Being a counselor in the 21st century can hardly be compared to the many years before.

Due to the vast improvements in technology, the many challenges that the world is facing and the failure to prepare ones self, communities have being diagnose with ineffective counselling and have being suffering from a lock of effective counsellors. It is common belief that all pastors are good counsellors, but it is high time for us to realize that this statement is a merely myth and is not necessarily true. I may suppose that all pastors are good preachers, but I believe that, if pastors dont apply themself in the right way, their counselling will merely be counselling and not effective counseling, therefore I prescribe some ideas, that pastors within and outside the Seventh-day Adventist Church can do to enhance their ministry. It is my conviction that pastoral counseling theory and practice are at crossroads and must turn the corner if they are to respond to the opportunity for a renewal ministry of enlarged dimension. If the corner can be turned, a new chapter will begin in the churchs ministry to the heavy-laden. This new chapter can be without equal in the history of our faith. Never before have we had such rich resources as are provided by the contemporary renaissance in pastoral care and counselling, the renewal movement in the churches, sparkling new insights from the behavioral sciences, and the new techniques from the psychotherapeutic disciplines. As these converge in the pastoral counselling ministry, a broad stream of healing will be released through the churches.1 Who is a counsellor? The question that is asks, what are some of the things that seventh-day Adventist Pastors can do to be an effective counsellor in the 21st century; is a clear indication that Adventist pastors in
1

William, Miller and Kathleen, Jackson. Practical Psychology for Pastors, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, Prentice Hall. Pg. 1

the 21st century have not been effective in counselling, hence the church and the communities around the church is presently in need of good counselling. Counselling is a special kind of helping relationship. It follows from an agreement between two people to enter into a relationship whereby one (the counsellor) applies special skills to assist the other in the resolution of a personal and interpersonal problem.2 The Pocket Oxford English Dictionary states that the word counsellor means a person trained to give advice on personal, however, Dr. Eric Henry a lecture in the religion department at the Northern Caribbean University and Ms. Venese Madden lecture in the behavioral Science department at the same University clearly states that counsellors are not to give advice, but to guide. The term counselling is, of course, used in quite diverse ways, with advice about taxes, travel, nutrition, and a broad range of other matters all being called counseling. This is counseling information exchange or advice giving. In contrast to this is the way in which the word is used by mental-health professionals. In this context the word refers to a helping relationship where, through a series of structured contacts, the counselor seeks to alleviate distress and promote growth in the one seeking help. Such counseling aims to help the person think, feel, and behave differently, and it does this through dialogue with relationship.3 The sole responsibility of a counsellor is not to give advice, but to guide their clients to hold some development; therefore counsellors should at no point tell what to do, but to give options. Counselling is a responsive relationship arising from expressed need to work through difficulties by means of emotional understanding and growing responsibility.4

William, Miller and Kathleen, Jackson. Practical Psychology for Pastors, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, Prentice Hall. Pg. 3 3 David, Benner. Strategic Pastoral Counseling: Grand Rapids, Michigan, Baker Book House, 1992, pg 18 4 Paul, Johnson. Psychology of Pastoral Care, Nashville, New York, Abingdon Press, pg. 73

Active Prayer Life I believe without a shadow of doubt that in order for anyone to be an effective counsellor, he or she must seek counsel from the true counsellor, which is Jesus Christ and one of the ways to do so, is to have not just a prayer life, but an active prayer life. For unto us a child is born, unto us a child is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called wonderful, counsellor, the mighty God, the everlasting father, the prince of peace.5 We are living in a time, when persons are turning to suicide for the answer; when the level of crime and violence has reach to a devastating level and parents are turning their backs on their own children, therefore to be an effective counsellor in this time will certainly take an active prayer life. I have learnt that he that more prayer is more power and in this 21st century to which we are living, counsellors certainly need more power to tackle the numerous challenges they are facing on a day to day bases. There are people who put prayer first and group the other items in lifes schedule around and after prayer. These are the people today who are doing the most for \God in winning souls, in solving problems, in awakening churches, in supplying both men and money for mission posts, in keeping their lives fresh and strong in sacrificial service on the foreign field, where the thickest fighting is going on, and in keeping the old earth sweet a little while longer.6 Persons who have been and will be successful in life are persons of prayer, thus prayer should be on the top of the solution list of counsellors in the 21st century. Through nature and revelation, through His providence, and by the influence of His Spirit, God speaks to us. But these are not enough; we need also to pour out our heart to Him. In order to have energy, we must have actual

5 6

Bible, Isaiah 9:6 Matilda, Andross. Alone With God, Oshawa, Ontario, Pacific Press, pg. 55

intercourse with our heavenly father.7 Prayer will not only bring power to those who are in need, but it will also bring the solution to our problems. Sandra Brook wrote in one of her songs I found the answers, down on my knees, the solution to my problems, Jesus gave them to me. Satan thought he had me down, but Jesus set me free and He gave me the answers, while I was down on my knees. Love for the People Another thing pastors can do to enhance their ministry in counselling is to have a love for the people they serve, which is everyone, because pastors are not only called to serve the church, but the world at large. Having a love for the people will certainly help pastors in the 21st century to be effective counsellors, thus person within and around the church will be confident in speaking to them. Not every sheep wants to be that close to the shepherd, but as pastors we should enjoy close relationship with those we serve. That closeness is the result of journeying through many years and experiences together. By our actions we pastors should demonstrate love for the sheep individually and for the flock corporately. But deeds alone are not enough. We also need to tell the sheep that we love them.8 Preaching a powerful sermon is acceptable and good, but the 21st century needs more than a power pack sermon, the world is crying out for love. Children have been put to live on the streets by parents, brothers have been killing by brothers and fathers are still leaving mothers to raise their child alone, hence fore love is on the demand of many. In the book of John the fourth chapter the story of the woman at the well is illustrated. The Bible says that Jesus went to a town called Sychar where He met a woman at the well who was married five times and was with a man that was not considered to be her own. In addition to

