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Counsel from the Cross: Connecting Broken People to the Love of Christ
Given the evermore apparent failure of modern psychotherapies and a growing discomfort with pharmacological strategies, many churches are reaffirming the sufficiency and power of the Scriptures to change lives. To aid churches in ministering to broken and hurting people, the authors of Counsel from the Cross present a counseling model based on Scripture and powered by the work of the wonderful counselor, Jesus Christ. Through careful exegesis and helpful case studies, they demonstrate how to provide consistently biblical, gospel-centered counseling and explain why it is important to do so. The authors’ combined backgrounds―one, a woman trained in biblical counseling and the other, a male professor of practical theology―bring balance to this work, making it relevant for those who counsel as part of pastoral ministry and for all involved in mentoring or discipleship.
240 pages, Paperback
First published June 8, 2009
101 people are currently reading
998 people want to read
About the author
Elyse M. Fitzpatrick
55 books473 followersAuthor of 20+ books on the Christian life and the gospel's impact on everyday living, Elyse is a frequent speaker at women's conferences nationally and internationally.
Elyse's ministry is summed up in these simple words: No fluff, No bricks, just the good news of a crucified and risen Christ.
In 1971 she married her sweetheart Phil and together they raised three children and are enjoying six really adorable grandchildren.
Together they attend Valley Center Community Church in the hills of the North County of San Diego where Phil is an elder.
Elyse's ministry is summed up in these simple words: No fluff, No bricks, just the good news of a crucified and risen Christ.
In 1971 she married her sweetheart Phil and together they raised three children and are enjoying six really adorable grandchildren.
Together they attend Valley Center Community Church in the hills of the North County of San Diego where Phil is an elder.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 61 reviews
April 12, 2018
Great book. I wanted to give this 5 stars, but the chapter on emotions makes lackluster claims about the nature and origins of emotions and then doesn't follow through with a concrete argument. Believing emotions can have physical origins or that the physical parts of man can have an effect on emotions, decisions, or actions does not make one a materialistic determinist as the authors claim. I wish they had been braver and bolder than they were and applied Scripture to these claims instead of just dismissing them as "bad science." They are willing to say that medication does in fact effect emotions in both positive and negative ways, but not that the brain and its chemistry on it's own can cause problems. Fallenness is found in all the parts of creation. Man is complex but you can't just dismiss things you don't feel comfortable taking the time to really dive into. Biblical counselors don't have to fear that the believing in physical causes is somehow incompatible with the Bible or the responsibility of man before God. #soapbox
July 8, 2014
Love this book. When we counsel we declare nothing but Christ. It is a reminder, a coach and a balm to the hurting. The book closes with the theme of the whole work: "We would like to leave you with one last word, and it is simply this: when in your counseling room or when you're visiting with friends, pursuing a door of opportunity with t a stranger on a bus, wrestling with your heart's idols and unbelief, determine to know nothing except Jesus Christ and him crucified. Remember what the gospel says about us: we are more sinful and flawed than we ever dared believe but we are also more loved and welcomed than we ever dared hope."
Read this. Buy if for your pastor and counseling friends. Then read it again.
Read this. Buy if for your pastor and counseling friends. Then read it again.
May 14, 2012
Having read one other book by Elyse Fitzpatrick, I was excited to read her again and dive into a topic that is becoming increasingly necessary for Christians, regardless of occupation - counseling. I have found that Christians in my generation are absolutely open to being counseled as they (and I) work through complicated sin issues. Fitzpatrick and Johnson do a nice job of driving home the main point of this book, which is "we are more sinful and flawed than we ever dared believe, but we are also more loved and welcomed than we ever dared hope." They believe that counseling should always be in this context, and I definitely agree.
I enjoyed several sections of this book, and the theological groundwork at the beginning was great. I thought her explanation of love was very good, because so many counseling issues stem from a lack of love, or at least a perceived lack of love, and of course the Gospel is all about God's love displayed to us through Christ. Her identification of the happy and sad moralists were interesting and seemed to be good categories to consider when counseling. I love the distinction that the authors make between gospel-centered counseling versus Biblical counseling. Unfortunately much Biblical counseling today is probably just self-help moral strategies that might work for a time but then don't last because of a lack of Gospel focus. Overall, my two favorite chapters were probably her chapters on emotions and relationships.
I only have a couple criticisms: One is that it could have probably been more concise. There was a lot of repeating, and I know that was possibly intentional, but it made it hard to keep going at times. Another criticism concerns her chapter on the Gospel and sanctification. Sanctification is rooted in the Gospel, yes, but it also involves intenional effort on our part. The Gospel has been understated in the church today, so I'm assuming that the authors are reacting against that by bringing the focus back to where it should be. However, we need gospel-fueled effort to overcome our sin issues, and I did not feel that the authors focused enough on what our effort should look like as it grows out of gospel soil. But in the end, these are small things compared to the benefit that I got out of reading this book. It will be a resource that I go back to time and again.
A few quotes:
"Don't be concerned that you will spend too much time thinking of his love and forget your obligation to obey."
"Rather than asking, 'What does this passage tell me to do,' ask yourself 'What do these verses tell me about God's love through Christ?'"
