Praxis of Pastoral Counseling - Essay Example

A Reflective Analytical Reading on the Book Caring for God’s People Question 1: How does pastoral counseling differ from regular counseling procedures? People spend millions of dollars on self-help books and professional counseling. While the advice thus found may sometimes be helpful, a Christian’s faith leads him to a far better source of aid. Says James: “So, if any one of you is lacking in wisdom, let him keep on asking God, for he gives generously to all and without reproaching; and it will be given him. But let him keep on asking in faith, not doubting at all, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven by the wind and blown about.” (James 1:5, 6) A Christian’s faith is the guarantee that such divine aid will be provided. He has no hesitancy about approaching God in this way, for ‘he has this freeness of speech and an approach with confidence through his faith in [Christ].’(Ephesians 3:12) True, the degree that professional counselors garnered from their respective universities cannot be denied to have a certain level of high standard when it comes to dealing with individuals who are having problems of different sorts. However, this truth cannot also be denied of the fact that their counseling procedures are based upon the capability of humans to resolve their issues. On the contrary, the church relies on the most powerful source of knowledge and practical counsel, the Bible. Admittedly, the direction God gives people can at times seem difficult, perhaps even impossible—to implement. Abraham, for example, received God’s promise that he and his wife were to have a son. Considering the fact that their reproductive powers were ‘dead,’ attempting to have this child seemed futile. Yet, says Paul: “Although [Abraham] did not grow weak in faith, he considered his own body, now already deadened, as he was about one hundred years old, also the deadness of the womb of Sarah. But because of the promise of God he did not waver in a lack of faith, but became powerful by his faith, giving God glory and being fully convinced that what he had promised he was also able to do.” (Romans 4:19-21) From Abraham’s example, it could be noted that the only thing needed to have fine results from the Church’s way of counseling is to have faith that these particular guidance assistances could lead to the betterment of the situations that each individual deals with at present. While God is not at this time performing such direct miracles, Christians today find that if they ‘do not waver in a lack of faith,’ they, too, can enjoy success when they apply God’s direction. Said Jesus: “All things can be to one if one has faith.”(Mark 9:23) Since individuals today are faced with major problems concerning their social status, it could not be avoided that most issues that are presented to the counselors are involved with the inability of the individuals to gain the things that they ought to gain from the society (Culbertson, 2000, 10). Aside from this, the fact that the thoughts of human philosophy are not in full accordance with the principles of the Bible, Christian Counseling faces so much issues as to how it is considered effective by individuals who are expecting counseling assistance. (Culbertson, 2000, 262) The crisis in counseling procedures especially that of the Christian-based procedure of counseling is mainly focused on the practicality and the effectiveness of the said process of counseling. The fact that Christian Counseling is based upon the principles of the Holy Scriptures, and that not so many people believe in the power of the Bible nowadays, questions the power of the word of God to actually aide individuals with their personal issues and thus be able to solve the said problems in a more practical and effective procedure. However, through the effective application of the principles of the Bible in actual counseling procedures, these questions could be answered and thus prove the fact that the counsel from God’s word is indeed effective and useful for every believer of the truth. Question 2: How could pastors become effective counselors for the Christian believers? Counselors are expected to have a special concern on how others are feeling. The emotional display of the situation that they are currently dealing with should be immediately noticed by the counselors. This ability is not at all innate. This skill is enhanced through practice and constant exposure to the fact that there are several issues that each individual faces in the society. The ability of the counselors to identify the problem basing from simple conversations held with the individuals is an essential character that counselors should posses. This is what has been pointed out by Collins that should actually be possessed by church officials who are appointed to handle counseling responsibilities. Being a counselor does not simply mean knowing what has to be done. Instead, it involves empathy and counselor’s involvement in the solution. Professional counseling usually only focuses on the problems and less on the solution. This is mainly because of the fact that professional counseling is merely based upon the belief that individuals who are dealing with problems simply need somebody that they could talk with. This is where the difference of Christian Counseling from Professional Counseling comes in (Culbertson, 2000, 258). Unlike professional counseling, Christian Counseling is not limited from being involved within the solutions that are supposed to be taken by the individuals. The fact that the individual came to seek for help in dealing with their issues, it means that he is in need of assistance and is longing for someone to help him see the better side of the things that he is currently facing. Another difference is the fact that counseling is seen by professional counselors as a career, or a source of living, while on the other hand, the church sees counseling as a God-given privilege that should be given close attention by those who are appointed to commence the said procedure of dealing with individual issues. It should be remembered that Pastors, more than counselors are shepherds of the lambs of God. As suggested by the reading, Pastors standing as counselors are expected to handle the situation successfully using the holy scriptures and not the practicality-wise suggested by the theories of mankind. Hence, the Bible as the primary source of advice is of the top most important matter that the Pastor counselors must give consideration to. References: New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures. (1984). International Bible Scholars. Brooklyn New York. Culbertson, Philip. (2000). Caring for God's People (Integrating Spirituality Into Pastoral Counseling). Augsburg Fortress Publishers. Read More