Weekly outline

    GREETINGS
    GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE COURSE
    COURSE FORUMS
    Study weeks:
    1
    2
    3
    4
    5
    6
    7
    8
    9
    FINAL

  • PT518 Introduction to Pastoral Care and Counseling

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    Make yourselves at home!

                                            

    Dear Students! Welcome to the Course "Introduction to Pastoral Care and Counseling".  We hope and pray you will have a wonderful experience studying with us and complete this course successfully!

    The very first thing we expect you to do is to follow our weekly schedule. We strongly encourage you to complete your lessons within the suggested time frame, which will require maintaining the pace outlined in your course materials. It is recommended that you take a genuine effort in regular forum participation. This allows an opportunity to learn from other students and enrich their learning experience by your views, ideas and discoveries, as you navigate through the course together.

    Before you get started, please, review the Course Description and the Course Schedule.

    Updates on your group activities, further instructions and other relevant information will be available at “Announcements” forum page.

    If you have any questions or messages to the course tutor, please, do this on  “Ask a question” forum page. While the tutor will provide you with support during the course, you should be aware of the self-discipline required for the successful study.

    You are welcome to submit your prayer requests to «Prayer Room» forum page.

    • GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE COURSE 

      Before you get to the lessons, it is paramount that you review the course description and the timetable. They provide important information about the topics and readings, the required assignments and their purpose, etc.

    • FORUMS

    • Introduction to the course

      Do people in modern churches feel harassed and helpless? How active listening can help someone?  What else can you say, besides telling someone what to do? What if I don’t know what to say? What is the place of Scripture in counseling?

       

      This week Lee Eclov answers these questions and :

      • introduces the course;

      • shares the responses of people who participated in a “Harassed and Helpless Survey”;

      • talks about the most important skill in counselling;

      • explains how to use the Bible in counseling;

      • looks at six dynamics of counseling situation;

      • shares his experience.

    • The Care & Cure of Souls

      What makes a good counselor? What do the dynamics of the fall have to do with counseling? What is God’s purpose in cursing Adam and Eve? What are the three dynamic processes necessary to transformation?

      This week Lee Eclov answers these questions and:

      • shares his experience with counseling;

      • talks about the importance of the counselor’s wellbeing;

      • emphasizes the importance of knowing yourself with the help of Johari Window;

      • describes counseling as a way to embody Jesus the Servant to others;

      • turns to Genesis 3 and draws interesting insights from “Biblical Theology for Counseling”by Dr. Richard Averbeck;

      • names four categories of issues counselors face;

      • pays special attention to the care and cure of souls as one of the most basic tasks of a pastor.

      Restricted Not available unless:

    • Integration issues in Christian counseling

      Christians have always given counsel to one another. This has long been part of the pastor’s role. With the rise of psychology as a secular discipline Christians face the issue of whether or not biblical truth can be integrated with secular therapy.

      This week Lee Eclov:

      • shares the brief history of psychology and Christian counseling;

      • answers the question “What makes counseling Christian?”

      • looks at the biblical teaching on total depravity;

      • talks about things we can glean from secular psychology;

      • discusses the message of 1 Thess.5:14;

      • draws interesting ideas from Dr. Timothy Keller’s article on models of counseling.

      Restricted Not available unless:
      • You achieve a required score in Weekly Quiz 02
      • The activity Answer if you watched and read all for the week 2 is marked complete

    • Building with Broken People

      What happens when we sin? How does sin affect the body, mental health, the soul? What Scriptures help us think correctly about sin? What kinds of problems might the pastoral counselor face in dealing with someone’s sin?

      This week Lee Eclov answers these questions and:

      • quotes Dietrich Bonhoeffer;

      • reviews Dr. Averbeck’s paper on Gen.3;

      • talks about the remedy for our sins;

      • shares the insights from Psalm 103:1-5 and lessons about grace;

      • explains how to help a person with a disease of the soul.

      Restricted Not available unless:
      • You achieve a required score in Weekly Quiz 03
      • The activity Answer if you watched and read all for the week 3 is marked complete

    • The Pastor’s Tools

      Pastors need to be careful how they handle authority. Ministry leaders need wisdom that comes at the intersection of their Bible study, ministry conversations and reflection. A pastor needs pockets full of grace. But why?

