You are a most welcome visitor when you bring godly love and care to a person in the hospital. This brief article offers a fresh perspective and practical suggestions on the simple, significant blessing of visiting the sick.
In a recent JBC article entitled "The Pastor as Counselor," David Powlison encourages and exhorts pastors to hold with serious conviction their call to engage people personally and thoughtfully in wise pastoral ministry. He writes,
The following is a classic discussion from Dr. Mike Emlet on how to begin to understand people as body and soul, and how wise love is sensitive to both. He begins with a few minutes on how to understand psychiatric diagnoses, and then broadens to discuss people as embodied souls and how that understanding informs thoughtful ministry.
This was one of the first resources I found from CCEF on the topic, and it helpfully shaped how I understood myself and others. At about thirty minutes long, it is perfect for listening through in a single sitting.
"Biblical counseling is often thought of as a Christianized Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT). That is a problem if that is the case. CBT encourages self-talk. But we encourage talking to Someone else."
-David Powlison in his course Theology and Secular Psychology
When you are counseling, how much do you share about yourself? The same question could be asked of small group leaders and preachers.
What is self-disclosure? Self-disclosure is simply offering personal information while you are also offering godly direction to someone else. This information can be in different forms.
Demographic data. This might include things like: your age, birthday, where you grew up, marital status, kids’ names, church, or what you did on your summer vacation.
In the Austin area? Come hear Dr. Tim Lane, Executive Director at CCEF and author of How People Change, address the question of how you can do effective gospel ministry in your local church. You will be equipped, strengthened and encouraged. Register here to bring your staff or church leaders.
FROM THE ARCHIVE: David Powlison has a great video on using resources beyond Scripture to support the counseling process. He uses an example of incorporating the Book of Common Prayer for one counselee to connect the dots of scriptural truths in her life.
Some passages of Scripture could be read before every counseling time, no matter what the circumstances.[1] This is one of them.
Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. (Matt 11:28-30)
Sam Williams recently posted on The Gospel Coalition blog engaging the question: "Would there be value for biblical counselors to pursue PhD work outside Christian institutions, and what challenges would they face?" He answers, "There are two good answers to the question above: no and yes." Williams warns against putting oneself in such a context while lacking critical biblical and theological knowledge.
QUESTION: How do you apply the biblical counseling model with people who do not want to hear anything about the Bible or Jesus? Knowing what people need to hear is often very simple (e.g., God’s love, forgiveness of sins). Should we still speak biblical truth in these instances?
If the person you are speaking with simply doesn’t want to hear about the Bible or Jesus, then you can take several approaches, depending on the situation.
