Psychology through the Eyes of a Pastor

Psychology through the Eyes of a Pastor

Gerald T. LUI

The disciplines of psychology and theology have been explored from a perspective that they are not in conflict with one another. Psychological research has deduced a wealth of knowledge that has been helpful to the general public and it can be a great resource to the church and the pastor who provides care to his church members. In psychotherapy or counseling, a person is empowered to take on his or her own responsibilities to change and to deal with the effects of sin in one's life – relationship with God, self, others and the world . Some of the psychological research that specifically relates to our Christian faith reveals that (1) problems arise when we act independently of God, and (2) how we were parented or the styles of parenting we received can affect our relationship with God. A growing area of research has been in member care — the care for missionaries during pre-field preparations, on the field operations and post field or re-entry adjustments. The themes that pastors were most interested to know from psychology were: sin and pathology, how to care for pastors' own well-being, dealing with diverse personalities, intervention skills, with an emphasis on marriage and family, and understanding psychological disorders. It was also found that pastors were not familiar with the other expertise of psychologists that contribute positively to the ministry and operations of the church. Studies suggest that mental health practitioners would need a radical shift in perspective to establish a collaborative relationship with pastors. This would facilitate a more consultative relationship with each other that the works of God's Kingdom can be attended to more effectively.