THE BIG UMBRELLA

and

OTHER ESSAYS AND ADDRESSES

on

CHRISTIAN COUNSELING

JAY E. ADAMS

Copyright 1972 by Jay E. Adams

PRESBYTERIAN AND REFORMED PUBLISHING COMPANY

1972

Dedicated

to

The Faculty of the Reformed Episcopal Seminary

To whom I owe a debt that

I could never pay

preface

The Big Umbrella is a selection of essays and addresses adapted from lectures and articles. Most of the lectures have been given during the past two years in colleges and theological institutions and before ministeriums. Others were delivered in more popular contexts. In almost every case they were used more than once. All have been revised, some more extensively than others. Yet, in spite of revision, throughout I have purposely attempted to retain the extemporaneous and sometimes quite informal flavor of the original speaking situations.

The articles cover a variety of subjects, all in some way having to do with counseling. While they are not presented in order to explain methodology and technique, in not a few places such information occurs, some of which is unique to this book. A more systematic textbook for counselors is presently in preparation.

There is some inevitable repetition in the lectures that was necessitated by the need to orient different audiences to the fundamental ideas of Christian counseling. This repetitious material was included only because it could not be removed without seriously damaging the fabric of the whole and requiring nearly a total rewriting of the chapter. This was not possible. However, repetitious materials have been pared to a minimum

With great pleasure I send forth this volume in hope that the many encouraging friends who have asked me to make one or another of these essays and addresses available will be satisfied, and that others may find the same sort of help and profit from them that these friends claim to have received.

I cannot conclude without thanking my family for the time they have given to me to allow me to prepare and edit this book. My warmest thanks and deep gratitude must be expressed to Mrs. David Crawley for transcribing most of the addresses from tape, and to Mrs. Richard Wagner for her cheerful typing and retyping of the entire manuscript.

Jay E. Adams

Philadelphia, 1972

contents

The Big Umbrella

Is Society Sick?

Grief As a Counseling Opportunity

Evangelism In Counseling

Demon Possession and Counseling

You Are Your Brother’s Counselor

How You Can Get the Most Out of Counseling

Can Your Marriage Succeed Today?

Parental Sex Education

Drugs and Your Child

Group Therapy—or Slander?

The Christian School Teacher and His Disciples

The Big Umbrella1

During the last generation a big umbrella was opened. Beneath its huge, over-arching expanse you now find people with the most diverse problems and difficulties. Under its shadow they have been gathered together according to the novel idea that nearly everybody who is having problems, regardless of what his difficulties may be, is sick. The name of this umbrella is Mental Illness....