What does it say when, in order to counsel, this “pastor” chose to take off that hat and put on a secular “counselor” hat? What does the presence (um, reliance?) on “secular counseling in the church” convey about pastoral counseling? This pastor’s practice sends the message that the tradition and spiritual authority of solid pastoral counseling is inferior to a trained secular counselor. It says that a pastoral role must be too limiting or something. In fact, this practice just simply a church adoption of the world’s less-than-respectful view of the pastoral role and it’s source, the Bible.

Frankly, the pastor and church were just asking for this to happen! The pastor set himself up as if his counsel could be separated from his position. Wrong. He is the church pastor. Period. If that’s an office to which God has called him, then he cannot take off that hat and put on a secular hat and expect God’s protection when operating outside of this God-ordained role. To do so is sin. The reasons he might do this are certainly suspect as well.

This case is not one of the courts encroaching on the church’s turf? rather it’s a case of one pastor who played on the world’s turf and now finds himself subject to the standards of such. If he’s a licensed therapist, then he also should have known fully the professional/legal ramifications of this divulging information in violation of these boundaries. Therefore this case should not surprise him or his church — or us for that matter.

On the broader scale, because of his transgression in this matter we (Christians) may see some very negative court precedents set.

Phil