      This week Lee Eclov speaks about three essential tools in the pastor's toolbox: authority, wisdom and grace but also:

      • shares life transforming principles centered in Jesus Christ;

      • talks about the first and the most basic gift and skill in Christian counseling;

      • explains the importance of the ministry of listening and identifying embedded theology.

      Restricted Not available unless:
      • You achieve a required score in Weekly Quiz 04
      • The activity Answer if you watched and read all for the week 4 is marked complete

    • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. The Continuum of Care

      One of the most basic and widely-accepted approaches to counseling is cognitive behavioral therapy. It is based on the idea that our thoughts cause our feelings and behaviors, not external things, like people, situations, and events.

      This week Lee Eclov looks at the benefits of cognitive behavioral therapy and explains the process of helping others to find new ways of thinking and responding. You will also learn about:

      • the ideas of Larry Crabb taken from his book about connecting with people;

      • the benefit of having the church and the continuum of care.

      Restricted Not available unless:
      • You achieve a required score in Weekly Quiz 05
      • The activity Answer if you watched and read all for the week 5 is marked complete

    • Boundaries and Counseling Style

      Who is responsible for setting boundaries? Why do we need boundaries? What are the most common boundary issues? Which style of counseling should you use in different situations? How do we bestow and receive blessings? What does 2 Corinthians 1:3-11 say about suffering?

      This week Lee Eclov talks about:

      • neglected power of blessings;

      • four common boundary issues;

      • different styles of counselling;

      • Christians facing suffering.

      Restricted Not available unless:
      • You achieve a required score in Weekly Quiz 06
      • The activity Answer if you watched and read all for the week 6 is marked complete

    • Depression. Grief. Healing. 

       

      What are the common causes and signs of depression? What is the place of a healing prayer in pastoral counseling? How should pastoral counselors prepare to deal with issues of spiritual warfare? Can Christians be demon possessed?

      This week Lee Eclov answers these questions and:

      • shares interesting stories and insights about demonic oppression;

      • talks about his personal experience with healing prayer;

      • explains the difference between a good and a bad therapist;

      • warns about the signs of depression.

      Restricted Not available unless:
      • You achieve a required score in Weekly Quiz 07
      • The activity Answer if you watched and read all for the week 7 is marked complete

    • General Work of Pastoring

      What are the responsibilities of a pastor besides preaching? This week  Lee Eclov talks about special services in the life of the church, shares interesting ideas from Pastor's Service Manual, tells stories that teach lessons. He will help pastors give shape and language to the many kinds of services they are called to officiate. You will learn about:

      • a special gift you need to be a shepherd of God’s people;

      • the basic elements of baptism;

      • the things only a pastor can do;

      • performing weddings and funerals.

      Restricted Not available unless:
      • You achieve a required score in Weekly Quiz 08
      • The activity Answer if you watched and read all for the week 8 is marked complete

    • заключительная неделя

      This week is the deadline for submitting your literature review and the written assignment. These are the prerequisites to obtain the permission to take the FINAL TEST.

      Keep up the good work: "The one who is victorious I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will they leave it. I will write on them the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on them my new name."

      • Step 1. Final Paper

        Please, submit your final paper: “The essential counseling skills of the effective counselor” (1500 words).  Counseling is one of the ways of helping a hurting and struggling person. What skills do the counselors need to interact with someone who is experiencing the need for help and healing? What are the effective ways of listening and responding? How can the counselor provide the climate for trust and personal growth?

      • Step 2. Final Exam

        Please, take the final exam for this course. 

      • Step 3. Reading Report

        Please, submit your reading report. 

      • Step 4. Course Evaluation

        It is very important to know your opinion about this course . Please fill in the feedback form Evaluation of Online Course, which you will find below.

        If you have something to say about how this course helped you in your ministry, in your spiritual development, we will be glad to hear it. If you want to say something to the teacher, you can send any comments and suggestions to our email address : tvs.student@gmail.com 

        THANK YOU!