The Teachings and Influence of Bill Gothard - 2327 Words

Introduction: Influencing hundreds of thousands of people over the span of fifty years, Bill Gothard has become an icon of Christian counseling in the United States and in the world at large. His work in determining the basic conflicts in the hearts of people and his devotion to creating a Bible-based community and curriculum for homeschooling families has made him a powerful leader in the realm of Christian counseling and teaching and has endeared him to many. His counseling style has affected thousands of preachers and teachers who follow his methods, and so it is important to understand the principles behind Gothard’s doctrines. To fully understand Gothard’s teachings, one must first understand the world of psychological counseling. According to the American Counseling Association, â€Å"counselors help clients identify goals and potential solutions to problems which cause emotional turmoil†¦Ã¢â‚¬  In essence counseling helps people understand their problems and gives them tools to deal with these issues. Although the goal of counseling remains the same across the board, the beliefs and presuppositions of individual counselors affect the methods and techniques they implement in their counseling. For the secular psychological counselor, the focus is ego-centric. The goal of counseling is to give the client a better life and a happier outlook on life so that he can achieve even greater things for himself. For the Christian, the goal of counseling is to bring the client into a closer