A THEOLOGY FOR PASTORAL COUNSELING
BAM 1416
By:
Dr. Cornelius Hegeman
MINTS International Seminary
14401 Old Cutler Rd.
Miami, Florida, USA, 33158
2015
A THEOLOGY FOR PASTORAL COUNSELING
PREFACE
HOW TO STUDY THE COURSE
INTRODUCTION
LESSON ONE. THE NEED FOR PASTORAL COUNSELING
LESSON TWO. THE GOOD AND BAD SHEPHERDS
LESSON THREE. THE SHEEP
LESSON FOUR. THE GOATS
LESSON FIVE. THEOLOGIAL PRINCIPLES FOR PASTORAL THEOLOGICAL COUNSELING
LESSON SIX. PROBLEMS IN PASTORAL COUNSELING
LESSON SEVEN TRAINING FOR PASTORAL COUNSELING
LESSON EIGHT MULTIPLICATION OF PASTORAL COUNSELING
CONCLUSION
SUMMARY STATEMENT
BIBLIOGRAPHY
BIOGRAPHY
PREFACE
November 24, 2014. Sandy and I were ready to depart from my mother’s house in Pompton Plains, New Jersey and take the 45 minute ride to Newark airport in order to return to our home in Miami, Florida. We visited with our 92 year old mother for the weekend, as I preached two services in the region. As we were preparing to leave, mother fainted while she was taking her own blood pressure. We could see that her heart was racing and then would slow down to dangerous levels. We phoned the doctor who instructed us to immediately call the ambulance and take her to the emergency ward. Uncle Abe, who lives next door, was alerted and he and Aunt Ruth came over immediately. The ambulance was here within ten minutes. Mom fainted again when she stood up. The strong paramedics carried her to the door when they placed her on the stretcher. Within seven or so minutes, they were at the nearby hospital.
I decided to stay as long as necessary while Sandy was taken by Aunt Ruth to the airport in order to fly to home to Miami, since our daughter, Kathrine, had flown out earlier that morning. I cancelled my activities and decided to stay as long as necessary.
The emergency room was ready. They quickly made mother comfortable and started doing tests on her. She stayed in the ER for the day. In the evening, the doctor announced that she would be moved to the fifth floor, to the cardiac unit. She stayed for two days. The service was excellent. One of her hospital room mates was Anne, she was 102 years old! As for my mother, one of her brothers came over while other brothers and a sister kept in contact with her through phone. The doctors decided they would put in a pacemaker, in order to regulate her heart. We thanked the doctors for making the decision to help mother live a better quality life even at the age of 92.
While I stayed, Uncle Abe and Aunt Ruth had me over for supper. We enjoyed good fellowship, including a 7:00 am Bible study for men at a local restaurant. It was good to see Pastor Richard Kuiken, who led the Bible study. He is a dear friend, a tremendous encourager and an appreciated pastor of his flock.
On Thursday, Thanksgiving Day in America, mom was able to return home. She had benefited from a fine health care programs. Yet, at the same location, I believe it’s the second floor, abortions take place at Chilton Hospital. While on one hand, the finest of care is given to the elderly, including 92 and 102 year olds, and at the other end of the spectrum, unborn children are murdered. This is the bi-polar Western world: the co-existence of the culture of life and the culture of death.
Mom received pastoral and Christian care, as well as being assisted by professional medical workers at the hospital. It was gratifying to see how many of the nurses and medical workers were international as well as Christians. Her pastoral care came through her immediate family and the caring family community that surrounds her. Among her brothers and sisters she has helpers, chauffers and friendship. Her niece, Karen, is a nurse and helps her with pharmarcy and practical concerns. Other nieces help with house care. The institutional church was not directly involved; however, the denomination has a special fund for minister widows, where the church will pay medical costs that exceed $1,000.00 per year. The pastoral-small community care was balanced with a church program for minister’s widows and professional care offered by both the private as well as government sectors.
