TP 302 – PASTORAL CARE

Certificate and Diploma Levels

Student Workbook
Nazarene Theological Institute
Church of the Nazarene
Africa Region
Nazarene Theological Institute
Church of the Nazarene
Africa Region
Syllabus

TP 302 Pastoral Care

Contributors:

Extensive use was made of the following sources:

RIIE Module, Shepherding God’s People
RIIE Module, Christian Ministry

Also, materials taken from the following books:

1. Clinebell, Howard. Basic Types of Pastoral Care & Counseling:
Resources for the ministry of Healing & Growth. (1984) Abingdon
Press: Nashville, TN.
2. Hulme, William E. The Pastoral Care of Families: Its Tehology and
Practice. (1962) Abingdon Press: Nashville, TN.
3. Oden, Thomas C. Pastoral Theology: Essentials of Ministry. (1983)
HarperCollins Publishers: New York.
4. Petersen, Bruce L. Foundations of Pastoral Care. (2007) Beacon
Hill Press: Kansas City.

Compiled by: Sharon Martin

Editors: Monica Carr, Greg Crofford

Note to course leader: To correct mistakes in future editions, please send

notice of errors to: admin.itn@gmail.com

Course description
This course will explore various kinds of pastoral care in the life of the
church. The Bible will be the principal source for pastoral consultation.

Course rationale

Narration
According to the early leaders of the Church of the Nazarene, their main
concern was Entire Sanctification that is summarized by “love God with all
your heart, all your soul, and all your strength, love God as you love
yourself.” To speak of pastoral care in the Church of the Nazarene, it is to
speak about how to follow up on the faithful without considering the
importance of their ages and background for how to best guide them toward
God’s love and a holy life.

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This course not only puts the emphasis on the aspect of consecration, but
also on love for souls. It will help the minister to develop an intuition and
discernment in their ministry context, meaning they will know their context
and themselves to best care for the well-being of those they serve as
ministers of the Gospel.
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Program outcomes
The following program outcomes assigned to this module are identifiable
competencies required of the student in this course..

CON 5 Realization of the biblical, theological, and practical implications

of holiness doctrine when taught from a Wesleyan perspective
CON 11 Use the principles of evangelism, church growth, planting new
churches and the missionary task of the Church in the world
CON 12 Consider the application of Christian morality in daily life
CON 13 Learn the principles of interpersonal relations

COM 8 Ability to provide pastoral care through visiting the sick,

important rites of passage, and give Biblical counselling
COM 9 Ability to guide people toward reconciliation

CAR 1 Ability to give value to Christian morality and how to apply this
ethic to life
CAR 2 Ability to show sexual purity before and after marriage and apply
principles of marriage to the Christian family
CAR 6 Ability to give value to relationships through openness,
righteousness, and honesty
CAR 12 Ability to exert self-control

CXT 5 Ability to interpret on a scientific and biblical bases the Christian

position on magic, spiritism, medicine and traditional healing
CXT 6 Ability to understand the rights and legal responsibilities of the
local church and its workers

Course outcomes for this module

For achieving the competencies listed above, this module organizes several
learning activities and requirements around the following intended learning
outcomes for this course. At the end of the course, the student will be able
to:
1. Explain the basics involved in pastoral care (CON 11, CON 12, CON 13;
CAR 12).
2. Nurture the whole person in Christian life and practice. (CON 5, CON 13,
COM 8; CAR 6; CXT 5)

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3. Listen, evaluate and guide a person toward a Christian solution
concerning a particular problem (CON 13; COM 8, COM 9; CAR 1, CAR
2, CAR 6, CAR 12).
4. Know how to set up appointments and how to prioritize problems for
immediate response. (CON 13; COM 8; CXT 6).
5. Show the ability to know how to initiate pastoral care with a member of the
church (CON 13; COM 8; CAR 6; CXT 6).
6. Choose the best methods for pastoral care CON 13; COM 9; CAR 2, CAR
6, CAR 12; CXT 5, CXT 6) .
7. Recognize the gifts found in lay members of a local church (COM 8; CAR
6).
8. Know the value and importance and practice of visiting the sick, families in
grief, those in crisis, etc. (CON 13; COM 8; CAR 1, CAR 6; CXT 5).

The following sessions and exercises of this course offer the following
percentages of the four Cs:
Content 35%
Competency 15%
Character 35%
Context 15%

Course recommended reading and resources

1. Arnold, William V. Pastoral Responses to Sexual Issues. Louisville, KY:
Westminster/John Knox Press, 1993.
2. Benner, David G. Care of souls: Revisioning Christian Nurture and
Counsel. Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 1998.
3. Cedar, Paul, Kent Hughes, and Ben Patterson. Mastering the Pastoral
Role. Portland. OR: Multnomah Press, 1991.
4. Clinebell, Howard. Basic Types of Pastoral Care and Counseling:
Resources for the ministry of Healing and Growth. Nashville: Abingdon
Press, 1984.
5. Peterson, Bruce L. Foundations of Pastoral Care. Kansas City: Beacon
Hill Press, 2007.
6. Shepherding God’s People. RIIE Module. Kansas City: Clergy Services,
2003.

Course requirements/assignments
1. Regular attendance to all course sessions and preparation of all
assignments prior to their deadlines are vitally important to the successful
completion of this course. The following minimum attendance standards
should be adhered to: Courses should have a minimum of 30 hours of
class time and include close to 10 hours of outside work.

Students who miss an entire day of class will receive a minimum of a

10% reduction in their final course grade, with further reductions for
additional missed class time. Course credit will not be given to students

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 who miss over a day and a half of class, or more than 10 intructional
hours.

2. Journaling or sharing
Diploma level – You will complete journal entries throughout the course.
The journal is not a diary. It should be guided thought about what is
speaking to you in relation to what you are learning.

Certificate level – Find a partner and verbally complete the journal

assignments as listed in the various handbook lessons. The partner will
tell the class leader at the end of the week that you have completed the
assignments.

3. Sermon outline – Students will prepare a sermon outline with the theme
of your sermon taken from Galatians 6:2 (course outcomes 1,2,4)

Diploma level – This should be submitted in writing.

Certificate level – Take 3 minutes in front of the class to tell the other
students the theme of your sermon and the main points of truth that you
want to share in your sermon.

4. Group activities – On different days, students will discuss and present to

the rest of the class on each of the following topics:
a. implications of “loving one another” in life of a believer. (course
outcomes 2,5,7)
b. ways the local church can develop a holistic (spiritual-mental-social-
physical) response to the needs in their communities. (course
outcome 2)
c. develop and present to the rest of the class an explanation the
meaning of Jesus’ command in 21:16: “take care of my sheep”
(course outcomes 5,7)

5. Role play – In groups of 3 or 4, students will prepare and demonstrate

before the entire class a role play of a pastor of a local church showing
care in the following ways:
a. towards a sick person
b. counseling a pregnant school girl who wants to abort her child
c. aiding a poverty-stricken home
d. comforting a family in grief.
Each group will be assigned one of the scenes listed above. (course
outcomes 1,5,7).

6. Drama skit – Create a dramatic skit showing Christian parents educating

their children about good Christian ways of caring for the needy. (course
outcomes 1,2,4,5,7)

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7. Sing a song – Outside of class time, students will create a song to sing
for the class in your local language that will educate others on the need to
show care to the needy. (course outcomes 2,7,8,9)

8. Class trip – Students will participate in a class trip where they will be able
to offer pastoral care to the sick at a medical clinic. (course outcome 7)

9. Quizzes & Final Exam – After each third session, a summary quiz will be
administered. There will also be a final exam.

Grading (out of a total of 100 points)

Class attendance 10%
Journaling 10%
Group activities (participation and presentation) 10%
Role play 10%
Drama skit 10%
Sing a song 10%
Quizzes 10%
Final Exam 30%

Course Outline
Lesson 1: Shepherding God’s People and Pastoral Care
Lesson 2: Pastoral Soul Care and Spiritual Guidance
Lesson 3: Pastoral Care by the Laity
Lesson 4: Pastoral Care in Counseling
Lesson 5: Pastoral Presence in Conflict and Crisis
Lesson 6: Pastoral Presence in Human Suffering
Lesson 7: Pastoral Presence in Sickness and Death
Lesson 8: Pastoral Care in Celebration and Families
Lesson 9: The Pastor as a Person
Lesson 10: The Pastor’s Personal Life

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Lesson 1

SHEPHERDING GOD’S PEOPLE AND PASTORAL CARE

Objectives for this Lesson

By the end of this lesson, students should
• understand the roles of pastoral care and counseling in order to nurture
the whole person in Christ
• place the care of persons in its proper biblical and historical context
• understand the role of shepherd as modeled by Jesus

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• explain the functions of a shepherd in a church context
• exercise shepherding functions in home and hospital visitation

Introduction
Read John 5:1-26.
• How did Jesus show the Samaritan woman He cared about her?

• How did Jesus counsel the Samaritan woman?

• What are some lessons we can learn from Jesus about pastoral care and
counseling?

√ The Pastoral Context: What Does a Pastor Do?

What are the major roles a pastor must fulfill in
doing the work of pastoral ministry?

What are some of the specific helping or

caring functions of pastoral care?

What are some of the specific types of

problems pastors will encounter in counseling?

√ Historical Pastoral Care & Counseling

Old Testament – leaders concerned with needs of people under their care.

