Pastoral CounselingPastoral CounselingSession 1-ASession 1-A

Sharing

Name and how would you describe yourself

Type of ministry involved inExpectations from this class

Introduction

Saundra L. Washington says,“Perhaps our greatest weakness as ministers is that of

counseling. It is an unavoidable responsibility that confronts us more often than we may desire… counseling is an integral, if not,

inseparable part of pastoral care.”

Introduction

The ministry of Pastoral Counseling is often in want because of the following 10 reasons:

1. Limited Understanding of what pastoral counseling is all about.

2. Poorly Trained in the area of effective pastoral counseling.

3. No Models to work with.4. Lack of knowledge of the human nature

Introduction

5. Seen as Unnecessary Ministry in the church context (“waste of time”)

6. Overly emphasizing on the “spiritual”7. Unfounded fear of the “secular” theories

and approaches to counseling 8. The counselor is carrying a lot of extra

baggage9. Bad experience with counseling10. Seen as too demanding to pursue

1. Limited Understanding

Not…SermonizingAdvice Giving

DictatingTaking Over

But…Providing Insight

ProcessingEmpoweringDiscerning

2. Lack of training

“A little knowledge is a dangerous thing”

3. No Models

Expert based vs. System based

4. Human nature?

“Let's not throw the baby out with the bath water”

Know which Know which one to Reject, one to Reject, Embrace, and Embrace, and

Reflect on.Reflect on.

True Christianity must reflect what true

Humanity is.

5. Waste of time?

The more tools we have, the better we can help.

6. Emphasis on spiritual alone

“For our struggle is not against flesh

and blood…” Ephesians 6:12

More than a spiritual being

7. Fear of the secular

PsychologyHumanismPersona

EgoSub-conscious

8. Extra baggage

Colored lensPrejudice and Bias

Subjectivity“Rightness” and

“Wrongness”Due to unwanted

experiences, traumas, and the stories we create.

9. Bad experience

“The only difference between stumbling blocks and stepping-stones is the way you use them”

10. Too demanding/tiring

Pastoral counseling is not a quick fix solution to people’s problem.

Sharing

How can my personal issues affect

my effectivity in Pastoral Counseling?