Introduction⤒🔗

Before secular counselling became popular, it was mainly within the exclusive domain of the church to help people with their emotional, spiritual, and psychological needs. In today's secular world the counsellor or psychologist have increasingly taken over that task. Whenever there is some crisis in the life of an individual, or a group of individuals, the help of the counselling psychology profession is sought out. For example, people will go to a counsellor to help them deal with a divorce, serious illness, depression, or numerous other things. Or when there are tragic deaths or other calamities in a school or business community, grief counsellors are called in. People will call upon professional counsellors to help them deal with all kinds of problems and crises.

Because of this increasing popularity of counselling, it has become the trend that Christians will also use secular counsellors to help them cope with their problems. Is this a good trend? Should not the church, and in particular the minister, deal with people’s problems? In this article we will deal with the task of the church in that regard.

Counsel from the Pulpit←⤒🔗

Counselling is the primary task of the church, and therefore of the minister. A preacher is a representative of the Lord Jesus Christ, who Himself is given the distinctive name of Counsellor (Isaiah 9:6). A minister is also an instrument of the ultimate Counsellor, the Holy Spirit. Indeed, Counsellor (in Greek, Paraklete) is one of the most important names of the Holy Spirit. From the Scriptures we learn that the sphere of activity of the Holy Spirit as Paraklete, and consequently also of the minister, is quite extensive.

In service of the Holy Spirit, the minister does his most important counselling from the pulpit. Through his preaching, he gives biblical counsel as to how to live in harmony with God and his neighbour. He comforts those who are mourning, sick, in distress, or in danger. He also comforts with the forgiveness of sins and with the wonderful promises of the covenant. He also admonishes and exhorts.

If a minister wants to be an effective counsellor from the pulpit he must be in tune with the needs of the people in the pew and aware of the various problems they are struggling with. He can only be aware of these things if he is intimately involved in the life of the congregation.

The minister must also be keenly aware of the work of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, the minister must prepare the sermons well, with a listening ear to God’s voice. Through the preaching, God’s Word must come alive and address the needs of the people. Such preaching is a great help to all who want to live holy and peaceful lives in the midst of a broken world. The people must be able to start off each week newly equipped to deal with the problems life brings.

Counsel in the Homes←⤒🔗

Frequently the problems encountered by people in the congregation require personal contact, since general counsel from the pulpit is not always able to address the individual needs of some people. In such cases, individuals may require help with such issues as the death of a loved one, serious illness, marital discord, problems with children and other family problems, addictions to alcohol or other substances, financial problems, and other problems that cause emotional and spiritual distress.

Therefore, through the preaching, the minister must also stimulate the people to practice the communion of saints. Church members should not have to cope with their own difficulties alone. They should not have to go and hire a counsellor to help them cope with their broken lives. They should receive help from their brothers and sisters in the Lord. As Christians we have so much more to offer than the world. We can offer real hope and comfort. It is very important that those needing help do not fall through the cracks. We all have a responsibly to help our brothers and sisters in the Lord in every way that we can.

The elders and the deacons, along with the minister, especially have a task in that regard. Office bearers must have regular contact with those in their charge, even if it is only to ask after a church service how things are going. At the same time, those needing help should not sit back and wait for the minister or the elder or deacon to come knocking on the door. An office bearer is not a mind reader. He should be made aware of the needs.

Counselling Skills←⤒🔗

Helping people with emotional or psychological distress requires much skill and insight. Professions such as psychology and counselling have raised the expectations of people to receive the desired help. Consequently, office bearers sometimes feel intimidated, and do not feel qualified to do individual counselling. The Scriptures, however, teach us that God’s people “are full of goodness, complete in knowledge and competent to instruct one another” (Romans 5:14).

An office bearer has skills of which he may not even be aware. Simply visiting someone in pain and listening to him or her can be extremely helpful. Often all that those who are in distress need is a listening and sympathetic ear. Pain needs to be expressed, and acknowledged, by others. Most people also have enough skills themselves to rectify whatever bothers them. All they need is a little nudge here and there and some encouragement.

