“Truth Encounter Critics Usually Do Not Actually Understand the Process and Assume it is Some Form of New Age Mysticism. The Truth Encounter Process is Nothing More than Prayer, Biblical Meditation, and Waiting Upon the Lord.”
What do Truth Encounter Critics Say when asked why they believe Truth Encounter is unacceptable? Usually, their answer is: preaching, teaching or counseling & prayer is all that is needed to help a broken Christian.
Let’s consider the idea that preaching, teaching or coaching & prayer is all that is needed to help a broken Christian. Please keep in mind I differentiate between a troubled Christian and a broken Christian.
I agree 100% that preaching, teaching and/or coaching & prayer is all that is needed to help the majority of troubled Christians. I do not agree that those efforts, in their standard application, will work with an actual Truth Encounter candidate.
Forget the title, Truth Encounter, and understand that the process is more a “fine-tuned” blend of Bible-based meditation & prayer often followed by careful Biblical coaching & teaching.
That said, back to the statement: “Preaching, teaching or coaching & prayer is all that is needed to help a broken Christian.” If that idea is true, then the following statement is also true.
If preaching, teaching or coaching & prayer did not help a valid Truth Encounter candidate, then it’s obvious that the failure is either 1) the fault of the candidate, or 2) the fault of the preacher, teacher or counselor. My experience has been that the problem is usually on the side of the preacher, teacher or counselor.
The Candidate is at Fault
If it is the candidate’s fault that they were not helped, then in a critics mind, that usually means the candidate does not overcome personal issues.
This leads to the next idea: the candidate does not perform well enough as a Christian. That is to say….
The failure of the candidate to overcome their issues is due to some combination of them not trying hard enough mixed with a lack of faith or prayer or Bible reading or meditation or church attendance… ad infinitum.
While that may properly explain the case for many troubled Christians not achieving needed change, it does not work for actual Truth Encounter candidates. This is true because most candidates already have done and continue to do all the things they are blamed for not doing.
The Preacher, Teacher or Counselor is at Fault
If a critic believes that it is the fault of the preacher, teacher or counselor that the candidate did not receive help, then the critic also believes the preacher, teacher or counselor was ill-equipped.
Thus, the candidate should find another preacher, teacher or counselor. While that may work for some suffering saints, it usually does not work for true Truth Encounter candidates. In fact, many candidates have already been through a multitude of preachers, teachers and/or counselors.
The Candidate AND The Preacher or Teacher or Counselor are at Fault
It is imperative to understand that there are true Truth Encounter candidates who only engage in a traditional Biblical coaching or counseling approach and then appear to “get better.”
Their symptoms subside so they and everyone around them think they have overcome. In this case, the candidate and their preacher, teacher or counselor are at fault.
All that has occurred is the candidate is effectively treating their symptoms with will power. They have not touched the underlying “disease” or true cause that eventually created the symptoms in their life.
EXAMPLE
A broken Christian may have an anger problem that drives them to be argumentative, contentious, hostile, and rebellious. They may then learn to employ anger “management” techniques to suppress their outbursts of anger. They now exhibit better behavior. They—and Christians around them—think they have overcome. What is not addressed is their lack of forgiveness toward their abusive father. That is the true cause of their anger. Thus, they are still in a state of sin and all they are doing is managing its results.
The difficulty is this person may not comprehend that they have not employed Biblical forgiveness.
They may not see how their unbiblical actions as an adult Christian are directly related to events in their childhood. Nor do others who can only observe the behavior of the broken Christian.
When a person gets by on sheer willpower they will eventually exhaust. When that happens, they may return to their former unbiblical ways and/or progress to another. What is certain is that they will continue their broken Christian behavior.
Is Any Preacher, Teacher or Counselor Able to Help a Broken Christian?
I don’t believe any preacher, teacher or counselor can help a broken Christian. In fact, it’s not unusual for a preacher, teacher or counselor to fail at helping broken Christians.
All of us need proper understanding, training & experience for the specific work before us. Having the appropriate Spiritual Gifts is certainly tantamount, as well.
Thus, a gifted, trained, experienced counselor may still lack adequate knowledge to help a broken Christian. That same talented counselor can also help scores of troubled Christians, yet be a terrible preacher or teacher.
Likewise, a powerful preacher or teacher may lack the ability to patiently deliver compassionate Biblical counsel, on a personal basis, and in a manner that compels a Christian toward change.
It is not for lack of desire, interest or effort that many ministers cannot help broken Christians; it is they simply do not understand how. That doesn’t make those ministers less credible in their other duties. Nor does it diminish their character.
We are not all gifted (Romans 12:6-8, I Corinthians 12:8-10, 1 Peter 4:11) nor trained & experienced for the same work. A great doctor of the human body can be a terrible mechanic “doctor” of automobiles, etc. etc.
That said, I am certain the failure of the helper is not due to a lack of desire to help or their earnestness in trying. Keep in mind, to help a broken Christian, it is first paramount to first distinguish between a true Truth Encounter candidate (broken Christian) and a troubled Christian.
CONCLUSION
Critics say that preaching, teaching, or coaching & prayer is all that is needed to help a broken Christian. When help is not successful, the blame must be placed on either the one receiving help (candidate – broken Christian) or on the one giving help (preacher, teacher or counselor).
In most cases of actual Truth Encounter candidates, I place the blame on the helper.
I arrive at that conclusion based on 30+ years of coaching within & without the walls of church buildings, countless interviews amongst both troubled & broken Christians, discussions with elders, pastors & counselors, continued studies, and general observance of the Church at work.
You may also find helpful my article: How I Learned About Truth Encounter
Finally, critics also say Truth Encounter does not appear in the Bible; they then conclude that Truth Encounter is not Biblical. That conclusion is typically based on the observation that the term, “Truth Encounter” is not in Scripture. Neither are the terms: Biblical coaching, Christian coaching, theology, missions, Rapture, Trinity, slain in the Spirit, transparency, relevant, etc. You may find helpful my article: Why Is It Called Truth Encounter?
That said, “prayer” and “meditation” does occur many times in Scripture. You may like to read my article: Is Truth Encounter Biblical?