"What we experience as feelings or moods are a physiological response to the thoughts, emotions, and judgements of our inner person (mind and heart)."
"This desire for relationship, though broken and self-focused, originates with God."
I enjoyed several sections of this book, and the theological groundwork at the beginning was great. I thought her explanation of love was very good, because so many counseling issues stem from a lack of love, or at least a perceived lack of love, and of course the Gospel is all about God's love displayed to us through Christ. Her identification of the happy and sad moralists were interesting and seemed to be good categories to consider when counseling. I love the distinction that the authors make between gospel-centered counseling versus Biblical counseling. Unfortunately much Biblical counseling today is probably just self-help moral strategies that might work for a time but then don't last because of a lack of Gospel focus. Overall, my two favorite chapters were probably her chapters on emotions and relationships.
I only have a couple criticisms: One is that it could have probably been more concise. There was a lot of repeating, and I know that was possibly intentional, but it made it hard to keep going at times. Another criticism concerns her chapter on the Gospel and sanctification. Sanctification is rooted in the Gospel, yes, but it also involves intenional effort on our part. The Gospel has been understated in the church today, so I'm assuming that the authors are reacting against that by bringing the focus back to where it should be. However, we need gospel-fueled effort to overcome our sin issues, and I did not feel that the authors focused enough on what our effort should look like as it grows out of gospel soil. But in the end, these are small things compared to the benefit that I got out of reading this book. It will be a resource that I go back to time and again.
A few quotes:
"Don't be concerned that you will spend too much time thinking of his love and forget your obligation to obey."
"Rather than asking, 'What does this passage tell me to do,' ask yourself 'What do these verses tell me about God's love through Christ?'"
"What we experience as feelings or moods are a physiological response to the thoughts, emotions, and judgements of our inner person (mind and heart)."
"This desire for relationship, though broken and self-focused, originates with God."
January 6, 2014
The gospel has become so familiar to us, that in many cases it has been relegated to a topic we consider only at Christmas and Easter. The other 363 days of the year are devoted to our deeds as demanded by Scripture. Even if we consider the gospel more often than these two holidays, our practical lifestyle reveals our focus is more on deeds than gospel. This is wrong, and results in a self-centered, self-love religion.
The authors say:
“When we lose the centrality of the cross, Christianity morphs into a religion of self-improvement and becomes about us, about our accomplishments, and about getting our act together” (pg. 25).
Thus this book calls Christians to direct their gaze and delight upon the gospel—where God’s steadfast love and mercy was displayed—because nothing in this world will provide us with the needed transformation and sanctification like the gospel will. The book also recognizes and advocates the importance of “ordinary means of grace” which are equally important for our growth and maturity as Christians (i.e. the Word; baptism; communion; church fellowship).
Additionally, this book promotes gospel-centered counseling, which recognizes the importance of the imperatives (commands/obligations) of Scripture, but first calls us to focus on the gospel indicatives (declarations) of who we are in Christ as a result of His substitutionary death, resurrection, and ascension—the gospel! With the gospel always at the forefront of one's mind, one is then prepared to fulfill the commands of Scripture.
I highly recommend this book to every Christian! Bring this to the top of your to-read list. Seriously.
The authors say:
“When we lose the centrality of the cross, Christianity morphs into a religion of self-improvement and becomes about us, about our accomplishments, and about getting our act together” (pg. 25).
Thus this book calls Christians to direct their gaze and delight upon the gospel—where God’s steadfast love and mercy was displayed—because nothing in this world will provide us with the needed transformation and sanctification like the gospel will. The book also recognizes and advocates the importance of “ordinary means of grace” which are equally important for our growth and maturity as Christians (i.e. the Word; baptism; communion; church fellowship).
Additionally, this book promotes gospel-centered counseling, which recognizes the importance of the imperatives (commands/obligations) of Scripture, but first calls us to focus on the gospel indicatives (declarations) of who we are in Christ as a result of His substitutionary death, resurrection, and ascension—the gospel! With the gospel always at the forefront of one's mind, one is then prepared to fulfill the commands of Scripture.
I highly recommend this book to every Christian! Bring this to the top of your to-read list. Seriously.
December 28, 2011
MY REVIEW:
This wonderful, gospel-centered book is all about how God's love impacts our broken lives. While the title leads one to think that it is about counseling others, there is much in this book that will resonate within the heart of the reader.
I enjoyed the entire book, but especially appreciated the chapters on how the gospel applies directly with our sanctification, emotions, and relationships. After reading other books on the topic of the daily transforming grace of the gospel, these 3 chapters offered new perspective and a fresh look at these areas where I struggle to apply God's grace. The idea that our emotions are a good gift from God is almost mind blowing to me!
Counsel From The Cross is very similar to Because He Loves Me but comes from more of a "counseling" approach. However, while it repeats some of the same material, it also works through it in a different way that I found to be very helpful as I continue in understanding and applying the gospel to my everyday living. It certainly stands alone as a single book, but I would highly suggest reading Because He Loves Me first, especially if you have never read another book on the daily application of the gospel.
