The unique thing that Christians have to offer in pastoral counselling is not our experience or wisdom, nor is it the latest methodology or theories in psychology and therapy. I don’t want to downplay those things. We have much to learn from what we may refer to as God’s common grace and general revelation. However,… Continue reading Pastoral Counselling: Take them to God’s Word
Category: pastoral-care
Why you should get your pastor a work mobile
My friend Steve Kneale writes here about why pastors should have a burner phone. I want to endorse his recommendation with two tweaks. First, there is a simple solution to his concerns about how he might be perceived (I note he didn’t include ‘double agent’ as one of his possible professions), instead of talking about… Continue reading Why you should get your pastor a work mobile
Does forgiveness require repentance?
There has been some discussion on social media this last few days about whether forgiveness requires repentance. In this video, I explain why I think it is necessary. I mention an article on the same subject by my friend Steve Kneale which you can read here.
PACE-ing pastoral counselling
Dyadic Development Psychotherapy as an approach to therapy for children and young people that have been through trauma. One aspect of this approach uses the anachronym PACE where PACE stands for This approach, whilst not an exact, like for like fit for adult pastoral care may stull help us to think about how we approach… Continue reading PACE-ing pastoral counselling
Thinking strategically about pastoral care and your church plant
Here’s a little prediction for church planters. As your church grows, pastoral care needs will grow too and not just in number but in complexity. If you plant with a core team of 20-30 people, you might expect the occasional situation where someone is suffering and you will be called to walk with them through… Continue reading Thinking strategically about pastoral care and your church plant
Sold short on empathy
In March’s Evangelicals Now, Bill James seeks to address what he calls “The problem with Empathy.” A few Christian writers and speakers have sought to argue in recent times that whilst we ought to sympathise with others, we shouldn’t empathise. Some have gone so far as to call empathy sin.* James argues that empathy’s problem… Continue reading Sold short on empathy
Jesus, empathy and pastoral care
Here’s a follow on from what I wrote here the other day, a #FaithrootsPodcast picking up on an aspect of the Empathy debate.
We don’t talk about empathy no, no, no
You may recall a little hoo-ha a while back (I think it may have been a couple of years ago even when a prominent US Evangelical said that empathy is sin. I engaged with the issue here and here. Well Evangelicals Now have decided to rake up the issue again in this article. I hope… Continue reading We don’t talk about empathy no, no, no
Temptation, desire and self-deception
In recent social media discussion relating to my article on Calvin’s view of sin, temptation and desire, one person suggested that the question posed when John Stevens shared my article should be modified from: ““Are we sinning when we experience sinful desires that are unwanted, unsought and that we resist/rejected.“ To: “are we sinning when… Continue reading Temptation, desire and self-deception
Is depression an emotional state that makes people interpret the events in their lives in a negative way?
A quote in the Daily Telegraph says ““Depression is an emotional state that makes people interpret the events in their lives in a negative way,” explains Mabel Martinelli, the director of the Cambridge Centre for Cognitive and Behavioural Therapy. “It’s only by helping someone to find some space from that feeling that they are able… Continue reading Is depression an emotional state that makes people interpret the events in their lives in a negative way?
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