The influence of secular psychology in the Christian community has caused many conservative Christians to question the contribution that psychology has and can make to Christian counseling and pastoral care. Some fundamentalists go so far as to reject psychology as a disciplined study, which is unfortunate and polarizing. By definition, psychology is the study of the soul, theology is the study of God. Generally speaking, systematic theology is a study of all the essential doctrines of faith, and that would include the study of our souls (psychology). As committed Christians we cannot be in agreement with the philosophical or theological presuppositions of secular psychology (see Col. 2:8), but neither can we be in agreement with a liberal theology. The Bible is the only authoritative explanation for the origin and nature of the soul and it is imperative that we understand how the body, soul, and spirit function together in relationship to God. I am unequivocally committed to the authority of God’s Word, and believe that we must evaluate empirical research, and the process of human reasoning through the grid of divine revelation.
Before my call to ministry, I was an aerospace systems engineer, which meant that it was my responsibility to do the original design of any system in such a way that it would properly interface with all other systems associated with it. I carried that same sense of responsibility into ministry, and I have since worked with various Christian disciplines seeking a balanced biblical and integrative answer for the problems that plague us all. A summary of my conclusions can be found in The Daily Discipler (Regal Books, 2005), which was written to provide the church with a practical systematic theology that covers important doctrinal issues, and addresses the spiritual and psychological problems plaguing fallen humanity and how they can be overcome in Christ. The rest of this article is an overview of the message of Freedom In Christ Ministries on the integration of the body, soul, and spirit from a biblical worldview perspective.
