Comments on: So You Want to Become a Christian Counselor! http://mintools.com/blog/christian-counseling.htm equipping believers for ministry Thu, 09 Feb 2012 19:36:08 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.2 By: MinTools http://mintools.com/blog/christian-counseling.htm/comment-page-1#comment-2156 MinTools Tue, 03 May 2011 23:40:51 +0000 http://mintools.com/blog/?p=927#comment-2156 You are welcome. Normally "lay" ministry in the church is done by volunteers rather than paid staff. Of course, a church could opt to pay lay counselors, the amount being dependent on the church's budget. Generally you would probably find this mainly in larger churches. Or, people could be charged a fee. Normally when this kind of counseling is done in the church, any kind of charge would be minimal. In many churches lay counseling would not incur a charge as the church provides it as a service to people. A lay counseling ministry in the church should be under the supervision of a professional or pastoral counselor and lay counselors should be required to undergo adequate training. Churches do need to be concerned with liabilities, especially if using the term "counseling." If you are looking for a career as a counselor, you would probably need to look into becoming a professional or pastoral counselor rather than a lay counselor. If you sift through the above post and comments, you can learn some of what might be required. You are welcome. Normally “lay” ministry in the church is done by volunteers rather than paid staff. Of course, a church could opt to pay lay counselors, the amount being dependent on the church’s budget. Generally you would probably find this mainly in larger churches. Or, people could be charged a fee. Normally when this kind of counseling is done in the church, any kind of charge would be minimal. In many churches lay counseling would not incur a charge as the church provides it as a service to people. A lay counseling ministry in the church should be under the supervision of a professional or pastoral counselor and lay counselors should be required to undergo adequate training. Churches do need to be concerned with liabilities, especially if using the term “counseling.” If you are looking for a career as a counselor, you would probably need to look into becoming a professional or pastoral counselor rather than a lay counselor. If you sift through the above post and comments, you can learn some of what might be required.

]]> By: Eve http://mintools.com/blog/christian-counseling.htm/comment-page-1#comment-2155 Eve Tue, 03 May 2011 23:29:49 +0000 http://mintools.com/blog/?p=927#comment-2155 Thank you so much for you reply. One more question. Do people receive pay for this? if so what are the ranges? Is it depending on the level of experience? Can this be a career? Thank you so much for you reply. One more question. Do people receive pay for this? if so what are the ranges? Is it depending on the level of experience? Can this be a career?

]]> By: MinTools http://mintools.com/blog/christian-counseling.htm/comment-page-1#comment-2149 MinTools Tue, 03 May 2011 14:40:09 +0000 http://mintools.com/blog/?p=927#comment-2149 Hello, Eve. When referring to church laity, we think of people who are not clergy (not on the pastoral staff) or professionals. A lay counselor serves in the church by coming along side of people who are hurting or struggling with encouragement, comfort, and support, helping them process issues. Generally a lay counselor would not get heavily involved in counseling people with clinical diagnosis as their training usually does not include sufficient understanding to provide the kind of help people with mental health disorders need. Lay counseling usually takes a discipleship or coaching approach to help people deal with the stresses of their lives. In a sense, we are all to fulfill this role with one another to a degree as we live out the <a href="http://mintools.com/bodylife4.htm" rel="nofollow">one another passages</a> but some will do it more than others, perhaps in a defined ministry position, and will usually seek out training to enable them to better serve in this way. Hello, Eve. When referring to church laity, we think of people who are not clergy (not on the pastoral staff) or professionals. A lay counselor serves in the church by coming along side of people who are hurting or struggling with encouragement, comfort, and support, helping them process issues. Generally a lay counselor would not get heavily involved in counseling people with clinical diagnosis as their training usually does not include sufficient understanding to provide the kind of help people with mental health disorders need. Lay counseling usually takes a discipleship or coaching approach to help people deal with the stresses of their lives. In a sense, we are all to fulfill this role with one another to a degree as we live out the one another passages but some will do it more than others, perhaps in a defined ministry position, and will usually seek out training to enable them to better serve in this way.

]]> By: Eve http://mintools.com/blog/christian-counseling.htm/comment-page-1#comment-2147 Eve Tue, 03 May 2011 13:54:23 +0000 http://mintools.com/blog/?p=927#comment-2147 Hi, and God bless Question, what does a Lay counselor do and what is required to become a Lay counselor? Hi, and God bless
Question, what does a Lay counselor do and what is required to become a Lay counselor?

