Comparison Paper: Larry Crabb

Comparison Paper 1

Matthew McNutt

Liberty University

Summary

Primary Goal

Crabb states that his model of biblical counseling’s goal “is to promote Christian maturity, to help people enter into a richer experience of worship and a more effective life of service” (Crabb, 2011, Kindle location 354). How this is lived out practically is through a two-step process of moving OVER to the path of righteousness and UP to glorification. While he leans more towards a scriptural approach, unlike others who skew either completely to Bible based methods, or completely secular based methods, Crabb sees this goal as being attainable through a mix of scripturally based techniques and psychological methodology that does not contradict scripture.

Development of Problems and Personal Need

Crabb identifies one basic personal need that is satisfied by two means. This personal need is that of personal worth, which is satisfied through significance and security (Crabb, 2011, Kindle location 805). He defines significance as “purpose, importance, adequacy for a job, meaningfulness, impact,” and security as “love–unconditional and consistently expressed, permanent acceptance.” Many identify the struggle for power and pleasure as the highest needs (Meyrowitz, 2008), which Crabb would claim is an imperfect reflection of the significance and security God designed mankind for. Without God, the closest an individual can come to that is the pursuit of power and pleasure, which as an imperfect goal tainted by sin ultimately results in violence and immorality leaving the fundamental need of personal worth as unattainable.

Biblical Integration

Crabb takes an approach rooted in scripture and open to psychological methods that do not contradict the Bible. He coined the title of his approach, “Spoiling the Egyptians” (Crabb, 2011, Kindle location 606). In naming his model he references Moses leading the Israelites out of Egypt and how they were allowed to plunder certain items, or...