What Do I Do?

I recently met with a Professional Counselor that grew up at College Hill Church when I was Minister of Discipleship. She took my classes and became very interested in working to "Equip Christians to care and love each other" like we did at CHPC. After starting a family she received her Masters Degree and is wondering how to move forward.

This young lady is very bright with a lot of volunteer experience with Youth, Pre-Marital, Small Groups, Peer Helping, etc. One of her questions to me started me thinking about how to explain my life's work. She asked, "What are you? A Pastor, A Counselor, a Teacher, an Entrepreneur, or what?"

It was a great question. I answered, "Yes, I am!" She laughed.

Because of my religious, educational and Counseling backgrounds I see the need for all that. Thankfully, my Master's Degree emphasized the power of community bring either positive or negative changes in individuals and groups.My intensive experience in 1969 with Carl Rogers and O.H. Mowrer,two of the most noted Psychologists in the world, at a summer workshop farther solidified my convictions about the power of the emotional milieu to hurt or heal. 

Then the research grew about the importance of  relationships in the care and counsel of persons regardless of their situations in life. Sweeten Life's slogan is: "Building a lifetime of great relationships".

Below is a chart to assist Christian leaders to quickly assess people with who they interact.

Type A. No Life Interrupting Issues
Level 1. Very healthy and balanced.
Level 2. Healthy but some areas need strengthened or dysfunction can occur
Type B. Some Life Interrupting Issues requiring Help
Level 3. Somewhat anxious, sad, can't sleep, may use alcohol or prescription drugs
Level 4. Very anxious, depressed, using drugs,family crises
Level 5. Unable to cope. Serious issues
Chart taken from Hope and Change for Humpty Dumpty. Available from our bookstore.

Think of persons you know in each category. How many people, percentage wise, are, in each category are in your family or business or church?

Do you know what to do? As the song goes:

You go to know when to hold em
Know when to fold em
Know when to walk away and know when to run!

Do you run when holding would be better or hold on when running is needed?

Next, we will examine how to help these persons and how the church can be best involved safely.