7 8

Ellen, White. Steps to Christ, Inter-American Division Publishing Association, Bogota, Colombia, pg. 141 David, Wiersbe, The Dynamics of Pastoral Care. Grand Rapids, Michigan, Baker Books, pg 32

the fact that she was married five times and with a man that was not hers, she was a Samaritan and Jesus was a Jew. It was against the Jewish culture for them to interconnect with Samaritans, but Jesus looked beyond culture blockage to reach her soul, he used love to break down that blockage. It was James Rowe a man of the early 19th century who wrote the song I was sinking deep in sin, far from the peaceful shore. Very deeply stained within, sinking to rise no more. But the Master of the sea, heard my despairing cry, from the waters lifted me, now safe am I. Love lifted me! Love lifted me! When nothing else could help, Love lifted me! Relationship As i have mentioned before, pastors are not just pastors to the church they serve, but the communities around the church. With this being said, a pastor must develop a relationship with the community members, so that they will be comfortable in speaking to pastor in counselling. Pastoral counsellors are in particularly favorable position to reach and counsel older adults. Above all, their often long-term relationship with individuals and their families provides unique opportunities of prevention and intervention. Moreover, they are perceived by older people as a preferred source of help. Actually, according to the Greenberg Quinlan survey, 75% of seniors consider it important to get help from a counsellor who respects their spiritual beliefs and values. In fact, the survey reports high levels of support (24%) for seeking the assistance of pastoral counsellors (AAPC, survey findings). Pastoral counselors active involvement with older adults in the community further enhances their strategic position in the care of aging individuals.9

Shim, Eun-Jung. Journal. Pastoral Psychology, Pastoral counselling of older adults: Towards short-term integrative Approach, January 2008, Volume 56 Number 3, pg 356.

Some church are not been effectively counseled, due to the fact that some pastors have place themselves on a pinnacle; thus the church is below, while they are high above. Hence forth, building and maintaining a relationship with the persons he or she counsels, is a clear indication of meeting the people where they are. The world is looking for counsellors who they can relate to, ones who will not only sympathize, but empathize. Secular people can be reached better by credible Christians in their kinship and friendship networks than by Christian strangers. The social networks between believers and non-Christian provide the Christian movement with McGauran called the bridges of God.10 In almost every helping profession, persons are now realizing that one of the most effective way to help someone in need of help, is to be a befriend them. Peoples problems do not occur in a vacuum. People live within a rich network of relationships to others, and so do their problems. For this reason, some therapists have argued that treatment should always involve he family or even the larger social network and that it is impossible to understand or help an individual without including these significant others in the therapeutic process.11 Relationship between counsellors and clients will certainly build a level of trust and the job will not only be done in an effective way, but persons will respect the counsellor for his or her down to earth personality. Looking back over the course of life from birth, we can detect a continuous ebb and flow between intimate intermingling with other people on the one hand, and self-contained, even solitary, thought and action on the other handIt seems that growth can only come through an interplay between sociability and solitude.12 Building a relationship with clients will set the foundation to sharing personal experiences or examples of pass situation. Many persons are
10 11

George, Hunter 111, How to Reach Secular People, Nashville, Abingdon press, 1993, pg 65 William, Miller and Kathleen, Jackson. Practical Psychology for Pastors, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, Prentice Hall. Pg. 367 12 T&T Clark. Conversations On Counselling, Derby, Great Britain, Edinburgh Publishing,1990, 41

lovers of story; we love to hear good stories, especially if they are good, hence it is my belief that sharing personal experiences with clients will be a powerful technique to effectively counsel. Listening
Simply talking to another person often relieves problems. True friendship is built when one person listens to another and show genuine concern. People tend to gravitate toward those individuals who are warm, understanding, accepting, and personal-and who will listen to them. Unless counselees develop a caring relationship will a counsellor, they are seldom motivated to change. Listening is one of the best ways to express concern or caring. Good listening technique must be learned. 13 It is quite important to notice that we were made with one mouth and two ears; therefore we should talk less and listen more. Amidst the fact that counsellors are called to give advice, one should never forget that they are also called to listen. Listening will not only help you to understand the situation, but it will also allow the clients to speak out what they have been holding inside. A lot of persons who go for counselling already know everything what the counsellor will say to them, what they are in need of, is someone to listen to them. It is a sacrifice to listen. Listening means being willing to give up something. To know other people better, to understand their meaning and their perception of the world, you are voluntarily refraining from inserting your own material into the process. All of your attention-100 percent-is devoted to understanding what the other person is saying. Good listening means refraining from roadblocks, from putting in your own materials, at least for the time being.14 True listening requires complete attention in the utmost mental activity to catch every implication and shade of meaning, to feel emphatically what it means to the speaker, to note every gesture and

13

Paul Meier, Frank Minirth, Frank Wichern & Donald Ratcliff. Introduction To Psychology And Counseling, Grand Rapids, Michigan, Baker Book House, 1982. 313 14 William, Miller and Kathleen, Jackson. Practical Psychology for Pastors, Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, Prentice Hall, 1985, 53

postural expression, to follow every clue, to form and test hypotheses constantly, to relate fragments and hints into larger patterns understanding.15 Visitation

Study of in course in counselling

Visits Study to become (Doing a course in counseling) Mastering the art of learning to listen more than how you talk

15

Simon Doniger. The Best of Pastoral Psychology,Great Neck, New York, Pastoral Psychology Press, 1952. 104