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Vol. 20 no. 4
but relationship driven.”
4
However, it
is far more than just a good therapeutic
idea… this is the heart of the Body
of Christ—
κοινωνία
. The concept of
koinónia speaks to intimate fellowship,
an increased sense of community, and
sharing life together. The Apostle Paul
challenges us, “[L]et us consider how we
may spur one another on toward love
and good deeds, not giving up meeting
together, as some are in the habit of
doing, but encouraging one another…”
(Hebrews 10:24-25).
Throughout the New Testament,
many, if not most, of the admonitions
given are placed within the context of
relationship:
n
Comfort one another (1 Thessalo-
nians 4:18)
n
Forgive one another (Colossians 3:13)
n
Build one another up (Romans 15:2;
1 Thessalonians 5:11)
n
Serve one another (Galatians 5:13)
n
Bear one another’s burdens (Gala-
tians 6:2)
n
Be kind, tenderhearted, and
forgiving toward one another (Ephe-
sians 4:32; Romans 12:10)
n
Care for one another (1 Corinthians
12:25)
n
Show hospitality to one another
(1 Peter 4:9)
n
Minister one to another (1 Peter 4:10)
n
Pray for one another (James 5:16)
Not surprisingly, the 11 key factors
developed by Yalom that enhance thera-
peutic change echo closely, including
instilling hope, altruism, socializing
techniques and the corrective reca-
pitulation of the family. I think it is no
coincidence we can trace the science
of change back to the Word of God—
in Jesus Christ who is the author and
perfecter of our faith (Hebrews 12:2).
In today’s increasingly postmodern
world, nihilism reigns—the idea that
life is without fundamental purpose,
meaning or value. In this context, how
easy it is to label others and diagnose a
problem without truly understanding
the heart of the matter. Christian
psychologist, Larry Crabb, suggests,
“The problem is disconnected souls.
What we need is connection! What we
need is a healing community!”
5
Healing community.
I cannot
think of a better way to describe the
mission of the Church, which theolo-
gian and anti-Nazi dissident, Dietrich
Bonhoeffer, describes as the ultimate
“community of love.”
6
In the face of
nihilism, relationships infuse life with
meaning and purpose. Our work as
Christian therapists is not ultimately
about finding the “perfect” interven-
tion but, instead, inviting our clients
on a journey to know themselves, God,
and their fellow man more deeply.
Ultimately, we are both broken and
healed in relationship.
✠
Tim Clinton, Ed.D.,
LPC, LMFT,
is President
of AACC, Executive Director
of the Center for Counseling
and Family Studies/Professor
of Counseling and Pastoral
Care at Liberty University, and co-founder
of Light Counseling, Inc., a clinical practice
serving children, adolescents, and adults. He
is the author of several books, including
God
Attachment
(Howard Books),
The Popular
Encyclopedia of Christian Counseling
(Harvest
House), and his most recent,
Break Through
(Worthy Publishing).
Endnotes
1
Berry, W.
The Art of the Commonplace: The
Agrarian Essays of Wendell Berry
(Berkeley,
CA: Counterpoint), 157.
2
Lambert, M. and Barley, D. (2001).
“Research Summary on the Therapeutic
Relationship and Psychotherapy Outcome,”
Psychotherapy: Theory, Research, Practice
and Training
38.4: 357-61.
3
O’Neill, J. (2002). “Key to Helping May Lie
Elsewhere: Therapy Technique May Not
Matter Much,”
National Association of Social
Workers News
.
4
Yalom, I. (2008).
Staring at the Sun:
Overcoming the Terror of Death
(San
Francisco: Jossey-Bass), 204.
5
Crabb, L. (1997).
Connecting: Healing
Ourselves and Our Relationships
(Nashville:
Thomas Nelson), 6.
6
Kelly, G. and Nelson, F.B.
The Cost of
Moral Leadership: The Spirituality of
Dietrich Bonhoeffer
(Grand Rapids: Wm. B.
Eerdmans Publishing), 9.
upcoming
issues
CCT
n
Vol. 21, No. 1: Sex and Sexuality
n
Vol. 21, No. 2: Sexual Addiction, Behavior and Recovery
n
Vol. 21, No. 3: Personality Disorders
n
Vol. 21, No. 4: Adoption and Blended Families
