So What”What problem, perspective, paradigm, or perplexing peo.docx

“So What?”
What problem, perspective, paradigm, or perplexing people
puzzle keeps you awake at night? In what way has the Holy
Spirit used course materials to address a piece of junk?
While choosing Bruce as my care seeker, I didn’t realize I
would identify myself. Much like Bruce when tragedy strikes,
there is strong possibility that I would block everything and
everyone out, only to focus on what I may feel is important. I
have created distance with my family members at times I should
have been drawing closer and loving them more. Something I
took into consideration is Kollar’s (2015) “Do Something
Different.” If what you are doing is not working, stop doing it
and do something different. Sometimes we all get into unhealthy
habits (Kollar, 2015). Now I wouldn’t say that this issue has
kept me up at night, but I have put so much of this perspective
into work, that it has brought me out of a loner’s space. Another
great aspect that proves the holy spirit is working and through
course material, is the acknowledgement of God always being
active. There are capabilities within the counselee that God has
already revealed in his past that will help him effectively
manage a specific problem in a way that is pleasing to God
(Kollar, 2015). This is the reminder that God is always with me
no matter what stage I am in my life. Psalms 139:23-24 says,
“Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my
thoughts!” 24 “And see if there be any grievous ways in me and
lead me in the way everlasting!” (ESV)
“Whats Best Next?”
Self-Care: Self-Care can be hard for any person but most
difficult for those who take care of others. Some may even think
that having others take care of them is just enough. Self-care
consist of taking care of yourself mentally, physically,
emotionally, and spiritually. Resting is an act of faith. We rest
because God says we should/can. Trust that He will continue to

work and take care of things even as we are resting (Our Hearts
Journal, 2012). One of my greatest worries is when I stop
everything stops. Once I realized that God will always handle
the beginning and the ending, rest will become inevitable. I love
this revelation from Peterson (2015), “In the presence of thera-
noxious folks, we feel less healthy and secure.” Although others
may never acknowledge this factor about therapeutic people, the
fact that we acknowledge that feeling, leaves us with the
responsibility to take care of ourselves.
Self and Securing Relationships: Relationships and community
is one of the healthiest aspects to a healthy life. A counselee
should always feel safe and secure when encountering a
counseling session or group counseling session. Working in the
church community mostly, safety and security are most
important. Most individuals see ministry leaders as one of the
main resources for help when searching. A minister should
make referrals for two reasons: (1) to provide the church
member or counselee with competent care and (2) to safeguard
the ministerial relationship with the layperson (Turner, 2018).
When safe environments are created, and boundaries are
established, healthy relationships are certain.
Further Training: Further education is always encouraged.
Learning the different resources to further training within
certification is one avenue that I intend on embark upon.
Further training keeps your skills sharp and your self-awareness
up to par. Refresher courses are always necessary as you grow
throughout your career.
LIBERTY UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF DIVINITY

Meaning Making Forum #5
Submitted to Dr. Sung Hoon Kim
in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the completion of
PACO 500 – D09
Introduction to Pastoral Counseling
by
Samuel Adams
December 10, 2019
Meaning Making Forum #5
So What?
The course has made me step back and take a look at my
interactions with others. This time working with the fictious
Josh as well as completing the DISC assessment provided
insight into my difficulties with reaching or connecting with
some people and why I connect so easily with others. I am
attempting to embrace Romans 15:7, “Therefore, accept one
another, just as Christ also accepted us to the glory of
God.”[footnoteRef:1] Who we are in Christ is as Pettit
describes, it is a combination of image and identity and is how a
person exhibits themselves to others.[footnoteRef:2] Nichols
mentions, “…the Master knows what he’s doing. Sooner or
later, the image takes shape.”[footnoteRef:3] These statements
have made an impact on who I want to be in the church and how

