Theophostic counseling is a form of Christian counseling developed in the 1990s by Dr. Ed Smith. It integrates psychology and theology to help people heal from emotional pain and trauma. The core premise of theophostic counseling is that people’s pain is rooted in lies they believe about God, themselves, and others. These lies are called “lie-based thinking.” Theophostic counseling aims to identify the root lies a person believes and replace them with truth from God’s Word.
During a theophostic prayer ministry session, the counselor asks the client to focus on their pain and identify any associated memories or images. The counselor then asks Jesus to reveal His truth about the situation to the client. The goal is for the client to receive healing and transformation through encountering the real presence of Christ. Key principles of theophostic counseling include:
- Focusing on the present emotional pain, not just the historical event
- Seeking to identify the client’s lie-based thinking and replace it with God’s truth
- Inviting the real presence of Christ into the session for healing
- Letting the client’s pain be the guide, not an agenda or theory
- Allowing feelings to emerge and processing them
- Remaining client-focused rather than problem-focused
While some aspects of theophostic counseling align with biblical principles, there are concerns about whether it fully adheres to Scripture. Here are some of the main considerations:
Potential benefits from a biblical perspective
- Acknowledges the reality of spiritual warfare (Ephesians 6:12)
- Seeks to renew the mind with God’s truth (Romans 12:2)
- Aims to bring healing through a personal encounter with Christ (Luke 5:17)
- Focuses on replacing lies with truth (John 8:32)
- Encourages dependency on the Holy Spirit’s guidance (John 14:26)
Potential cautions from a biblical perspective
- Minimizes the role of sin and repentance
- Blends psychology and theology in inconsistent ways
- Doubts the sufficiency of Scripture for counseling
- Lack of focus on making disciples (Matthew 28:19-20)
- Emphasizes subjective experiences and feelings
- Insufficient training and authority of some counselors
Key components and techniques
Here are some of the main components and techniques used in theophostic counseling:
- Identifying current emotional pain: The counselor has the client tune into any emotional pain they are experiencing in the present moment.
- Locating related memory: The client focuses on when they first felt this same pain originally, which points to a key memory.
- Surfacing lie-based thinking: Within the memory, the counselor helps identify any lies the client believes about themselves, God, or others.
- Asking Jesus for truth: The counselor invites Jesus into the session to reveal His perspective and truth about the situation and lies.
- Replacing lies with truth: The client receives Jesus’ truth as a revelation and encouragement that replaces the former lie-based thinking.
- Feeling/reprocessing memories: The client feels through the original emotions as the memory is reprocessed in light of the new perspective.
Other techniques include asking Jesus to take the pain, visualizing Jesus in the memory, asking “where was God?”, and dialoguing between the lie-based self and the real self.
Origins and history of theophostic counseling
Theophostic counseling was developed in the 1990s by Dr. Ed Smith, a pastoral counselor. Smith drew from his background in Christian ministry and training in psychotherapy techniques like EMDR. He integrated prayer, inner healing, and cognitive therapy approaches. Some key events:
- 1996 – Smith first used “theophostic principles” with a client and saw dramatic results.
- 1997 – Published first edition of Theophostic Prayer Ministry Basic Seminar Manual.
- 1999 – Began training ministers and counselors in theophostic techniques.
- 2004 – Published revised edition of theophostic prayer training manual.
- 2005 – Founded Theophostic Prayer Ministry organization and online training.
- 2010 – The approach had spread to over 20 countries worldwide.
Smith drew from his background studying psychology at Baptist College as well as theories like Jungian psychology. Some critics have accused theophostic of being overly influenced by recovered memory techniques and visualizations common in occultism, New Age, and Eastern mysticism.
How it compares to biblical counseling
Theophostic counseling and biblical counseling have some similarities but ultimately stem from different foundations and premises. Here is a comparison:
- Basis: Theophostic is psychologically & experientially based; biblical is founded on the sufficiency of Scripture.
- Problem: Theophostic sees problems as rooted in lie-based thinking; biblical says issues stem from sin.
