Adams's 1970 book Competent to Counsel[5] advocated a Christian-based approach which differed from the psychological and psychiatric solutions of the time.
The term "nouthetic" derives from the Greek word noutheteo, meaning "to admonish," and Adams emphasized the role of the counselor in directly confronting sin and encouraging obedience to God’s commands.
Despite his influence, Adams' popularity waned in the 1980s, as some in the Christian counseling community began to seek a more balanced approach that integrated psychological insights with biblical principles.
Charles Darwin's On the Origin of Species (1859) questioned the biblical account of creation, causing panic among religious communities that held a literalist view of the Genesis narrative.
His publication of the Journal of Biblical Counseling provided a platform for addressing critical issues within the field, such as balancing the authority of scripture with compassionate engagement, addressing complex psychological problems like trauma and addiction, and integrating insights from broader counseling disciplines without compromising biblical fidelity.
[7][13] Powlison’s efforts encouraged Biblical counselors to engage in ongoing self-evaluation and develop methods that were both theologically sound and practically effective, fostering a more nuanced and holistic approach to faith-based counseling.
[7] Efforts to combine counseling, psychotherapy or other scientific or academic endeavors with Christian or other religious perspectives or approaches are sometimes called "integration".
Stanton Jones and Richard Buteman came up with a list of three different methods on how to integrate psychology and the Christian faith.
The aim of Christian counseling is to help people regain a sense of hope for their life that is found in Jesus Christ.
Christian counseling believes that at the core of what they do is to help others achieve a better understanding of themselves and God which is rooted in the Holy Spirit's conviction.
Christian counselors seek to make people aware of the sin in their lives that has caused them suffering but also come to know the immense worth and value they have as a person to God.
Afterwards it is upon the counsellor to tackle four central modules, namely "Growth and Fruit", "Response and Thorns", "Motives and Heart", and "Transformation".
In closing, Polwison recommends to focus on looking to Jesus in the final module which he refers to as "Cross-Based Solutions".