This is a deep book, but not so deep that it takes a degree to read it. I highly recommend it to anyone - teen and up - who desires to understand the gospel more and is willing to take the time and effort to study it out using the book as a guide.
This wonderful, gospel-centered book is all about how God's love impacts our broken lives. While the title leads one to think that it is about counseling others, there is much in this book that will resonate within the heart of the reader.
I enjoyed the entire book, but especially appreciated the chapters on how the gospel applies directly with our sanctification, emotions, and relationships. After reading other books on the topic of the daily transforming grace of the gospel, these 3 chapters offered new perspective and a fresh look at these areas where I struggle to apply God's grace. The idea that our emotions are a good gift from God is almost mind blowing to me!
Counsel From The Cross is very similar to Because He Loves Me but comes from more of a "counseling" approach. However, while it repeats some of the same material, it also works through it in a different way that I found to be very helpful as I continue in understanding and applying the gospel to my everyday living. It certainly stands alone as a single book, but I would highly suggest reading Because He Loves Me first, especially if you have never read another book on the daily application of the gospel.
This is a deep book, but not so deep that it takes a degree to read it. I highly recommend it to anyone - teen and up - who desires to understand the gospel more and is willing to take the time and effort to study it out using the book as a guide.
March 9, 2012
I read this book for a counseling class I took at my church. It was very edifying--I feel like this book counseled me! Fitzpatrick and Johnson continually point to the gospel as the source of strength, hope, and freedom. A lot of the truths in this book were not new to my mind, but became so much more true to my heart. My copy is full of my underlinings and is definitely a book I would like to revisit.
I also appreciated the distinction made between different forms of counseling--secular psychology, biblical counseling, and gospel-centered counseling. They define gospel-centered counseling as, "One Christian, coming alongside another with words of truth to encourage, admonish, comfort, and help--words . . .grounded in the gracious saving work of Jesus Christ, and presented in the context of relationship." The goal is that the person would "grow in his or her understanding if the gospel and how it applies to every area of life and then respond in grateful obedience" (p. 91-92).
This is a solid book. Great for anyone one to read, because we all encounter situations where a friend needs to be counseled, and we could all use some good gospel-centered counseling ourselves.
I also appreciated the distinction made between different forms of counseling--secular psychology, biblical counseling, and gospel-centered counseling. They define gospel-centered counseling as, "One Christian, coming alongside another with words of truth to encourage, admonish, comfort, and help--words . . .grounded in the gracious saving work of Jesus Christ, and presented in the context of relationship." The goal is that the person would "grow in his or her understanding if the gospel and how it applies to every area of life and then respond in grateful obedience" (p. 91-92).
This is a solid book. Great for anyone one to read, because we all encounter situations where a friend needs to be counseled, and we could all use some good gospel-centered counseling ourselves.
May 1, 2020
The authors are coming from VanTillian perspective, so they are going to be sympathetic towards Jay Adams, but they are not as extreme as he was to promote nonsense, so you can see it is helpful corrective from people that are in the same camp as he was. They don't deny and/or reject natural revelation out of hand, which is appreciated. I don't agree with their narrow definition of depression (they speak of it as an extreme anxiety, and lump it into the category of feelings/emotions), and there was one strange thing about thanking God for ongoing struggle with sin, but other than that, this book is very good indeed. If I would decide to accept my alma mater's offer to do PhD in psychiatric nursing and teach it as well, I would translate chapter on 'The Gospel and Our Emotions' and incorporate it into curriculum. Healthy approach to counselling, and their wisdom is greatly appreciated. A must read, 5 stars is easy here.
February 4, 2014
"Because of Christ's sinless life and substitutionary death we can confidently stand before the gaze of him to whom all things are 'naked and exposed' and to whom all people will 'give account' (Heb 4:13). On the day when we will give account, we will not be foolish enough to talk about how WE matured, how faithful WE were, how WE deserve glory. No, on that day, we will humbly fall before his pierced feet and rest only in his death and righteousness. We will receive the reward HE has earned, and we will cast it at his feet so that all glory will go to him because he has done it all for us."
November 6, 2017
“We are more sinful and flawed than we ever dared believe but we are also more loved and welcomed than we ever dared to hope.” This book has really made me wrestle with Biblical counseling, in its pure sense and not just in name to teach others in attaining their own glory story. I️ still can’t wrap my head around gospel-centered counseling because it means I️ must truly give up my own glory-seeking addictions and habits and rely solely on Christ and him crucified.
December 29, 2010
EXCELLENT. Took me a while to work through it, but it definitely helped shape my thinking in regards to the counsel I offer others and myself. Just helped me on Sunday in a conversation I had with a friend!
December 5, 2011
When Elyse said this book was about counseling from the cross I didn't realize the book would counsel me! Man she just preaches the Gospel straight up through the whole book. It is very comforting and helpful. She pulls out common sins and explains how the Gospel answers them. Great stuff.
October 10, 2016
This book took a long time to read because it was so good. I took a lot of notes. I will use what I have learned in my own life and whenever God provides the opportunity for me to share with others. One of the best books I have read.
October 2, 2017
I would give this book six stars if I could. Super practical and helpful, back to the basics of the gospel. I know I'll reference this frequently for myself as well as the college students I minister to.
