East Ohio Joining Hands - Answering the Call

Pastoral Counselors Care for Those with Deep Needs

United Methodist pastoral counselors are clergypeople called by God and ordained by a bishop to minister outside the walls of the church, caring for those with deep needs. Their ministry of witness and service extends God’s love and service in various settings and requires specialized training to qualify for endorsement by The United Methodist Church.

To ensure high standards of competence and uniform standards, the United Methodist Endorsing Agency of the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry is responsible for enlisting, endorsing, and supporting ordained clergy serving in ministries of pastoral care in specialized settings. The primary difference between these appointments and traditional pastoral appointments to local churches involves the nature of the setting and the role of the chaplain or pastoral counselor in relationship to institutions with the primary purpose of education, international security, peacekeeping, incarceration, hospitalization, residential care, spiritual and psychological counseling, or for-profit settings such as health care companies.

What do pastoral counselors do?

A pastoral counselor may serve in civilian endorsement settings including children’s home, clinical pastoral education, general hospital, hospice, marriage and family therapy, mental health, nursing home, police, corrections, retirement community, substance abuse, Veterans Medical Center, and workplace.

• A pastoral counselor may serve in military settings. Military appointments include U.S. Army, Navy, or Air Force, (active and reserve); National Guard; and Air National Guard units.
• A pastoral counselor may also serve on a local church staff.

What are the duties of a pastoral counselor?

The duties of a United Methodist pastoral counselor would be dependent on needs of the institutions and individuals they serve. Pastoral counselors’ specialized training enables them to bring together resources of scripture, belief, and the traditions of the faith community with the insights of the behavioral sciences to address the needs of individuals, families, and groups in institutional or clinical settings.

What is the call to ministry as a pastoral counselor?

Call is God’s invitation to use God-given gifts and talents to minister in the church and in the world. A pastoral counselor is called to serve people, particularly the poor, the sick, the troubled, and the oppressed, in ministries of compassion, justice, and service in the world. Help in determining God’s call is available at www.isgodcallingyou.org; specific information for youth is available at www.ExploreCalling.org.

What is the process for becoming a United Methodist pastoral counselor?

The requirements for deacon and elder are applicable to a pastoral counselor. To ensure high standards of competence and uniform standards, the United Methodist Endorsing Agency is responsible for enlisting, endorsing, and supporting ordained clergy serving in ministries of pastoral care in specialized settings. The specialized training of a pastoral counselor allows them to bring together the resources of Scripture, belief, and the traditions of the faith community with clinical and academic training in the skills of psychotherapy. More information, resources, and related links are available on the United Methodist Endorsing Agency Web site, www.gbhem.org/chaplains.

What does endorsement mean?

Ecclesiastical endorsement is affirmation that an ordained person is performing a valid ministry of The United Methodist Church and has presented evidence of the special education, training, skills and, when required, professional certification necessary to perform that ministry. Endorsement is the authority granted by the denomination to be appointed to and provide ministry in a specific setting.

Where are pastoral counselors employed?

Pastoral counselors are employed in the following settings: private practice, local church counseling centers, hospitals, group practices or counseling centers not in a church, annual conference staffs, or by private industry, government, or organizations. Pastoral counselors, both elders and deacons, are then appointed by their bishop to serve in that setting.
What is the relationship of pastoral counselor to his or her annual conference and/or bishop?
A deacon in full connection, serving as a pastoral counselor or chaplain, is accountable to the annual conference of which he or she is a member, and generally maintains a close working relationship with and effective participation in the work of the annual conference.

An elder in full connection, serving as a pastoral counselor, meets annually with the bishop for discussion of specific services and programs. In addition, the bishop makes one annual visit to the ministry setting to observe the ministry.

Both deacons and elders serving as pastoral counselors make annual reports on activities, continuing education, and copies of their personal evaluation to the annual conference.

How many United Methodist pastoral counselors or chaplains are endorsed?

The United Methodist Endorsing Agency currently has over 1,400 chaplains and pastoral counselors who are endorsed or approved.

Endorsement for Ministries of Pastoral Care in Specialized Settings

If you believe God is calling you to service in a specialized ministry beyond the walls of the local church and wish to be endorsed, you must meet certain requirements before applying:

• be an associate member, commissioned on probationary track for deacon or elder, or full member of an annual conference.
• have graduated from an accredited college and seminary.
• meet any additional requirements required by the setting.

When you are ready to apply:

• Contact the United Methodist Endorsing Agency for an application. (UMEA will be a live link to request an application)
• You will be asked to provide a life history and statement of your understanding of ministry in the setting for which you are seeking endorsement.
• You will be asked for references from your bishop, district superintendent, and two others.
• When all requirements have been supplied to UMEA, an interview will be scheduled at UMEA’s expense.
• An interview committee of endorsed chaplains and pastoral counselors will conduct a peer review.
• Areas examined will include your moral and emotional stability and ability to face crises and adversity, your ability to evaluate your present ministry, to clearly express your theory of Christian ministry, your motivation, continuing education, sense of humor, cooperativeness, your understanding of the difference in institutional and congregational ministry, and your gifts and abilities in ministry.
• The interview committee will make a recommendation to the endorsing committee.
• The endorsing committee, composed of members of the Division of Ordained Ministry and a bishop, will make a recommendation pertaining to your endorsement.

From www.gbhem.org, the official web site of the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry, Nashville, Tenn., copyright © 2008. Used by permission.