Sometimes Exchanged Life disciplers/counselors meet some resistance from those who are suspicious of the identification-with-Christ message that is central to this model.

One way to respond to critics is to go to the New Testament passages that teach the Gospel for the believer (such as Romans chapters 5-8). Another way to answer is to seek common ground by citing respected authors and leaders who are considered in the evangelical mainstream yet have believed and taught this message. We could refer to denominational leaders such as A. B. Simpson (Christian and Missionary Alliance), international evangelists such as Luis Palau, pioneer missionaries such as Hudson Taylor, hymn composers such as Frances Ridley Havergal, persecuted church leaders such as Watchman Nee, devotional writers such as Oswald Chambers, College presidents such as V. Raymond Edman (Wheaton), International conference speakers such as Ian Thomas, expository preachers such as Stephen Olford, and the list goes on.

I was interested to observe a deeper life influence in Billy Graham’s autobiography, Just As I Am. In 1946 Billy attended Stephen Olford’s preaching meetings (and the Youth for Christ team gave a Word too). The next year Billy returned from his second European trip:

Those months had also been a time of spiritual challenges and growth. My contact with British evangelical leaders during this and subsequent times, especially with Steven Olford, deepened my personal spiritual life. I was beginning to understand that Jesus himself was our victory through the Holy Spirit’s power. I developed an even deeper hunger for Bible study and new biblical insights for my messages. I quoted the Bible more frequently than ever before. (p. 111)

In 1968 Billy even brought president Nixon to Calvary Baptist Church in Manhattan to hear Stephen Olford preach “whose insights often blessed me” (Just as I am, Harper Collins, 1997) p. 454.

This is the Stephen Olford who authored Not I But Christ, and endorsed Charles Solomon’s Handbook to Happiness by writing the Foreword.

So, we provide discipleship counseling with a valid biblical basis, with the fruit of many changed and transformed lives, and with a “cloud of witnesses” from the evangelical mainstream.

-JBW