May 2, 2010
I cannot wait to really get into this book. It is going to transform how I counsel people!!
February 6, 2011
Excellent book for anyone in relationships with humans, ministry or counseling. But be sure to read the end notes or you will be misled on their philosophies on meds and therapy.
February 5, 2011
Great book on gospel-centered counseling! It counseled me and hopefully will help me counsel others.
July 4, 2011
Very biblically challenging and encouraging at the same time. I highly recommend if you want to know how to make the cross the place you apply life too.
August 14, 2011
Just read the intro and first chapter while waiting at the dentist's office. I loved it!!! Excited to read more and ponder.....
January 24, 2012
I really enjoyed this book. In fact, I gave a copy to my wife, Linda, and re-read it with her. Her chapter on emotions is outstanding.
December 24, 2017
Good book on keeping the gospel central. Highly highlight-able! 3.5 stars
January 16, 2019
The Kindle format could use work, but this is a great book on the solid foundations of biblical counseling.
April 1, 2025
I wanted to like this book more but it has some big pitfalls: one, the audience isn’t clear… At times it seems they were writing to unbelievers, other times believers. Two, the book repeatedly stands on material not their own: a tim Keller quote: “The gospel says you are simultaneously more sinful and flawed than you ever dared believe, yet more loved and accepted than you ever dared hope.” While they did cite Keller in the chapter notes at the back of the book, it seems with how strong this quote carried the book it might have been good to credit him in the text. Three: the examples did not seem realistic but almost presented in a way to “prove” their method of biblical counseling. I would say that we do not have the eyes to see the true heart of man. The authors present cade studies where they do have this gift.
The gospel is presented solidly and repeatedly. In the presentation of the gospel, I glean a Keller-esque like devotion. This was quite lovely. I do appreciate the concession made here that other biblical counselors often will not make—that some mental health/biological health circumstances should be addressed by a medical professional. I appreciated the words around counseling being carried out in the local church/body and not advising running off to find a “Christian/biblical” counselor apart from the local body where you can anonymously work through/receive encouragement apart from those God has placed you with to be members of one body. If you are a member of a church, the work of counseling/accountability/encouragement should come from that local church. (The should is strong there but I agree with its strength.)
Overall I would not likely recommend this book to others. While it fought against too much self-reflection and fought for gospel-reflection, I think the end result is to lead readers towards self-reflection/inspection through the examples given.
(The book is not a “how to” counsel from the cross guide. It is an altar call with biblical counseling case studies.)
The gospel is presented solidly and repeatedly. In the presentation of the gospel, I glean a Keller-esque like devotion. This was quite lovely. I do appreciate the concession made here that other biblical counselors often will not make—that some mental health/biological health circumstances should be addressed by a medical professional. I appreciated the words around counseling being carried out in the local church/body and not advising running off to find a “Christian/biblical” counselor apart from the local body where you can anonymously work through/receive encouragement apart from those God has placed you with to be members of one body. If you are a member of a church, the work of counseling/accountability/encouragement should come from that local church. (The should is strong there but I agree with its strength.)
Overall I would not likely recommend this book to others. While it fought against too much self-reflection and fought for gospel-reflection, I think the end result is to lead readers towards self-reflection/inspection through the examples given.
(The book is not a “how to” counsel from the cross guide. It is an altar call with biblical counseling case studies.)
June 5, 2023
A very helpful book for biblical counseling. It is probably one of the richest modern books about applying the gospel in a vast number of ways.
It is less a ‘how-to’ and more of an unpacking of the implications of the gospel in life.
It is less a ‘how-to’ and more of an unpacking of the implications of the gospel in life.
December 3, 2023
Phenomenal. Best book I’ve read on sound law/gospel hermeneutics and Christ-centered sanctification applied to the task of biblical counseling my. Useful for preaching and discipleship as well. A must read
April 21, 2023
Excellent Gospel presentation, but more focused on the reality of the gospel than the practical matters of biblical counseling. Pair with "Instruments in the Redeemer's Hands" or "The Peacemaking Pastor"
January 27, 2024
Counsel from the Cross was written by Elyse M. Fitzpatrick and Dennis E. Johnson, and published in 2009. Elyse Fitzpatrick has authored over 25 books on Christian living and holds a certificate in biblical counseling from CCEF (San Diego) and an M.A. in Biblical Counseling. Dr. Dennis Johnson is the professor emeritus of practical theology at Westminster Seminary California, where he taught from 1982 to 2018.
The main thesis of the book is to postulate that counseling ministry in the church should be centred upon the gospel and the cross of Christ. The authors argue that much of the “biblical counseling” in the church today, though holding high esteem for the sufficiency of Scripture, has “overemphasized the imperatives or obligations of scripture but neglected the declarations or indicatives.” Therefore, the authors have adopted the term “gospel-centred counseling,” Across nine chapters, they demonstrate how the ministry of counseling that is centered upon the cross of Christ looks like, and how the gospel is “the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes” (Rom 1:16).