- Solution: Theophostic points to receiving truth from Christ; biblical emphasizes repentance and obedience.
- Counselor: Theophostic relies on facilitator/prayer; biblical sees counselor teaching Scripture.
- Authority: Theophostic look to client feelings and experience of Christ; biblical counsleing submits to God’s Word.
- Growth: Theophostic focuses on past healing; biblical emphasizes present sanctification.
In summary, theophostic is centered on experiential healing of past wounds through encountering Christ. Biblical counseling is focused on growth in Christlikeness through applying God’s Word to the heart.
Criticisms and concerns from a biblical perspective
Some of the main criticisms of theophostic counseling from a biblical perspective include:
- Minimizes or redefines sin – Sin is framed more as lies believed versus willful disobedience of God’s commands.
- Unbiblical view of sanctification – Growth comes through inner healing versus Spirit-empowered effort to obey Scripture.
- Overemphasis on experiences and feelings – Subjective experiences are given priority rather than objectivity of the Word.
- Not Christ-centered or God-glorifying – Focuses more on self and inner healing versus growing in knowledge of God.
- Downplays person’s responsibility – The person is seen mainly as a victim of lies versus as a willful sinner called to repent.
- Insufficient view of redemption – Past wounds are given more weight versus Christ’s full atonement and breaking sin’s power.
- Doubts sufficiency of Scripture – God’s Word is not seen as adequate counsel versus needing extra-biblical techniques and intervention.
In summary, critics argue theophostic counseling claims to be biblical but in practice strays from orthodox theology and Scripture’s teachings on many core issues related to sin, salvation, growth, and sufficiency.
Potential dangers
Some potential dangers of theophostic counseling include:
- False memories or visualization – The focus on recovering memories could lead to false memories; visualizing Jesus could create false images versus knowing Him through Scripture.
- Subjective truth – Looking to subjective revelations versus measuring the “truth” received against the objective Word of God as standard.
- Misplaced faith – Putting more faith in a method or counselor versus directly in Christ through regular biblical intake.
- Demonic deception – If not carefully practiced under authority of Scripture, can open one to demonic influences masquerading as Christ.
- Self-focused – Fixation on past pain versus growing in faith and obedience out of gratitude to God.
- Downplays personal responsibility – Focuses on being sinned against rather than owning one’s personal sins and need to repent.
- Spiritual pride – Thinking one has arrived or no longer struggles with sin once “healed” of lie-based wounds.
Without proper biblical parameters, theophostic techniques taken too far could lead people away from sound doctrine and right relationship with God.
Should a Christian consider theophostic counseling?
For a Christian considering theophostic counseling, some biblical considerations include:
- Study the core teachings and techniques thoroughly – Do they align with Scripture overall?
- Pursue counselors with robust biblical training – Do they demonstrate sound understanding of sin, repentance, redemption, etc.?
- Establish biblical foundations first – Work through principles of Bible study, prayer, church life first before inner healing focus.
- Consider counselor’s authority – Do they have proper accountability and credentials to provide spiritual guidance?
- Don’t neglect other spiritual disciplines – Keep engaging in Bible study, Scripture memory, accountability, serving, etc.
- Guard your mind and heart – Don’t go beyond Scripture’s parameters for visualizing Christ or validating revelations.
- Test revelations against God’s Word – Does what you receive line up with the totality of biblical truth?
With wisdom and discernment, some aspects of theophostic could be helpful. But biblical foundations must remain paramount. The Bible and gospel should be central, not just supplemental add-ons. Our hope and security rest fully in Christ through His finished work, not inner healing.
Conclusion
In summary, theophostic counseling seeks to use techniques like memory recovery, lie replacement, and visualization to bring inner healing. Some aspects may align with biblical principles, but overall theophostic appears to depart from orthodox theology in key areas. While some benefit may result, Christians should exercise caution and discern if pursuing inner healing through theophostic means. Wise believers will aim to build their lives firmly on the sufficiency of Scripture and the finished work of Christ.