barna.com/research/atheism-doubles-among-generation-z/.
⁶ “Standards of Conduct,” Association of Certified Biblical Counselors, https://biblicalcounseling.com/about/beliefs/positions/standards-of-conduct/.