NANC Archives - Institute for Nouthetic Studies | Biblical Counseling

ACBC

Donn R Arms — Mon, 09 Oct 2017 20:26:06 +0000

The National Association of Nouthetic Counselors (NANC), now known as the Association of Certified Biblical Counselors (ACBC), has had a powerful influence in my life and ministry for over 35 years. As a young pastor, I looked forward each year to spending a few days with men who influenced the course of my ministry through their teaching and example. Bill Goode, Jay Adams, Tim Turner, George Scipione, Howard Eyrich, Wayne Mack, Lloyd Jonas, and Randy Patten were among the men who helped and encouraged me in ways they probably never knew. The friendships I formed with other pastors who were learning and growing with me remain a valued part of my life today.

Those who are regular readers of our little blog know that my enthusiasm for the organization began to wane about seven years ago, and will recall several blog posts from those days in which I expressed my disappointments. Last year, however, marked a turning point for me. I came away from the conference in Louisville with a renewed hope for the direction of ACBC. The leaders were beginning to address many of the concerns I had, and many loose procedures were being tightened up.

Last week I attended the annual ACBC conference in Jacksonville. In the same way I thought it was important to express my misgivings in the past, I think it is equally important that I now express my enthusiasm and gratefulness for the direction I now see ACBC headed. Let me note a few takeaways I had from the conference this year:

Each plenary speaker was helpful and encouraging. I especially appreciated the keynote address by Heath Lambert. It was a clear and bold explanation of the need for a faithful, biblical, and uncompromising stand for the authority and sufficiency of the Scriptures. Well done Heath.
Several initiatives were announced that addressed areas that have needed to be “beefed up.” Asking members to get more training in specific areas of counseling is a great step forward.
First Baptist Jacksonville were great hosts. The music they led was wonderful.
There was a great spirit of comradery among those who were present, much like the “old days” that I remember.
I was struck, however, by these who were NOT there. There were no displays, and no representatives from organizations and schools that like to identify with Christian Counseling broadly. Now I doubt they were asked not to attend, but I want to think that those organizations that would be comfortable at an AACC conference, or who believe it necessary to “build bridges” to integrationists, concluded they would have little to gain by displaying at an ACBC conference. If our message at ACBC clearly communicates we are not of that ilk, it would speak well of us.

Now I would like to think that the powers that be at ACBC were so greatly influenced by my opinions and came to see the great wisdom of what I was saying that they embarked upon these corrections because of my vast influence. But I doubt anyone reading would conclude the same. Still, from my little corner of the biblical counseling world, I would encourage anyone contemplating pursuing certification to hesitate no longer. The certification process is a bit stiffer than in the past, but that is a good thing. I believe ACBC is an organization with which you can identify with confidence.

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NANC/ACBC Update

Donn R Arms — Thu, 17 Oct 2013 19:14:50 +0000

Several weeks ago I published two blog posts about NANC and I would like to give an update on the conference and our hopes for NANC/ACBC going forward. First, however, I have to attend to some important business with you—I need to ask for forgiveness from my readers.
As I reported my concerns about NANC I raised the issue of the NANC board’s non-compliance with the organization’s constitution. While my facts were correct I did not have one important piece of information. The NANC board had sought forgiveness for this. While I was the one who confronted them about this in a letter no one had communicated this to me personally and I had been functioning under the assumption that nothing had been done. Now to be clear, this was not an offense against me personally so there was no need for the board to communicate with me personally. Had I known this, however, I would not have raised it again and I am culpable for publishing without having all the facts at hand. I have communicated with the board and have asked for their forgiveness.
Now about the conference, I came home encouraged about the direction of NANC/ACBC. At a pre-conference meeting of Fellows Heath Lambert, the new Executive Director, laid out some of his plans for the future. I was pleased to hear him address a number of things that had been a concern to us including raising the bar for certification in the area of training, a continuing education requirement of certified members, and a formal procedure for dealing with members who stray from what they professed when they joined. I have also been assured privately that several of our other concerns will be handled in the days to come.
The conference itself was a refreshing change. I was not able to attend all of the plenary sessions but the ones I did attend were most helpful. It was especially encouraging to hear Heath Lambert simply open the Scriptures and show us how a passage in James applies to the work of the counselor. His workshop dealing with the integrationist point of view was also helpful. It allayed some of my concerns that rose from his book The Biblical Counseling Movement After Adams (see my review here).
There remains much to be done. I will be praying for Heath and the NANC/ACBC board. After this coming year it will be much clearer what is to become of NANC/ACBC with Heath at the helm and we will be able to take a measure of where NANC/ACBC has moved under his watch. My concerns about inclusiveness and relationships with other organizations that do not share our commitments remain. Let’s compare notes next October and evaluate.

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NANC Conference

Jay Adams — Thu, 30 Sep 2010 05:00:51 +0000

Please indulge me while I take over our blog today for a personal word. I am leaving this morning to make my way to Lafayette, Indiana to attend the annual conference of the National Association of Nouthetic Counselors which begins next Monday. I will be arriving early so I can visit with my mother and sister who live several blocks from Faith Baptist Church where the conference is to be held.

The annual conference is always a highlight in my schedule each year. It is a joy to see many friends whom I only get to see occasionally, it is an encouragement to see many newly certified counselors receive their certificates, and it is always helpful to attend workshops to hear the fruit of what many good men in our association have been studying in recent days.

I want to appeal to our readers to be in prayer for the conference this year—especially the business meeting that will be held on Tuesday afternoon. Because some important issues will be raised this year the potential exists for divisiveness. Now, while division is not necessarily a bad thing, please pray that God would give wisdom and grace to those who will be speaking at that meeting and that all participants will be as anxious to listen as they are to speak.

Jay and I have not blogged about this before now and I will not go into detail here other than to report that we, and 25 other members, have put forward several amendments to the NANC bylaws in an attempt to clarify several issues for the board. Earlier this year a plurality—not a majority—of the NANC board made, what is in our view, several unwise decisions and did so in violation of the NANC bylaws. We are praying that the amendments that we have put forward will not only prevent these kinds of decisions in the future but will encourage the board in the good work God has entrusted to them. Please pray that God would give each NANC member great wisdom as we debate these issues.

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NANC, 2009

Jay Adams — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 23:30:42 +0000

There has been great recent interest in NANC (The National Association of Nouthetic Counselors) for which I, being one of its founders, have been grateful. Like every organization not funded by any large gifts, but mainly by membership fees, it has only slowly gotten off the ground. But now, ever since the last few years with a zealous new director, it has been moving steadily. This year’s convention was no exception with upwards of 1300 attendees.

NANC is an organization that certifies counselors and training centers. Donn and I are both certified—Donn at the Fellow level, and I at the Academy level. Moreover, our training institute (INS) is certified by NANC. We mention such facts because from time to time people ask about them. Having been involved in the annual conference up until the middle of this past week, it hasn’t been possible to write much for this blog. But Donn is preparing something of a report of what happened, so I want to simply alert you to the fact in case you are interested. You will be hearing from him soon.

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