As I prepare the article for tomorrow’s lecture in my Introduction to Biblical Counseling class, my son shared with me a book by Jay Adams, Competent to Counsel. While reading the introduction, I found one interesting insight about his experience in the 1970s when he underwent an apprenticeship with a certain O. Hobart Mowrer. Mowrer is neither a Christian nor a theist. What I find interesting is his admission of the crisis in psychiatry and his emphasis on personal responsibility, which is described as the Moral Model of Responsibility. In conducting therapy, confession and restitution play a significant role in the restoration of the client. This is interesting because the Bible emphasized the importance of such practice in biblical change.

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Science and Art

Turning our attention to the 11th chapter of MacArthur’s book, Competent to Counsel, the topic under discussion is about the science and art of interpreting the collected data from the counselees. It is called science because it deals with facts. Here is how Wayne Mack summarized this process:

It is a science in that it deals with facts—facts from the Scripture and facts about counselees and their world—that require much research, investigation, and analysis (p. 161).

At the same time, data interpretation is also an art. The goal is continual practice for it to become second nature on the part of the counselor.

Importance of Accurate Data Interpretation and Definition

Data interpretation is crucial in biblical counseling. “If the counselor’s interpretation is wrong, the instruction, inducement, and implementation will be wrong as well” (p. 147).

In this series, I want to start with the first step, the gathering of adequate data. However, before I do that, allow me to define first what we mean by interpreting the data of the counselee.

For Wayne Mack, data interpretation includes two parts: “accurately analyzing or conceptualizing the data and explaining it to the counselee” (ibid.). To achieve the first part, the goal is to analyze the data from a biblical perspective in order for the counselor to come up with a biblical solution.

The second part has to do with interpreting the data for our counselee “in such a way that he or she understands the real nature and causes of the difficulties from a biblical perspective” (ibid.). This task assumes that “two different interpretations of the problem exist, the counselor’s and the counselee’s, and these work against each other” (p. 148). And this is the reason why biblical counseling isn’t easy. The fact that the counselee is encountering a problem shows that something is wrong in his interpretation and solution. Your task as a counselor is to change his mind and search for a better interpretation and solution on the basis of the data he provides. Wayne Mack reminds us that interpreting the counselee’s data requires time and effort. The simplistic approach does not work because people’s problems are complex.

Gather Adequate Data

Let us now proceed to the process of interpreting the gathered data. The first step is to gather adequate data. In the previous chapter, we identified the kinds of data to be collected: physical, resources, emotions, actions, concepts, historical, and homework. Wayne Mack shared the type of questions to ask in gathering data under these seven categories. I just want to emphasize three of them.

Under resources, Christian conversion is a must. Under emotions, a biblical understanding of its purpose and role is crucial, especially when it comes to making decisions. Finally, under concepts, we repeat the importance of identifying the functional idols in the heart.

In the next article, we will discuss the second step, which is the hardest part in the process of interpreting the counselee’s data.

Grace and peace!