What is Jesus Therapy?
When Human Frailty Collides with God’s Word
Is therapy the new religion?
I read an article recently, titled, Is Therapy The New Religion? I’m thankful for therapy, in fact, I’m going through a sort of a physical therapy right now. I see a doctor weekly, I’m adjusting my diet, changing my sleep habits, etc. Before I ever considered pursuing ministry as a pastor, I was enrolled to become a Marriage and Family Therapist. Here’s why. I simply wanted to help people. In addition, there have been seasons of my own life where I have sought counsel, more of a clinical therapy. I’ve met with therapists, Christian counselors, and in general, I’m interested in what psychology has to say about our overall health intersecting with our faith. I grew up seeing the benefits of watching my own dad endure a lifetime of treatment with behavioral health specialists and over the course of my life I’ve also witnessed the horrors of what can happen when an individual, like my dad who was diagnosed with a severe mental disorder, refuses to stick with a rehabilitating plan. It’s something awful to witness. Therapy is a good thing. Helping people is a good thing! That said, the question still stands. Is the increasing trend of seeking therapy replacing the hope of seeking faith?
What are these trends telling us?
Since 2020, about 30% of American adults have seen a therapist. In 2021, about 42 million people received treatment or counseling for their mental health. About 17% of American teens see a therapist each year.1 From 2021 to 2022, the number of adults seeking therapy in the United States jumped from 42 million to 55.8 million. From 2022 to 2032, employment for many mental health-related occupations is projected to grow faster than the 3-percent average for all occupations. Employment of substance abuse, behavioral disorder, and mental health counselors is projected to grow 18 percent over the period.2 As followers of Jesus, what do we make of these trends? The Barna group reported that more than 40 million Americans departed from the faith from the years 2000 to 2020.3 How did we get here? While on one hand, those seeking therapy is on the increase, on the other hand, those seeking faith is on the decrease. What are these trends telling us? Is there a correlation between the decline of those active in the faith and the increase in the amount of people seeking therapy? Before we jump to conclusions, I want to reiterate, I believe therapy is good. Whatever is helping people is good! But, does it fall short of the healing power found through faith? Specifically, through Jesus and His Word?
Is God’s Word a source of healing?
Psalm 107:20 declares, "He sent out his word and healed them; he delivered them from their destructions." Does Scripture intend to declare that God's Word can bring about the actual physical, emotional, and spiritual healing we need? Does it actually have divine power to deliver us from otherwise certain defeat? I’m convinced this concept of healing is not an abstract idea or religious opiate for the masses prescribed to numb the pain, but a tangible reality demonstrated throughout the Bible, especially in the ministry of Jesus.
What is Jesus therapy?
When we explore the New Testament, we find numerous instances where Jesus heals individuals through His words. In Matthew 8:8, a centurion asks Jesus to heal his servant by simply speaking the word. Jesus replies, "Go! Let it be done just as you believed it would," and the servant is healed at that very moment. This miracle underscores the authority and power of Jesus' words to bring about immediate healing. In the gospel of Mark, the very first chapter, there is almost an immediate emphasis on this fact, “Jesus healed many who had various diseases” (Mark 1:34). Amazingly, the original Greek word used here for healing is therapeuo (ther-ap-yoo-oh). Compare our modern use of words like, “therapy” and “therapeutic”, which mean to relieve or heal a disorder. This is incredible. The Author and Perfector of our faith is the original therapist! Originally, this word was connected with serving another in a menial way, such as attending to the care of sick family members. Overtime, the word took on a medical connotation in the sense of taking care of, tending, and providing for the sick. From there it came to mean to heal, restore to health, to cure a disorder. When we read, “Jesus healed many who had various diseases”, its connection to "therapy" highlights a healing process we can still experience today through His word in various ways. What if we began to see an upward trend of faith in the words of Jesus as a source of healing? Would we see a decrease in amount of the various disorders so many are experiencing today?
The good news for today
Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Miracles still happen. And, beyond the miracles often associated with physical healing, Scripture reveals there is a connection with Jesus’ words and receiving healing in our mental, emotional, or spiritual state—our entire being. Just imagine how this understanding changes our approach to His word. Think of the necessity now in asking, “give us this day our daily bread”. What if digesting His Word daily is enough to initiate the very process of healing that can involve continuous care and restoration, much like the therapeutic processes we understand today? Exploring this possibility is what Jesus Therapy is all about. When we begin to see and hear the words of Jesus as the source of healing, both our image of God and self will be made whole. I believe that is the answer to reversing the trends in a society that seems to be growing increasingly ill and desperate for healing.
What to expect from here
If you would like to be a part of this healing journey, I want to say in advance, thank you for coming along! To be transparent, I’m on a personal journey of writing my first book and sharing my personal experiences about how Jesus has healed my image of God and self. At times, Jesus Therapy may read more like a devotional and other times more like a chapter excerpt from a book. This is not a self-help journey and this is not an attempt to get you to “listen to the expert” on identity. It’s a vulnerable discourse of what happens when human frailty collides with God’s Word and our weakness becomes a resting place for the power of God.
I promise not to blow up your inbox daily. If you look forward to witnessing how this unfolds, come along. If not, you can simply unsubscribe.
—Jarod
This according to research presented in an article at https://mydenvertherapy.com/therapy-mental-health-statistics
“Strong growth projected in mental health-related employment”; Bureau of Labor Statistics https://www.bls.gov/opub/ted/2024/
“Signs of Decline & Hope among Key Metrics of Faith: Barna Access.” https://barna.gloo.us/articles/signs-of-decline-and-hope.