Truth in Love TIL 552: ACBC Mailbag - Discipleship vs. Counseling? (feat. Sam Stephens & Francine Tan)
Jan 26, 2026
Francine Tan, a biblical counselor and teacher focused on word-driven, church-based soul care, and Sam Stephens, a Scripture-grounded biblical counselor and speaker, discuss whether to call ministry discipleship or counseling. They weigh biblical aims versus professional baggage. They talk about church-based intensive care, risks of outsourcing soul care, clarifying expectations, and keeping gospel-centered focus.
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Discipleship Clarifies Counseling's Purpose
- Discipleship better communicates the central aim of soul care by aligning with Scripture and sanctification.
- Counseling has baggage from modern psychology that requires reframing for biblical clarity.
Counsel Is A Biblical Function
- Counsel is a biblical concept rooted in God's wisdom and revelation, not merely a modern profession.
- Biblical counseling can be described accurately as 'intensive discipleship' aimed at sanctification.
Make Counseling Intensive Discipleship
- Treat counseling encounters as intensive discipleship that aims at sanctification through word-driven change.
- Use directed, Scripture-based admonition and teaching rather than passive, person-centered therapy.