Pastoral malpractice is increasing as more abdicate a key responsibility of the shepherd …

As both a minister and a counselor, I understand the delicate balance between the roles of pastoral care and professional mental health counseling. While it is crucial for pastors to refer church members to mental health professionals for genuine mental health issues, a troubling trend has emerged: pastors are increasingly referring their members to clinical counselors for spiritual/biblical guidance rather than providing it themselves. This practice not only undermines the pastoral role but also poses significant risks to the spiritual well-being of the church family. By neglecting their responsibility to shepherd their flock, pastors who engage in this behavior are committing what can only be described as pastoral malpractice.

Let me give you just one key example.

In working with a couple whose marriage is crumbling, on the brink of separating (which will likely only fuel steps for a divorce), the husband first started by going to his pastor and asking for the church to step in and address and help them with the sin issues present in their lives and provide spiritual guidance in an effort to rekindle and restore this marriage. The pastor literally said, “You’re asking too much of the church” and added that he didn’t want to get involved. He did recommend they see a clinical counselor.

I’ve seen several such cases with other pastors and elders saying much the same thing, and I don’t think such behavior by a minister or church leader can be called anything less than pastoral malpractice.

THE ROLE OF A MINISTER
The Bible clearly outlines the responsibilities of a minister. The Apostle Paul, in his letters to Timothy and Titus, emphasizes the importance of sound teaching and pastoral care. In 1 Peter 5:2-3, Peter urges pastors to “Care for the flock that God has entrusted to you. Watch over it willingly, not grudgingly — not for what you will get out of it, but because you are eager to serve God. Don’t lord it over the people assigned to your care, but lead them by your own good example.” This passage underscores a pastoral responsibility to provide spiritual guidance and care for the church members entrusted to them.

DANGERS OF OUTSOURCING SPIRITUAL COUNSELING
Counselors who lack adequate biblical training. Not all clinical counselors for identify themselves as “Christian counselors” possess the biblical and theological knowledge, education, or training necessary to offer wise and biblically accurate spiritual counsel. Some Christian counselors are as biblically illiterate as the average churchgoer, lacking the depth of scriptural understanding required to address spiritual issues. This gap in knowledge can lead to misguided advice that doesn’t align with biblical principles, potentially harming the spiritual health of the church member.

Misalignment with pastoral responsibility. Even if a Christian clinical counselor has the necessary biblical knowledge and spiritual maturity, the responsibility of providing biblical counsel remains first with the church and church leaders. Ephesians 4:11-12 states, “Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. Their responsibility is to equip God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ.” By outsourcing this critical aspect of their role, pastors are abdicating their God-given responsibility to shepherd their flock.

Questionable pastoral commitment. If pastors are unwilling to provide biblical counsel to their own members, it raises serious questions about their commitment to their pastoral responsibilities. What, then, are they doing? The role of a pastor extends beyond preaching on Sundays; it encompasses being available for spiritual guidance, offering biblical counsel, and nurturing the spiritual formation of their congregation. Neglecting these responsibilities undermines the very essence of pastoral ministry.

BIBLICAL MANDATE FOR PASTORAL CARE
The Bible provides several examples of pastoral care and the importance of shepherding God’s people. In Acts 20:28, Paul exhorts the elders of the church, saying, “So guard yourselves and God’s people. Feed and shepherd God’s flock — his church, purchased with his own blood — over which the Holy Spirit has appointed you as leaders.” This verse highlights the sacred responsibility church leaders have to feed and shepherd their congregation, a responsibility that cannot be outsourced.

Paul wrote to the Colossians about how hard he worked not simply to gain a convert, but to see Christians grow to spiritual maturity: “So we tell others about Christ, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all the wisdom God has given us. We want to present them to God, perfect in their relationship to Christ. That’s why I work and struggle so hard, depending on Christ’s mighty power that works within me.” Church leaders today need to be willing to work hard at providing their members the biblical/spiritual counsel they need to remain faithful to Christ and grow to spiritual maturity.

A CALL TO RETURN TO BIBLICAL SHEPHERDING
Pastors must reclaim their biblical mandate to provide spiritual and biblical counsel. This may require deepening their own biblical and theological understanding, committing to ongoing spiritual growth, and being available to their church members for guidance and support. Pastors should embody the qualities described in 1 Timothy 3:2-7 (NLT), being “above reproach,” “able to teach,” and “gentle.” By fulfilling their shepherding responsibilities, they honor God and effectively shepherd the flock entrusted to their care.

The practice of referring church members to clinical counselors for spiritual counsel just because a minister doesn’t want to provide it constitutes pastoral malpractice. It is a dereliction of their responsibility that undermines the pastoral role and jeopardizes the spiritual well-being of the church. Pastors must embrace their biblical responsibility to shepherd their flock, providing the spiritual guidance and care that God has called them to offer. Only then can they truly fulfill their role as shepherds and leaders of God’s people.

Scotty