LIBERTY UNIVERSITY

Theory Critique The counseling models of Crabb and Hawkins

A REPORT SUBMITTED TO PROF. MAX MILLS IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENT FOR THE COURSE PACO507

LIBERTY BAPTIST THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY

BY GESNER NOEL STUDENT ID: L22993758

BROOKLYN, NEW YORK SUNDAY, JANUARY 29, 2012

Page |2 INTRODUCTION Since the fall of Adam as reported in Genesis chapter 1 and 2, the world has been separated from God because of sin. As a result of this separation, the world is falling like a rock. In this fallen world, people are separated from God, each other and ultimately themselves. The human need for a return to a relationship with God is greater than ever before. It is in this area that counseling attempts to reattach people to God, to each other and to themselves. Humanistic views that pull people apart from God fail. Only a counseling model that is based on the rock solid foundation of the Bible can help this spiritual reattachment. It exists today multiple theories of counseling models among which the Crabb and the Hawkins theories. This paper is a critique of the counseling models of Crabb and Hawkins. It begins with a concise summary of the content of a book written by Crabb, Effective Biblical Counseling. Later, the focus shifts on the evaluation of the strengths and weaknesses of the two models. It finally closes with my personal reflection and application of the Crabb and Hawkins models on biblical counseling. CONCISE SUMMARY OF CONTENT Crabb (2007) made the purpose of his book very clear to his readership. He wrote, My purpose for writing this volume is to think through a model of counseling which can be gracefully integrated into the functioning of the local church. (p.13). Crabb understood the need for a counseling model that suits the local body of believers. He argues against sending believers to a private practice for professional help if the same assistance can be provided within the local church. He advocates the need to train dedicated members of the local church to take care of each other. He wrote, I believe that God ordained the local church as His primary instrument to tend to our personal aches and pains. (p. 10).

Page |3 Crabbs model for counseling emphasized the need for the believer to live in conformity to Christs image (p. 21). Crabb calls it spiritual and psychological maturity (p. 23). In Crabbs model, the process of spiritual maturity begins with justification and ends with glorification (p. 23-24). Crabb argues that a person who feels acceptable to God today will have the hope of Glory but that person must follow the path of righteousness which is made of the OVER and UP (p. 27). He emphasizes the need for obedience to God in order to be pleasing to God. This obedience, according to Crabb, must be exhibited in the double functions of offering a sacrifice of worship to God and a sacrifice of service for others. Crabb advocates that in the acts of worshiping God and servicing others, the believer attains a sense of significance and security. To promote spiritual maturity, Crabb presents to his readers four possible approaches to integrating Christianity and psychology. The first approach that Crabb points out is the Separate but Equal (p. 33) approach which states that biblical truth deals with what is spiritual and theological while secular psychology deals with sciences such medical and other scientific arenas. In this approach, both branches hold the same weight. The second approach, Tossed Salad (p. 35), advocates a mixture of Biblical truth and secular psychology. Crabb describes it as a mix of several ingredients together into a single bowl to create a tasty blend (Ibid). The third approach is what Crabb calls Nothing Buttery (p. 40). This approach advocates a total separation of Biblical truth from secular psychology. The proponents of this approach believe that since God can handle all problems then psychology is irrelevant. The final approach, Spoiling the Egyptians (p. 47), is a compromise where problems can be solved from a biblical standpoint while integrating some components of secular psychology that do not violate the principles of the Bible.

Page |4 Crabbs model of counseling calls for the Spoiling the Egyptians approach. He argues that there are certain qualifications that a Christian counselor must meet. For Crabb any view of psychology must come under the scrutiny of Scripture. The Bible must be upheld as the sole authority, that is, as inspired, infallible, and inerrant. In the integration model of Crabb, Scripture must guide and control the thinking process of the counselor. Hawkins model (2006) for biblical counseling focuses on the forces that shape the human personality. He represents these forces on a diagram that he calls the Concentric Circles of the self. This diagram is made up of five circles. The first circle, the core self, contains the Holy Spirit, the human spirit, the image of God, and sin. The second circle, the external part of the core self, contains the soul, emotion, thinking, feeling, and conscience and volition. The third circle is the body. The fourth circle, temporal systems, which is made family, friends, culture, government, society, economy and education. The final circle, the supernatural systems, is made of God, Satan, good and bad angels. EVALUATION OF THE STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES The obvious difference between the two is that while Hawkins used theological terms such as sin, image of God and the like to describe his model, Crabb used psychological terms such as Separate But Equal. Hawkins (2006) argues that his diagram can be utilized to adapt to the preferences of the client by using different routes to reach them like thinking, feeling, emotion, body, and systems both temporal and supernatural. Crabb however used a basic model for counseling that consists of seven steps (p. 160), 1) Identify the problem feelings, 2) identify the problem behavior 3) Identify problem thinking, 4) Clarify biblical thinking, 5) Secure commitment, 6) Plan and carry out biblical behavior 7) Identify Spirit-controlled feelings.

Page |5 Although, both models have strong standing for biblical counseling, they fail to address the basic theological views concerning our human constitution. Hawkins did attempt to do so in his concentric circles diagram but did not elaborate on it. He only implied a trichotomist view in his diagram of the self. Crabb does not even attempt to address a theological construct in dealing with the immaterial component of a person. Crabbs concept of Integration falls short of his tenets by leaving out this important part of the human constitution. Pauls teachings to the believers in Thessalonica made it clear that the body, the soul, and the spirit constitute man. He wrote, May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Thess 5:23, NIV). Hawkins and Crabb may understand the need to incorporate the elements of the human constitution but fail to clarity their theological position. They failed to lay out for the Christian counselor an important piece of the puzzle, the theological views of the human constitution. However, both models are good guidelines for searching the truth in Scripture and secular Psychology.

PERSONAL REFLECTION AND APPLICATION I like Crabbs approaches to Integration. I like the fact that he supports the Spoiling the Egyptians concept which allows the use of the Egyptians spoils while leaving behind the Egyptians false gods in his journey to the Promised Land. I do believe that the local church as the body Christ can use some of the techniques of the secular world in the field of psychology provided that there is no violation of biblical principles. I would take my position further by including some of the technologies that are at our disposal today to further the work of Christ,

Page |6 the expansion of the Kingdom of God. This obviously includes the internet, the e-mail, video conference callings and other technological means that can be used in the church. Scientific discoveries are not a result of the human will. God himself said to Prophet Daniel, But you, Daniel, close up and seal the words of the scroll until the time of the end. Many will go here and there to increase knowledge (Daniel 12:4, NIV)." I also support the Hawkins model. I like the simplicity, the easy to follow format of the Concentric Circles Diagram of the Self. It is like a road map that provides a basis for the clients and the counselor to work from. It is like a check list for both the counselor and the counselee. I like the concept of sharing the story of the Hawkins model, the concept of collaborative effort to generate solutions. The Church of Jesus Christ needs to re-emphasize today the importance of coming together for common purpose. Crabb was correct when he wrote, counseling is centrally and critically a relationship between people who care. (p. 14). We are after all he continues, a personal creature made in Gods image and is intended for fellowship with God. (Ibid).

REFERENCES

Crabb, L. (1986). Effective biblical counseling: A model for helping caring Christians become capable counselors. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan. Hawkins, R. E. (Speaker). (2006). Model for Guiding the Counseling Process. Lynchburg, VA: Liberty University