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 • Moses

• David,

New Testament – pastoral care focused on needs of the developing church.

• Christ

• Early Church: deacons

• Paul’s

• Timothy and Titus

Care throughout the centuries

• The Protestant Reformation – Luther

• John Wesley – Methodist class meetings

• Camp meeting movement

20th Century Developments

√ Pastoral Care for Today

Definition of Pastoral Care
Pastoral Care is that branch of Christian theology that deals with care of
persons by pastors. It is pastoral because it pertains to the offices, tasks,
and duties of the pastor. It is care because it has charge of, and is
deliberately attentive to the spiritual growth and destiny of persons.

Discussion Activity
In groups of three or four discuss the following questions about pastoral care.
Each group needs to select a person who will report back to the entire class.
Discussion #1: How important is pastoral care to the individuals of a local
church, especially in light of the isolation many feel within their culture?
Discussion #2: Is there a problem with the pastor as the only caregiver in
the congregation? How many people can one person realistically care for?
Does the pastor have ministry responsibilities beyond pastoral care? Does
the demand that the pastor be the only caregiver limit the growth potential of
a local church?

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 √ Pastoral Counseling Today
Definition of Pastoral Counseling
Pastoral counseling, one dimension of pastoral care, is the utilization of a
variety of healing (therapeutic) methods to help people handle their
problems and crises more growth fully and thus experience healing of
their brokenness.
Discussion Activity
In your same groups discuss these questions on pastoral counseling. The
group should select another person as reporter.
Discussion #1: Why would people turn first to a pastor rather than a trained
psychologist for counsel? What advantages and disadvantages do pastors
have?
Discussion #2: What are some of the helping tools pastors have available
when counseling people?

√ The Church as a Flock of Sheep

Throughout the Bible the people of God are pictured as sheep.
Sheep are defenseless animals. They lack
• the sharp teeth of a wolf
• the slashing claws of a bear
• the outer protection of a turtle
• the speed of a cheetah
• the cunning of a fox
Sheep are defenseless without a shepherd.
Sheep have a natural tendency to ________________________.
They are not always discriminating in what they _____________.
Sheep are in need of ___________ _______ treatment when they are
scratched by briars or fall upon the rocks.
Sheep need a shepherd. Jesus is the Good Shepherd, the ___________ and
______________ Shepherd.

√ The Job Description of a Pastor/Shepherd

Feeding: Psalm 23:2, “He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads
me beside quiet waters.”

Restoring: Psalm 23:3, “He restores my soul.”

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Protecting: Psalm 23:4, “Even though I walk through the valley of the
shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your
staff, they comfort me.”

Healing: Psalm 23:5, “You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.”

Nurturing: Isaiah 40:11, “He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the
lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those
that have young.”

Knowing: John 10:3, “He calls his own sheep by name.”

Leading: John 10:3, “He . . . leads them out.”

Selfless service: John 10:11, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd
lays down his life for the sheep.”

Welcoming: John 10:16, “I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I
must bring them also.”

Equipping: Hebrews 13:20-21, “May the God of peace, who through the
blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus,
that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing
his will.”

Modeling: 1 Peter 5:2-3, “Be shepherds of God’s flock . . . not lording it over
those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock.”

√ An Example of Present-Day Shepherding—Visitation

Reasons Pastors Make Fewer House Calls

1. Fewer adults are at home in the daytime hours

2. People value privacy

3. People value personal time

What does a pastor do to reach out to people?

1. Make an appointment if you know there is a crisis or trouble is brewing.
2. Take daytime opportunities to visit senior adults, and in hospitals.
3. Train laypeople to make additional contacts.

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Hospital Visitation
• Go to the hospital as soon as possible in an emergency.

• Try to visit before serious surgeries.

• Remember, you are a professional and important part of the healing team.

• Make hospital visits brief and positive for the patient.

• A hospital visit can be an opportunity for evangelism.

• Recognize the needs of family members and friends.

• Don’t hesitate to touch the patient unless there is a medical reason not to.

• Try to assess the patient’s emotional needs.

• If there is any question whether you should go to visit in the hospital, go.

Journaling or sharing with your discussion partner

Diploma students: Write a journal entry telling about a time
recently where you received care, pastoral or otherwise, from someone.
Express your feelings to have received someone else’s concern. Then write
about an opportunity you took to express care, concern, or counsel to
someone else. How did you feel about the experience? Would you do
something different next time?
Certificate students: Use the same journal prompt (questions above) to begin
your three minute oral report to your partner.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Lesson 2

PASTORAL SOUL CARE AND SPIRITUAL GUIDANCE

Objectives for the lesson

By the end of this lesson, students should:
• appreciate the significance of the soul
• understand the definition of soul care
• know ways to express soul care in the life of the local church
• explain the meaning of spiritual direction
• discover ways to provide spiritual guidance to individuals and groups

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Jesus knew the _____________ of the soul, a person’s religious sensitivity
and moral awareness.
As pastors and shepherds following the model of Christ, one of our unique
tasks is to care for spiritual needs as we lead people to ________________
in Christ.

√ What Is Soul Care?

David Benner in his book Care of Souls writes:
Caring for souls is caring for people in ways that not only acknowledge
them as persons but also engage and address them in the deepest and
most profoundly human aspects of their lives. . . . In summary, therefore,
we can define soul care as the support and restoration of the well-being
of persons in their depth and totality, with particular concern for their inner
life.

What do we understand about soul care?

Soul care is a ________________ function.
Soul care is done in the context of _________________.
Soul care is a ___________________ focus upon others.
Soul care is nurtured though __________________ relationships.
Soul care is a holistic ________________ of the total individual.
Soul care is a _________________ for everyone.

√ Spiritual Guidance
“Spiritual guidance is a process of pointing people and groups, small or large,
beyond the visible realities to the reality of God as the One without whom we
cannot possibly understand our present situation. . . . The pastor, as spiritual
guide, assists the whole congregation to discover the presence of God in its
corporate life.”
-- Howard Rice, The Pastor as Spiritual Guide
(Nashville: Upper Room Books, 1998), 61-62.

Discussion Activity: What is Spiritual Guidance?

• What are the qualities of spirituality a pastor should look for in an
individual to determine that person’s level of spiritual development?

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• What are some ways a pastor can provide spiritual guidance to an
individual?

• What are some ways to promote spiritual development within groups or

within the entire church?

• How would a pastor benefit from having a spiritual director for his or her
own life?

• How can a pastor with limited weekly time be a personal spiritual guide for
several individuals in the congregation in a given week?

√ Characteristics of an Effective Spiritual Guide

1. Learn to be a good __________________.
2. Give helpful __________________.
3. Discern the _______________ of the Spirit.
4. Be the voice of _____________________.
5. Lift the person to the Father in _______________.
6. Call people to the _____________ life.

√ The Work of the Holy Spirit in Admonition

Correct and discipline in the context of a ministry of ____________.
Not a matter of forcing or manipulating a desired change in a person, but
rather a ____________ ______________ that presents possibilities for the
person to voluntarily to change their behavior.
Not all believers have been entirely ________________.
The goal of admonition is the _________________ concern for the person.
Where pastors are not _______________ to their people to clearly preach
and teach and counsel according to the principles of holy living and Christlike
character development, the church is in ________ ____________.

Jesus said that the Church is to be _____ and ______ in the world around it.

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 √ Pastoral Soul Care and the Means of Grace
Worship as Pastoral Care
• The pastor serves as the priest for the people – God is approachable.
• The pastor has overall leadership responsibility for everything that takes
place when the flock gathers to worship together.
• A privilege to lead the congregation to experience the living, speaking
God, who is available and anxious to meet all who will call upon his name
• An ideal setting for people to experience the grace of God for all needs
• Individuals become one unit: the Church, the Body of Christ, the family of
God.
• Anticipate God’s working in our midst.
When God makes his presence known in the midst of the singing, scriptures,
prayers, and preaching, the effect can be transforming in the hearts of the
worshiping people, creating a sense of hope in the presence of God. In the
divine-human encounter of worship God dispenses his grace in ways people
can’t even anticipate. This should be a natural result of true worship.

Preaching as Pastoral Care

• “Preaching between two worlds” (John Stott) – taking the truths written in
an ancient world and making them relevant words for our current context.
• If preaching is the proclamation of the master story (the good news that
Jesus was crucified, died, and then rose from the grave in victory), the
mere telling of the story has life-changing power.
• Pastors must preach out of the context of their own pain.
• Jesus seemed to have a way of looking into the hearts of his listeners and
sensing their concerns.
• When pastors preach from their weakness, people can see Christ and
understand that they are truly love.
• People are attracted to stories where they can identify with one or more of
the characters as they struggle with the issues of life.
• People are seeking a God they can know and experience – a God who
cares for them and their real-life problems.

Scripture as Pastoral Care

• The Bible is one of the most valuable tools pastors can use to help needy
people discover God’s plan and will for their lives.
• People desperately need to hear about the God of hope for their hurting
lives.
• The Bible provides the answer for sin, and thus, it is the ultimate hope for
everyone.
• Scriptures bear authority to the human family because its source is the
Creator-Redeemer God.

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• The stories in the Bible allow people to see themselves and their life
situations in the characters and events of the biblical narratives.
• The Bible reveals ways in which God interacted and intervened with grace
and mercy to those who sought him by faith.
• The Bible is ultimately a story hope – a means of grace to pastors and to
the people of their congregations.

