Soul care has become an important aspect Christian life and ministry. This concept includes several themes, such as love, spiritual direction, mutual edification, relational support (fellowship) and biblical counseling.

Love is the essence of the Greatest Commandments — to love God supremely and to love one’s neighbor as yourself (Matt. 22:36-40; Deut. 6:5). This should be expressed practically: “Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart” (1 Pet. 1:22). This care involves bearing one another’s burdens (Gal. 6:2). There should be mutual confession and prayer for physical and psychological healing (James 5:16). As we receive comfort in the midst of trials, we should be equipped to be vessels of comfort to others (2 Cor. 1:3-5).

The spiritual direction component has been described as “A person seeking help in cultivating a deeper relationship with God meets with another for prayer and conversation that is focused on increasing awareness of God in the midst of life’s experiences and facilitating surrender to God’s will.” [1]

Spiritual counseling is similar, yet has an orientation of overcoming life’s problems. Christian mental health counseling should be spiritual in source and wisdom but may be more overt in defining mental, emotional, and behavioral symptoms with the a more overt attention to the social causes and psychological dysfunction.

Biblical Soul Care

When I took a course on Biblical Soul Care under Dr. Garrett Higbee, we used as a textbook Instruments in The Redeemer’s Hands by Paul David Tripp. (Higbee was trained as a psychologist prior to becoming a believer and getting biblical counseling training.) While at Harvest Bible Chapel in Chicago he developed a model that defines levels of care. He used a pyramid diagram with the wide base representing the broadest scope of care with the top level symbolizing the highest degree of necessary counselor training and remedial care. These (from the least serious to the most challenging) were the levels of

• intentional care [every member/spontaneous],
• directive care [as in small group ministry],
• corrective care [structured biblical counseling], and
• intensive care {such as a three day retreat with highly trained counselors].[2]

Dr. Higbee’s training is primarily to equip small group leaders to be facilitators of soul care in the local church. See his summary document here. And the following video:

The Church Cares

Recently I attended a workshop by the authors of a project known as The Church Cares. Their research and remedial plan were published in the book, When Hurting People Come To Church: How People of Faith Can Help Solve the Mental Health Crisis, by Shaunti Feldhahn and James Sells. “The Church Cares is a peer helping ministry that trains your biggest volunteer force—your church members—to listen, pray, and offer support to those with personal struggles and emotional needs. When people are in distress, they want to go to church. The Church Cares offers a way to help them, serve them, and invite them in. It’s an evangelism, discipleship, and church growth approach, all wrapped into one.” Their model includes three key roles:

• Lay Listeners: Trained volunteers who offer presence and encouragement.
• Specialized Helpers: Group leaders or coaches with deeper experience.
• CARE Coordinators: The bridge between pastoral care, volunteers, and professional referrals.

Similar to Garrett Higbee’s model, the base of the triangle represents the ideal of all church members being equipped for informal mutual support, and assistance as “lay listeners.” The middle level depicts those in the church with additional counseling training and intentionality. See the introductory video here.

They provide a free kit, consisting of a Care, Prayer & Share Course notebook, online videos and CARE coordinator instructions.[3]

Curriculum Based Soul Care Groups

A good example of soul care expressed through a small group curriculum is Living Free.

“Living Free is a non-profit Christian ministry dedicated to equipping communities with the essential tools for small group training and discipleship curriculums. Our mission is to empower individuals to prevent and overcome life-controlling issues while fostering lasting positive change. Our biblically-based, Christ-centered materials challenge and equip community members to not only examine their own lives, but also to reach out to others in order to address the heartfelt needs of those who seek hope, healing, and purpose.”

They provide convenient Facilitator and church coordinator training online or by DVD/USB videos and workbooks. Their small group cover a wide spectrum of topics to help participants overcome life controlling problems in the context of a nurturing small group.[4]

Exchanged Life Counseling

Grace Fellowship’s certification in Exchanged Life Counseling builds on the foundational levels of helper training, more advanced lay counselor training (including Hope for the Heart’s 11 session Foundations of Care course (initially called Lifeline to Hope), plus specialized teaching, training and resources for Christ centered counseling using the Spirituotherapy 2.0 model. [5]

We agree with Larry Crabb’s observations that the church is crucial to the care and comfort of those suffering with life controlling problems, and that in soul care the triune God and Christian helper work together to bring the sojourner to a deeper level of [appropriating] union and communion with God. [6].

“And He [Jesus Christ] is before all things, and in Him all things consist. And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence” (Col. 1:17,18). Therefore, Christ should also be central in the ministry of soul care.

JBW

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[1] David G. Benner, (2002)

[2] See https://www.soulcareconsulting.org/
For more on levels of care listen to GFI’s Glimpses of Grace podcast, episode #54: “Christ Centered Soul Care.”

[3] https://www.thechurchcares.com/course

[4] https://livingfree.org/start-a-group

[5] https://gracefellowshipinternational.com/counseling-certification/

[6] Larry Crabb (1999)

Benner and Crabb are quoted in “Soul Care,” The Popular Encyclopedia of Christian Counseling, edited by Tim Clinton and Ron Hawkins (Harvest House, 2011).