One question I ask pastors and church leaders is, "How is your church counseling your congregation?" It is important to preach and teach the bible and theological truths, and have orderly and spirit-filled worship, children's ministry, small groups to build community, evangelism, discipleship, and missions and outreach ministries, but I emphasize the importance of helping people live out their faith in their personal lives.
This is a vision/mission document that I've created to help think through a counseling ministry in the local church. It is exciting to share that many churches are establishing counseling ministries!
Vision
The Great Commandment: You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. The Great Commission: Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.
Mission
To equip the church to counsel its people.
Core Values God glorifying
Gospel-centered
Christ-centered
Scripture based
Reformed theology
Ecclesiology
Progressive Sanctification
Logistics
Establishing a structure/procedures to ensure confidentiality.
Documenting
Intake procedures: Taking and processing referrals
Training counselors
Finances/Fundraising: Hire counseling pastor. Hire biblical counselors. Host seminar/workshop speakers.
Job descriptions for pastoral counseling role and lay counselor role.
Navigating common grace and general revelation. Critiquing secular psychology.
Spiritual warfare: Establishing prayer warriors.
Addressing dual relationships.
Fitting counseling into the leadership and ministry structure and culture of the church.
Programming
Biblical counseling conferences: national CCEF and local churches.
Biblical counseling classes, workshops, seminars.
Biblical counseling skills training sessions for church leaders: Elders, deacons, small group leaders, Sunday School teachers, mission teams.
Processing, support group meetings.
Counseling: Individuals. Pre-marital. Marriage Counseling. Family counseling.
Incorporating biblical counseling skills into discipleship ministry. Biblical counseling is when you need to slow down the discipleship journey to heal hurts and pain that have occurred.
Pastoral counseling office hours.
Biblical counseling literature: books, articles, newsletters, social media posts.
Create and maintain a referral list for biblical counselors.
Network with other local churches with shared vision and mission.