Prayer as Pastoral Care

1. Invocation. This prayer at the beginning of the worship service makes
people aware that what may have been common space is now sacred
space. Any place, no matter how common, becomes a sacred space
when God reveals himself to his people in prayer.
2. Pastoral Prayer. The pastoral prayer often begins with adoration and
thanksgiving, often with a brief scripture of praise. Next come prayers on
behalf of the congregation, leading them to confess their shortcomings
and their total dependence upon God for all their needs. Then may be
prayers for specific needs of the congregation at that particular time. The
pastoral prayer often concludes with either acknowledging the Trinity or
with the phrase, “in the strong name of Jesus our Lord. Amen.”
3. Benediction. A blessing from God proclaimed to the congregation by the
pastor. Since the pastor is addressing the people of God, he or she
should assure them that God will be with them, that his grace will be at
work in their lives. The congregation is going into the world to be the
Church scattered. Remind them that they go with the power and blessing
of the Holy Spirit.

The Sacraments as Pastoral Care

1. Communion. John Wesley referred to it as the “grand channel whereby
the grace of the Spirit is conveyed to human souls” (Randy Maddox,
Responsible Grace, p. 202).
2. Baptism.
a. It is a tangible, physical ritual signifying that a person has become a
part of a community of beliers, the Church.
b. Baptism provides many implications for pastoral care. One is found
in the renunciation of the evil practices of the past.
c. Believers who watch often relive their own personal baptismal
experiences, and the Body of Believers are strengthened by a new
resolve to be faithful to the baptismal promises.
d. A reminder to everyone who watches that there are others who
need to know Christ’s life-changing salvation in their lives.

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Journaling or sharing with your discussion partner
Diploma students: Write in your journal an honest appraisal of your spiritual
position. Discuss your spiritual growth in the last six months. What have been
some of the obstacles to growth? What have been the spiritual victories you
have recently experienced? What challenges has God given you to
experience growth in the near future?

Certificate students: Prepare to do the above exercise orally with your

partner.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Lesson 3

PASTORAL CARE BY THE LAITY

Objectives for the lesson

By the end of this lesson, students should:
• understand the small-group dynamics of the Early Church in Acts
• appreciate the influence of John Wesley in the modern small-group
movement
• realize how small groups can respond to the needs of people
• understand the need for the laity to be involved in caring ministries
• list ways the laity can be active in caring within and outside the church
• develop training opportunities for effective lay ministry
• understand the biblical role of the laity in ministry

√ Small Groups in the Early Church

Read Acts 2:42-47. They devoted themselves to:
1. The apostles’ ________________.
2. The ______________.
3. The breaking of ____________.
4. ______________.
5. All ______________ were together.
6. They ___________ to anyone as he had a need.
7. Every day they continued to _______ __________ in the Temple courts.
8. They broke bread in their ___________.
9. _____________ God.
10. Enjoying the ____________ of all the people.
11. And the _____ added to their number daily those who were being saved.

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 √ The History of Small Groups
John Wesley

Twentieth-Century Development of Small Groups

√ Types of Small Groups

Mutual ______________ Groups

Sunday School _________________ Groups

_____________ Groups

________________ Support Groups

_________________ Groups

√ Small Groups as Shepherds

Small groups function much like a hospital. They provide emergency care,
rehabilitative care, long-term care, and wellness care.
-- Bill Donahue and Russ Robinson, Building a Church
of Small Groups (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2001), 111.

Small Group Experience

Sharing in small groups. Instructions:
The leader of the group is the person with a birthday closest to today’s date.
• Discipleship: Have someone read Galatians 6:2, “Carry each other’s
burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.” Discuss the
implications of this verse in your life as a believer.
• Sharing and caring prayer: Each person briefly share with the group the
biggest personal problem, family need, or other concern facing that
person. The one on the person’s right pray briefly for the need. Move
clockwise around the circle until all have shared and received prayer.
• Close the session by everyone repeating the Lord’s Prayer in unison.

√ Pastoral Care by the Laity

Dr. George Hunter III emphasizes, in his book Church for the Unchurched,
that one of the characteristics of churches that are effective in ministry, is a
willingness to have much of the pastoral care done by lay-people. He states:

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 Most people in most churches do not, and cannot, get adequate ongoing
pastoral care from their pastor; crisis care yes, but ongoing care no.
Christians need pastoral care when life is good, as well as when life is
hard, but the pastor’s expanded job description now makes that
impossible for the pastor to be every member’s personal chaplain. Few
churches have, can afford, or can find enough ordained pastors and staff
to go around. Every church has enough people within the church
membership with the appropriate abilities and spiritual gifts, to “shepherd
a flock”. We are learning that many lay people, with training, can do 90
percent of what an ordained pastor does.
-- George G. Hunter, III, Church for the Unchurched
(Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1996), 134

Pastoral care is simply

personal care
shown to others
in the name of Jesus.

√ Qualities of Lay Caregivers

1. Compassion – Luke 15

2. Involvement – Luke 10

3. Affirming – John 9:2-3

4. Encourager – Acts 4:36-37

5. Determination – Mark 2:5

6. Authenticity – John 1:47

7. Being Positive – Psalm 121:1-2

Discussion activity: Lay Pastoral Involvement

In your group make a list of activities lay pastoral care workers could do in
each of the categories.
1. Pastoral Care for the Troubled

2. Pastoral Care for the Sick

3. Pastoral Care for the Elderly

4. Pastoral Care for Christians

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5. Pastoral Care for Unbelieving Prospects

6. Pastoral Care in the Community

√ Developing Lay Pastoral Care

The most effective way for lay development is to present a class for training.
Several issues must be addressed.

1. Open vs. Closed Classes

2. Commitment

3. Conducting Classes

4. Training Materials

5. Lay Leadership

6. Cautions for Lay Pastoral Care

• Confidentiality

• Unsuitable helpers

• Lay burnout

• Referrals

√ EQUIPPING AND EMPOWERING LAY MINISTRY

John Ed Mathison, “Most churches recruit people to do various tasks . . . we

do not recruit anybody to do anything. Rather we say to every member ‘As a
follower of Jesus, you are expected to volunteer to serve someplace in the
life of the church.’ Then they are given the opportunity to freely decide where
they will serve.”
-- John Ed Mathison, “Niche-Pickin’—New Paradigm for Lay
Ministry,” in Building Teams in Ministry, ed. Dale E. Galloway
(Kansas City: Beacon Hill Press of Kansas City, 2000), 56.

Frazer Memorial Church has an annual commitment time where a person

can volunteer for one of many ministries for one year of ministry service. At
the end of the year the volunteer can either revolunteer for the same task or

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switch to a new area of service. This provides for a person to leave one
ministry for another without feeling burned out or guilty. Individuals can
identify their own interests better than anyone else, with guidance from the
Holy Spirit. People who volunteer tend to take their responsibility seriously.
Even volunteers must be trained. Frazer Memorial trains each January so the
volunteers can serve effectively.
• Do you think this idea of volunteering would work in the church you attend
or pastor?
• What would be needed to implement this at your church?

Where do you begin the process of developing a volunteer ministry force?

• Compile a Ministry Inventory -- List every ministry currently being done
in the church.

• Develop a Ministry Dream List -- This could include things that should
be done or could be done if there were enough volunteers and resources.

• Matching Ministers to Ministries – Begin by gathering the church for a

prayer time for workers. Then begin the volunteering process.

√ Motivating People for Lay Ministry

Respect them

Train them

Resource them

Communicate with them

Develop a Team Spirit

Build Them Up

Reward Them

Release Them to Minister

Discussion Activity: Assessing Gifts and Abilities

In your group look at Rom 12:6-8; 1 Cor 12:4-11, 28; and Eph 4:11.
List as many spiritual gifts as possible. After you list the spiritual gifts, give at
least one present-day expression of that gift.

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 √ Retaining the Workforce

One of the best ways to keep people working is to make sure they are well-
trained for their task.

Write a job description for the ministry task.

A coordinator of volunteers is a key person to those pastors who believe that

the church ministers through the mobilization of lay members. The
coordinator of volunteers relieves the pastor of administrative and training
activities related to volunteers—freeing the pastor to be the pastor
-- Douglas W. Johnson, Empowering Lay Volunteers
(Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1991), 62.

Journaling or sharing with your discussion partner

Diploma students: Write in your journal. Reflect on your own attitudes toward
the laity doing pastoral care in the church. What are some ways you can
encourage laypeople to become more involved in caring ministries?

Certificate students: Use the same journal prompt (questions above) to

begin your three minute oral report to your partner.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Lesson 4

Pastoral Care in Counseling

Objectives for the lesson

By the end of this lesson, students should:
• understand how Jesus worked in the lives of people to bring wholeness
• appreciate the skills needed to be an effective pastoral counselor
• understand the advantages of short-term model of counseling for pastors
• be aware of what takes place in the first session of counseling
• understand how to lead a counselee to make changes to reach the
desired goal
• know how to find resources needed for referrals

√ JESUS, THE WONDERFUL COUNSELOR—OUR MODEL

David Benner defines pastoral counseling as “a helping relationship where,

through a series of structured contacts, the counselor seeks to alleviate
distress and promote growth in the one seeking help. Such counseling aims

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to help the person think, feel, and behave differently, and it does this through
dialogue within a relationship.”i
-- David G. Benner, Strategic Pastoral Counseling (Grand
Rapids: Baker Books, 1992), 18.

