[2 min. read—church & client resource]
The individual, group, or institution articulating an idea first often shapes its context and direction. Being first doesn’t necessarily mean being right, but it does have the advantage of being heard with greater openness and consideration, usually because of its novelty. Christians frequently lag in responding to psychological phenomena or sociocultural trends with embedded psychological features. We criticize and critique, as we should. Still, often it is only after the fact, rather than taking the initiative to set guidelines and guide dialogue around these issues. Consider narcissism; the discussion among Christians in our churches, seminaries, and counseling has been delayed. It wasn’t until the broader society began acknowledging narcissism as a real problem that has become more pervasive and developed the language to express their prolonged personal and interpersonal experiences with it that Christian pastors and counselors felt compelled to say, “We need to address this.” While it’s unrealistic for Christians to be the forefront voice on every issue, our responses to secular influences should ideally occur before the public engages with these matters.
Typically, once non-believers and Christians articulate concepts historically understood in more specialized circles, public discourse becomes saturated with this “new” terminology. Then, Christians might dilute or dismiss the issue merely due to perceived overuse. Some may roll their eyes and scoff condescendingly with the thought, “Alright, I suppose we need to discuss narcissism, trauma, or abuse now that everyone is talking about it. If people truly understood the Bible and the gospel, mature Christians like us wouldn’t need to lower ourselves to address this.” Others may take the approach, “Isn’t everyone a narcissist? We are all sinners.” These responses lead to a minimization and flippant treatment of serious issues that require redress. I must give credit where it is due. Modern secular psychology has excelled in defining and providing rich descriptions of various mental health-related issues and psychopathologies, giving it an advantage in proposing solutions. It has taken the proverbial first step. Although Christians possess superior answers rooted in a strong anthropological and epistemological foundation through Christ and the Scriptures, we shouldn’t be surprised when those within the faith prefer to listen to individuals who take the time to understand their experiences and offer contextual explanations, especially if we consistently delay in providing a thorough description and analysis of behavior, thought, and relationship dynamics. We must take the lead if we want both the secular world and fellow Christians to heed Jesus in these discussions.
The Bridge seeks to support the public by tackling lesser-known and intricate counseling topics. Acknowledging humanity’s complexity, we aim for our discussions to mirror that depth. Therefore, we hope to cover a spectrum of issues, from the commonly discussed to the more obscure, to provide a thorough approach to soul care. In this way, we hope to be first sometimes and set the table for addressing psychological issues.