Top New Biblical Counseling Books of 2022

My friend, Bob Kellemen, has put together an annual list of his top books annually since 2016. We all benefit from his contribution to keeping us all informed of the newest resources for discipleship. Below, I have all the links to Bob’s selections for this year from his The 22 Top Biblical Counseling Books of 2022.

As this has been a rather busy year around the Carson house with a busy pastoral ministry, new writing projects, developing a new degree for BBC/TS, and other personal things, I have not read as many of the books as normal. Because of that, I have hand selected my recommendations off of Bob’s list of the ones that I have read. You can get the entire list of the Top 22 plus all the other lists from previous years below my recommendations.

As Bob wrote:

If you’re a counselor, pastor, student, educator, one-another minister, small group leader, soul care provider, spiritual friend, spouse, or parent, you want to know the most helpful books about biblical counseling. We all want trusted recommendations on books that seek to change lives with Christ’s changeless truth. Because we all want to be aware of solid resources for the Christian life and ministry, I’ve collated top biblical counseling books on an annual basis since 2012. See the end of this post for links to the 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022 lists. That makes this year the eleventh edition of my annual listing of top biblical counseling books.

Scroll to the end to get links for all of these lists.

Now, here are some of my highlighted resources that I have read from Bob’s list. Bob writes:

A Fruitful Year for Biblical Counseling Resources

In 2022, I had many highly relevant and significantly helpful biblical counseling books from which to choose. Being 2022, I’ve selected: The 22 Top Biblical Counseling Books of 2022. I’ve chosen these books on the basis of their:

Biblical depth
Relevance to Christian living
Practicality for one-another ministry
Faithfulness to the sufficiency of Scripture
Application to progressive sanctification
By accepting nominations from biblical counseling leaders worldwide

I list these top biblical counseling books below in alphabetical order by author—the top 22 books published in 2022 about biblical counseling, written by a biblical counselor about Christian living, or important to biblical counselors. Note: The summaries after the books are developed from wording by the authors and publishers.

Highlights from the 22 Top Biblical Counseling Books of 2022

Challies, Tim. Seasons of Sorrow: The Pain of Loss and the Comfort of God, Zondervan, 224 Pages.

On November 3, 2020, Tim and Aileen Challies received the shocking news that their son, Nick, had died. A twenty-year-old student at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, he had been participating in a school activity with his fiancée, sister, and friends, when he fell unconscious and collapsed. Neither students, nor a passing doctor, nor paramedics were able to revive him. His parents received the news at their home in Toronto and immediately departed for Louisville to be together as a family. While on the plane, Tim, an author and blogger, began to process his loss through writing. In Seasons of Sorrow, Tim shares real-time reflections from the first year of grief—through the seasons from fall to summer—introducing readers to what he describes as the “ministry of sorrow.” Seasons of Sorrow will benefit both those that are working through sorrow and those comforting others.

Hughes, Lisa. Unmet Expectations: Reshaping Our Thinking in Disappointment, Trials, and Delays, Shepherd Press, 288 Pages.

Life doesn’t always turn out the way we imagined. Yet, we can respond in God-glorifying ways even when circumstances fall short of our desired hopes and expectations. In reshaping how we think about disappointments, trials, and delays, we can grow in contentment, trust, and hope in the unexpected parts of life. Each chapter in Unmet Expectations looks to the Scriptures for the life-transforming help only God can provide. This book is designed to be an aid to growth, which is why inductive Bible study questions accompany each chapter, providing wisdom from God’s Word for hope and encouragement.

Johnson, Dale, and Edward Wilde. Legal Issues in Biblical Counseling: Direction and Help for Churches and Counselors, New Growth Press, 272 Pages.

