“The Pastor as Counselor” by David Powlison. A Review

 

This is an area that is tricky for me. I find pastoral counseling hard, especially after seasons of disappointment and discouraging results. But then I stumbled on “The Pastor as Counselor: The Call for Soul Care” by David Powlison and was encouraged, at the least, to reassess what I do and why. It’s a teeny little booklet some 76 pages all told, in softback. Written in the typical Powlison style of thoughtfulness, understanding, and challenge, it’s ideal for every minister, whether newbie or well seasoned.


The premise of the book is very simple. Pastors fulfilling their commission of prayer and the ministry of the Word (Acts 6:4) are to spend time counseling, administering the Word in more one-to-one situations. In fact, ministers do this informally all the time. But we need to do this with clearer intention. “The whole nature of ministry is to “impose” light into darkness, to induce sanity, to form Christ’s life-nourishing values within us” (22). And the author gently encourages - fills with renewed courage - the disillusioned and disappointed all the way through the book. “God uses your ministry to cure (care for-MWP) souls. Human beings are idiosyncratic in every detail, yet there is no temptation that is not common to all; you can comfort others in any affliction with the comfort that you receive in your particular affliction” (34).


This little manual will bring you to rethink why you should counsel and what you are about in pastoral ministry. “In the presence of a psychiatrist I can only be a sick man; in the presence of a Christian brother I can dare to be a sinner” (35). Realigning our ministry helps our churches to “become a community in which substantial conversations predominate” (16). Written primarily for pastors, I think it would also be useful for congregational elders of all stripes. I highly recommend the book. 

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