The most important skill a member of the church or an office bearer brings to the counselling situation is listening. If you come with a preconceived idea of what the problem is, then you may come too easily with a slick answer to the problem. This will do little to alleviate the problem and will likely make matters worse. The Holy Spirit says, “He who answers before listening – that is his folly and his shame” (Proverbs 18: 13). And, “Everyone should be quick to listen” (James 1:19).

A good listener is genuinely interested in what another person has to say. He is not eager to show off his own wisdom. On the contrary, he wants to make sure that he truly understands what lives in another’s heart. And so he will repeat in his own words what the person is trying to bring across to make sure that he gets it right.

Much more can be said about the role that office bearers and others need to play in helping their fellow believers through difficult times. Suffice it to say, the office bearers in the church have an integral role to play in helping members of the congregation manage distress and pain in their lives. At the same time, it is important to note that there are many situations that are also better attended to by professionals. Some emotional and psychological problems are caused by factors that are hard to identify and correct. They may be due to medical conditions or biological and environmental factors. In those situations specialized skills are needed. In such a case it is desirable to call upon the help of a well-trained counsellor, such as a social worker, a counsellor, a psychologist, or a psychiatrist.

That does not mean that the office bearer becomes redundant. It also does not mean that the office bearer can walk away from the problem. This may be tempting to do. After all, this would free him from having to deal with the problem further. He could then leave it up the “experts” to figure things out. No, the office bearer needs to continue to be intimately involved in the counselling process, to make sure that all things are done in accordance with the will of the great Paraklete, the Holy Spirit.

To summarize, emotional and psychological distress is often encountered by individuals in the church – anxiety, depression, grief, anger, relationship problems are not uncommon among us. The Lord gives us many tools to help alleviate these concerns. The preaching of the Word, the work of the office bearers, and the support provided by the congregation are all gifts from his hand to help alleviate emotional and psychological pain. Next, we will examine what role professional counsellors, psychologists, and psychiatrists might have in this complex issue. It will be shown that these professions have much to offer but that such a role is subordinate to the role of the church. For it is in the church that you will find true healing for both body and soul.

There are members of the church who need professional help. What kind of help do they need from them, and how can the church help?

Mental Illness←⤒🔗

At times people encounter problems that are so great that extensive intervention is needed. That is the case, for example, with those who suffer from mental illnesses and mental handicaps such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, major depressive disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, panic and other severe anxiety disorders, autism and pervasive developmental disorders, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, borderline personality disorder, and other severe and persistent mental illnesses that affect the brain. These disorders can profoundly disrupt a person’s thinking, feeling, moods, ability to relate to others, and capacity for coping with the demands of life. ¹

It is true that the relationship between biological and environmental causes is complex and that it is therefore not always easy to determine whether mental problems are due to genetic or other causes. The mind affects the body, and visa versa. Scripture also shows the connection between body and mind. We read, for example, in Proverbs 14:30, “A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones.”

Generally speaking, however, such disorders mentioned above are not the result of wrong thinking or immoral living, or due to lack of character or poor upbringing or lack of faith. Most often the seeds of the disorder are present already at birth. Since they are biologically based brain disorders, they cannot be overcome merely through “willpower.” They need professional intervention that can provide them with drug treatment and counselling.

Professional Counsellors←⤒🔗

Depending on the need, we can make use of various types of professionals: psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, and others. They are thoroughly trained in their profession and can be of great help to the mentally ill and mentally handicapped. It is a great relief for those so afflicted and for their families that such professional help is available.

A Christian ought not to be afraid to make use of these professionals. We also extensively use the medical profession to help us with our physical problems. Although we might prefer a Christian medical practitioner, that is not always possible. Our first concern is whether the person is properly trained and licensed.

The same thing is true of the mental health profession. The Lord has given mankind the ability to discover and to learn things. Such ability is not restricted to Christians. That is why we also use all kinds of people to provide us with various kinds of services. For example, we will bring our cars to be fixed by a qualified mechanic, even if he is an atheist.