How should biblical counselors navigate their responsibilities before God and government requirements? What exactly are those requirements? In Legal Issues in Biblical Counseling, pastors and counselors who are seeking to faithfully lead, mentor, and guide their flocks in a rapidly changing cultural landscape will find clear direction and guidance from a team of Christian lawyers. Dale Johnson and Edward Wilde, along with a host of experienced lawyers and counselors, encourage the church to engage responsibly in the ministry of biblical counseling while seeking to comply with governmental regulations. They explain the importance of involving legal counsel in creating ministry documents, setting up liability insurance, and counseling those involved in the legal system.

Kellemen, Bob. Equipping Biblical Counselors: A Guide to Discipling Believers for One-Another Ministry, Harvest House, 336 Pages.

In Equipping Biblical Counselors, pastor, educator, and counselor, Bob Kellemen, provides a proven strategy for envisioning, enlisting, equipping, and empowering biblical counselors. Bob has refined this four-step, best-practice process from his decades of local church equipping and from collaboration with two-dozen leading biblical counseling churches. Through this comprehensive book, Dr. Kellemen comes alongside church leaders to help them assess their congregation’s strengths and weaknesses, shepherd new leaders with confidence and wisdom, equip God’s people to be competent one-another ministers, and encourage ongoing spiritual growth in the body of Christ. Accessible and deeply practical, Equipping Biblical Counselors is ideal for church leaders and counselors in various ministry settings, and for students and professors in counselor training programs.

Liu, Esther. Shame: Being Known and Loved (31-Day Devotional). P&R Publishing, 96 Pages.

Many of us experience shame on a regular basis. We compare ourselves to others and feel deficient. We look at our pasts and hope no one will find out what we’ve done―or what was done to us. We doubt and isolate ourselves in light of previous rejection or failure. Our shame is unpleasant, even paralyzing. But there is hope for shame-filled souls! Our Savior willingly sacrificed everything―even died―so that shame would not have the final say in your life. Now he empowers you to change. Writing both as a biblical counselor and fellow struggler, Esther Liu takes us on a thirty-one-day journey to discover lasting comfort. Explore the depths of God’s grace for you; respond to Christ’s invitation to rest; and use practical action points, reflection questions, and devotional insights to reshape your instinctive responses to God, others, and yourself.

Powlison, David. Take Heart: Daily Devotions to Deepen Your Faith, New Growth Press, 416 Pages.

It’s easy to lose heart in a world where many things can and do go wrong. Life is difficult and there are struggles within and without, but we can take heart—the Lord is with us. He hears our cries for mercy. He knows our every need. He guides us, helps us, and strengthens us with His mighty right arm. Journey through a year with David Powlison, learning to “take heart” by meditating on his favorite Scripture passages, hymns, and biblical themes, exploring the ways God meets us with daily grace right where we live. Drawn from David Powlison’s many decades of writing, teaching, and speaking, Take Heart is a yearlong devotional journey into the process of biblical change, where truth becomes clearer and our ears hear and our eyes see what God tells us about Himself.

Solomon, Curtis. Redeem Your Marriage: Hope for Husbands Who Have Hurt Through Pornography, New Growth Press, 160 Pages.

As a husband, what can you do when you are caught in the prison of pornography use? It might be tempting to give up and give in, but there is hope for your struggle and for your marriage. You might feel weak, helpless, and powerless to change, but Curtis Solomon points you to Jesus who is powerful, and the true source of change. In Christ, it is possible to find the courage and grace to fight this battle, and your heart and your marriage can be redeemed, restored, and renewed. Redeem Your Marriage guides you through a process to help you understand the hurt pornography has caused, and to lament the effects of your struggle on your marriage. But you will not be left without hope—you’ll learn to believe in the forgiveness of sins and Jesus’ power to help you turn away from sin and live for God’s glory instead of for momentary pleasure.

Solomon, Jenny. Reclaim Your Marriage: Grace for Wives Who Have Been Hurt by Pornography, New Growth Press, 160 Pages.

