Equipping Church Leaders for Success

by Joshua Fowler

Joshua Fowler is a family minister at the Pine View Church of Christ in Longview, Texas. He is pursuing the certificate in counseling skills designed to equip preachers, youth ministers, women’s ministers, church leaders, missionaries and other leaders with the tools necessary for working with and helping those dealing with addictions, marital issues, parenting difficulties and other mental health concerns within a church or ministry context. Learn more at harding.edu/education/graduate-programs/mental-health-wellness/certificate-in-counseling-skills/hu-counseling-skills-certificate.html

My journey into, and often through, ministry has been unconventional. After almost 12 years in the automotive industry, I found myself at a crossroads. I was stressed, generally unhealthy and exhausted. My marriage and relationship with my kids were at a crucial point, and I resigned my position at the local dealership. 

The next day, I enrolled in the Bachelor of Science in Bible and ministry program at Oklahoma Christian at 33 years old. Even with my life experience, I found myself unprepared for ministry upon graduation. I could study, parse words, communicate effectively, manage calendars, connect people to spiritual growth and maturity, but I was woefully ill-prepared for the kind of emotional and relational stress that people would bring to my office. I was expected to have the answer (or at least an answer). I knew I was over my head in this area, so I started searching for a different path. Over the course of the next 12 years, I tried a number of counseling curricula, books, workshops, etc. They all had some helpful insights but lacked a holistic understanding backed by scholarship and licensed guidance in the process. 

After taking on a new position specifically created to care for families and marriages, education and certification were proposed and accepted. A friend told me about Harding’s program specifically designed for shepherds and professional ministers. I wasn’t looking to be a licensed professional counselor, but I didn’t have the bandwidth for a full master’s degree, and the certification program was exactly what was missing in my ministry to both my family and the church. The online offerings have given me the freedom to respect the boundaries of my job and my family without compromising educational integrity. I have received the tools I was lacking and gained more than I could have imagined. I am now better equipped to recognize the gaps in my own training and ability. I am also much more effective at quickly identifying when people need clinical counseling as opposed to relational guidance. That has been the biggest step in my growth to date. In the past, ministers have done the best they could with the tools they had available. I am more than grateful for programs like this that refuse to accept the status quo. Equipping ministers and shepherds to effectively lead and guide our people is one of the most influential ways to effectively shape the future of the church in our society. 

Since starting this program, I have been able to experience the dynamics of group therapy. I have developed a divorce care curriculum that fits our church context. I have learned how to identify and cope with the challenges and needs of those dealing with addiction. In addition to the personal skills and resources I have developed, I have also gained a community of Christian counseling professionals who have different strengths and weaknesses that I can rely on. I have learned when to rely on my own gifts and abilities and when to ask for help. Our church is looking forward to employing many of these resources to reach our own people, as well as those in our community. It is already paying dividends, and we are excited to see where we will go from here. 

We are grateful beyond words for the accessibility, affordability and quality of this program. This is not only an impact in our individual contexts, but it is a vital step toward solving a severe issue we have in vocational and professional ministry. Harding is bridging the gap between expectation and preparation for the task. They are providing an avenue for the church to be a relational, emotional and mental health resource for our communities.