Date

5-1-2025

Department

School of Behavioral Sciences

Degree

Doctor of Education in Community Care and Counseling (EdD)

Chair

Walter Thomas

Keywords

Pastoral Counseling, Holistic Pastoral Counseling, Wholistic Biblical view of Mankind, Discipleship

Disciplines

Religious Thought, Theology and Philosophy of Religion | Social and Behavioral Sciences

Abstract

This qualitative phenomenological study explored the lived experiences of individuals who participated in pastoral counseling and discipleship within the Assemblies of God in Washington State. The first focus of this study was to describe congregants’ experiences with pastoral counseling in Assemblies of God churches in the state of Washington. Secondly, this study sought to understand and uncover any themes, trends, or influences that emerged from participants' experiences within pastoral counseling and discipleship. Four themes emerged from this study: Theme One: There is Power in Relationships, Theme Two: Pastoral Counseling is Foundational to Healing and Growth, Theme Three: The Impact of Expectations on the Lived Experiences of Pastoral Counseling, Theme Four: The Pastoral Counselor is Central to Healing and Breakthrough. While participants were gathered from multiple churches, all participants resided in the same state and received care within the same denomination. Through interviews and analysis of their contents, experiences were better understood for the goal of creating a better understanding for future research and the establishment of a better pathway to healing and maturity in the future.

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