In chapter one, the authors posit that Christians have often treated the gospel as “white noise.” By assuming familiarity with the gospel, many Christians often neglect the truths of the gospel for their life, and instead focus solely on the imperatives of Christian living. This misunderstanding also leads to the idea that maturing Christians are supposed to move beyond the gospel, relegating the cross of Christ as only important for initial conversion. The authors correct this error by showing that the timeless truths of the gospel are constantly applicable to every stage of the Christian life, as the gospel affects the way we view God, ourselves, and others, as well as how we apply the truths of the gospel in counseling. In chapter two, the authors postulate that true transformation can only occur through beholding the glory of God in the person and work of Jesus Christ. To that end, God has ordained the preaching of the Word, the sacraments of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper, as well as the fellowship of believers in the church as the means to communicate and minister the glory of Christ in the gospel to Christians. Therefore, these means of grace are crucial aspects of gospel-centered counseling. In chapter three, the authors reflect on the love of God seen in the person and work of Christ, and argue that every sin is ultimately a “love problem.” While meditating on the steadfast love of God in the Scriptures, the authors posit that God’s love does not fluctuate in response to our performance or failures. Rather, God’s love is unconditional and immeasurable. The gospel demonstrates God’s initiating and steadfast love to us and therefore by beholding the cross, we are transformed from our sinful selfishness to being able to love our neighbors as “love is the cause of all the graces we desire.” In chapter four, the authors apply the love of God in the gospel to address two kinds of Christians – the Happy Moralist and the Sad Moralist. The Happy Moralists represent Christians that are satisfied with their performance, and are myopic towards the depth of their depravity before God. On the other hand, the Sad Moralists are often despaired by their failures, undervaluing the work and person of Christ that has merited their acceptance before God. Hence, only a healthy dosage of gospel truth can transform both Happy and Sad Moralists into the Gospel-Centered Christians, as the gospel of Jesus Christ reminds us that “we are all more sinful and flawed than we ever dared believe but more loved and welcomed than we ever dared hope.”
In chapter five, the authors restate the thesis of their book upfront by defining gospel-centered counseling as “the process of one Christian coming alongside another with words of truth to encourage, admonish, comfort, and help—words drawn from Scripture, grounded in the gracious saving work of Jesus Christ and presented in the context of relationship. The goal of this counseling is that the brother or sister in need of counsel would grow in his or her understanding of the gospel and how it applies to every area of life and then respond in grateful obedience in every circumstance, all to the building up of the church and for the glory of God.” The authors also address the relationship between the Law and the Gospel, placing emphasis on the difference between gospel-declaration and gospel-obligation by briefly exegeting Ephesians 4:22-24. In chapter six to chapter eight, the authors pressed in on how the gospel speaks into the issues of sanctification, emotions, and relationships. The authors helpfully demonstrate how the gospel addresses pertinent issues that are often seen in counseling situations, showing how the love of Christ encourages our sanctification, addresses the heart behind our emotions, and compels us to love one another in our relationships in the same manner that Christ has loved us.
In the final chapter, the authors present two kinds of metanarratives that are antithetical towards each other. On one hand, the glory story tells Christians that they “don’t really need a crucified Savior… they can attain glory by hard work, self-discipline, and the right list of activities.” On the other hand, the gospel story is to “know nothing… except Jesus Christ and Him crucified” (1 Cor. 2:2). The authors also call the gospel the “story of the cross” as it is a story of Jesus Christ incarnating into this world as the sinless God-man, and because of His love for sinners he enters into “suffering and humiliation that ends with our being stripped of all our self-confidence and being clothed in the glory of Another.” The book closes with the authors' final exhortation towards their readers to “counsel from the cross” by believing and telling the gospel story in the process of counseling and pursuing true transformation. The authors also included 4 helpful appendixes. The first appendix presents an exhortation for biblical counseling over the reliance on secular psychology, especially among Christian counselors and the church. The second is a table of Scripture passages by topic, intended for use in specific situations for counselling. The third appendix is a succinct testimony of personal salvation from Fitzpatrick, where she also preaches the gospel and invites her readers to put their faith in Jesus Christ. The final appendix is the text of Psalm 78 which presents God’s steadfast love despite Israel’s persistent rebellion against Him.
The authors have done the church a needed service by writing this succinct, engaging, and accessible book for the ministry of counseling. Firstly, I am in full appreciation of the term “gospel-centered counseling,” and the thesis behind it, which is to restore the centrality of the gospel back into the counseling ministry in the church. Many forms of “Christian counseling” or “biblical counseling” found in churches today either attempt to integrate concepts of secular psychology that are unbiblical or contrary to the gospel, or focus merely on biblical imperatives for transformation. What every Christian and every church needs is to return to the riches of the gospel and the Scriptures if we truly believe in the sufficiency of Christ and the Scriptures for salvation and the entire Christian life. Secondly, the authors also helpfully demonstrate how the gospel speaks to major issues of life that often come up in counseling situations. Specifically, on the issues of sanctification, emotions, and relationships. It is not an overstatement to say that most of the challenges we face on this side of eternity relate to our fight against indwelling sin, how we manage or interpret our emotions due to the daily stresses of life, as well as managing complex, interpersonal relationships and people we are commanded by God to love. Thirdly, the authors also included scenarios in which they demonstrate how the gospel can speak to specific counseling situations. Though the authors did state that these scenarios are fictional, the counseling situations are a conglomeration of their experience over twenty years of counseling. By providing these counseling examples, the authors were able to demonstrate by example how the gospel speaks to various counseling situations, relate and connect with the real-life challenges that their readers might be facing, and show how the timeless truths of the gospel will always be practical and relevant to the various struggles and challenges in life. Additionally, the study questions provided at the end of each chapter were helpful for readers to examine their hearts and apply the truths of the gospel that are relevant to each topic addressed by the authors.
