Pastoral Counseling

“… people whose consciences were wracked with guilt over sin, real or imagined, that left them in despair. While many causes could give rise to this, one was clearly what we would call an over-scrupulous conscience.” - 9 Marks

“Deepak Reju helps pastors counsel their people when there is no passage of Scripture that explicitly addresses a particular question or issue.

“Gambling ‘is all I think about,’ Danny told the pastor. ‘I’m quitting school. My parents are going to kill me, but I’m doing it because I can make a living that way.’” - Baptist Press

“We have people sitting in the pews … women have had abortions. But it’s not something I’m going to tell anyone unless I trust them deeply….. I really am not going to share with my pastor, because I’m afraid what he’s going to think about me.” - Seminary Viewpoints

“As a pediatrician-turned-pastor, I believe reporting suspected child harm is our civic and Christian duty.” - CToday

“Pastors 65 and older (46%) and those with no college degree (52%) are more likely to say they haven’t known any church members with a severe mental illness.” - Lifeway

“Consider how we might talk to our own unbelieving children. Do we wait to talk to them about wisdom issues until they repent and believe? Of course not!” - DBTS

“A PC(USA) minister survey on mental health issues found that 44% of the 4,507 pastors surveyed reported that they ‘have not been trained to recognize mental health concerns or how to minister to those individuals and families who face them.’” - C.Post

“…a February article in the Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion documents trends in the way pastors wrote about their role as counselors as it became commonplace for people to turn to psychologists rather than spiritual leaders with their problems.” - C.Today