“What ain’t . . .I mean, isn’t?”

All of those who claim to be doing Nouthetic Counseling, aren’t necessarily doing it. If you look up the words “Nouthetic,”or “Nouthetic Counseling.” Or “Jay Adams,” you will discover well over 100 entries, most of which I know nothing about, and many of which groups, I suspect, just don’t really do Nouthetic counseling at all. Under my name, you even find a famous skate-boarder. I put up my skateboard millennia ago—believe me, “it ain’t me!”

The Wikapedia account is reasonably accurate as far as it goes—i.e., so far as it copies our statement on the INS website. It cites some places that are not necessarily Nouthetic, under schools and references, and leaves out some that are. I tried to get to them to make additions and corrections, but they haven’t let me in the door yet.

Among those schools that ought to be added, for instance, is the Reformed Presbyterian Theological Seminary in Pittburgh, PA. That such groups as CCEF and IACC and ABC are nouthetic is erroneous. Then, there are the dozens of entries under the word itself mentioned before—who knows what they are teaching under our label? There are some I know are not; many are questionable. I didn’t copyright the name “Nouthetic,” because I never dreamed there would be a movement of the sort that has ensued, so I guess anything goes—but be careful about what you read about various groups, programs etc.

One such program that Wikepedia ought to carry is the Redeemer Biblical Counseling Training Institute of Moore, SC. Where I have been teaching from its outset.

There is any number of books that purport to be Nouthetic. But I have seen some of them and they are not really so. Some have captured bits and pieces of Nouthetic counseling, but have corrupted it by the addition of “Who knows what else?” So, this disclaimer-if it ain’t NANC certified, or one of those training programs that we can recommend, it ain’t Nouthetic. And, speaking of books, when you look at the paucity of those recommended by Wikepedia, and elsewhere-usually only one of two older ones—well, forget it! There are well over 100 books in print that are truly Nouthetic. So, if one tells you something is Nouthetic, it may be—

“But that ain’t necessarily so.”