However, there are some areas of improvement that might strengthen the book. Firstly, the chapters of the book are remarkably independent and can be read as standalone chapters. At the same time, there seems to be no development order or arrangement logic that undergirds the book. The authors do not explain how they have planned to demonstrate gospel-centered counseling, and the readers are often not quite sure what to expect in each chapter. Secondly, although the book briefly and successfully demonstrates the “what” of gospel-centered counseling (what is gospel-centered counseling), it does not actually demonstrate the “how” of gospel-centered counseling. Readers are left to figure out how to apply gospel-centered counseling in their ministry. Readers who are new to gospel-centered counseling would have found it helpful if the authors had also presented gospel-centered counseling pedagogically. Thirdly, though the authors have attempted to restore the centrality of the gospel into counseling in the church, many facets of gospel doctrines are left to be desired from the book. For example, the book did not develop the gospel doctrine of adoption, glorification, and the intercessory work of Christ, which can be pertinent for counseling. Finally, one area which I found to be in partial agreement/disagreement with is how the authors presented anthropology as a body-soul unity. I agree with the authors concerning the psychosomatic (body-soul) makeup of humanity; however, it seems like the authors have a reductionistic view of the body-soul dynamic. They seem to explain the struggle of depression as a purely hormonal and biological reaction to what the heart is feeling or what the body might be experiencing due to external factors, rather than conceding that some of these mental illnesses are far more complicated and complex, with no simple explanation for the exact cause. The noetic effects of sin truly affect the whole psychosomatic makeup of man, so a person can be so psychologically broken/suffering from mental illness that he/she can have absolutely no control over how he/she wants to feel or the way they think. Much more can be said about the issues of emotions and mental illnesses, but the authors were reductionistic in their presentation and were not able to provide a convincing articulation of how the gospel can speak into these complex and complicated struggles.
Reading the book itself was an immense encouragement for me. The dynamic of Happy and Sad Moralist is extremely relatable, as I can often see myself swing from one posture to the other, either feeling self-righteous about myself or feeling discouraged that I have failed to be consistent in my Christian walk. The authors' persistent application of the gospel into the heart spoke great encouragement to me as I turn from looking at my own performance to the love of God in the gospel. This framework of Happy and Sad Moralist is also helpful for my own pastoral counseling situation, as every Christian would inevitably struggle between being one or the other, or even both at the same time. By identifying rightly the heart conditions of those I am counseling, I will then be able to offer the right gospel antidote to their hearts.
Besides that, the reminder of the difference between the Law and the gospel was also very beneficial. By differentiating gospel indicatives and gospel imperatives clearly while reading the Scriptures, it will prevent me from confusing the two categories when attempting to read the Scriptures or applying Scriptures in a counseling context. In this manner, the counselees can be greatly encouraged by the gospel declaration about them, before they actually consider gospel obligations.
Finally, the authors' articulation of gospel-centered counseling for the church was very illuminating. As the authors defined, gospel-centered counseling is not just the job of professional or trained counselors. Rather, it is the role of every Christian to come alongside each other to speak gospel truths into each other’s lives and struggles. Personally, for my ministry context, I am compelled to apply this corporate aspect of gospel-centered counselling by actively seeking to build this culture of mutual encouragement and counseling in my church and in the fellowship of believers that I am a part of.
The main thesis of the book is to postulate that counseling ministry in the church should be centred upon the gospel and the cross of Christ. The authors argue that much of the “biblical counseling” in the church today, though holding high esteem for the sufficiency of Scripture, has “overemphasized the imperatives or obligations of scripture but neglected the declarations or indicatives.” Therefore, the authors have adopted the term “gospel-centred counseling,” Across nine chapters, they demonstrate how the ministry of counseling that is centered upon the cross of Christ looks like, and how the gospel is “the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes” (Rom 1:16).
