When I was sick, you visited me...

All of us will, at some point, know people who are sick or injured. Many times a personal visit could be a great encouragement or even a turning point in that person's healing journey. Even Jesus modeled this behavior when he visited the sick and infirm to lend a personal touch and presence. 

Visits to hospitals, care facilities, and even homes can seem awkward and difficult to carry out. This resource gives some important suggestions to help us engage in this important ministry of the church. Disclaimer: One important suggestion that isn't mentioned here is to know your own culture. Maybe there are some health professionals in your church community that can help you know and understand the health care culture in your city. 

http://www.christianitytoday.com/pastors/2007/fall/20.69.html

Love your neighbor AS YOURSELF

Sometimes the best pastoral care we can do is to take care of ourselves. It's one more aspect where we must find balance in order to be healthy. How do you balance caring for yourself with caring for others? Hopefully this article will help frame the conversation in our lives. 

https://relevantmagazine.com/article/self-care-doesnt-mean-self-centered/

The Important Partnership with Professional Counselors

Everyone can benefit from counseling! At my last ministry assignment we were incredibly blessed to have healthy partnerships with professional counselors in our community. Specifically, we even had one counseling center who rented space inside of our church building. This partnership was vital for getting people the help they needed as quickly as possible. 

When walking with people and doing "counseling" sessions as pastors and leaders, it's important to know our own limitations. So how long should you walk with someone down their road to healing before referring them to a professional counselor? Here's an article that might help frame why professional counselors should be consulted sooner: 

http://jaysondbradley.com/2014/10/14/5-reasons-pastors-need-refer-counselors-faster/

Introducing Your Congregation to Lent

We're on our way to the cross and the resurrection as we approach the celebratoin of Easter. In our Christian culture and practice we live daily with these realities and so preparing our people for this celebration requires intentional engagement. How do you approach Easter with your people? Here is an article with some suggestions:

http://www.christianitytoday.com/pastors/2017/january-web-exclusives/introducing-lent-to-your-congregation.html

All Alone in Pastoral Care

Many times the shepherding and pastoral ministry of a church falls on one or two leaders. What happens though when the pastor reaches out to the other leaders in her church? What happens when Pastoral Care is taken on by a whole team instead of just a few?

This article is a personal story of a pastor who invited his elder team in the service of pastoral care:

https://shepherdandservant.com/2016/09/15/pray-through-your-church-directory-for-their-sake-and-yours/