Presuppositions One and Two: God's Sovereignty and Man's Responsibilities - Carroll, JOFMM Spring 2004

It is one of the greatest fears in the ministry. You get “that”
phone call. The person on the other end says, “Pastor, I have to
talk to you, we have a terrible problem.” Anyone who has been in
the ministry for any length of time knows what I am talking about.
But how you respond to these urgent calls speaks volumes about
your theology and priorities.
As Lou Priolo discussed in his introductory article, What Do You
Presuppose, one’s “presuppositions will tend to dictate his philosophy
and methodology of counseling.” There is little doubt that we
each desire, as pastors and counselors, to bring glory to God. But
at times we must pause to reflect, “do our presuppositions and
subsequent actions2 ‘adorn the doctrine of God’ (Titus 2.10)?”
“Are we utilizing the very ‘trials’ that Peter speaks of to help our
church leadership and members become ‘conformed to the image
of Christ?’” (Rom 8.29). What does the fact that most churches
“send” members in conflict to a “counselor” convey? Could this
subtly communicate—to both the saved and unsaved alike—that
those in “trouble” need to leave the church and go down the street
to get “real help?” Or does it mean that we are unqualified or too
busy running the church to dispense the practical wisdom Paul
speaks of in 1 Corinthians 6.5 and Acts 20.20? Is it any wonder
that the church is considered bordering on irrelevance or just
being “true for you?”