Here are a few observations for what they are worth on matters which pastors should consider….
–1) Few pastors are qualified to be pastoral counselors.
Pastors who see their primary calling as counselors rather than as pastors should consider going full-time into a ministry of pastoral counseling. For reasons beyond me, the rules seem to change and vocational counselors seem to be more immune to this kind of temptation than pastors.
–2) Pastors should have readily available information on “approved” counselors in the area. They should share this information the first time people call asking about counseling.
–3) Large churches frequently have on staff an entire corps of counselors. Other ministers in the area will find them a welcome resource.
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As a young pastor in a small city without even one professional counselor, I found my schedule literally filled with people from other churches wanting an hour of my time. These days, that same city has a half-dozen professionally trained counselors who are available and eager to help people. No pastor in that city needs to spend his time in counseling.
–4) At the most, a typical pastor should confine himself to one session with the individual, long enough to determine the problem and decide to whom to refer him/her.
–5) The quickest way to end a pastor’s ministry is to have someone running from the office accusing him of something inappropriate. No matter how innocent he is, the charge will follow him forever and many will choose to believe the accuser.
Not every pastor accused of immorality is guilty. But the rumor is there and will follow him forever. A wise pastor will take steps to safeguard himself against this before it occurs.
–6) Ministers can be the most naïve people in the room. They tend to trust everyone, take people at face value, and “are just sure” this could not happen to them. But it can and it has.
Let the pastor beware.
Let him be “wise as serpents and harmless as doves.”
–7) A wise pastor will work with everyone on his staff to head this kind of business off long before it starts. Bring the team together, discuss it, invite in a professional counselor to discuss it. Or, ask your denominational office to send a qualified teacher to lead your ministers to set up safeguards.
And while you’re at it, give everyone there a baseball bat. (Seriously.) Put their names on theirs.
Tell them what to do with it and when.
Find an old football dummy and set it up outside the church office. Then, lead your team outside and take turns hitting “the dummy” upside the head with the baseball bat. Practice beating some sense into its head.
Repeat the lesson as often as necessary. Never assume your staff is immune to temptation. To do so is playing with fire.
