Honoring Difference While Holding Conviction

Post #10: Soul Change Series

Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.  —Romans 15:7

Love is not agreement. It is presence. It is truth told in grace. It is making space for another without surrendering what is sacred. —Soul Change Model

In today’s culture, therapists walk a fine line between welcoming all clients and staying true to their own faith convictions. For Christian therapists, the tension can feel especially acute: How do I honor difference while staying rooted in biblical truth?

The Soul Change Model offers a path forward—not of compromise, but of clarity, compassion, and Christlike integrity. It teaches therapists how to hold both conviction and hospitality, truth and love, theological grounding and therapeutic warmth.

Because to reflect the heart of Christ, Christian counselors must be able to say: "You are welcome here. And I will walk with you in truth and grace."

The Call to Christlike Hospitality

Hospitality is a deeply Christian value—not just in terms of opening one’s home, but in opening one’s heart to those who are different, misunderstood, or even oppositional.

Jesus did this over and over:

• Eating with tax collectors and sinners (Matt. 9:10)

  
  

• Welcoming children and the marginalized (Mark 10:14)

  
  

• Speaking with a Samaritan woman at a well (John 4:7–26)

  
  

His hospitality did not mean He agreed with every worldview or behavior. But it meant that His presence was open, compassionate, and anchored in love.

In the same way, Soul Change therapists are trained to offer therapeutic hospitality:

• To welcome clients from all walks of life

  
  

• To treat each person as an image-bearer, worthy of dignity and care

  
  

• To avoid shaming or moralizing

  
  

• To create space for authentic exploration and growth

  
  

This is not just good practice—it’s good theology. As Crabb (1997) said, “We love best when we see others not as problems to be solved, but as souls to be known.”

Rooted, Not Reactive

In our polarized world, it can be tempting to either dilute convictions in the name of kindness—or wield truth harshly in the name of faithfulness.

The Soul Change Model offers a different way: be rooted, not reactive.

Therapists trained in Soul Change are not swayed by every cultural current, nor are they defensive. Instead, they are:

• Grounded in biblical theology and Christian anthropology

  
  

• Formed by the Spirit, not fear

  
  

• Committed to truth, but shaped by grace

  
  

• Open to learning, but clear about their framework

This allows them to walk into complex spaces—gender, sexuality, politics, church hurt, interfaith dialogue—with both humility and confidence.

Eric Johnson (2010) affirms that Christian psychology must be “dialogical but not relativistic”—open to understanding others while remaining anchored in the truth of Scripture.

What This Looks Like in Practice

Honoring difference while holding conviction might look like:

• Listening deeply to a client who disagrees with your values, without trying to convert them

• Making space for spiritual doubt, anger at God, or disillusionment with church, without judgment

• Gently offering a biblical perspective when invited, without force or defensiveness

• Working with LGBTQ+ clients with compassion, clarity, and ethical transparency

• Respecting the autonomy of the client while maintaining integrity as a Christian professional

• Collaborating with clients from different faith traditions with cultural humility and therapeutic excellence

This posture honors the therapeutic alliance and the sacred image-bearing nature of every client, while also remaining faithful to a Christian worldview.

Avoiding the Pitfalls: License vs. Legalism

Two common errors can derail the work of Christian therapists:

1. License: Avoiding truth in order to maintain rapport. In this mode, therapists may hesitate to speak into clients’ moral confusion, fearing offense. This can lead to superficiality or lost opportunities for growth.

   
   

2. Legalism: Using truth as a weapon rather than a guide. In this mode, therapists may impose their convictions rigidly, shutting down vulnerability and eroding safety.

The Soul Change Model charts a third way: grace-saturated conviction. We are called to hold space without losing our center—to invite, not insist; to guide, not control.

As Diane Langberg (2015) reminds us, “We are not called to be right—we are called to be faithful.” And faithfulness includes humility, restraint, and discernment in how we engage difference.

Therapist Formation Shapes Therapeutic Presence

Therapists can only offer what they’ve internalized. That’s why the Soul Change Model prioritizes therapist formation—not just clinical competence, but spiritual maturity.

When therapists are secure in their identity in Christ:

• They are less reactive when challenged

  
  

• They do not need agreement to feel validated

  
  

• They can welcome others without fear of being “led astray”

  
  

• They can disagree respectfully and lovingly

  
  

• They can discern when to speak and when to simply be present

This formation allows therapists to embody truth with tenderness, and to reflect the hospitality of Jesus even in complex clinical spaces.

A Note on Ethical Clarity

Holding conviction also means being clear about professional boundaries. Soul Change therapists are trained to:

• Be upfront about their approach and worldview during intake

  
  

• Respect informed consent and client autonomy

  
  

• Avoid proselytizing or imposing beliefs

  
  

• Offer referrals if they cannot ethically or competently serve a client

This protects both the client and the integrity of the therapeutic relationship. It also builds trust, because clients are free to engage at their own pace, in a space where they are both respected and invited to grow.

Reflection

• How do you personally navigate the tension between honoring your clients’ differences and remaining faithful to your Christian convictions?

  
  

• Where might God be inviting you to grow in hospitality, clarity, or courage?

  
  

• What spiritual practices help you stay rooted and loving in your work?

References

Crabb, L. (1997). Connecting: Healing for ourselves and our relationships. Word Publishing.

Johnson, E. L. (2010). Foundations for soul care: A Christian psychology proposal. IVP

Academic.

Langberg, D. (2015). Suffering and the heart of God: How trauma destroys and Christ

restores. New Growth Press.

Next in the Soul Change Model Series: You Can't Take Clients Where You Haven't Been

Previously in the Soul Change Model Series: Counseling at the Intersection of Faith and Justice