COUNSELING MINISTRY: THE CARING HEART AND THE GIVING HAND
“To have a caring heart and to be a giving hand.” This phrase describes the Counseling Ministry, a group inspired by the life of Saint Barnabas (‘Son of Encouragement’) who, according to the book of Acts, encouraged many people in the Lord.
COTK’s Counseling Ministry also encourages others through prayer, counseling, exhortation, and application of God’s Word. We all have times when we would need someone to talk to or to ask for help, and the Counseling Ministry is there, representing the heart and hand of the Bishop as they share the love of Jesus.
Counseling is a challenging ministry, requiring a lot of thought and prayer due to the gravity of the situations dealt with. As with all ministries, one must be called. Prospective counselors undergo training in a classroom setting, learning how to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit as they care for people with different cases such as healing (physical, spiritual, and emotional) and problems with relationships, finances, vices, addictions, fear, and anxiety. The counselor first establishes a profile with the counselee. This enables them to know the needs of the person; then they can work toward meeting those needs. Each session always ends in prayer. Afterward, the counselor continues to pray for them, and follows up regularly to see how the person is doing.
The Counseling Ministry recalibrated in response to the pandemic, providing different approaches to serve their counselees such as the creation of an FB page for easy access; meeting once a week through Google Meet for vigil, reflection, prayer, and equipping; and regularly maintaining contact with their counselees. They are also in the process of developing online counseling sessions. If you are someone in need of listening ear with a caring heart or who desires to be part of the ministry, don’t hesitate to get in touch with them on their FB page: https://m.me/COTKCM
They are waiting to hear from you.
Writeup: BLESSIE THURMANImage: COTK Media Creatives