It is wonderful that the Lord has made it possible to find help for the afflicted. Let us make use of it. But ultimately it is all his doing, and so we must give the honour and glory to God alone.

Mental disorders fall along a continuum of severity, and the most serious conditions afflict approximately five percent of the population. You will also find the same percentage of people so afflicted in the church.

God’s Children←⤒🔗

However, just because those who have been diagnosed with these severe mental illnesses and mental handicaps will receive such professional help, the church also has a pivotal role to play. Just as we do with those who suffer from physical ailments during their treatment, the mentally ill should also receive our support and understanding. In no way should they be looked down upon or marginalized.

On the contrary, these members are covenant children. They are precious members of the church of God, and make a unique contribution to the church. Because they deviate from the “norm” they stand out. They are a stark reminder that we live in a broken world. Yet, God loves them and wants to show his mercy and compassion through them.

The Lord Jesus Himself taught us by example to show compassion to the weak. While He walked on the earth, He went out of his way to be kind to the physically and mentally impaired. He did not resent them. Instead, He showed them that they are very important members of his flock. At one point the disciples asked the Lord Jesus about a man born blind. They wanted to know whether his blindness was due to his own sins or due to the sins his parents. Then Jesus replied,

Neither this man nor his parents sinned ... but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life.John 9:3

And then He proceeded to heal the blind man. God wants to display his mighty work in all his children, for ultimately we are all mentally and physically deficient. It is especially through his “special” children that we are reminded of his great power. For He alone can heal us. We may have a foretaste of that already in this life. And the church ought to proclaim and display that wonderful reality.

And so, as members of God’s church, we should consider it a blessing that we may minister to these “special” members. We need these members to remind us of God’s mercy and compassion. He gave us his dear Son to redeem us from sin and all the effects of sin.

Church Involvement←⤒🔗

With this in mind, the mentally ill and the mentally handicapped ought to feel very much part of God’s church. They must experience kindness and inclusion, and be made to feel welcome as beloved members of God’s church. This is the task of every member of the church, but especially the office bearer. He or she must feel that they are just as important as others.

The mentally ill and their families are frequently under a lot of strain and are in need of understanding and relief. Their lives are often stressful and at times overwhelmed with their problems. And so the office bearers should take careful note of these precious brothers and sisters and their families, and give them special attention. An office bearer should regularly check to see whether or not there is anything the church can do to help. Perhaps the church can lend a hand by assisting with medical needs, or by looking after the mentally ill person, giving relief to the family.

Such a member of the church should also be remembered in public and private prayers. Perhaps there are financial implications as well. The mentally ill and their families are often reluctant to involve others, for fear of being a burden. Within the church they should have no such fear.

Although within our churches the mentally ill and the mentally handicapped are mostly well-received and well-treated, they do not always have all the proper support they need. Since many people are not familiar with these afflictions, they will either ignore these brothers and sisters or give unhelpful advice.

There are those, for example, who think it is wrong to go to professional counsellors, psychologists, and psychiatrists, or to receive medication. They believe that only the church should deal with mental problems and that mental illness can be overcome with a stronger faith. And so they make others feel guilty for seeking outside intervention. This is devastating for those who are already feeling low because of their condition. That is not how we would treat anyone with a physical illness either.

Each person is unique, and has his or her specific needs. This is especially true of the mentally ill and the mentally handicapped. If we want to be able to help them, we must listen to them and their caregivers to find out what their needs are. By making wrong assumptions a lot of damage can be done.

Conclusion←⤒🔗

In summary, the church of God has a unique position in the midst of this sinful world. The Lord God has made us a church community, and given us the command to display his compassion and mercy to those with special needs. Although professional counsellors also have an important role to play in the lives of the mentally ill and the mentally handicapped, the church has a unique task as well.

Both the counselling profession and the church must carefully consider their respective roles. Generally the church and the medical profession respect each other’s roles when dealing with physical healing. In the same way the counselling profession and the church respect each other.