A long time ago

I said I would reflect a bit on my twin summer excursions in counseling and archival processing. These two otherwise unrelated fields of interests converged quite by coincidence, and in so doing, ironically, left me with the same thoughts and feelings.

Part First:

Summer semester 2005 saw me pass the 50-hour mark toward the MDiv with a course in Counseling for Church Leaders. Co-taught by two profs (with Bible/Ministry expertise of Mike Matheny and Psychology expertise of Paul Turner), this course was an entry-level course in the basics of counseling theory, theology and practice for the church leader/minister/pastor. It was a cogent and thoughtful course, addressing the various issues most often dealt with by career ministers, church elders and other church staff and leaders. Not a doubt I am a better people-helper because of thinking through the material.

In particular I come away from that course with the conviction that the church has the resources, theologically speaking, to meet people in the difficult moments of life. Evangelism aside (which is one obvious side-discussion that this could lead into), counseling/pastoral counseling, and pastoral care are extensions of the ministry of the Holy Spirit, the Comforter of God. The church is gifted by the Spirit, indwelled by the Spirit and carries forward the ministry of the Spirit to meet people in the brokenness and despair of life and to speak to them the word of life. Isn't that marvelous?' Again, the issue is not, at least in my thinking, that the church counsels because it will bring the pagans in, but more so that the church is involved in the ministry of counseling because the church is a part of the ongoing work of the Holy Counselor himself. I realize that there is little semantic difference in that previous sentence, but there is a great deal of perceptual difference in many churches. It seems that we often buy into the notion that a program like a counseling ministry, a visiting counselor or a giving the preacher a few counseling lessons will be some kind of magic pill for church revitalization or church growth. That sort of thinking can be crass and naive. We, in our best moments, ought rather to see our lives and our churches as safe places wherein our communities, families, friends and neighbors are touched with the redemptive grace of God. It would be a shame if our hurting friends and neighbors come to conclusion that we are interested in helping them for what appear to be selfish ends of inflating the numbers. How much better it would be if we saw counseling as just what the church is about because the church is the church.

Repeatedly the comment surfaced in our class discussions how the ministry of counseling is not something limited to the church professionals, but is a ministry in which we all are already involved. The church, as church, is already in the counseling business. Its not a tack-on ministry; its missional and who we are. That acknowledged, the task is now to make sure we carry on the ministry well. Also, we discussed how most ministers are well-equipped for short-term focused counseling and do that sort of ministry well. It was heartening to be encouraged by the instructors and the course reading that nearly every minister has some set of skills useful in counseling relationships. From that given then, again, the task is to carry on the ministry well, maximize those strengths, and be aware of weaknesses and inadequacies in order to assist folks in getting the best help available.

In short, my eyes were opened to the theological reality that counseling is much broader than I realized, much more theologically grounded,much deeper missionally, and far more necessary than I previously I thought. My eyes are now open to the missional nature of good counsel. I have lived so long in the world of exegesis, hermeneutics, theology and exposition that having a course like this was surprisingly refreshing. It is honestly outside of the area in which I would like to live (its comfortable being an exegetically-minded hermit). But this class convicted me that the redemptive work of the Spirit needs me out in the midst of brokenness in order bring healing; hard to do that in a cave. Perhaps there is a parable here for churches: its easy to speak to ourselves in language we understand about Bible stuff we have long ago mastered; its quite something else indeed to walk alongside the hurting in redemptive (dare I say therapeutic?) relationships. Exegesis can be very sanitary and safe. Counseling will make you vulnerable, scared and uncomfortable. Exegesis can be a retreat from the world; counseling will call you to engage the world.