‘Speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ’ - Eph 4:15
Counselling is something the whole church is called to do – we are to speak the truth in love to grow each member into maturity in Christ. In this sense, pastoral counselling is not a specialised ministry. It involves us all and happens naturally on Sundays, in Growth Groups and in countless informal conversations. After all, we are all weak, sinful and face many troubles, and we all need wise counsel from each other.
Growth Groups – This is the best place to get support for many of our struggles. Others in our group will generally know us well and be best placed to care for us
Pastoral Counselling Team – Sometimes our problems may be too big or sensitive for a Growth Group context. That is where a Pastoral Counsellor may be able to offer dedicated 1-1 counselling for a period. This is why the pastoral counselling team exists.
Outside Help – In some cases, professional help is needed from outside the church.