I want to represent myself. I am a servant at heart, the verse
from Matthew 20:28 is where I lay my foundation. I look
forward to the day I walk into heaven and hear Matthew 25:23.
Being called by the Lord to preach was something I fought for
many years. I never felt like I was ‘good’ enough to do the work
the Lord was asking, I look at my past and wonder how He
could even consider putting me in the pulpit. Then I realize how
much I am different from the person I look back on, I see the
changes that through the Lord I have been able to complete. I
know my background, values, and beliefs can be used for
understanding of the lost and people in need of Christ the most.
[1: Unless otherwise noted, all biblical passages referenced are
in the New American Standard Bible (La Habra, California:
Foundation Publications, Inc., 1995).
] [2: Paul Petit, Foundations of Spiritual Formation, (Grand
Rapids, MI: Kregel Publications, 2018).
] [3: Ken Nichols, Masterpiece: Seeing yourself as God’s work
of art changes everything!, (Lynchburg, VA: Liberty University
Press, 2017), p. 61.]
What’s Best Next?
I am hopeful to utilize the concepts and tools that were provided
in this course to communicate with others both in aspects of
sharing the glory of the Lord and with providing counseling
when needed. I have encountered many people that are carrying
the guilt of their baggage and do not feel they are deserving of
God’s love and forgiveness, many times because they could not
forgive themselves. I have been one of those people and
understand the struggles of the mind that must be overcome.
When trying to share the glory, peace, and mercy that comes
with life with the Lord, it is met with anger, excuses, and fear.
But as the Bible and Wheeler & Earley state, “Those who sow
in tears shall reap in joy. He who continually goes forth
weeping, bearing seed for sowing, shall doubtless come again
with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him” (Psalm 126:5–
6).[footnoteRef:4] One of my phrases I use a lot is, “If God will

bring you to it, He will bring you through it.” Planting the seed,
watering it and then harvesting the abundance of fruit after God
has assisted with it flourishing, is the basics of the harvest
principle.[footnoteRef:5] To develop a good values or
philosophy whereby to build the foundation of the life with
Christ begins with an understanding of terms. That in
collaboration with my connections with other professionals both
in medicine and mental health, I feel I have a great foundation
to begin and move forward in the realm of counseling. [4:
David Wheeler & Dave Earley, Everyday Evangelism,
(Nashville, TN: B&H Publishing Group, 2016), p. 84. ] [5:
Ibid.
]
Self-Care
Self-care is not selfish. Entering this new realm as a pastor and
counselor can be rewarding and draining at the same time. With
all the efforts to pour into another person it is important to take
time and refill or restore yourself in order to be able to continue
to pour into others. I am thankful to know and have
confirmation from the assessments in this course that I can
listen to and assist others through their challenges, but I do not
take on their troubles and develop just enough connection with
them to help. My one struggle with self-care is the time
management aspect, I forego self-care due to my
responsibilities. Between work, school, church, and life
obligations there is little time left for decompression, especially
as of late. I am actively scheduling time in my schedule for
down time activities in order to avoid overload and burn out.
Safe and Secure Relationship
Unfortunately, in todays world one cannot be too careful when
working with others, especially if working with someone alone
or in a private setting. When volunteering for children’s camps
during the summer, I have to complete a course regarding
appropriate and inappropriate relationships with children. The
most important take away is to be cautious of the interactions

and the responses of the other person toward you. Ensuring that
the environment in which you interact protects both yourself
and the other person is of great importance.
Future Training
As with any profession one must always be continuing to learn
and attend educational or advancement opportunities. My wife
is in the medical profession and I in education, we are required
as part of our certifications to have so many hours of continuing
education documented and completed when we recertify. As a
pastor or a counselor this is important as well, even if it is just
spending time in prayer and in counsel with the Lord.
References
Nichols, Ken. Masterpiece: Seeing yourself as God’s work of
art change Everything! Lynchburg, VA: Liberty University
Press, 2017.
Petit, Paul. Foundations of Spiritual Formation. Grand Rapids,
MI: Kregel Publications, 2016.
Wheeler, David & Earley, Dave. Everyday Evangelism.
Nashville, TN: B&H Publishing Group, 2016.
2
PACO 500
Solution
-based Short-term Pastoral Counseling (SbStPC) Handout
[All Website Links were last reviewed 10/31/2019]

