PACO 505 Introduction to Pastoral Care

For information regarding prerequisites for this course, please refer to the Academic Course Catalog.

Pastoral care and counseling are vital components of effective pastoral ministry, equipping ministers to provide spiritual and emotional support in both informal and formal settings. This class introduces the unique context of pastoral care, emphasizing short-term, solution-focused counseling as a practical model to balance ministry demands while addressing the needs of congregants. By exploring diverse care scenarios, ministers are prepared to foster trust, maintain ethical boundaries, and integrate counseling skills into their broader ministerial roles.

Textbook readings and lecture presentations

No details available.

Course Requirements Checklist

After reading the Course Syllabus and Student Expectations, the student will complete the related checklist found in the Course Overview.

Discussions (3)

Discussions are collaborative learning experiences. Therefore, the student will complete 3 Discussions in this course. The student will provide a thread of at least 300-400 words and at least 2 replies of 200-300 words each. Any sources used must be cited in current Turabian format. (CLO: A, B, C)

Developing Lay Care Givers Assignment

The student will write a speaking script on what they would say to a group of lay caregivers. The student will address the needed qualities of lay caregivers and the types of ministries that are available to lay caregivers and will provide examples of how each ministry meets needs. The script should be 750 words and should follow current Turabian format. No sources, outside of the course material, are required. (CLO: A, C)

Pastoral Care Case Study Assignment

Picking 1 of the scenarios provided at the beginning of chapters 10-14 in Bruce L. Peterson’s Foundations of Pastoral Care, the student will write a 750-word reflective essay on how they would engage each situation with appropriate pastoral care. The scenarios are found at the beginning of each chapter in italicized font and describe a real-world ministry situation. The student will briefly introduce and provide an overview of the scenario along with step-by-step actions they would take in regard to each situation. The assignment should include the following: introduction (100-words), scenario overview (150-words), step-by-step action plan (450-words), and a conclusion (50-words). The assignment should follow current Turabian format and cite the required course text. No additional sources are required. (CLO: B, C)

Reflective Essay on Spiritual Resources in Pastoral Counseling Assignment

The student will write a 750-word essay reflecting on how Benner’s model employs spiritual resources (e.g., scripture, prayer, or exploring the counselee’s faith narrative) within its structured, short-term framework. The essay will focus on 1 spiritual resource and how it is employed in Benner’s model. The assignment should include the following: overview of Benner’s model (150 words), description of the spiritual resource and how it is used in pastoral counseling (500 words), and a conclusion (100 words). The assignment should follow current Turabian format and cite the required course text. No additional sources are required. (CLO: B, C)

Case Study Analysis Assignment

Using either the case study of Ellen or Bill in David G. Benner’s Strategic Pastoral Counseling, the student will analyze the case study and explain what they agree with and how they could have conducted the session differently using the strategic short-term structured model. The assignment must be 1,500-words and identify 1 strength of Benner’s counseling approach (300 words) and 3 enhancement strategies to improve counseling (1,200 words). The assignment should follow current Turabian format and cite the required course texts. No additional resources are required. (CLO: A, B, C)

Pastoral Care and Counseling Referral List Assignment

In short-term counseling, the pastoral counselor will often need to refer to another counselor. The student will imagine that he/she is performing pastoral counseling at their current location and will look online and through other resources to develop 3 referrals that they would send counselees to who are looking for counseling beyond what the student can offer. The student will list these 3 resources with a 100-word explanation of each resource and why they chose them. The explanation should include the name of the resource, the address or contact info, and a brief description of their services. Additionally, the student should discuss the resource’s expertise, faith integration, accessibility, and quality of care. (CLO: B, C)