How often when someone comes to us for help do we direct them to the pastor or lead counselor? What happens when their schedule gets full or they get overwhelmed?
Joining me for this conversation about the advantages of sending your lay elders to receive training are Don and Rosie Pierson. Rosie was on an earlier episode and I am delighted to have her back as well as have her husband join in.
In this episode, you’ll hear Don and Rosie’s experience of the Biblical Counseling Training Conference, the benefits of training as many of your staff as possible, why it is important that lead pastors not carry this burden alone, and much more.
Listen in!
Resources:
- (BOOK) Church Elders
- Episode 26: Tools to Become the Biblical Counselor You Were Meant to Be (with Julie Wieland & Rosie Pierson)
- Living Hope Community Church
- Biblical Counselor Training at Faith Ministries
- Learn more about our 5-Project Biblical Counseling Blueprint Model™
- Explore the rest of our website – bcmnational.org
Key Takeaways
- Soul care is in our job descriptions. As pastors, lay pastors, elders, staff members, and Christians, are called to help the hurting; to care for the souls of the sheep. This isn’t optional. We can find ways to ensure that everyone was equipped to do this good work.
- God can use anyone at any level. There are many different levels of training you can receive and, while there is value to taking as many of them as possible, God can work through us at whatever level we are currently at. Don shared how they had not even made it home for more than an hour from his first Biblical Counseling Training and they were called to counsel a couple.
- Lead pastors shouldn’t carry this burden alone. We’ve said this a few other times on the podcast, but it’s worth repeating: We need to share the load of providing soul care. The lead pastor should not and cannot carry this burden alone. By training your lay pastors and other people in the church, you can utilize their unique giftings and create a culture of biblical soul care in your church.
Meet Rosie
Rosie Pierson is a supervising and lead counselor with Biblical Counseling Ministries. Rosie has counseled and led trainings at Biblical Counseling of Arizona, counseled at the Crisis Pregnancy Center in Mesa, Arizona, and at her local church. Rosie received her ACBC Certification in 2011. As well as serving with BCM, she is currently the Assistant Biblical Counselor at her church, Living Hope Community Church in Bartonville, IL.
Meet Don
Don Pierson is a Pastoral Administrator and Elder at their church, Living Hope Community Church in Bartonville, IL. Don and Rosie have been married since 1975 and together they have two sons and two grandchildren.