In chapter one, the authors posit that Christians have often treated the gospel as “white noise.” By assuming familiarity with the gospel, many Christians often neglect the truths of the gospel for their life, and instead focus solely on the imperatives of Christian living. This misunderstanding also leads to the idea that maturing Christians are supposed to move beyond the gospel, relegating the cross of Christ as only important for initial conversion. The authors correct this error by showing that the timeless truths of the gospel are constantly applicable to every stage of the Christian life, as the gospel affects the way we view God, ourselves, and others, as well as how we apply the truths of the gospel in counseling. In chapter two, the authors postulate that true transformation can only occur through beholding the glory of God in the person and work of Jesus Christ. To that end, God has ordained the preaching of the Word, the sacraments of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper, as well as the fellowship of believers in the church as the means to communicate and minister the glory of Christ in the gospel to Christians. Therefore, these means of grace are crucial aspects of gospel-centered counseling. In chapter three, the authors reflect on the love of God seen in the person and work of Christ, and argue that every sin is ultimately a “love problem.” While meditating on the steadfast love of God in the Scriptures, the authors posit that God’s love does not fluctuate in response to our performance or failures. Rather, God’s love is unconditional and immeasurable. The gospel demonstrates God’s initiating and steadfast love to us and therefore by beholding the cross, we are transformed from our sinful selfishness to being able to love our neighbors as “love is the cause of all the graces we desire.” In chapter four, the authors apply the love of God in the gospel to address two kinds of Christians – the Happy Moralist and the Sad Moralist. The Happy Moralists represent Christians that are satisfied with their performance, and are myopic towards the depth of their depravity before God. On the other hand, the Sad Moralists are often despaired by their failures, undervaluing the work and person of Christ that has merited their acceptance before God. Hence, only a healthy dosage of gospel truth can transform both Happy and Sad Moralists into the Gospel-Centered Christians, as the gospel of Jesus Christ reminds us that “we are all more sinful and flawed than we ever dared believe but more loved and welcomed than we ever dared hope.”
In chapter five, the authors restate the thesis of their book upfront by defining gospel-centered counseling as “the process of one Christian coming alongside another with words of truth to encourage, admonish, comfort, and help—words drawn from Scripture, grounded in the gracious saving work of Jesus Christ and presented in the context of relationship. The goal of this counseling is that the brother or sister in need of counsel would grow in his or her understanding of the gospel and how it applies to every area of life and then respond in grateful obedience in every circumstance, all to the building up of the church and for the glory of God.” The authors also address the relationship between the Law and the Gospel, placing emphasis on the difference between gospel-declaration and gospel-obligation by briefly exegeting Ephesians 4:22-24. In chapter six to chapter eight, the authors pressed in on how the gospel speaks into the issues of sanctification, emotions, and relationships. The authors helpfully demonstrate how the gospel addresses pertinent issues that are often seen in counseling situations, showing how the love of Christ encourages our sanctification, addresses the heart behind our emotions, and compels us to love one another in our relationships in the same manner that Christ has loved us.
In the final chapter, the authors present two kinds of metanarratives that are antithetical towards each other. On one hand, the glory story tells Christians that they “don’t really need a crucified Savior… they can attain glory by hard work, self-discipline, and the right list of activities.” On the other hand, the gospel story is to “know nothing… except Jesus Christ and Him crucified” (1 Cor. 2:2). The authors also call the gospel the “story of the cross” as it is a story of Jesus Christ incarnating into this world as the sinless God-man, and because of His love for sinners he enters into “suffering and humiliation that ends with our being stripped of all our self-confidence and being clothed in the glory of Another.” The book closes with the authors' final exhortation towards their readers to “counsel from the cross” by believing and telling the gospel story in the process of counseling and pursuing true transformation. The authors also included 4 helpful appendixes. The first appendix presents an exhortation for biblical counseling over the reliance on secular psychology, especially among Christian counselors and the church. The second is a table of Scripture passages by topic, intended for use in specific situations for counselling. The third appendix is a succinct testimony of personal salvation from Fitzpatrick, where she also preaches the gospel and invites her readers to put their faith in Jesus Christ. The final appendix is the text of Psalm 78 which presents God’s steadfast love despite Israel’s persistent rebellion against Him.
The authors have done the church a needed service by writing this succinct, engaging, and accessible book for the ministry of counseling. Firstly, I am in full appreciation of the term “gospel-centered counseling,” and the thesis behind it, which is to restore the centrality of the gospel back into the counseling ministry in the church. Many forms of “Christian counseling” or “biblical counseling” found in churches today either attempt to integrate concepts of secular psychology that are unbiblical or contrary to the gospel, or focus merely on biblical imperatives for transformation. What every Christian and every church needs is to return to the riches of the gospel and the Scriptures if we truly believe in the sufficiency of Christ and the Scriptures for salvation and the entire Christian life. Secondly, the authors also helpfully demonstrate how the gospel speaks to major issues of life that often come up in counseling situations. Specifically, on the issues of sanctification, emotions, and relationships. It is not an overstatement to say that most of the challenges we face on this side of eternity relate to our fight against indwelling sin, how we manage or interpret our emotions due to the daily stresses of life, as well as managing complex, interpersonal relationships and people we are commanded by God to love. Thirdly, the authors also included scenarios in which they demonstrate how the gospel can speak to specific counseling situations. Though the authors did state that these scenarios are fictional, the counseling situations are a conglomeration of their experience over twenty years of counseling. By providing these counseling examples, the authors were able to demonstrate by example how the gospel speaks to various counseling situations, relate and connect with the real-life challenges that their readers might be facing, and show how the timeless truths of the gospel will always be practical and relevant to the various struggles and challenges in life. Additionally, the study questions provided at the end of each chapter were helpful for readers to examine their hearts and apply the truths of the gospel that are relevant to each topic addressed by the authors.
