Small group leaders. Flock leaders. Christians. Whether you realize it or not, all of us are called to be biblical counselors. That is, we are called as believers to minister God’s Word to other people in various ways. Ephesians 4:11-16 teaches us that all believers are to be equipped for ministry and to speak the truth in love. 2 Corinthians 5:16-21 reveals that we are called to be ministers of reconciliation. Paul writes in Galatians 6:1-2, “Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” This may sound intimidating, but most of you have already taken part in biblical counseling whether you know it or not. If you have ever used the Word of God to teach, to reprove, to correct, or to train in righteousness (2 Timothy 3:16) whether in an informal or formal setting, you have counseled someone. The reality is, if you have the Spirit of God and the Word of God, you have everything you need to be an effective biblical counselor! The Bible even says that God has made you sufficient to be a minister of his Word (see 2 Corinthians 3:4-6).
With that said, we are fortunate to have access to a plethora of biblical resources and books that we can use as we seek to become better leaders and counselors. As the saying goes, “Leaders are readers.” So if you are looking for some sound reading material this summer, if you are seeking to grow your capacity to minister God’s Word to people, or if you desire to be “trained in your gospel-responsibility to be a disciple-maker,” I commend the ACBC Approved Reading List to you (see below). The Association of Certified Biblical Counselors (ACBC) has put together this list of the top books in the area of biblical counseling. Men and women pursuing certification with the ACBC are required to read a total of 1000 pages from these books.
Top Five Biblical Counseling Resources for Small Group Leaders
There are a total of 50 books on the list and so before I give you the list in its entirety, I thought I would give you some recommendations on where to start. So I contacted Keith Burrow, one of our elders and flock leaders who is well-read and passionate about biblical counseling, and asked him which five books from this list he would pick for our small group leaders to read. Here’s his top 5:
- Competent to Counsel by Jay Adams
- Instruments in the Redeemer’s Hands by Paul Tripp
- Fear, Worry, and Anxiety by Elyse Fitzpatrick
- When People are Big and God is Small by Ed Welch
- Addictions: A Banquet in the Grave by Ed Welch
ACBC Approved Reading List
You can either click here to download a PDF copy of the ACBC Reading List or you can check out the list below. Each of the books are linked to their respective Amazon.ca pages for your convenience.
Biblical Counseling & Theology
A Theology of Christian Counseling by Jay Adams
Systematic Theology by Louis Berkhof
Systematic Theology by John Frame
Christian Theology by Millard Erickson
Basic Theology by Charles Ryrie
Moody Handbook of Theology by Paul Enns
The Inspiration and Authority of the Bible by B.B. Warfield
Words of Life by Timothy Ward
Created in God’s Image by Anthony A. Hoekema
Power Encounters: Reclaiming Spiritual Warfare by David Powlison
A Fight to the Death: Taking Aim at Sin Within (Strength for Life) by Wayne Mack
Trusting God by Jerry Bridges
God’s Greater Glory by Bruce Ware
When People are Big and God Is Small by Ed Welch
Counseling & Anger
Uprooting Anger by Robert Jones
Anger & Stress Management by Wayne Mack
The Heart of Anger by Lou Priolo
Counseling & Sorrow
Out of the Blues by Wayne Mack
Spiritual Depression by Martyn Lloyd Jones
Counseling & Anxiety
Courage: Fighting Fear with Fear by Wayne Mack
Fear, Worry, and Anxiety by Elyse Fitzpatrick
Counseling & Avoidance
Finally Free: Fighting for Purity with the Power of Grace by Heath Lambert
Addictions: A Banquet in the Grave by Ed Welch
The Heart of Addictions by Mark Shaw
Counseling & Conflict
The Peacemaker by Ken Sande
Unpacking Forgiveness by Chris Brauns
Pursuing Peace by Robert D. Jones
Introduction to Biblical Counseling
The Christian Counselor’s Manual by Jay Adams
Counseling: How to Counsel Biblically by John MacArthur
Seeing with New Eyes by David Powlison
Instruments in the Redeemer’s Hands by Paul David Tripp
The Trellis and the Vine by Colin Marshall and Tony Payne
The Biblical Counseling Movement after Adams by Heath Lambert
Counseling the Hard Cases edited by Stuart Scott and Heath Lambert
Counsel Your Flock by Paul Tautges
Blame It on the Brain? by Ed Welch
How People Change by Timothy Lane and Paul David Tripp
Putting Your Past in Its Place by Steve Viars
Competent to Counsel by Jay Adams
Speaking the Truth in Love by David Powlison
Counseling & Family
Peacemaking for Families by Ken Sande
This Momentary Marriage by John Piper
When Sinners Say I Do by Dave Harvey
The Excellent Wife by Martha Peace
The Exemplary Husband by Stuart Scott
Big Truths for Young Hearts by Bruce Ware
God, Marriage, and Family by Andreas Köstenberger
The Faithful Parent by Stuart Scott and Martha Peace
Shepherding a Child’s Heart by Ted Tripp
You Never Stop Being a Parent by Jim Newheiser and Elyse Fitzpatrick
“May grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.” – 2 Peter 1:2
