Pastoral CounselingPastoral CounselingSession 1Session 1

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.

SharingSharing

How can my How can my personal issues affect personal issues affect

my effectivity in my effectivity in Pastoral Counseling?Pastoral Counseling?

What is then is What is then is Pastoral Counseling Pastoral Counseling

I. What is Pastoral I. What is Pastoral Counseling?Counseling?

““Pastoral counseling is a ministry Pastoral counseling is a ministry in the church and must be seen in the church and must be seen

from a new light. Instead of from a new light. Instead of seeing as competition of seeing as competition of

preaching and discipleship. This preaching and discipleship. This is a very important tool in helping is a very important tool in helping

people live the life God meant people live the life God meant them to live.” them to live.”

1. The enemy is having his 1. The enemy is having his way way

A.A. ““The thief comes to steal, to kill, The thief comes to steal, to kill, and to destroy, but I came that and to destroy, but I came that you might have life and have it you might have life and have it more abundantly.” John 10:10more abundantly.” John 10:10

2 Agendas2 Agendas

Common issues in counselingCommon issues in counseling

DiscernmentDiscernmentMiscommunicationMiscommunicationCoping with lossCoping with lossChild disciplineChild disciplinePre-marital C.Pre-marital C.Self-esteem Self-esteem

SeparationSeparationAddictionAddiction

AbuseAbuseUnfaithfulnessUnfaithfulness

LegalLegalPowerlessnessPowerlessness

2. Lives not maximized2. Lives not maximized

Adam and Eve -Adam and Eve -Abraham, and his Abraham, and his

Family -Family -Eli and his sons -Eli and his sons -David and his -David and his -

family treefamily tree

11stst Murderer MurdererFilled with lies, Filled with lies, and deceptionand deceptionVery Corrupt Very Corrupt

Immoral, idolater, Immoral, idolater, and, murderersand, murderers

3. Many are wounded adults3. Many are wounded adults

The issues we carry todayThe issues we carry todayThe way we see ourselves and The way we see ourselves and

respond to our outside worldrespond to our outside worldThe way we interpret and respond The way we interpret and respond

to situationsto situationsCan be traced to our ChildhoodCan be traced to our Childhood

Childhood

Have you seen my Childhood?I'm searching for the world that I come from'Cause I've been looking aroundIn the lost and found of my heart...No one understands meThey view it as such strange eccentricities...'Cause I keep kidding aroundLike a child, but pardon me...

People say I'm not okay'Cause I love such elementary things...It's been my fate to compensate,for the ChildhoodI've never known...

Have you seen my Childhood?I'm searching for that wonder in my youthLike pirates in adventurous dreams,Of conquest and kings on the throne...

Before you judge me, try hard to love me, Look within your heart then ask,Have you seen my Childhood?

People say I'm strange that way'Cause I love such elementary things,It's been my fate to compensate,for the Childhood I've never known...

Have you seen my Childhood?I'm searching for that wonder in my youth. Like fantastical stories to shareThe dreams I would dare, watch me fly...Before you judge me, try hard to love me.The painful youth I've hadHave you seen my Childhood...

ChildhoodChildhood

Michael JacksonMichael Jackson

4. God has a wonderful plan4. God has a wonderful plan

God is in the God is in the business of business of turning our turning our

garbage into garbage into treasures.treasures.

God’s intention (John 10:10)God’s intention (John 10:10)

“…“…I have come that they may have life (zoe I have come that they may have life (zoe VS bios), and have it to the fullVS bios), and have it to the full.”.”

To live life to the To live life to the fullest!fullest!

To live life with a To live life with a wow!wow!

Great life lived now!Great life lived now!

Biblical FoundationBiblical Foundation

GodGod

A. God counsels his people A. God counsels his people Psalms 73:24 - "Psalms 73:24 - "With Thy With Thy

counsel you will guide mecounsel you will guide me““Ps. 16:7 - "Ps. 16:7 - "I will bless the Lord I will bless the Lord

who has counseled mewho has counseled me""

JesusJesus

B. Jesus was prophesied to be a B. Jesus was prophesied to be a counselorcounselorIsaiah 9:6 - "Isaiah 9:6 - "His name… wonderful His name… wonderful CounselorCounselor...“...“

““best advice available”best advice available”

Holy SpiritHoly Spirit

C. The Holy Spirit is a counselorC. The Holy Spirit is a counselorJohn 14:16 - "John 14:16 - "I will ask the Father, and I will ask the Father, and He will give you another HelperHe will give you another Helper" " Gr. Paraklesis, which means “Gr. Paraklesis, which means “to come to come along side to encouragealong side to encourage” a “” a “helperhelper””John 14:26 - "John 14:26 - "the Helper, the Holy Spirit, the Helper, the Holy Spirit, will teach you all thingswill teach you all things""

Great life now!Great life now!

D. Though heaven is our final destination, D. Though heaven is our final destination, God has a wonderful plan for our lives here God has a wonderful plan for our lives here on earth. on earth.

False notion of suffering. False notion of suffering. There is good in this life There is good in this life

Know what to embrace/rejectKnow what to embrace/rejectWe are pilgrims here on earth.We are pilgrims here on earth.

C.S LewisC.S Lewis

““Our Heavenly Father has provided Our Heavenly Father has provided many delightful inns for us along many delightful inns for us along our journey, but he takes great our journey, but he takes great

care to see that we do not care to see that we do not mistake any of them for home.”mistake any of them for home.”

C.S. LewisC.S. Lewis

ProverbsProverbs

E. Proverbs encourages us to E. Proverbs encourages us to seek counselseek counsel

Proverbs 11:14; 24:6 - "Proverbs 11:14; 24:6 - "in in abundance of counselors abundance of counselors there is victorythere is victory

Proverbs 12:15 - "Proverbs 12:15 - "a wise man is a wise man is he who listens to counselhe who listens to counsel““

Counsel one anotherCounsel one another

E. Admonished to counsel one E. Admonished to counsel one anotheranother

Romans5:14 - "Romans5:14 - "able also to able also to admonish one anotheradmonish one another““

I Thessalonians 5:14 - "I Thessalonians 5:14 - "admonish the admonish the unruly, encourage the unruly, encourage the fainthearted...fainthearted...""

Heb. 3:13 - "Heb. 3:13 - "encourage one another encourage one another day after dayday after day""

Reflect:Reflect:

Live like you Live like you were dyingwere dying

III. Why pursue this ministryIII. Why pursue this ministry

A. The Godhead was involved in this ministryB. Because we are in the ministry of setting

people freeC. This ministry has so much potential for

evangelismD. People have different paths to healingE. Because we truly care about the total

person