Basic Types of Pastoral Care and Counseling: Resources for the Ministry of Healing and Growth

by Howard John Clinebell Jr., Sister Bridget Clare McKeever

Basic Types of Pastoral Care and Counseling remains the standard in pastoral and counseling. This third edition is enlarged and revised with updated resources, methods, exercises, and illustrations from actual counseling sessions. This book will help readers be sensitive to cultural diversity, ethical issues, and power dynamics as they practice holistic,
growth-oriented pastoral care and counseling in the parish.

Genres: Psychology, Counselling, Religion, Reference, Nonfiction, Christian Non Fiction, Christian

496 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 17, 1982

Reviews

[Monique Jarvis · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a good source of learning. I had to order this book for my theology class.

[Molly Jackson · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was a fine textbook for the basics of pastoral care and counseling but was nothing too exciting. I think it would be best utilized as a tool that you could pull out and refer to a particular chapter and section when something comes up, rather than a book that you reread with any great frequency. I will keep it on my shelf in case it is useful to reference, but it is not my favorite thing out there.

[Shelby Peck · Rating 2 out of 5]

I would describe Clinebell as ambitious because the vast amount of topics he tries to address in each chapter is astounding

[Anne Roat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Use it as a textbook

[James Collins · Rating 3 out of 5]

Classic Textbook
This is the revised third edition of Clinebell’s Basic Types of Pastoral Care & Counseling since it was first published in 1966. For a book to go through three revisions in fifty years and still be in wide use is a testament to it’s worth. Basic Types of Pastoral Care & Counseling has become the standard – the go to textbook in the field. It is a must read for anyone in the field.

[Josh Trice · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is the end-all, be-all for pastoral care and counseling. After reading Clinebell’s work I feel that I now have a companion in the long journey ahead of ministry.

God equips the called, and Clinebell’s work is a means by which we are equipped. If you are in any form of ministry, READ THIS BOOK.

[Thiyaga Rajan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a library of having most needed information about the Biblical counseling

[Ike Unger · Rating 5 out of 5]

An amazing resource every pastor should have on the shelf. Treat this book like a textbook, I can see myself referring back to it many times.

[Arthur Kettelhut · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wealth of resources for techniques in pastoral ministry.

[Nehemiah R. Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating book filled with wisdom from decades of experience and sound Biblical teaching.

[Abigail Anderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book, would’ve been better if 10% of it wasn’t politically charged

[Andrew McHenry · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was one of my first assigned seminary textbooks back 30 years ago, in the 2nd edition. A more recent 3rd edition has been released posthumously. (Clinebell died in 2005.) But I wanted to read the version I was assigned and look at it from the vantage-point of where I am now. It both editions it's considered a classic textbook in pastoral care.

The most useful parts of this book are in the first half. Clinebell gives lists of clergy-counseling responses and other insights that are very practical. This book is exceptional on the "how-to" side of pastoral care - which is why it became so popular.

At times it suffers from some of the excesses of liberal Protestantism (e.g. religious pluralism, an uncritical acceptance of feminist theory, excessive/unwarranted engagement with very dated social problems) - but the excesses aren't too great an encumbrance, which is why it's been used as a textbook in conservative circles as well.

Part of this may be because of the author's biblical and theological grounding in the beginning chapters. It comes up occasionally in little spurts elsewhere as well. It's always good for us to be continually drawn back to the reasons why we're doing what we're doing.

Towards the mid to latter part of the book the author devolves into detailed suggestions/discussions on church group programming. I found this to be both dated and less useful - particularly in an era of smaller churches. Launching very particular and specialized small groups is not a practical option for many of us. It became so tedious I wondered if I was wasting my time to complete the book.

I'm glad I stuck with it though. The final portions on personal formation and personal traits as necessary foundations for good pastoral care were excellent. I wish this part and all the most useful parts had been presented in lecture formats in class and then made into required memorization for tests. Unfortunately that was not what happened.

The author is right to recognize the role of practice in developing these skills. You can only learn so much by reading a book. Each chapter ends with a suggested approach to role-playing for using and then developing/critiquing/evaluating what was covered in the chapter. This could be quite useful when it is well-done as part of the training/curriculum.

[William Perrin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Clinebell's ability to peg down legalists and call them out for being "do-gooders" was one of the most impressive moments for me personally. I don't want to spoil this book for any one, but it is full of a ton of useful information for any Pastoral counselor, Christian Counselor or Biblical Counselor. One could easily draw the conclsion that an entire church could be organized and ran on this book's timely info. Well written and insightful. A must have for any Counselor who takes their service seriously.

5 stars - The title of this book does it no justice it really is one of the best books on its subject pound for pound.

[Andy Hickman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Foundational pioneering work. Still used today.

Clineball, Howard. Basic Types of Pastoral Care & Counseling Revised: Resources for the Ministry of Healing & Growth. Nashville, TN: Abington Press, 1984.

Howard Clineball says that pastoral care is the instrument through which communities attain “renewal through reconciliation.” (p14)

Clineball stresses this by proclaiming that a minister's self-understanding must have a theological base (p17).

Clineball states, “Only those who have discovered new life in their own depths can become spiritual obstetricians, aiding the birth of new life in individuals and in the church (p15).

[Janet · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a update to the classic Clinebell text on basic pastoral care. It looks at our current culture and pinpoints the need for healing in the complexity of life. One chapter that was particularly helpful to me and to my students was an expanded discussion of ethical, meaning and value issues. This book is a must-read for anyone who ministers with people!

[Lydia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Food for thought.

[Moses]

I think Howard Tried to deal with the holistic issues of Pastoral care and counseling, the challenges confronting us and the possible resources that can help in personal healing and growth.