Discussion Activity: Jesus, the Model Counselor

In your group, after studying the passages answer this question:
• What were the qualities or characteristics, mentioned or implied, that
made Jesus so effective in working with people?
Each group is to record the responses with one member reporting when the
class reconvenes. There will be 15 minutes for group discussion and 10
minutes for reporting and discussion with the class.

Group 1 Group 2 Group 3

Mark 7:31-8:13 Luke 7:1-17, 36-50 Mark 9:14-32
John 8:1-11 John 5:1-15 John 4:1-26

√ Foundational Principles for Pastoral Counseling

1. A pastor must understand his or her own _____________ and
__________________.
As long as there are people with problems in the church, the pastor will
be called upon to counsel.
The role of pastor is usually one with general knowledge and skills, rather
than as a specialist.
For these needy people, the pastor may be the first, and sometimes the
only one a hurting person will turn to for help.

2. Every person coming for help is _____________ in God’s image with

____________.
The pastor must resist the temptation to devalue people based on social
status, personal appearance, or repulsive actions.

3. The primary goal of pastoral counseling is to help the counselee

______________ problems and find __________________ in Christ.
A pastor’s concern is first of all, the care of souls.

4. Every person has the right to _____________ to receive help or

______________ help.
Part of what makes humans unique in God’s creation is the God-given
right to make choices.

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 A pastor can offer help, but the individual in need must be willing to
receive it.

5. Pastoral counseling is the _____________ work of the pastor and

counselee.
Pastoral counseling is more than advice-giving.
Effective counseling involves teamwork,

6. The pastor should make use of the church’s _____________ resources.

Pastors have the opportunity to use Scripture for insight, instruction,
hope, and faith in a counseling setting.
Resources are:

√ Skills of an Effective Pastoral Counselor

1. Listening – “An occasional head nod, smile, ‘un-huh’ or general question
(such as ‘What then?’ ‘How did you feel about that?’ or ‘Anything else?’)
can keep the counselee talking.”
-- Gary Collins, Effective Counseling (Carol Stream,
IL: Creation House, 1972), 25.

2. Presence – Counseling is “a structured being-with the person who seeks

help.”
-- Benner, Strategic Pastoral Counseling, 20.

3. Empathy – Empathy is the skill of trying to enter into feelings and

emotions of that person’s current experience.

4. Openness – The counselee wants to feel the pastor is a real, genuine

person.

5. Acceptance – “This word implies caring, respecting, or possessing a

sincere, non-smothering concern for the counselee regardless of his or her
actions or attitudes.”
-- Gary R. Collins, Christian Counseling: A Comprehensive
Guide (Rev. ed., Dallas: Word Publishing, 1988), 41.

√ Mistakes in Pastoral Counseling

1. The pastor who is desperate for human _________________.

2. The pastor who tries to solve his or her own _____________ problems.

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3. The pastor who takes the role of _____________ or dictator to the flock.

4. The pastor who is a _____________.

5. The pastor who becomes entangled _____________ with the counselee.

6. The pastor who takes ____________ in a dispute.

7. The pastor who can’t keep ___________________.

8. The pastor tries to be an ______________ psychoanalyst.

√ Short-term Counseling

The Basis of the Short-term Model is build on the following principles:

1. A focus on a specific _______________ the counselee wants to see.

2. A dependency on God’s _____________ at work.

3. A willingness to _______________.

4. A limited __________ frame.

5. A commitment to ________________ development.

√ The First Session

1. Develop the _________________.
You need to begin a relationship of trust.
Taking brief notes as the session begins will help you to keep information accurate.

2. Set the _________________.

Early in the session you should address the issue of confidentiality.
The only exceptions to this pledge of confidentiality would be if there is threat of physical
harm to oneself or to others.

3. Establish the ___________ of the counseling.

Rather than identifying the problem, it is good to help the counselee focus on the desired
end result. What solution is the counselee seeking?

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 You can ask questions such as:
• What goal would you like to see as a result of our working together?
• How would you know this goal has been reached?
• What types of things would need to happen for you to reach your goal?
• As you look ahead, how would you describe this preferable future?

4. Identify and clarify the _________________.

Focus on the solution, which brings hope, rather than focusing on the problem.
For a person to change, there must be a good reason to move from the present to a
better future.
The future solution needs to be as clear as possible.
The clearer their picture of the solution, the more focused the counseling sessions can
be to reach it. Write the solution down. Clarify the wording so you both are clear on it.

5. Examine the __________________ already made.

With the decision to seek help, the counselee may already be taking steps to change the
situation. People are often aware change starts within, and they begin the process
before the first counseling session. Ask questions such as, “What have you done already
to make the situation better?”

6. Utilize ___________________ resources.

You, as a pastor, need to assess the spiritual state of the counselee.
Does this person have a personal relationship with Christ? What is this person’s pattern
of church attendance and involvement? Is there a consistent practice of prayer and Bible
reading? Does the person understand the concepts of grace, faith, and forgiveness?
If the person is a believer, you can draw upon the resources of prayer, Bible reading,
worship, and small-group support.

7. Take the first small ___________ now.

There is no time like the present to begin to move toward a solution.
The old saying is true: the journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.
You can ask a question like, “What is something you could do right now that would help
you to know that you are on your way?” If the issue involves relationships, you could
ask, “What would that person notice that would help them know that you are changing?”
Emphasize that although the change may be small, it shows movement in a positive
direction. Sometimes the person may suggest several small changes that will help.

8. _________________ the session.

End the session on a positive, hopeful tone by reinforcing the person’s strengths,
courage, and the progress already made. Emphasize that you, as pastor, are there and
will continue to work as a team member.
Assign homework to be done before the next session. It might be important for you to
write out the homework. The homework should include the first step the counselee is to
take before the next session. Also, include spiritual resources such as Bible reading and
church attendance that would be helpful in leading to a successful solution.

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 Emphasize that continued counseling depends on the person doing the homework
assignments to make the solution possible. You can either set a date for the next
session or have the counselee make an appointment when it is needed.

Role-playing the First Session

This is a brief, role-playing exercise beginning with establishing the goal of the
counseling and going as far as one can in 10 minutes. The counselee is to
present the problem as he or she thinks it would be given in a counseling
situation.
Scenario 1
The counselee is 32 years old and works in a small factory, tightening the last
bolt in an assembly line process. There is no break from the day-after-day,
mindless job, and the counselee is really depressed by it all. It is affecting the
relationship with the spouse. Maybe a new and different job would help, but
jobs are hard to get. There has to be more to life than spending eight hours a
day tightening a bolt on an assembly line.

Scenario 2
The counselee is a 32-year-old who has been married for eight years with
little desire to be unfaithful. However, recently a very attractive, new employee
has come to work in the department. The counselee is not sure the other
person has any attraction to the counselee. However, the counselee has
become almost obsessed with thinking about this person. The counselee is a
Christian and does not want his or her own marriage to be destroyed, but
thoughts of this fellow worker persist day and night. The counselee needs
help getting past this.

√ Who Are the Counselees?

The ________________ seekers.

The _________________ lovers.

The _________________ participants.

The _____________________ recipients.

The ________________ seekers.

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 √ With an Eye on the Goal
Goals are specific objectives that you and the client develop to define what
the end product of treatment will look like. Clearly defined goals answer the
question, ‘How will we know when the client is done with counseling?’
Effective goals communicate what the client wants to change and sets up
ways to recognize when the client has accomplished the goals.
-- Oliver, Promoting Change, 143.

Characteristics of a Good Goal

1.

2.

3.

4.

Because the goal or solution is central to the counseling process, you must
keep it as the focus of each session. Progress means change as the
counselee moves toward the goal.

√ The Second Session and Beyond

1. Begin with what ______________ has taken place since the last session.

2. Affirm and encourage any ___________________ toward the goal.

3. Maintain the _____________.

4. Plan for the next _____________.

5. Provide ___________________.

6. Give __________________ assignments.

7. Termination.

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Role-playing the Second Session
The counselee will role-play the first scenario as a part of a second session.
After 15 minutes, or half the time left, reverse roles with the new counselee
taking the second scenario.
Scenario 1
A man or woman, 45 years old, lost a spouse in a tragic car accident about six
months ago. The counselee has been having trouble sleeping at night. Going
to work has been difficult because the person has not been motivated to do
anything. Every night after work the person goes to the cemetery and talks to
the dead spouse for an hour or two. In the first session the counselee began
focusing on the goal of trying to live with the reality that the spouse is really
dead and moving on with life. Since the first session, the person has been
able to sleep for six hours without waking up, which was progress over getting
only about four hours of sleep a night.

Scenario 2
A single parent of a 14-year-old son has come for help in dealing with the
boy’s truancy in school. The young man is in real danger of failing his classes
because he is absent so often. Much of the situation seems to result from a
combination of wanting to have more freedom and anger at his parents for
getting a divorce. In the past the parent has tried to deal with the absences by
grounding the boy from all activities, including the youth program at church.
This was totally ineffective. The parent is focusing on the goal of having the
son attend all his school classes and earn a passing grade. There was very
slight progress after the initial session.

√ Community Resources and Referrals

Howard Clinebell says,
Properly conceived, referral is a means of using a team effort to help a
troubled person. It is a broadening and sharing, not a total transfer of
responsibility . . . Only by drawing on the specialized helping skills of
others can ministers have time and energy to fulfill their unique pastoral
function as spiritual growth enablers for an entire congregation.
-- Clinebell, Basic Types of Pastoral Care, 310-11.