The author’s volunteer work with the homeless in Miami as well as his visits and teaching courses in regional prisons has open his world to the pastoral needs of people on the margins of society. It is easy to forget about the homeless and the prisoner. “Out of sight, out of mind.” So it is in the congregations who do not include the marginal peoples. How does the good shepherd reach his sheep on the Northwest Second Avenue in downtown Miami and the correctional institutes in Florida and worldwide?
Our youngest daughter, Melinda, has been involved in youth counseling since she graduated from Trinity Christian College, Palos Heights, Illinois. Her first job was with the youth program at Old Cutler Presbyterian Church in Miami. Then she spent nine months in the Dominican Republic and became involved in an interesting orphanage project near San Pedro, Josiah’s House. From there she followed the youth leaders, Drew and Jen Lints to Village Seven Presbyterian Church in Colorado Springs, Colorado. I have benefitted from listening to hers, as well as her sister’s Katrina and mother, Sandra’s account of counseling young people. Katrina and Sandra are teachers in Christian schools. I have also read some of the books which are being promoted and read. Jon, Amy and grandchild, Ella Kate, live on the farm near Anniston, Alabama. Amy is an aficionada of horses. The horses have to be constantly fed and trained. Is it not the same in the Christian life? I have come to the conclusion that from the day we are born to the day we are promoted to glory, we will be counseled or will be counseling others! So, what better counseling, then to be led by the good shepherd to be part of his flock, the church, and to feed on His Word and Spirit.
The main hermeneutical key used for this course is the imagery of the pastor, sheep and goats. While writing this course I had the opportunity to be in Peru for 12 days. The students from the rural areas are knowledgeable about sheep herding. It was especially interesting to speak with students from the Sicuani Theological program, where sheep were grazing just outside the classroom. I learned that the sheep scare away from strangers and strange voices (like mine), they need a shepherd to guide them to eat the right kind of food. Sheep are known to graze uncontrollably foodstuff they should not eat and die from their stomachs exploding. Once sheep are lost they cannot find their way home. Sheep need shepherding or else they will die from overfeeding, from not being able to protect themselves and by wandering off on their own. All these characteristics are applicable to pastoral counseling, as you will see throughout this course.
I also enjoyed reading Phillip Keller’s, A Shepherd looks at Psalm 23.[1] Keller explains the psalms from a shepherd’s point of view.
Most of my reading has come from review or writing the courses on counseling written by the MINTS students and teachers.
BAB 620 I Timothy. Dr. Cornelius Hegeman
BAB 620 I Timothy. Dr. Julian Zugg
BAB 621 II Timothy. Dr. Cornelius Hegeman
BAM 31 Introduction to Christian Counseling, Dr. James Reed.
BAM 3110 Introduction to pastoral counseling, Craig Mobey
BAM 317 Marriage Enrichment. Dr. Michael Saunders
BAH 93 Serving the “Least of These My Brethern.” Dr. Cornelius Hegeman
And Spanish courses dealing with personal, psychological and pastoral issues:
BAB 620 I Timoteo. Dr. Cornelius Hegeman y Dr. Eufemio Ricardo
BAB 620 I Timoteo. William Ospina
BAT 131 Antropologia Bíblica. Nataley Carley
BAT 131 ¿Qué es el Hombre? Dr. Cornelius Hegeman
BAT 131 ¿Cuan Bueno Debo Ser? Dr. Ricardo Ramsay
BAT 321 Ética Pastoral. Dr. Ismael Quintero
BAM 31 Consejería Bíblica Práctica. Dr. Jaime Morales
BAM 51 Ministerio Niñez. Susana Espinoza
BAM 111 Liderazgo Espiritual. Dr. Roger Smalling
BAM 421 Pastoral con sordos. Dr. Ismael Quintero
BAM 3110 Consejería Pastoral. Dr. Cornelius Hegeman
BAM 611 Fundamentos Pastoral Juvenil. Dr. Jaime Morales
BAM 617 Desarrollo Integral del Adolescente. Dr. Jaime Morales
BAM 1417 Pastoral Académica y Vocacional. Dr. Jaime Morales
BAM 1418 Pastoral Preventiva. Dr. Jaime Morales
BAM 3111 Violación y Abuso. Dr. Ismael Quintero
BAM 31111 Consejería Joven. Dr. Jaime Morales
BAM 317 Nuestra familia Dr. Hieberto Hernandez
BAM 317 Pastoral Familiar. Filomeno Chay
BAH 93 Sirviendo a los hermanos más pequeños. Dr. Cornelius Hegeman
As I reviewed and wrote courses on anthropology, youth counseling, family counseling, psychology and Christian counseling I noticed that a MINTS counseling course specifically for pastoral counseling through the church had not been written yet. This course is aimed, not so much at the pastors who do counseling but it is for the pastors and members who do pastoral counseling together.