When your husband struggles with pornography, your world is shattered. There are many resources to help him, but what about you? Where can you go with your grief, insecurities, fear, and even anger? Jenny Solomon comes alongside hurting wives and gently encourages them to bring their pain to God, who is able to reclaim their marriage. She will help you to rest in God’s love, while at the same time taking one brave step at a time to care for your family and yourself.

Tripp, Paul. Reactivity: How the Gospel Transforms Our Actions and Reactions, Crossway, 176 Pages.

Digital media and technology are altering the way people act―and react―toward each other. Criticism, outrage, and controversy dominate social engagement and unfortunately many Christians have joined in the chaos. It’s a troubling contrast to Jesus’ words in John 13:35: “By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” Paul Tripp instructs believers to view digital media and technology through the lens of the gospel and points them toward a biblical framework for communication. Explaining how God wants the church to engage with culture and each other, Tripp encourages Christians to think wisely about their interactions and be a beacon of light in a toxic age.

Viars, Steve. Do You Believe What God Says About You?: How a Right View of Your Identify in Christ Changes Everything, Harvest House, 208 Pages.

Who are you? You carry your answer to that question around your home, community, workplace, and church. But how does your sense of self compare to God’s perfect understanding of you? In Do You Believe What God Says About You?, pastor and biblical counselor, Steve Viars, encourages you to trade misgivings about your identity for the Bible’s life-changing truth about who you were made to be. Ideal for personal use or group study, and a valuable resource for biblical counselors, this book offers thirty-one chapters that feature inspiring insights, practical illustrations, helpful journaling questions, and guided prayers that will help you define your identity as God does.

Welch, Ed. I Have a Psychiatric Diagnosis: What Does the Bible Say? New Growth Press, 96 Pages.

A psychiatric diagnosis can be a heavy burden—for you or someone you love. But we know this: God is not silent when His people struggle. What does God say? Experienced counselor and best-selling author, Ed Welch, helps you answer that crucial question by exploring how God’s Word speaks in ways that can help you find wisdom, rest, and hope in Jesus. What do you do when you recognize yourself or someone you love in descriptions like “OCD,” “bipolar disorder,” or “borderline personality disorder”? The DSM can give you a detailed description, but what next? We listen to God and to His people. I Have a Psychiatric Diagnosis will guide readers in listening to God who has compassion for those who are struggling in these painful ways. Listening to God in the Bible reshapes psychological descriptions and functions as a corrective lens that opens our eyes. As you listen to Scripture and God’s people, you will understand the struggles of those with a psychiatric diagnosis better and will be able to receive and offer words of help and hope.

Witt, Rush. I Want to Escape: Reaching for Hope When Life Is Too Much, New Growth Press, 144 Pages.

When life overwhelms, it’s natural to try to get away. Escape holds a powerful allure amid hard times. In every season, a myriad of pressures, challenges, regrets, and disappointments plague our lives. These trials and tribulations often provoke us to cry, “I’ve got to get outta here!” Even though we have many reasons for trying to escape, as Christians, we have better reasons to depend courageously on our Savior in the ups and downs of life. Pastor Rush Witt helps us learn to bravely run to Christ instead of running away. I Want to Escape explores the reasons why we so often want to run, and offers hope-filled direction to experience Jesus’s grace and mercy to comfort, encourage, and lead us on a better path.

Links to Top Biblical Counseling Books: 2012-2022

2022: The 22 Top Biblical Counseling Books of 2022

2021: 21 Top Biblical Counseling Books of 2021

2020: 20 Top Biblical Counseling Books of 2020

2019: 19 Top Biblical Counseling Books of 2019

2018: 24 Top Biblical Counseling Books of 2018

2017: The 17 Top Biblical Counseling Books of 2017

2016: The 16 Top Biblical Counseling Books of 2016

2015: The 15 Top Biblical Counseling Books of 2015

2014: The 14 Top Biblical Counseling Books of 2014

2013: The 20 Most Important Biblical Counseling Books of 2012, Part 1

2013: The 20 Most Important Biblical Counseling Books of 2013, Part 2