I believe that any time we discuss “Christian” we should also include in the discussion, “Bible.”
I fail to see how a person can claim to be a Christian and have no regard or growing knowledge of the Bible, when the Bible is the manual, guide, instructions, etc. for the faith of Christianity.
We are talking about Christian coaching and whether it is Biblical. To be clear, the term, “coach” or “coaching” does not occur in the Bible. Neither do the words, “electrician” “Uber driver” or “Physical Therapist.” My point is that if we only accept a profession or title based upon whether the word occurs in the Bible, we will need to throw out a lot of things.
Christian coaching implies, or should imply, that the principles of the Bible are practiced within a relationship of guidance & encouragement between a coach/guide/encourager/ and the person who requests such services.
It may be useful to further define Christian coaching and whether it is Biblical by discussing Christian counseling.
Understanding the Different Forms of “Christian” Counseling
In the world of counseling, there are various titles and areas of focus. In general, most fall under the heading of mental health caregiver.
Thus, in the area of mental health, there are workers who are Christians. However, for their “tools of the trade,” they use pure psychology, and different therapy models. The point being, the Bible is not used or referred to in their practice.
Then there are Integrationists. These are Christian counselors who mingle the Bible with psychology. It is impossible to accurately describe to what degree these counselors mix and adapt their philosophies. It is sufficient to say that they use a combination of formal psychological therapies and Biblical approaches.
Finally, there are Christian counselors who only use the Bible in their work to help broken people.
Much of what I just described is also true in professional coaching. There are Christian coaches who only use psychological techniques, some who use a combination of psychology and the Bible, and those who only use the Bible.
That said, the next section explains my approach to Christian coaching.
What Christian Coaching Means to Me
Christian coaching does not mean I simply open and close a session with a brief prayer while delivering pure psychological techniques.
I am a Christian coach. What that means is that I am a Christian with mainstream Christianity beliefs. What I practice is coaching that aligns with Scripture. Ultimately, regardless of what is said and observed in a session, I will “filter” all of it through what the Bible says. When we arrive at a “remedy” to a person’s issue(s) and pursuits, that remedy will be in accordance with the truth found in Scripture.
Christian coaching also means I will work with a client in regard to their:
- Sleep Patterns
- Eating Habits
- Physical Health
- Goals
- Thought Life
- Speech
- Body Language
- Worldview & Beliefs
- Childhood Experiences
- Adult Experiences
- Church Experience
- Christian Experience
- Biblical Knowledge
- Biblical Beliefs
- Personality Type
- Family History
- General History
We work on those areas because those areas constitute the “whole” person, not just a portion of the person. Thus, my approach is holistic, because God has created us integrated beings. Integrated means soul/mind/body. We are physical, psychological, emotional, mental, spiritual. I find that the Bible does address each of those areas, so I address them, as well.
When applicable, I will also suggest that a client consults with their health provider regarding their physical health. I may also suggest a client sees a mental health professional, as well.
I will most definitely demonstrate from Scripture what I believe to be of spiritual need within that person.
I will also attempt to show: what we believe determines how we think, act & speak—and our beliefs can ultimately affect every area of our life.
Thus, I try to show in the most simple terms, if this—then that.
Finally, if needed, I will make suggestions or a “prescription” to remedy a faulty or immature faith.
CONCLUSION
Because someone is titled a Christian counselor or coach, that does not necessarily mean what they practice is based upon the Bible.
- There are Christians who are counselors or coaches and what they perform in their practice is psychology, psychotherapy or any other form of mental health care. They do not use the Bible as their primary “tool” or reference work.
- There are Christians who are counselors or coaches and what they perform in their practice is Bible-based care. They use the Bible as their primary “tool” and reference work. The Bible is considered the final authority on the condition of humans and Bible-based counselors & coaches will use it for their “analysis,” “diagnosis” and “prescriptions.” Also, a Bible-based counselor or coach’s mix of spiritual gifts often makes them uniquely suited for working with Christians. Spiritual gifts that are particularly beneficial for Biblical counselors & coaches can be wisdom, discernment, exhortation, knowledge & teaching.
- Finally, there are Christian counselors & coaches who are called: Integrationists. They employ a mixture of psychology along with their use of the Bible. It is impossible to determine all the variations of psychological & Biblical combinations an Integrationist may perform.
To answer the title/question of this article, “Is Christian Coaching Biblical?” for me, the answer is, “Yes.” I am a Christian who practices coaching from a Bible-based worldview and perspective. I believe that God created people as body, soul & mind. Thus, it is important to consider the entire person. What we eat, our sleep habits, whether or not we exercise, our thought life, our home, work & environment are just some of the variables that can affect a person. I believe a wise Christian/Biblical counselor or coach will consider all those factors, and especially have a strong knowledge of Scripture & appropriate spiritual gifts.