√ When to Refer—Pastoral
1. The limitation of __________________
The pastor is a _________________
Training
Experience
Giftedness

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2. The lack of _________________

3. Lack of ____________

4. Threat of _________________

5. _________________ problems

6. _________________ issues

√ Where to Refer—Community Resources

Private Practice

• Medical doctors

• Psychologists and professional counselors

• Psychiatrists

Community Agencies

Religious Organizations

√ How to Refer—Making the Connection

1. Learn the __________________ available in your community, and develop
a file or notebook with resources.

2. Make a referral to an ___________________ rather than an agency when

possible.

3. Help the counselees feel you are not _____________________ them.

4. Let the counselee make the ___________________ when possible.

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5. Maintain contact with the __________________ after the referral is made.

6. Follow up with the __________________ agency on progress.

√ Problems with Referring

The lack of ___________________.

The lack of _______________.

The counselee’s _________________ to go.

Journaling or sharing with your discussion partner

Diploma student: Write in your journal. Spend time reflecting on the way
Jesus responded when people came to Him with needs. What are the aspects
of counseling you find most difficult to deal with, from present experience or
as you anticipate ministry in the future? Reflect on how God can help you in
the areas you find most challenging. Read 2 Corinthians 1:3-7 and respond to
what the scripture is saying to you about being a comfort to others through
counseling.
Certificate students: Use the same journal prompt (questions above) to begin
your three minute oral report to your partner.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Lesson 5

PASTORAL PRESENCE IN CONFLICT & CRISIS

Objectives for the lesson

By the end of this lesson, students should:
• understand the causes of church conflict
• know some of the steps to take to resolve church conflict
• explain the types of crises
• understand how a crisis develops
• know what to do when dealing with a crisis

√ PASTORAL PRESENCE IN CONFLICT

Discussion Activity
Look at the church in Corinth (1 Cor. 3-6). Select two conflicts and answer the
following questions for each conflict.

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1. What was the nature of the conflict?
2. What were the causes of the conflict?
3. What had been done to resolve the conflict?
4. What was Paul’s suggestion to resolve the conflict?

√ Persons in Conflict
Jesus’ Model for Resolving Personal Conflict
Even Jesus understood that conflicts will sometimes develop when you have
a group of people together. Matthew records Christ’s teachings on dealing
with conflict between two or more people within a local church. We need to
hear them today as well.
Read Matthew 18:15-17. The fact Jesus uses the word “sins” in verse 15
would lead us to believe this was a pattern for addressing church discipline in
the local church. However, in a situation of conflict one or more people may
well feel they have been sinned against by the other party. There are four
steps that should be followed in order that all parties will be treated with
dignity and with a goal of quick resolution.

Step 1. Personal _____________________ (v. 15)

• 1 Corinthians 13:4-7

• James 5:16

Step 2. Small-Group ___________________ (v. 16)

Step 3. Public _______________ (v. 17a)

Step 4. Public ______________ (v. 17b)

Galatians 6:1-2, “Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual
should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted. Carry
each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.”

√ Church in Conflict

The Causes of Church Conflict

1. Changing ________________ Stresses

2. A Strong ______________ Structure

3. Financial ________________

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4. Style and ________________

Resolving Church Conflict

1. Give accurate and helpful __________________ on the subject.

2. Encourage good ___________________ from all concerned.

3. Draw together feelings and _________________ that show united concern

4. Negotiate a ___________________ on those points of disagreement.

5. Covenant to abide with the ______________________ of the group.

Group Activity: How would you handle this?

Case Study A
A volunteer youth worker in your church has done a great job of building the
youth group from 4 to 6 attendees to over 50 young people in a span of three
years. There is a house next door to the church for sale and the youth leader
is asking the church to buy it and turn it into a youth center. She and her
supporters envision being able to reach as many as 150 neighborhood teens
a week with this facility. A group of members opposes this purchase. These
are primarily families with small children in the church. They want a special
addition on the church dedicated to children’s ministry. They believe if the
money was spent on the children’s department facilities, we would be able to
reach more children and eventually that would help the teen department to
grow as well. There is not enough money to do both things, and each group
feels their approach is the only right one. How would you handle this if you
were the pastor?
Case Study B
The church hired a part-time secretary several years ago thinking this woman
would be a great help to the pastor and church programs. A new pastor came
to the church and the secretary did not agree with the new direction of the
church. She began to gossip and spread untrue stories about the new pastor.
While not outwardly resistant, she slowed the work of the church office until
some who utilized her services began to complain. The pastor finally decided
to give the secretary a 30-day notice of termination. The husband of the
secretary has been the most influential person in the power structure and she
also has family in the church. The secretary’s family and other supporters
have quit paying tithe and resigned from many responsible positions in the
church in protest. The pastor’s supporters have felt this family has had far too
much power in the church and the firing of the secretary is long overdue. The

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church is split down the middle on this issue. How would you handle this if you
were the pastor?

√ PASTORAL PRESENCE IN CRISIS

Discussion: What Is a Crisis?
The dictionary defines it as a crucial time, a turning point in a person’s life.
“The Chinese character for crisis is made up of two symbols: one is for
despair and the other for opportunity.”
-- H. Norman Wright, Crisis Counseling: What to Do During the
First 72 Hours (Ventura, CA: Regal Books/Gospel Light, 1993), 20.
Howard Clinebell says, “A crisis occurs within persons when their usual
problem-solving activities are ineffective, allowing the stress of unmet need to
rise unabated.”
-- Clinebell, Basic Types of Pastoral Care, 185.

There are two types of crises

1. Developmental

2. Situational or Accidental

How Does a Crisis Develop?

1. A __________________ event

2. An _________________ reaction

3. An _____________ response

Observations about a Crisis

1. Everyone has and will _________ many crises.

2. Crises and stresses are ___________________.

3. A crisis is not a sign of _________________ illness.

4. People facing the __________ crisis situation will respond in very different
ways.

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5. People with strong personal ________________ skills and a helpful
__________________ network will generally do better in handling a crisis.

6. Working though a crisis can make a person __________________ or it

can be a _________________ process.

7. One’s ____________________ life can be greatly affected by a crisis.

What Do I Do in a Crisis?

1. Respond __________________.

2. Assess the __________________.

3. Establish _________________.

4. Decide on any immediate _________________ that must be taken.

5. Work with the person to set future ________________.

6. Develop a plan of _______________.

7. Assess the ________________ system and resources.

8. Generate a sense of hope and confidence.

9. Commit to follow-up.

Group Activity: How would you handle this?

Case Study A
A family has decided to move across the country because of a new job
opportunity for the father. Their 16-year-old son, the only child still living at
home, does not want to move. He is in the middle of his junior year in high
school and is adamant about staying to finish school. He says, “I’m old
enough to live on my own. If you make me move, I can just run away.” The
moving van is coming in just a few days and the intensity of the crisis is
increasing. The family staying in their location is not an option. This family
comes to you for help. What will you do?
Case Study B
A couple married 12 years has been active in your church. The husband calls
to tell you he discovered a love note his wife wrote to a coworker. After
confronting his wife with the evidence, she admits she had indeed had a brief
affair, but she insists she doesn’t love this man. The wronged husband is

34
furious and isn’t convinced when his wife says the affair is over. There are no
children in this marriage, and the husband is thinking of just leaving the whole
thing and starting over alone. The wife is pleading for him to give her another
chance. Pastor, they have invited you over to their apartment tonight to see if
you can save this marriage in crisis. What will you do?

Journaling or sharing with your discussion partner

Diploma students: Write in your journal. Reflect on at least one personal crisis
in your own life. How did you feel when the crisis came. How did you find help
to deal with the crisis? In what ways did the Holy Spirit minister to you directly
and through other people? What are some lessons you have learned through
this crisis?
Certificate students: Use the same journal prompt (questions above) to begin
your three minute oral report to your partner.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Lesson 6

PASTORAL PRESENCE IN HUMAN SUFFERING

Objectives for this Lesson

By the end of this lesson, students should:
• know the problem of suffering in our world
• explain the pastor’s challenge of comforting
• understand the problem of suffering in our world
• understand the pastor’s challenge of comforting those who suffer

√ The Problem of Suffering

No one providing pastoral care can really be effective without coming to grips
with the presence of evil and suffering in a world created and ruled by a good
and loving God.
These issues are at the very core of our faith.
Coming to terms with the issue of pain and suffering calls for careful Bible
study and thological reflection.

Theodicy: speaking of God's goodness in the ______________ of evil.

• Anyone who has attempted to bring comfort to someone facing serious
pain has wondered: What do I say to this person who is suffering?

• Thomas Oden writes:

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 Theodicy means to speak justly of God amid the awesome fact of
suffering. It's task is to vindicate the divine attributes, especially justice,
mercy, and love, in relation to the continueing existence of evil. It
wishes to speak about God (theos) with justice (dike) precisely at those
points at which the divine purpose seems most implausible and
questionable, namely, amid suffering."
-- Thomas Oden, Pastoral Theology, 223

• Even in the midst of suffering, we are never alone – God walks with us.

• The apostle Paul never bought into the idea that avoiding suffering is the
chief goal of one's life (2 Cor. 1:5-6).

God does not ______________ suffering.

