Seeking counseling still an uneasy first step

HELEN — Jim Gant admits that his position as a staff member at First Baptist Church can be a bit difficult to explain.

Officially, he’s associate pastor to students and families, a broad ministry role that includes writing curriculum for the church’s small group ministry. However, many view him largely in terms of his role as youth pastor.

The fact that he’s a Licensed Professional Counselor – with a Master’s degree in counseling from Georgia State University and a diploma in Christian Counseling from the Psychological Studies Institute in Atlanta – sometimes seems to fly under the radar.

“Counseling has always had a tricky relationship with the Church,” said Gant, who was hired at his position at First Baptist in 2000. “There is sometimes a stigma attached to counseling, especially outside larger cities. People are afraid that seeing a counselor means there’s something wrong with you.

“So between that and my job title, I don’t normally have people knocking down my door for counseling. When that need arises most Christians would rather see ‘the pastor’ than someone with a counseling background.”

Gant teaches two courses at nearby Truett-McConnell College – General Psychology and Human Growth and Development. The setting at the Georgia Baptist school allows him to present psychological principles alongside theological truth.

“Truett-McConnell allows me significant latitude in presenting these course from a Christian worldview,” he said. “In the case of Human Growth, the material is about life from conception to the grave, so I have a terrific platform from which to discuss faith in the context of all kinds of life circumstances.

Even with his extensive training, Gant realizes there are limits.

“People are sometimes reluctant to share their deepest issues with someone, even a minister, in their own church. The more intimate the issue, the less likely I’d be able to counsel someone on topics of that nature. It makes for an awkward moment at the next church ice cream social.”

Still, he added, contemporary methods with a biblical foundation can lead to a breakthrough.

“When I’m working with people, I keep it at a spiritual basis and never want to lose sight of that aspect. We use counseling techniques and are informed by psychology, but it all comes back to God’s word. We are all broken, imperfect people who need God’s healing.”

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