I read this mission statement from an organization that offers psychological care and training to the CHURCH. They are seeking to integrate psychological ideas of mankind (many of which oppose the Word of God) with biblical truths. Here is what they believe (from their very own website, see link below):
The Emerge Mission
Because believers must live “in” the world even though they are not “of” the world, they frequently need mental health care to help them through the unpredictable stresses of life and …
Because such care must be consistent with and workable within the framework of their Christian faith and …
Because the church frequently lacks the psychological insight necessary to integrate its primary message of salvation for the lost with proven mental health principles to bring emotional healing to the saved…
http://www.emerge.org/index.php?ption=com_content&view=article&id=54&Itemid=62
My problem is with this final statement that the church is lacking because they do not understand “psychological insight” and “proven mental health principles” to help “bring emotional healing to the saved” and that this so-called “insight” is “necessary to integrate its primary message of salvation for the lost.”
Wow! So what this is saying that the church of Jesus Christ which He is building Himself (Matthew 16:18) lacks psychological expertise to lead people to Christ and to see saved people sanctified! Jesus, the Builder of His Church, needs the help of Sigmund Freud, who opened his practice on Easter Sunday in direct defiance to Jesus. Imagine that! God is a liar and His Word is not sufficient according to this statement from Emerge Ministries about why they exist!
That is precisely what they are saying – that we need more than just the gospel – we need psychology, too, added to the message of the gospel to really help hurting people. But is psychology helping or hurting?
When I read the psychological teachings about diseasing sin, I think psychology is hurting not helping us. When sin ceases to be the problem and is ignored, there is little need for the church, missionaries, the gospel, Sunday worship services, and even for Jesus Himself. Instead, when sin is ignored, no one needs a Savior for their sins because they do not have sins to be forgiven of. No sin – no need for a Savior!
“No sin, no Savior, but a problem remains – and since this problem is psychological, I need emotional healing. Maybe I’ll find it in a pill or maybe I’ll find it in psychotherapy. I need to go to a counselor. I don’t need the church, I need a psychologist.” That’s what people think. So who do they turn to? The world – not Jesus and His body.
Does the world have any answers? No. But they will take your money. And they will give you pills that often do not work any better than a placebo or a sugar pill. They will certainly tell you that you are sick. 41% of Americans have been diagnosed with some type of mental illness according to one stat I heard recently. You are sick and you need them so keep paying them money and buying their prescriptions with the hope that you will feel better. Meanwhile, when you die, if you never confess and forsake your sins (Prov. 28:13), then you will not find the mercy of God and you will be cast into an eternal torment forever.
Bigger things than feeling good now are at stake: eternity which is written in the hearts of all mankind (Ecc. 3:11). Even the temporary goal of feeling good falls short with psychology as does the eternal goal of the forgiveness of sins – there are no sins in psychology!
If that were only the truth, then I could promote psychology, which means “the study of the soul.” But it is false. There are sins in psychology yet they simply cover them up, redefine sin, and re-label it so that the prescription is NOT Christ but is some form of medication, therapy, or weird coping skill (like urinating on a grave that one secular counselor recommended).
So, when I read this statement on this website, I was greatly saddened. Please pray for these persons to embrace Jesus Only and that His Word is sufficient just as much, if not more, than they already embrace psychology’s teachings that oppose the Word of God.
-Mark (always saddened that people eagerly embrace worldly ideas more than embrace the sufficient Word of God)