]]> By: Linda Koleno http://mintools.com/blog/christian-counseling.htm/comment-page-1#comment-1932 Linda Koleno Mon, 07 Feb 2011 04:13:01 +0000 http://mintools.com/blog/?p=927#comment-1932 Thank you for your insight. I appreciate the suggestions for Biblical training. I will certainly look into that as part of my preparation. I am very glad I found this website and your blog. God bless you. Thank you for your insight. I appreciate the suggestions for Biblical training. I will certainly look into that as part of my preparation. I am very glad I found this website and your blog. God bless you.

]]> By: MinTools http://mintools.com/blog/christian-counseling.htm/comment-page-1#comment-1931 MinTools Mon, 07 Feb 2011 02:14:25 +0000 http://mintools.com/blog/?p=927#comment-1931 Praise God for His leading in your life, Linda. Fundamental is an understanding of how the Gospel of Jesus Christ answers the most basic and most complicated issues in life. Without the cross ... His grace, we would be most helpless and hopeless. You need a grasp of the depravity of man and recognition of how God's intent is transformation into a new life, not merely dressing up the sinful nature. You need to be well acquainted with the character of God ... the fullness of who He is, not just parts. This is critical to help lead people into that reverential fear of the Lord which leads to wisdom (Ps. 111:10; Prov. 9:10; 15:33). We will not always understand why things happen as they do. We will not have all the answers to people's questions and that is not what is most important. What is essential is that we can point people to a God who is great enough, sovereign enough, loving enough, etc. to trust in to have our best interests at heart. And, to be sure you will need to be able to help people integrate a Biblical worldview into their processing of issues. This is a view that is Christ-centered and keeps Truth as presented in God's Word at the base of all decisions. Courses through organizations like <a href="http://aacc.net" rel="nofollow">AACC</a> - American Association of Christian Counselors and <a href="http://www.ccef.org/" rel="nofollow">CCEF</a> - Christian Counseling & Educational Foundation</a> seek to show how God's Word addresses our emotional, mental, relational beings. While we can acquire good insights from studies in psychology, it is ever so important to filter all psychological theory through the Word of God. His Word should be the ultimate guide in the counseling session, not humanistic theory. If you do not have formal Bible training, perhaps some courses from a Bible college would be a way to speed up the process. But, again, integration or application of that Truth into the counseling process is critical. Praise God for His leading in your life, Linda.

Fundamental is an understanding of how the Gospel of Jesus Christ answers the most basic and most complicated issues in life. Without the cross … His grace, we would be most helpless and hopeless. You need a grasp of the depravity of man and recognition of how God’s intent is transformation into a new life, not merely dressing up the sinful nature.

You need to be well acquainted with the character of God … the fullness of who He is, not just parts. This is critical to help lead people into that reverential fear of the Lord which leads to wisdom (Ps. 111:10; Prov. 9:10; 15:33). We will not always understand why things happen as they do. We will not have all the answers to people’s questions and that is not what is most important. What is essential is that we can point people to a God who is great enough, sovereign enough, loving enough, etc. to trust in to have our best interests at heart.

And, to be sure you will need to be able to help people integrate a Biblical worldview into their processing of issues. This is a view that is Christ-centered and keeps Truth as presented in God’s Word at the base of all decisions. Courses through organizations like AACC – American Association of Christian Counselors and CCEF – Christian Counseling & Educational Foundation seek to show how God’s Word addresses our emotional, mental, relational beings. While we can acquire good insights from studies in psychology, it is ever so important to filter all psychological theory through the Word of God. His Word should be the ultimate guide in the counseling session, not humanistic theory.

If you do not have formal Bible training, perhaps some courses from a Bible college would be a way to speed up the process. But, again, integration or application of that Truth into the counseling process is critical.

]]> By: Linda Koleno http://mintools.com/blog/christian-counseling.htm/comment-page-1#comment-1930 Linda Koleno Mon, 07 Feb 2011 01:13:55 +0000 http://mintools.com/blog/?p=927#comment-1930 I have worked as a licensed social worker for sixteen years. I feel called by God to leave my job and begin a Christian counseling practice. I am just starting to research what I need to do and what questions I need to be asking. I appreciate the comments. I would say the past year has been the beginning of a more intense search for Biblical truths for my own life. I am wondering what training I need in Biblical literacy and application in order to minister to clients. I have worked as a licensed social worker for sixteen years. I feel called by God to leave my job and begin a Christian counseling practice. I am just starting to research what I need to do and what questions I need to be asking. I appreciate the comments. I would say the past year has been the beginning of a more intense search for Biblical truths for my own life. I am wondering what training I need in Biblical literacy and application in order to minister to clients.

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