The Goal of Counseling

The goal of counseling is to lead the client to the place of taking up the cause of Christ, to be equipped for godly service and to expand God's kingdom on this earth (purpose and significance). The goal of counseling and the Great Commission are similar. Like the Great Commission, counseling is about making disciples more than it is about restoring a marriage or recovery from drugs, etc., however important and necessary these may be. Christian counseling seeks to address the root of the problems-not just the fruits or the symptoms. We are spiritual beings created by God, our spiritual needs are fulfilled only through relationship with Christ. Therefore, the lordship of Jesus Christ must be the final goal of counseling. It becomes the counselors job to help clients understand the concept of lordship and sanctification and then point them to Christ for the answers they need. If not, the client will continue in his/her misguided search and continue to experience confusion and problems. Essentially, Christian counseling is discipleship. 


Called Believers                                                Appointed Disciples                                      Anointed Soldiers
>>>>>>>>>>>>>                                              >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>                                       >>>>>>>>>>>>>
    Identity                                                          Position & Purpose                                          Significance
______________                                             _________________                                     ______________  
ILLUMINATION                                                TRANSFORMATION                                       IMPARTATION

Relationship vs Productivity
Identity and significance have more to do with our relationship with Christ. Position has to do with our purpose and being productive for Christ. Relationship oriented people search for identity and significance more, while task oriented people search for position and purpose. All of life is about having relationship and being productive. 

YOUR IDENTITY is defined in Christ and relationship to Him. You are a child of God and you have Him as your Father. You are forgiven of all your sins and am in fellowship with Him because you are a joint heir with Jesus. You have eternal security in the family of God because of Jesus. 

YOUR POSITION is define with Christ. You are seated at the right hand of the Father in Christ and He has given you power and dominion. You are a citizen of heaven accepted into the beloved. You have direct access to God at any time. You have power over your carnal nature and over the forces of evil in this earth. You are more than a conqueror through Christ. 

YOUR PURPOSE is defined as His specific will for your life. You are God's co-worker and have been created for good works. You are chosen and appointed to bear fruit. You are a minister of reconciliation and an Ambassador for Christ. He has given you a job to do and the power to accomplish it. 

YOUR SIGNIFICANCE it eternal with eternal rewards for appreciation. God is pleased with those who do good and He will not forget your labor of love. Your work is not in vain and others will receive eternal life because you share the good news with them. Your efforts produce an eternal weight of glory. You life has meaning and value to God and that makes you want to please Him. You life really does matter and it matters to God and gives you passion to serve Him.  

The results of identity, position, purpose and significance through Christ is that it truns performance-based behavior into love-based behavior. It changes a "get" attitude into a "have" attitude. Your mentality will shift from "what I do" to "who I am." It changes situation-conforming behavior into behavior that transforms situations. It takes self-serving and works out of religion to enable selfless ministry. It gives meaning to life that satisfies the desire to have a life with meaning. It empowers an individual to respond with action, rather than reaction.

Teachings from GOD14 Program of IIFBC