• God does not will or cause suffering even though he may permit it to
happen as the result of our fallen world.

• There are things that happen that will never make sense to us becuase
God did not cause them to enter our lives.

• God created humankind with the privielege of free will.

o That was essential to God's desire for us to be able to enjoy a
relationship with him. Yet, with the privilege of choosing this good
relationship was the risk that man would choose the wrong.
o God, with the infinite capcity to love and know us, knew that there was
no other way for us to enjoy this relationship with our Creator without
granting us the privilege of free will.
o Because people have this ability to choose, they must take
responsibility for the choices they make.
o A person's choices affect not only themselves, but also have an effect
far beyond themselves.
• It might seem that evil is winning the war. But God's power is not limited
by the sin and suffering of this world.

Suffering as _________________.
• Is there any reason then for God to allow suffering?

• There are times when suffering can be a wonderful teacher.

• Suffering can also make us more compassionate toward others who are
facing similar situations.

• Suffering also has the capacity to force us to our knees in prayer.

• When God has our attention, there is no limit to what we can learn from his
voice.

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 √ Pastoral Care of the Poor
The Church has always from its beginning considered ministry to the poor as
part of its ministry responsibiities. And it has been said that "a pastor may
imporove society in no better way than by simply becoming a true pastor"
The poor are considered to be those who do not have the resouces that they
need to live in this world, and are not able to easily get them, and so they are
in immediate need of merciful care.
Jesus' ministry was primarily among the poor.
Ministry to the poor is not only the responsibiity of the pastor but also of a
congregation as a whole. Traditionally, the church has ministered to the poor
through their regular tithes and offerings, through a church-wide invitation to
give to special offerings for the poor, and through determining how best to
distribute relief fairly to those in need.
Ways to help those in need as the church provides:
To the orphans the care of parents
To the widows the care of husbands
To those of suitable age, marriage
To the artisan, work
To the disabled, sympathetic response
To the travelers, a house
To the hungry, food
To the thristy, drink
To the naked, clothing
To the sick, visitiation
To the prisoner, help
To young persons, assistance that they may learn a trade (p. 269)
Read 1 Tim. 6:6-9. Pastors and congregations need to be reminded that those
who desire riches can fall into a trap. This scripture adminishes both the
wealthy and the poor to learn the virtue of contentment. This is foundational
for godliness as well as for sincere ministry to the poor.

Degrees of Poverty
1. Ordinary poverty is seen in the people who are only able to provide a
minimal income. The have very little to call their own, and they live from
day to day at a standard of living that most people in their community
would consider as very low, barely sustaining life. Help to these people
can involve:
a. preventive remedies – actions that can help them to no fall more
deeply into acute poverty or destitution.
b. curative remedies – actions that can help change the economic
situation in the community as well as to help change the inward
psychological patterns that cause such poverty to continue.

37
2. Acute poverty refers to a crisis in which the conditions for supporting life
are temporarily but immediately threatened. If life is to continue, help from
others is needed as
a. emergency relief.
3. Destitution refers to a continuing state of being without the means of bare
subsistence or the means of getting them. It is persistent absolute want of
the necessities of life with no possibilities of recovery by its own means.
Care for the poor at this level is needed as all three:
a. preventive remedies
b. curative remedies
c. emergency relief
Helpful guidelines –
• The greater the degree of want, the greater is the urgency for relief.

• The desperately destitute need to be taken care of first – resources are

always limited.

• Providing resources alone is not enough. The church must also always
give spiritual encouragement, guidance and training, along with the
physical aid.

• The end objective of ministry to the poor is to help them improve their
condition, their abilities to help themselves, their self-esteem, and their
spiritual well-being.

Spiritual counsel for the poor:

1. No condition of life is so lowly or poor but that it may become sanctified
and fruitful to us (1 Cor. 10:13).
2. Keep in mind that riches can be as dangerous to the soul as poverty.
3. There are some sins that tend toward poverty: ill-gotten gain, pride,
gluttony, drunkenness, lazyness, and idleness.
4. The poor may be tempted to think that worldly riches will bring happiness.
5. The poor may be tempted to use unlawful means to supply their wants,
such as flattery, theft, murder or desperate revolution.
6. Remember that Christ himself chose a life of poverty.
7. The pastor who teaches these things will do well to live in such a way to
show willingness to live modestly themselves as a basis for demonstrating
that poverty can be a context for spiritual increase.

The willingness to give with generosity and cheerfulness puts love to the
test. Christ's love for us is demonstrated by his willingness to voluntarily
become poor, enter into our human situation with its limits, and allow himself

38
to become defenseless and vulnerable. How can we do any less in
demonstrating love to those in need around us.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Lesson 7

PASTORAL PRESENCE IN SICKNESS AND DEATH

Objectives for this Lesson

By the end of this lesson, students should:
• know the stages of dying
• understand the importance of ministry to the dying
• know the elements of the grieving process
• understand how to help people manage grief
• know how to prepare for a funeral
• know how to plan a funeral service

√ Ministry to the Sick

Healing and the confession of sin.

• Confessing one's faults or sins to another person or to God himself can be
a significatn part of spiritual healing.

• There can be a connection between guilt, shame, and illnesses that may at
first seem unrelated.

• Such things as bitterness and unresolved anger or hatred can contribute to

physical problems.

• When the guilt and shame of sin is removed by confession and

forgiveness, a person may find there is physical healing as a side benefit.

Prayer and annointing.

• It is normally in the context of the faith community that prayers are offered
for physical healing by annointing of the sick with oil (Mark 6:13; James
5:14-16)

• Jesus often healed by placing his hands on the person that was ill.

• The passage in James links healing to the confession of sins and

forgiveness.

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 √ The Miracle of Healing
A purpose behind the miracle.
• Perhaps God wants to use the personal in a special way to minister to
others.
• Or perhaps God wants to use the miracle to show to those around who are
lost, who God is and what he can do for us, so that they will come to faith
in Christ.

No healing is guaranteed to last forever.

• Even though Lazarus was raised from the dead by Jesus, he later died a
second time.

God's healing can take many forms.

• God can heal with a miracle in a moment of time.
• Or healing can take place over a period of time.
• And God can use medical science to bring about healing.

We should ask and not demand of God.

• God's ways are hight than our ways.
• God's ways are often a mystery that cannot be explained or understood.
• The Christian understading of heaven leads us to believe that it is a place
of final healing.
• Ultimately we must place our trust in God, whose knowledge is far greater
than we can understand with our finite minds.

√ Ministry to the Dying

Stages of the Dying Process

1. Denial—This can’t be happening to me.

2. Anger—Why me?

3. Bargaining—It’s me, but if you’ll . . . then I’ll . . .

4. Depression—I can’t deny it, what’s the use?

5. Acceptance—This is really happening.

6. Christian Hope—This is not the end—there’s the resurrection.

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People Who Are Dying Have Special Needs
1. They need someone who will listen

2. They need a friend.

3. They need to find meaning.

4. They need a spiritual guide.

Ministry to the Grieving

1. Shock.

2. Emotions.

3. Blaming.

4. Lack of focus.

5. Gradual hope.

6. Accepting reality.

Managing Grief
1. Help the person face reality.

2. Loosen some of the ties to the deceased.

3. Don’t make life-changing decisions too quickly.

4. Find new interests for the remainder of life.

5. Help people with special times of remembrance.

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 √ Ministry through the Funeral

Preparing for the Funeral

• Go to the family as soon as possible.

• Arrange for an all-family meeting.

• Work with the funeral director.

• Be with the family for the first viewing of the body.

Planning the Service

1. Plan the service and the sermon with a biblical view of life and death.

2. Write a sermon that can draw people to Jesus. There are three

3. For the funeral of an unbeliever, show Jesus as the hope for the living.

4. Assist the family in selecting the best location for the funeral service.

5. Plan the order of service to incorporate all the elements you have
discussed with the family.
Here is a sample order of service.
Prelude
Scriptural Call to Worship
Invocation
Hymn
Obituary and/or Eulogy
Scriptures
Prayer
Special Music
Sermon/Homily
Benediction
6. Plan a committal service at the graveside appropriate for the conclusion of
the funeral.

7. Be aware of the local customs connected with funerals.

8. Visit the spouse and family soon after the funeral and then at appropriate
intervals.

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9. Other funeral service issues.

√ Suicidal Crisis and Grief

The Pastor’s Role in Suicidal Crises:
1. Recognize suicidal persons
2. Provide emergency help until professional care can be given
3. Continue pastoral care and counseling of the person and the family to help
them deal with the underlying causes of the suicidal behavior within the
individual and in the family system;
4. Help the family deal with the destructive consequences of an incomplete or
a completed suicide.

Cries for Help

Suicide is usually not a sudden act that has not been thought about and
planned for some time beforehand. Most people send out cries for help
before they try to commit suicide. These include:
1. Obvious suicidal threats – all suicidal threats must be taken very seriously!
They indicate that they and their relationships are deeply disturbed.
2. Covert (veiled) suicidal threats – Those who talk about life as empty and
meaningless, who believe they are not valued or needed by others, who
wish they could go to sleep and not wake up, or who feel trapped and
powerless ina no-exit situation, often are expressing pre-suicidal feelings.
3. Depression – “All deeply depressed people are potential suicides!”
(Psychiatrist Karl A Menninger). Depression shows itself in many ways:
severe feelings of hopelessness and worthlessness; chronic insomnia; loss
of appetite or interest in other previously enjoyed activities; severe apathy
and chronic exhaustion, withdrawal from relationships, etc.
4. Crushing losses and pathological grief – shattering blows to self-esteem
and other traumatic losses may produce suicidal behavior during the
reactive depression that follows. The greater the anger and frustrated
dependency, the more likely is a suicidal response.
5. Psychological disturbances and chronic illnesses – Anyone in a
disorganized, chaotic mental state who feels rejected and/or hopeless,
should be regarded as a suicidal risk. Those in chronic pain and/or those
suffering from incurable illnesses may become suicidal, especially if they
have intense fear of dependency, helplessness, or financial disaster.

