A vision for the future of Christian counseling is presented, focusing on four integration issues: incorporation of psychology and theology into one's practice, integration of business practices and biblical principles, intrusion of managed care into mental health care, and isolation of counselors from the church. The negative effects of professionalism are considered, including the spiritual mediocrity created by contractual relationships. In contrast, covenantal relationships are more biblical as well as foundational to Christian counseling. A covenantal biblical view of reality is discussed, followed by a comparison of the transactional—contract-based—and transformational—covenant-based—approaches to counseling. Engendering covenantal understanding in others, engaging them in covenantal actions and encouraging their ongoing participation in covenant community are pivotal in the future of Christian counseling. Finally, guidelines for the future are given, with special emphasis on partnering with local churches in developing caring communities for the completion of the transformation process.
