Drs. Greg Gifford and Keith Palmer were both honored by ACBC last week for their published works from last year, reflecting the key contributions that professors from The Master’s University have made to the world of biblical counseling.

Every December, the Association of Certified Biblical Counselors (ACBC) publishes a list of the year’s best biblical counseling books. This year’s first place award was given to Gifford’s latest book, “Lies My Therapist Told Me: Why Christians Should Aim for More Than Just Treating Symptoms” — the second time in five years that Gifford has won the top spot in ACBC’s list.

Gifford serves as the chair of the biblical studies department and a biblical counseling professor at TMU. His book, published in May, is designed to be “the definitive Christian critique of secular psychiatry and psychology,” according to its publisher’s description.

Palmer also published a book in May, titled, “John Newton’s Theology of Suffering and Its Application to Pastoral Care,” which ACBC honored with fourth place in this year’s list. Palmer is the chair of TMU’s Doctor of Ministry in Biblical Counseling program.

This is not the first time that TMU’s faculty have appeared on ACBC’s best of the year list. Gifford’s first book, “Heart & Habits: How We Change for Good,” was awarded first place in 2021. Drs. Stuart Scott and John Street, who previously served in TMU’s biblical counseling department, have also appeared on the list in prior years.

Learn more about TMU’s biblical counseling program here.