Wonderful memorials have been written about Dave Hunt since his translation to glory. Each one of us who has been impacted by his life and faith has a unique story to tell. Over the years we have ministered with a variety of individuals with different theological persuasions within the confines of evangelical Christianity. Most prominent with respect to our writings regarding psychotherapy and its underlying psychologies has been Dave Hunt. He and his organization, The Berean Call, have been the number one person and ministry to promote our teachings and books world-wide.
We first met Dave Hunt shortly after our first book, The Psychological Way/The Spiritual Way, was published in 1979. He and T.A. McMahon had read the book and, from the very beginning, they shared our deep concerns about psychoheresy. They both totally understood the problem of Christians resorting to psychological theories and therapies and the danger of attempting to integrate them with the Word of God. They not only came alongside, but they took up the cause themselves in their own writing, speaking, and ministering.
Dave came from a solid biblical background. Ours was psychology. He used his thorough knowledge of the Bible to reveal the anti-biblical nature of psychology, and we had the necessary background to debunk psychotherapy and its underlying psychologies from a research perspective. He used the Bible; we added the psychological research.
During the years when Dave lived in Northridge we had many opportunities to fellowship and minister together. While Dave maintained a pervasive biblical perspective, he was very “down-to-earth,” never speaking from a “one-up” position, but taking the lowest place—humble, kind, loving, considerate, and gentle.
Even when a point of disagreement might come up, he was gently reasonable. As a matter of fact, when we completed our manuscript for PsychoHeresy, we considered titling the book “PsychoQuackery.” Dave rightly encouraged us to change the title to something that would emphasize psychology’s negative impact on Christianity.
He was therefore instrumental in us coining the word “psychoheresy,” which speaks of a departure from Scripture regarding the nature of man, why he does what he does, and how he can change. Incorporating psychological counseling theories and therapies with Scripture can result in heresy when it supersedes, distorts, or replaces Scripture and where faith is shifted from God and His Word to the wisdom of men about which God has warned.
Dave’s expertise was expansive, covering many areas in addition to psychology. His commitment to God and His Word was all-consuming. His love for Christ was passionate and his love for people so fervent that he went out of his way—above and beyond—to shed light in numerous dark areas of deception and compromise. His love for people was so strong that he was willing to be disparaged and scorned so that they might be delivered from error.
Dave was blessed to have a wife who deeply loved and supported him. As his wife and mother of their four children, Ruth Hunt has been the unseen strength behind the scenes, as she graciously, wisely, and faithfully carried many burdens so that Dave could be free to minister to thousands of needy souls. Ruth is truly an example of a Proverbs 31 woman and we know she greatly misses him.
We continue to be grateful to Dave for the way he stood against the tsunami of psychoheresy whenever he had the opportunity. He and T.A. McMahon courageously included warnings about psychology in their book The Seduction of Christianity, and just a few years ago they wrote Psychology and the Church: Critical Questions / Crucial Answers. They and The Berean Call, the ministry they formed to warn and equip believers, have faithfully stood with us in this on-going battle against psychoheresy. They have been stalwart in standing for God’s Word in opposition to psychoheresy.
We miss Dave greatly, but are thankful that through the years he spiritually nurtured T. A. McMahon, who was an eager learner and helper. We believe that Dave was wise in passing his mantle to T.A., because, through the years, T.A.’s mission has been to serve God by serving Dave. Now T.A. is boldly carrying on the work that Dave began. Through advances in communication and media, The Berean Call is now a treasure house of Dave Hunt’s speaking and writing, which will continue to encourage and enable believers to be Bereans—to search the Scriptures daily and test everything by the Word of God (Acts 17:11).
We know Dave is alive in glory, but in many ways he continues to live here both in the hearts of many and through his numerous books, articles, messages, and radio programs. His wisdom and faith will continue to guide and encourage us as we contend for the faith once delivered to the saints.
(PsychoHeresy Awareness Letter, September-October 2013, Vol. 21, No. 5)