Advanced Pastoral Care and Practice

This course emphasizes the distinction between the authentic role of ministers in the Church and other caregiving professions, such as psychotherapy and professional counseling. Designed for students who have completed foundational courses like Introduction to Pastoral Care or Recovering the Church’s Role in Pastoral Care, the course equips students with advanced pastoral care skills in preparation for pastoral ministry within Church or para-church contexts, deepening their understanding of pastoral identity and practice.

The course aims to provide students with opportunities to learn, practice, cultivate, and demonstrate their ability to:
•Understand and embody the principles of bringing themselves to ministry with skill, authenticity, and integrity (i.e., competent use of self).
•Articulate a pastoral identity that is integrated with their ministry and lived out in their pastoral practice.
•Skillfully engage in a range of pastoral techniques essential for providing care to diverse populations.
•Competently and accurately assess the strengths and needs of those they serve pastorally.
•Integrate theoretical knowledge gained in the classroom with practical experiences
•Develop their own guiding image of pastoral care, grounded in Scripture and theology, reflecting the essential elements of pastoral care ministry.

The overarching goal of this course is for students to develop the skills necessary to become individuals who value and offer sensitive, effective pastoral care, are committed to ethical thinking, and consistently act with authenticity and integrity. As part of this journey, students will reflect on various images of pastoral care presented in Dykstra’s Images of Pastoral Care, exploring how pastoral care has been understood and practiced historically by key figures in the field. Building on these reflections, students will develop their own guiding image of pastoral care, integrating biblical, theological, historical, and practical insights to shape their pastoral care ministry.