Psychology and the Church, part 1

It was 28 years ago that started my classes to become a Registered Psychiatric Nurse. I was a christian at the time so I knew that what I was going to be taught was not founded on God's Word. But I had this idea that God gave bits of wisdom to secular people to help people that are hurting. It may not be the beast but if it works it must be form God.

So for two years I was taught all these Psychiatric tools to help hurting people. And I thought at that time that if it works that's okay. I still wanted to tell my testimony of how God had "saved" me from Drugs and sex and running from God. But I did not know at that time that the Gospel of Jesus is sufficient and able to heal the broken hearted and to set the captive free from sin and the wrath of God's Judgement. All I did for years is to have my Bible in one hand and humanist teaching in the other hand.

My thinking and my heart has changed so much from those days. Check out the post,"If my people, which are called by my name." And at the end is a statement from John Piper which is the fact that you never out grow the need for the Gospel in all things in life.

With this in mind I was completely dishearten when I was given a newsletter from the Associated Gospel churches of Canada. I was excited to read about testimonies of how the Gospel was reaching Canada. And that churches were being broken and humbled by the Great Mercy and Grace of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
I understand that the issue was of goals and informing the churches of where they are headed in the years to come. But the following statements gave my reason to be very concerned with the direction and the tools that they are using.

NATIONAL INSIDEDGE
AGC Church Health and Leadersip

"What is a healthy church? We believe that healthy churches are marked by love, faith, and hope; they draw believers and seekers; they engage in the life of their community; they reproduce themselves; they normally grow; and, they are led by healthy leaders. There is a pattern to developing a healthy church, though that pattern is not iron-clad. Healthy leaders would be the first step.

Implement tools and training that will advance the health of our congregational leaders:
1. We are making available the DiSC, a secular analysis tool that
highlights temperaments, to our pastors across Canada.
a. We are conferring with our pastors in regional groups, explaining how the DiSC helps
self-awareness and comprehension of the approach of those who are different.
b. A fully-implemented DiSC will help pastors learn to "speak the dialect" of those who are
not like them and will enable a church's leadership group to team-build for
effective ministry.
2. In the past, we have recommended Natural Church Development (NCD) This remains
a helpful tool. If you are using it effectively don't stop! However...
3. We are also investigating the use of T-Net for our congregations.
a. T-Net provides a survey for church effectiveness, measuring the
self-reported spiritual growth of members and adherents.

There were other causes for concern but I would like to address the main problem that I see.

Is there really room for Psychology in the Church?

The following posts is to address this question.Please again understand my heart in this matter. Go back to my first post in December 2009. And I pray that you will have ears to hear and a heart that will take a second look at this direction.