HOW TO STUDY THIS COURSE
JUSTIFICATION
The student is introduced to the basic concepts that are related to pastoral counseling. This will include reflecting on matters related to theology, ministry and counseling.
GENERAL OBJECTIVES
1. The student will become familiar the biblical teachings about the good shepherd and his sheep.
2. The student will reflect on applying theological principles to pastoral counseling
3. The student will be reminded on what is the main problem in pastoral counseling
4. The student will become more committed and involved in pastoral counseling
SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES
1. The student will intellectually interact with other students and the teacher.
2. The student will interact ideas associated with pastoral counseling by answering the questions at the end of the lessons.
3. The student will read about pastoral counseling using internet resources
4. The student will write a description of pastoral counseling case study
5. The student will demonstrate a command of the basic concepts presented in the course.
EVALUATION
1. For each hour of attended class one point. This is worth15 points.
2. For each class for which the student came prepared with homework assignments, three points for each completed lesson and one point for finishing all on time for a total of 25 points.
3. Document the reading of 300 pages on pastoral counseling for B.A. students and 600 pages for M.A. students. This is worth 25 points
4. For B.A. students write a seven to ten-page essay on a specific pastoral counseling case study (See Appendix for example). M.A. students will write 15-page essay. This is worth 25 points.
5. Take the final exam. This is worth 10 points.
BENEFITS
We will better understand the role of the gospel of Jesus Christ in counseling.
Name ofStudent / Attendance
15% / Questions
and
Answers
25% / Reading and Reports
25% / Essay
25% / Exam
10% / Final Grade
100%
LESSON ONE. THE NEED FOR PASTORAL COUNSELING
INTRODUCTION
Why another course on counseling? This course is for theological distance education students who are involved in the church pastorate and pastoral counseling. MINTS Theological Seminary has a variety of counseling courses in both English and Spanish (see Bibliography). This course on pastoral counseling takes into consideration what has been written and what still needs to be developed.[2] The special emphasis of this course in not the professional psychologist, nor the ordained pastor, but the flock. The flock, the church leaders and members, are involved in pastoral care as well.
This course seeks to answer the question: “how did Jesus pastor and what does that mean for the church leaders and members today?”
THE NEED FOR THE SHEPHERD
The future apostle, Peter, found out the hard way that he needed to be under pastoral care.
Jn 21:15 When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?" He said to him, "Yes, Lord; you know that I love you." He said to him, "Feed my lambs."
Jn 21:16 He said to him a second time, "Simon, son of John, do you love me?" He said to him, "Yes, Lord; you know that I love you." He said to him, "Tend my sheep."
Jn 21:17 He said to him the third time, "Simon, son of John, do you love me?" Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, "Do you love me?" and he said to him, "Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you." Jesus said to him, "Feed my sheep.
Jn 21:18 Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you used to dress yourself and walk wherever you wanted, but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go."
Jn 21:19 (This he said to show by what kind of death he was to glorify God.) And after saying this he said to him, "Follow me." (ESV, e-sword)
In the ministry and theological sense, only Jesus is the good shepherd. All of the under shepherds are to conform to the goodness of Jesus. The under-shepherds, because they are sons of fallen Adan, are not intrinsically good. Only God is good. By faith in Jesus Christ and the presence and fruit of the Holy Spirit, the under-shepherds participate in the goodness of God and in the good work of counseling.