Note: In order to satisfactorily complete Meaning-Making
Forums 1-4, remain closely connected to this handout, required
readings, lectures, and previous learning activities. For future
reference, journal on this handout as you engage subject matter.
Aim to become very familiar with all content and websites as
soon as possible. You are expected to draw upon this framework
and integrate pertinent insights from ALL required course
materials into each thread (see Course Schedule and Meaning-
Making Forum Guidelines & Rubric).
All of PACO 500’s readings and learning activities attempt to
provide language and skills for becoming an effective and
efficient people-helper. As a required resource, this handout
provides a rationale for using SbStPC along with an overview of
its counseling process and skills for developing related
competencies.
1. In what ways does a solution-based, short-term strategy
become a value-added to a student-minister’s counseling
experience?
· SbStPC uses a collaborative methodology to align with God’s
intentions (Kollar, 2011, p. 57). In the process of
understanding the problem/issue affecting the care-seeker’s life,
the student-counselor will come to realize that s/he is not the
game-changer. Instead, the collaborative relationship (i.e., the
counselor, counselee, Word of God, and Wonderful Counselor)

utilized empowers “relocation” (i.e., a purposeful process of
moving from where one is to where one needs to be under the
dominion and direction of a well-defined guiding purpose
statement; Rice, 2005).
· In no fashion is a problem or issue ignored or minimized; in
fact, the opposite is true. Problem description requires
teamwork. Kollar (2011) identifies the action of problem
description, goal formulation, and vision clarification as a co-
creative methodology between the Holy Spirit, counselor, and
counselee (p. 57).
· In the first phase of the counseling process, the student-
counselor is prompted to actively listen to the Holy Spirit and
counselee. This timely partnership enhances the counselor’s
ability to understand the problem being described. That is, to
“get” what it is, when it is most often and least often present,
and how it threatens who or what is important to the care-
seeker.
· When a problem is satisfactorily understood, a goal/solution
may be collaboratively developed along with a describable,
measurable, and repeatable plan of action to move out and away
from the problem.
· The SbStPC process does not assume the care-seeker can move
toward the goal alone. Upon finding the keys to solution, effort
is made to identify and secure partners to support care-seeker’s
forward progress.

· Unlike problem-focused approaches which require more time,
SbStPC manages the counseling process effectively and
efficiently with its brief (e.g., 3–5 sessions), time-limited (e.g.,
50–90-minute time frame per session), focused (e.g.,
identifiable phases within the counseling process; see “Hawkins
Analysis Grid” and “Core Competency Two: Developing Your
Style to Connect with People” – Ch.3 in Dr. Younce’s
dissertation below) boundaries.
· SbStPC challenges the student-minister to rethink existing
paradigms and to value each care-seeker as a fellow image-
bearer. This reflection often cultivates the essential
interpersonal skills (i.e., empathetic, considerate, authentic) to
flex with a care-seeker’s fallen-ness without compromising
truth and grace.
· As with any effective people-helping strategy, a significant
emphasis is placed on interpersonal skill development. SbStPC
learning activities provide students with language to discuss
what makes them tick and become ticked off. Gaining language
to describe human behavior, along with corresponding people-
helping skills, facilitates rapport building and cultivates a
context for change.
· SbStPC challenges each student-minister to operate under the
authority of the Word of God, in the power of the Holy Spirit,
within a community of accountability for the purpose of
intentionally pursing the imitation of Christ and moving others

toward faith in and imitation of Christ.
· Take this discussion further and review a fellow Liberty
University student’s doctoral dissertation which captured much
of SbStPC’s competency based approach:
The Significance of Developing Core Counseling Competencies
in Pastoral Care Ministry
2. Are we to assume that similar theoretical monikers such as
solution-focused brief therapy and Kollar’s (2011) solution-
focused pastoral counseling are just different names for this
course’s

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