enough to carry on effective pas toral work. Not in some, but in ev er y coun seling activity all the training and knowledge a pastor can get will stand him in good stead. Few of us a p p r e c i a t e what a difficult and grand art is this facet of the m in istry. W orking with the sick, the bereaved, the alcoholic, the per plexed, the aged and the lonely demands the richest resources God offers. The human personality is overwhelm ingly complex beyond our imagination. T o know how to counsel, when, how and what to pray, how to listen, how to lead and encourage — these and many other aspects of the art — all demand as much training, reading and experi ence as most professions. Pastors have been successful in many cases relying solely on sup portive therapy, that is, constantly bolstering the spirit through prayer, optimistic advice and encourage ment. Spiritual pep talks, however, will simply not do in all cases. But if these things are true, what can we say of those churches that carry on no counseling ministry? I’ll never forget the minister who told me he was so busy out winning souls for Christ he had no time to play nursemaid to weak saints. The “ leaks” in his own life were all too obvious. There were so many leaks in the lives of so many saints there that they did not have a mobilized force o f radiant, effective soul win- ners to help him in the church’s program of evangelism. W hat is your church doing to en- hance personal maturity through S p irit-tou ch ed counseling? Have you studied the Gospels with an eye to view ing the counseling tech niques of Christ? Does you r session, board of deacons or hoard o f stew ards carry on the work of counsel ing also? Do the people in your church know where to go and what to do when they have deep personal and spiritual problems? Can prayer be thought o f as a counseling situ ation? W hom do you rely upon for a counselor? Your pastor? A trusted friend? A parent? W h y ? W hat benefits have you received from speaking to a sympathetic listener? In the next article w e shall deal with the ways pastor and layman can train fo r the m inistry of effec tive Christian counseling. END. The King's Business/July 1957
P OQTY 1 S/Helen Frazee-Bower
A nd P eter Mark 16:7
How like our Lord to add, "and Peter” — knowing That one would walk the world in cmel shame, Forever haunted by a far cock crowing, An idle boast, and eyes that held no blame But looked with brave compassionate reminding - Into his own. How like our Lord, to know That somewhere Peter, stumbling on through blindin And bitter tears, would need that message so. That somewhere Peter, all his spirit broken, Past pride, past fear, past all save grim regret, Would find in two small words a tender token That all his lifetime he would not forget: The sweet assurance that he still belonged, In spite of all, unto the Lord he wronged.
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T hou , L ord , R emainest
"Thou, O L o r d , remainest for ever.” — Lam. 5:19 "And after the fire a still small voice.” — 1 Kings 19:12
When mighty tempests lash the sky And stricken forests shattered lie, No more to lift their branches high, Thou, Lord, remainest.
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When earthquakes toss the troubled world Now back, now forth, as balls are hurled, Or shake it out like flags unfurled, Thou, Lord, remainest. When flaming furies scorch and scar Familiar forms, until they are But desolation stretching far, Thou, Lord, remainest. Not in the earthquake, fire, nor storm Nor all the terrors that can swarm, But in the still Voice, small and warm, Thou, Lord, remainest. Then, heart, be still and lend an ear: Not all the dooms that persevere Can hide His voice—thy God is here. Thou, Lord, remainest.
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