In counseling with persons who are known or suspected to be suicidal, it is

crucial to ask about suicidal impulses, fantasies, or intentions. A suicide
prevention center gave these instructions to its counselors:

Your own openness and willingness to confront the patient directly with
the problem of suicide is very helpful in reducing the patient’s anxiety.

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 Inquire about the suicidal aspects of the behavior matter-of-factly. Ask
about prior attempts and when they occurred, whether he is presently
planning an attempt, and, if so, specifically what his plans are; and
whether he has the mans available to carry out his plans.
-- Suicide Prevention Center, Manual for
Handling Phone Calls, (Los Angeles)
p. 4.

One reason for asking such questions is to get information to evaluate

the degree of danger involved in suicide threats. The higher the lethal
probability, the greater the need for the pastor to use whatever
approach is necessary to prevent suicidal action. In a care and
accepting but a very firm manner, the minister should use persuasion,
theological arguments, staying with the person, driving her or him to a
physician or hospital emergency room, or if nothing else works –
phoning the police and using physical restraint. A minister may say
something like this: “Killing yourself may seem to you in your present
despair, to be the only way out. But I’m sure we can find a better way.
If you end your life, you’ll deprive yourself of any possibilities of our
finding a better solution to your situation. At least wait until we’ve tried!”

During the first conversation with suicidal persons, obtain the names
and phone numbers of close relatives, friends and physician, and
explain why it is necessary to let them know that he or she needs extra
emotional support during this crisis. The family should be told not to
leave persons alone during their acutely suicidal phase. Involving the
family physician as soon as possible is also important, in case
antidepressant medication or temporary hospitalization in needed.

Most suicidal persons need three forms of help once they are beyond
the acute suicidal crisis:
1. They need ongoing, supportive pastoral care
2. Psychotherapy and/or family counseling to resolve the underlying
intrapsychic problems (e.g. pathological guilt) and the interpersonal
pathology that fed the suicidal behavior
3. Help with the spiritual and value problems at the root of their sense of
meaninglessness and despair. At its deepest level, the suicidal
person’s problem is a theological problem. As one with some
expertise in spiritual growth, the minister has a unique and
indispensable contribution to make to the longer-term healing of suicidal
persons and their families.

In working with suicidal persons, it is helpful to remember that only a small

portion of those who threaten suicide actually attempt it, and that of those,
only a fraction actually kill themselves. It is also important to remember
that the ultimate decision and responsibility for suicide remains with the

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 person. If they have decided unequivocally to end their lives, they will
probably do so, no matter how competent the persons who attempt to
prevent it.

Suicide is often the tip of the iceberg of deep problems to a family system.
The whole family needs pastoral care and often conjoint family therapy.

The family of a completed suicide almost always needs extended pastoral

care and counseling to deal with the swirling feelings of unhealed shame,
guilt, and rage toward the dead person. Their grief wounds are almost
always infected. The family’s shame, denial, and self-protective hiding
often prevent them from being open to help.

Counseling with suicidal persons often is threatening and demanding. It

confronts us with the ultimate issues of life and death, and with our own
suicidal tendencies (including protracted suicide such as killing ourselves
by chronic overwork and self-stressing). Our effectiveness in dealing with
the existential issues with which the suicidal person is struggling will
depend on how we deal with these issues ourselves and whether we have
found meanings in our own lives that enable us to transcend and
transform, to some degree, the pain and tragedies of our existence.
-- this section was taken from:
Howard Clinebell, Basic Types of Pastoral Care &
Counseling, (1984 Abingdon Press) pp. 235-238.

Journaling or sharing with your discussion partner

Diploma student: Write in your journal. Meditate on 2 Cor 1:3-8. Reflect on the
way God brought comfort to you in the past through another person. What is it
like to receive comfort? How does it help us to have been recipients of God’s
comfort when it becomes our turn to comfort someone else? How do we
share in the sufferings of Christ? What is the connection between suffering
and comforting?

Certificate students: Use the same journal prompt (questions above) to begin
your three minute oral report to your partner.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Lesson 8

Pastoral Presence in Celebration and Families

Objectives for the lesson
By the end of this lesson, students should:
• understand why premarital counseling is necessary
• understand the goals of premarital counseling

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• know how to develop a premarital counseling program
• understand principles of raising children

√ Celebrating Marriage
Why Is Premarital Counseling Necessary?
1. The high rate of divorce

2. A limited frame of reference

3. Preparation before can prevent problems later

4. Pastors have a sacred responsibility before God

5. The Goals of Premarital Counseling

6. Plan the wedding.

7. Assess the chances of success in this marriage.

8. Help the couple understand themselves and the other person.

9. Develop realistic expectations of marital roles.

10. What are some ways you can help a couple understand the other
person’s expectations in marriage?

11. Understand their relationship with parents and family.

12. Encourage communication.

13. Equip the couple to deal with conflict.

14. Foster the spiritual development of both partners.

√ Developing a Premarital Counseling Program

Establish a church _______________ for weddings.

Understand the governmental and legal __________________ for

conducting weddings.

Develop a plan for a _____________________ counseling program of four to

six sessions.

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Reserve the right to ______________ to marry those who do not
cooperate in counseling or show little potential for success in
marriage.

Plan to have a _______________ session after the wedding.

Group Activity: Premarital counseling

In your group discuss the following questions.
• What are the questions you have in offering to give premarital counseling
to couples?

• What are the advantages of offering premarital counseling over ignoring

this need?

√ The Wedding Service

The Service.

Start on time.

Photography.

The homily.

The order of service may include some of these aspects:

Music prelude
Candle lighting
Seating of grandparents and parents
The processional
Greeting and betrothal (giving of bride, questions to bride and groom, etc.)
Music
Homily
Vows and exchange of rings.
Prayer (followed by music and Communion, if used)
Unity candle
Pronouncement of husband and wife
Benediction
Bridal kiss
Presentation of couple

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 Recessional
Escorting parents and grandparents
Dismissal of the congregation

Service Issues
Wedding Service Ritual.

Communion.

Music.

Unity Candle.

Record keeping.

√ Pastoral Care in relation to Raising Children

Becoming parents in a Christian home is a special celebration!
The family is the basic unit of society, both in communities and in the church.
• God created the family as the context for human living.
• God designed the role of parents not only for conception, but also for
relationship, provision and development of children born in the family.
Number five of the Ten Commandments, "Honor your father and your mother"
• teaches us that parenthood was set up by God, and God requires
children to respect the position of their parents as those placed over
them by God himself.
• The Bible also has much to say about the parents' responsibiities to
their children.
• Thus the pastor has great responsibility to show as well as to teach and
counsel families about God's designs for raising children in the home.

Children's Basic Needs

1. The need for order and authority.
a. Children need for their lives to function in an orderly way.
b. Children need to know who is the authority God has put over them.
c. This authority should neither be too rigid nor too lax – a biblical
balance is vital for their well-being.

2. Affection – and much of it.

3. The sense of belonging.

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4. Capability of achievement.

5. Acceptance and understanding.

a. Children need to sense in their spirits that their parents understand
them
b. They need to be assured that any conflict can be resolved by the
wise efforts of their parents on their behalf.
c. They need to feel that they are loved unconditionally.

6. A sense of purpose

√ God's Pattern for Parenting

______________________ love

The ___________________ of parents are shown in their children.

Obedience is not __________________.

_____________________ discipline demonstrates love to children.

Even children know they need limits. They need the assurance that
someone is in charge. Often they will see how far they can go just to
assure themselved that someone is in charge.
-- William E. Hulme, The Pastoral Care of
Families: Its Theology and Practice, p. 97-98.

The Need to Teach about ______________ _________

The Christian doctrine of original sin helps parents to understand why their
children behave as they do, and to know how they can help their children to
deal with the issue of evil as they struggle to learn to obey with appropriate
attitudes and motives.

We are all born with original sin (or the inborn nature of sin) since our first
parents, Adam and Eve, disobeyed God in the Garden of Eden. Because of
their sin, every baby born into the world since then is born with a nature that is
"bent" toward sin and disobedience and self-will.

This inborn nature of sin (original sin) causes people to commit actions and
behaviors that are socially unacceptable and that are not pleasing to God.

49
Even very young children may show bad behavior and willful attitudes that
reveal self-centeredness controling their actions. Sometimes parents tell their
children that they are good or bad depending on their behavior.
• If a child is told they are bad, they can feel worthless with low self-esteem.
• If a child is told they are good, they can think too highly of themselves with
pride.
• We are all born with an inner "bend" toward sin because of original sin in
our hearts–this causes us all to become sinners.
• It would be better to tell children that their choices and behavior are good
or bad, rather than to say that the child is good or bad.

