Many LCMS pastors and church leaders realize that much of what passes for Christian counseling is based on the Law, not the Gospel of Christ. Dr. C.F.W. Walther, the Concordia Seminary’s first president, said that properly dividing Law and Gospel in “private ministrations” is more difficult than in preaching and teaching. How can Lutheran pastors and other counselors better learn to properly distinguish Law and Gospel in counseling situations — and apply the Gospel as an antidote where needed? How can Lutheran pastors better equip the non-Lutheran Christian counselors they refer parishioners to with these critically important concepts? When should a Lutheran pastor refer a parishioner to a mental health specialist, perhaps even a non-Christian one, when the expertise needed falls into the “left-hand kingdom?” During this workshop, these and other complicated pastoral care questions will be addressed in hopes that the learners will become more confident and effective in their care of the souls entrusted to them.