However, there are some areas of improvement that might strengthen the book. Firstly, the chapters of the book are remarkably independent and can be read as standalone chapters. At the same time, there seems to be no development order or arrangement logic that undergirds the book. The authors do not explain how they have planned to demonstrate gospel-centered counseling, and the readers are often not quite sure what to expect in each chapter. Secondly, although the book briefly and successfully demonstrates the “what” of gospel-centered counseling (what is gospel-centered counseling), it does not actually demonstrate the “how” of gospel-centered counseling. Readers are left to figure out how to apply gospel-centered counseling in their ministry. Readers who are new to gospel-centered counseling would have found it helpful if the authors had also presented gospel-centered counseling pedagogically. Thirdly, though the authors have attempted to restore the centrality of the gospel into counseling in the church, many facets of gospel doctrines are left to be desired from the book. For example, the book did not develop the gospel doctrine of adoption, glorification, and the intercessory work of Christ, which can be pertinent for counseling. Finally, one area which I found to be in partial agreement/disagreement with is how the authors presented anthropology as a body-soul unity. I agree with the authors concerning the psychosomatic (body-soul) makeup of humanity; however, it seems like the authors have a reductionistic view of the body-soul dynamic. They seem to explain the struggle of depression as a purely hormonal and biological reaction to what the heart is feeling or what the body might be experiencing due to external factors, rather than conceding that some of these mental illnesses are far more complicated and complex, with no simple explanation for the exact cause. The noetic effects of sin truly affect the whole psychosomatic makeup of man, so a person can be so psychologically broken/suffering from mental illness that he/she can have absolutely no control over how he/she wants to feel or the way they think. Much more can be said about the issues of emotions and mental illnesses, but the authors were reductionistic in their presentation and were not able to provide a convincing articulation of how the gospel can speak into these complex and complicated struggles.
Reading the book itself was an immense encouragement for me. The dynamic of Happy and Sad Moralist is extremely relatable, as I can often see myself swing from one posture to the other, either feeling self-righteous about myself or feeling discouraged that I have failed to be consistent in my Christian walk. The authors' persistent application of the gospel into the heart spoke great encouragement to me as I turn from looking at my own performance to the love of God in the gospel. This framework of Happy and Sad Moralist is also helpful for my own pastoral counseling situation, as every Christian would inevitably struggle between being one or the other, or even both at the same time. By identifying rightly the heart conditions of those I am counseling, I will then be able to offer the right gospel antidote to their hearts.
Besides that, the reminder of the difference between the Law and the gospel was also very beneficial. By differentiating gospel indicatives and gospel imperatives clearly while reading the Scriptures, it will prevent me from confusing the two categories when attempting to read the Scriptures or applying Scriptures in a counseling context. In this manner, the counselees can be greatly encouraged by the gospel declaration about them, before they actually consider gospel obligations.
Finally, the authors' articulation of gospel-centered counseling for the church was very illuminating. As the authors defined, gospel-centered counseling is not just the job of professional or trained counselors. Rather, it is the role of every Christian to come alongside each other to speak gospel truths into each other’s lives and struggles. Personally, for my ministry context, I am compelled to apply this corporate aspect of gospel-centered counselling by actively seeking to build this culture of mutual encouragement and counseling in my church and in the fellowship of believers that I am a part of.
May 9, 2012
Elyse Fitzpatrick and Dennis Johnson write to encourage believers to live in the gospel. All counsel must come clearly from the gospel declarations and gospel applications (indicatives and imperatives). The book is packed with doctrine and great content. Personally, I believe this book could have been much shorter - the authors tended to repeat themselves many times. I wish they would have done a better job communicating who wrote which chapters. Also, in an effort to be engaging, artistic, and biblically intellectual, I believe many biblical truths were stretched too far and the deep expositional meaning was missed. Overall, a great book that highly exalts Christ and the gospel.
August 20, 2018
I think this is a helpful thesis. The idea of this book is great- counsel as we preach- Christ Crucified. The gospel is not just the way to heaven, but the means for us to change in life. Some great quotes:
“We are sinful and flawed but loved and welcomed.”
“When we lose the centrality of the cross, Christianity morphs into a religion of self-improvement and becomes about us, about our accomplishments, and about getting our act together.”
4 Stars for repetitiveness. (I also read this after 2 other Christ centered counseling books. So lots of redundancy)
“We are sinful and flawed but loved and welcomed.”
“When we lose the centrality of the cross, Christianity morphs into a religion of self-improvement and becomes about us, about our accomplishments, and about getting our act together.”
4 Stars for repetitiveness. (I also read this after 2 other Christ centered counseling books. So lots of redundancy)
December 1, 2009
A very good explanation of the Gospel. It tended to lean toward the "throw a verse at the problem" kind of counseling, however. I was a bit confused by what appeared to be a required reference to the Law/Gospel hermeneutic. They mentioned that commands were Law and indicatives were Gospel, but then also said we should obey the Law of the Gospel. I was confused. But otherwise the book was good.
July 22, 2018
Elyse as always does a great job in forefronting the gospel. Her contrast of the theology of glory (self-help, you can do it, just one more principle and I'll be good) vs the theology of the cross (all our hope lies in the power of the one who raised Jesus from the dead) is very effective and desperately needed.
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