None of us are responsible for original sin deep within our character.
• Children can't help but make bad choices and do bad behavior because of
original sin within.
• Parental discipline can help children understand that bad behavior is not
acceptable.
• Good Christian teachings can help children to learn at a young age that
Jesus will forgive the bad things they have done.
• And also, that God can cleanse original sin from their hearts in order to
empower them to live Christlike behavior with good and loving attitudes
and motives.

Children who come to faith in Christ as their own personal Savior find it much
easier to develop Christlike character in their lives, because the grace and
power of God is at work in their hearts and lives.

Sanctification and Family ____________________

In his book, The Pastoral Care of Families: Its Theology and Practice, William
E. Hulme states:
Sanctification relates to family living. As somebody has said, when a
person is a Christian, even his dog should be the better for it. It is in the
family relationships that growth in Christian living should take place
since the way in which we relate to people is indicative of the way we
are relating to God. As 1 John puts it, "He who loves God should love
his brother also" (1 John 4:21).
Our reaction patterns have developed out of family situations and are most
likely to show themselves when these types of family situations happen in the
new family unit, or when situations remind us of them.

In addition to the handicap that these assimilations from the past may present,
there is the continuum of crisis and clash that characterizes family living,
testing not only the Christianity of father and mother but also their supply of
nervous energy.

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The goal in the parent-child relationship is to establish a relationship of
_______________ .
• Love is also the goal of the sanctification experience and process.
• God's love comes to us through Christ and creates a response love within
us toward God
• The Church gives this love to those within and without it's fellowhsip,
• So it is the Church, the body Christ who makes tangible His love.

Working with relationships in the _____________

• moves us toward the experience of entire sanctification when God
cleanses original sin and fills with his perfect (agape) love.
• and it also moves us along the journey of life as we continue to grow in
grace through the process of progressive sanctification.
• and as the parents grow in grace they also grow in their ability to reflect
God's love to their children.

Journaling or sharing with your discussion partner

Diploma student: Write in your journal. If you are married, reflect on the
responsibilities and privileges you enjoy in the relationship with your spouse.
Ask God to speak to you about ways you can make your marriage stronger. If
you are not married, reflect on ways you as a pastor can minister to couples
planning to be married.

Certificate students: Use the same journal prompt (questions above) to begin
your three minute oral report to your partner.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Lesson 9

THE PASTOR AS A PERSON

Objectives for this Lesson

By the end of this lesson, students should:
• understand an appropriate use of time
• understand the importance of confidentiality
• understand the need to speak the truth with people who are dying
• know the importance of setting boundaries for counseling with people
• know how to deal with people of the opposite gender
• understand how to be accountable to others
• know how to help people facing ethical dilemmas in medicine

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 √ The Pastor’s Conduct
Group Activity: Ethical dilemmas
Scenario 1
Hannah, a 15-year-old from a prominent church family, comes into the youth
pastor’s office in tears. She finally comes to the point of her visit. She has
been seeing a 17-year-old boy, Jason, from another active family in the
church. Through her sobs she reveals that she and her boyfriend have been
having sex for about five months. Then the girl takes a deep breath and
reveals, “I found out today from the clinic that I’m two months pregnant. Jason
and I have not decided what we’re going to do yet. We love each other, but
we’re not ready to be married. We’re considering an abortion. I understand
that if you tell a minister something it has to be kept a secret. I want you to
swear you will not tell either of our families about this, OK?” What does the
youth pastor do?
Scenario 2
Bill, a single man of 45, has been seeing several doctors because of severe
bouts of depression. He has been unsatisfied with their help and has been
coming to you, the pastor, for counsel. Bill has faced several serious
emotional and physical problems lately. His elderly mother died and left him
alone in the house. He has been diagnosed with the beginning stages of
diabetes, and with his depression, it has beaten him down. Now, in the study
he confides he has been having somewhat regular thoughts of ending his life.
He could be with his mother in heaven and all the physical problems and
depression would be a thing of the past. When you question him, he says he
probably won’t kill himself because he is too much of a coward. Still, you have
grave concerns about him. What do you do, as a pastor?
Scenario 3
George, an 83-year-old grandfather, is in the final stages of stomach cancer.
The family and the doctor have decided it would be too hard on the man to
know he may have only two months to live, so they are not telling him the
truth. The family has specifically asked you, the pastor, not to say anything to
the man either. You go to visit George in the hospital and he asks you the
question straight out, “Pastor, my family and my doctor will not answer my
question, but I need to know—am I going to die real soon?” What would you
do, and how do you answer George?

√ Ethical Issues in Pastoral Care

1. The Pastor’s ______________

2. The Pastor’s ______________________

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 Gaylord Noyce says, “Few strengths for ministry are more important than the
ability to keep confidences. Parishioners deeply need the freedom to trust this
ability in their clergy if they are constructively to probe with pastoral help their
moral and spiritual doubts, to confess their sins, and to grow.”
-- Gaylord B. Noyce, Pastoral Ethics: Professional Responsibilities
of the Clergy (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1988), 89.

“Usually such legislation reads in effect—and these laws are now on the books of
most states—that the ordained minister ‘shall not be allowed or compelled’ to
disclose a confession or confidence incurred in the line of professional work.”
-- Gaylord B. Noyce, Pastoral Ethics, 92

3. The Pastor’s ____________ - __________________

In the third case study the family and the doctor tried to pull the pastor into a
conspiracy of silence. A terminal hospital patient, who asks the direct question,
“Pastor, am I going to die soon?” is looking for a straight answer.

4. The Pastor’s _________________ - _________________

• Boundaries of Location.

• Boundaries of Touch.

• Boundaries of Emotion.

5. The Pastor’s Respect for the Other Gender

“There is a sexual dimension to all cross-gender relationships. We cannot chop
up the human person by categories; there is no absolute line of demarcation
between spiritual, intellectual and physical attraction in human relationships.”
-- Noyce, Pastoral Ethics, 100, 101.

“The counselee is attractive . . . is not having emotional and sexual needs met
elsewhere . . . [and] the counseling involves detailed discussions of sexually
arousing material.”
-- Collins, Christian Counseling, 31.

6. The Pastor’s Accountability

How do we resist temptation and maintain a proper relationship?
• Strengthen your own marriage.

• Maintain your spiritual life with God.

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 • Be honest with your feelings.

• Consider the consequences.

• Develop a support system.

7. The Pastor and Medical Ethical Issues

• Will this enhance the patient’s quality of life?

• Will this improve the mental, emotional, physical, or spiritual dimensions

of this person’s life?

• Is this an issue of life at any cost?

• Is this decision for the family’s benefit?

• What are the patient’s desires?

• Is this good stewardship of resources?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Lesson 10

THE PASTOR’S PERSONAL LIFE

Objectives for this Lesson

By the end of this lesson, students should:
• understand how a pastor relates to the church he or she pastors
• understand how to deal with personal issues in ministry
• understand the pastor’s responsibility to keep marriage and family healthy
• understand how to maintain a passion for the ministry

√ The Pastor’s Relationship to the Church

1. Unrealistic ____________________.

2. Needing to be good at _____________________.

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3. Wearing a ________________ on your back.

4. Job ____________________.

5. Defection.

Group Activity
In your small groups, discuss these questions:
• What can a pastor do to address each of these church pressures?
• How would you deal personally with pressures that seem to be unjust or
unfair?

√ The Pastor’s Relationship to Self

1. Let yourself be _______________.

“Common expectations we see in Christian workers are: 1. to be tireless; 2. to be
above being hurt; 3. to be excellent at every task: 4. to be emotionally self-
sufficient; 5. to be free from material needs; 6. to be spiritually perfect.”
-- Louis McBurney, Counseling Christian Workers
(Dallas: Word Publishing, 1986), 43.

God sent one Messiah to earth, and you are not Him. Paul gives sound advice in
Romans 12:3, “Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather
think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith
God has given you.”

2. Guard against __________________.

• __________ yourself.

• Learn to _______________.

• _______________ with God.

• Find ________________.

Group Activity
In your small groups, discuss these questions:
• How can we identify some of the unrealistic expectations we place on
ourselves?
• What things are you doing, or do you plan to do, to protect yourself from
ministry burnout?

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 √ The Pastor’s Relationship to Family and Spouse

Schedule significant ______________ of time for the family.

Work on your _________________

The ________________ children

Make your children feel __________________.

Show the ___________________ of being a pastor’s family.

Keep your children out of the ___________________ loop.

Group Activity
In your small groups, discuss these questions:
• What do you see as the leading causes of family stress in the ministry?
• What roles do you think your family should take in the church? What do
you envision your spouse doing with you in ministry? Should your spouse
have to be an unpaid assistant? What if your spouse does not want to do
anything in the church except attend?
• What can you do to see that your children have a positive feeling toward
the church?

√ The Pastor’s Relationship to the Call

The pastor’s heart is like a __________________.

The pastor’s heart is like a __________________.

The heart of a pastor is always focused on the task, “to prepare God’s people for
works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach
unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of god and become mature,
attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ” (Eph 4:12-13).

The pastor’s heart is filled with ____________________.

The pastor’s heart is filled with ___________________.

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Discussion Activity
In your small groups, discuss these questions:
• Why do you think it is so difficult at times to maintain a pastor’s heart?
• How do you keep a balance in ministry between the need for the solitude
of personal devotions and sermon preparation on the one hand and the
need to be with people and their needs on the other side?

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