How sermon transcription impacts your pastoral counseling

​​John and Susan share with Pastor Steve one morning after church that they need counseling. Steve wants to schedule a meeting with them later that week but he wants them to dive into some material he already preached upon this year and last. 

Or, he tries to remember, was it in the year before? 

No matter, because Steve’s sermons are transcribed and published at his church blog.

By Christopher Mann for ReSermon

“Look up ‘marriage’ and ‘Cassie’ in the search windows of the church blog,” Steve says, “because the messages I want you to review include some stories I shared about me and Cassie and some of the challenges we went through.” 

This has a few big benefits: 

1. The marriage “counseling” begins today, not Thursday. John and Susan don’t have to wait until Thursday to get started on their marriage counseling appointment. In fact, they’ve been given explicit homework. Why let them focus on more fighting Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday when they can be applying that time toward growth? 
2. John and Susan are “doing” the counseling. They are actively working on their problem, rather than just passively waiting for the professional to fix this for them. 

Because Steve’s sermon archive is transcribed and published, John and Susan might find the breakthrough they need, transforming Thursday’s meeting from less of a counseling appointment to more of a celebration appointment.