The Pastor and Counseling - The Basics of Shepherding Members in Need
The Pastor and Counseling - The Basics of Shepherding Members in Need
A Step-By-Step Guide for Pastors
Pastors spend much of their time counseling people in crisis—a delicate task that requires one to carefully evaluate each situation, share relevant principles from God’s Word, and offer practical suggestions for moving forward. Too often, however, pastors feel unprepared to effectively shepherd their people through difficult circumstances such as depression, adultery, eating disorders, and suicidal thinking.
Written to help pastors and church leaders understand the basics of biblical counseling, this book provides an overview of the counseling process from the initial meeting to the final session. It also includes suggestions for cultivating a culture of discipleship within a church and four appendixes featuring a quick checklist, tips for taking notes, and more.
Authors
Jeremy Pierre (PhD, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary) serves as the dean of students and associate professor of biblical counseling at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky. He is also the pastor at Clifton Baptist Church and serves on the board of directors for the Biblical Counseling Coalition. Jeremy and his wife, Sarah, live in Louisville, Kentucky, and have five children.
Endorsements
“Biblical counseling, grounded in the sufficiency and authority of Scripture, is essential to the health of the church. Furthermore, pastors must be equipped for the task of counseling with the Word of God. The Pastor and Counseling is a remarkably helpful introduction to the pastoral counseling ministry and is brimming with sage, biblical wisdom for both new and seasoned pastors. Every pastor needs this book.”
R. Albert Mohler Jr., President and Joseph Emerson Brown Professor of Christian Theology, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary
“This book is faithful to God, thoughtful, and realistic about people. It’s clearly written, simple, and practical in its suggestions. We all struggle. How can you and your whole church learn to care well? Go take this book to heart.”
David Powlison, Executive Director, Christian Counseling and Educational Foundation
“This is a book on how pastors should listen to their church members and speak to them. This is a book on how we should love. It is eminently biblical, practical, and refreshing. Perhaps we should make it required reading for all new elders.”
Mark Dever, Senior Pastor, Capitol Hill Baptist Church, Washington DC; President, 9Marks