The National Association of Nouthetic Counselors (NANC) has changed their name to The Association of Certified Biblical Counselors (ACBC). The stated reasons are:
- The word “nouthetic” does not capture all that we are or do.
- We are principally a certifying organization. That reality needs to be in our name.
- We are international now (14 countries). Our name should not be constrained to the country of America alone.
All of the above reasons can be boiled down to this: Our name must match who we are.
I wholeheartedly agree with that rational. An organization’s name should capture who/what they are—no disagreements here. Thus, Rod and Staff Ministries is pleased to continue partnering with and submitting to ACBC in terms of training content and counseling methodologies. You will see that we have changed all references on our site from NANC to ACBC.
I would like to make one comment regarding point 1, however.
The word “nouthetic” literally means to place or set before (Greek verb, tithāmē) the mind (Greek noun, nous). Nouthetic counseling is simply the practice of placing before another’s mind for consideration God’s purposes in their life (esp. in their pain), how to please/respond well to God in life (esp. in their pain), and how to be restored to God after failing during their life (esp. in their pain). Whenever one speaks with clarity about how another should think and act there is a confrontation occurring (no yelling required). Mere comfort requires no confrontation. As an aside, the comfort Paul promised in 2 Cor 1:3-11 is the comfort born out of the death of self and instead a robust reliance on God; it was not the worldly comfort devoid of affliction (cf. 2 Cor 12:10).
Whether earned or not NANC, had become more known for the confrontation aspect than perhaps other aspects of biblical counseling. One cannot avoid the confrontation and be biblical—the question is this, is one being both courageous and compassionate in that confrontation.
For an excellent article on this issue please read, “NANC Myth #3: NANC Counselors Do Not Care About Suffering, They Only Confront Sin”
10,000 Blessings in The Wonderful Counselor,
Rod and Staff Ministries