Counseling Tips For Pastors And Ministry Leaders - Practical Help From Christian Counselors
Do you want to care for the people in your ministry more effectively? This podcast will equip you to do exactly that.
The reality of Christian ministry is that it can be exhausting, overwhelming, and lonely. This is certainly true for pastors, but it is also true for all Christians in ministry! And every Christian has a ministry of some kind. From youth leaders to Bible study leaders to loving your next-door neighbor, we are all in ministry to the people around us.
And those people are hurting.
The emotional struggles, mental health needs, and relationship challenges of today’s world are big. Millions of people struggle with anxiety, depression, divorce, abuse, and stress. And when people are hurting, the Church is meant to help.
… But do you really feel equipped to do that?
The mission of this podcast is to EQUIP and ENCOURAGE you in your ministry leadership. Whether you are pastoring a mega church or the far more common smaller church, or maybe you’re working at a nonprofit and leading a book club on your lunch break - you want to be able to love and care for the people around you.
Every episode will EQUIP you with practical skills, ideas, tools, or resources to address the “counseling” related needs of the people in your ministry. Each episode will also seek to ENCOURAGE you in the important ministry work you are doing for the Lord’s glory.
Your host: This show is hosted by iHope Christian Care and Counseling, a nonprofit counseling center in Florence, S.C. The iHope Director - Jessica Hayes, LPC, LMFT, LPCS-Candidate - is our primary host. As an organization, The iHope Center desires to provide support to pastors and ministry leaders throughout our community, and we hope that our resources will be helpful for you. You can find these resources on our podcast, our You Tube channel, and our blog.
Learn more about The iHope Center by visiting www.ihopeflorence.com. If you are in South Carolina, we are a registered charitable organization, and welcome your donations to support this podcast and all of our counseling ministry!
*Disclaimer: This podcast itself is not therapy and should be taken as informational and educational content only. Listeners should always use their own judgment in making decisions for themselves and in their recommendations for others. If you are concerned about an emergency situation, contact your local emergency department. For suicide concerns, 9-8-8 or www.988lifeline.org is designed for emergency suicide support.
- Update frequency
- every 9 days
- Average duration
- 14 minutes
- Episodes
- 30
- Years Active
- 2024
Handling The Holidays For The Lord’s Glory (And Your Good)
Christians are extra busy this time of year! Christmas, New Years - a wonderful time for remembering the Lord and enjoying your family… but quite likely, also a time for extra tasks, worldly distract…
Avoiding Stress During The Holidays
You want to enjoy the holidays. But the holidays can bring up a lot of hard emotions.
And one of those emotions is STRESS. From planning extra events to dealing with family conflict during holiday …
Recognizing (And Stopping) Passive Aggressive Communication
No one likes passive aggressive communication. And it usually falls in the category of “I know it when I see it” … but we can’t always define it. We don’t always understand it.
Which makes it much…
4 Clinical And Biblical Tips For Fighting Sadness, Depression, And Hopelessness
We live in a world saturated by sadness. There are epidemics of loneliness and anxiety. Depression is a growing problem.
Yet, there is hope. Opening the pages of Scripture, we find action steps an…
9 Tips For Keeping A Positive Attitude When People Are Complaining
It’s not your job or calling in life to make people happy. And despite your best efforts, it would be impossible to do.
All of us in ministry can take heart from the Apostle Paul’s reminder in Gala…
What Is Empathy? … And How To Show It, Even When You Disagree With Someone
It might be a buzzword, a counseling cliche, or something that feels way too touchy-feely. But if you’re in Christian ministry, you need to understand empathy.
What is it? Why does it matter for C…
Caring For People Through The Stages Of Grief
Grief is hard. No one likes it. It’s never easy.
But it is unavoidable.
And one of the realities of grief is that it is a special place for Christians to step in and offer care. It is a time wh…
The Nuts & Bolts Of Forgiveness: How To Apologize, Forgive, And Help Others Do It Too
One of the most common calls that Christ gives to his followers is that they should forgive one another. It’s all over the pages of Scripture!
And it is hard.
When we sin or mess up, it is hard …
Some Favorite Books To Help Christian Couples (From A Marriage Therapist’s Bookshelf)
As a Christian counseling agency, one of the most common questions that we get from our local pastors is “How can I help this couple in my church who is struggling?”
Today, let’s offer some resourc…
Ministry is HARD. 7 Tips To Avoid Burnout And Stay The Course When It Feels Impossible.
Is there anything more frustrating than putting a lot of time and energy into helping someone… and they just don’t appreciate it? Or, they just aren’t getting better? You can’t see how the Lord is wo…
6 Daily Habits To Make You A Mentally and Emotionally Healthy Leader
Ministry is hard work. Leadership is hard work. Put them together?
Unless you are intentional about it, Christian leadership within a church or ministry will take a toll on you. It can quickly and …
Practical Action Steps For Helping Someone With Their Anxiety
“Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.” (Galatians 6:2, NIV)
It is not of question of IF your ministry will touch someone who is struggling with anxiety. I…
Common Symptoms Of Anxiety
“Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.” (1 Peter 5:7)
As you build relationships with people in your ministry, you will certainly interact with people who are struggling with anxie…
Do’s And Don'ts For Helping People With Trauma And Emotional Baggage
“In this world, you will have trouble,” Jesus tells his followers. “But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
One of the long-term “troubles” that many people in your ministry struggle with is th…
10 Coping Skills Every Pastor & Ministry Leader Needs
Ministry work can take its toll on us. And in the busyness of it all, sometimes we forget to put any time or energy into caring for ourselves.
But when we live this way, we start to feel it - in o…
8 Unique Ways A Spiritual Leader Can Help Someone Fight An Addiction
Addictions recovery can feel like an overwhelming issue that is best left to the “professionals.” But the Bible is clear that there is only one ultimate Healer… and his name is not Dr. Jesus. It’s Je…
Resources For Helping Someone Fight Addiction
Ministry work involves helping people through many difficult and painful life circumstances. And one of the hardest is helping people who are dealing with an addiction. There are a lot of ways that p…
Quick Tips For How To Make Sure Other People Feel Heard And Valued By You
Hearing people and helping people FEEL heard are two different things.
In today’s busy, loud, disconnected world, feeling heard is an incredibly meaning experience. Everyone wants to know that they…
3 Keys To Being A Good Listener (Even When You're Distracted)
Many of us think we are better listeners than we really are.
But there is a reason the Bible tells us to be quick to listen and slow to speak (James 1:19). Listening is powerful and important. And…
How To Use Philippians 4:8 To Replace Patterns Of Negative Thinking
One of the most common things that Christian counselors help clients with is getting their thought life more in line with Philippians 4:8.
When someone is stuck in negative thinking, it is not hon…