pastoral care | Christian Library

"I Do Not Want a Home Visit" The refusal to receive pastoral care by the pastor or elders

What do the elders and consistory do when a church member is not willing to receive home visits or pastoral care? This article studies the reasons for this situation, and what the elders and consistory can do about it.

Pastoral Integrity and the Limits of Confidentiality

The author offers some general thoughts and suggestions with respect to confidentiality and pastoral care in the church.

Pastoring the Dying and Bereaved

This article shows that the dying and bereaved need pastoral care. This pastoral care must be characterized by love, speaking to people about God, who is the creater and sustainer of all things.

Calvin and Pastoral Care

This article highlights the pastoral care of John Calvin.

Pastoral Wisdom and the Mandate to Report Abuse

This article considers the need to protect the vulnerable by reporting abuse. It gives concrete thoughts on how to respond to abuse in the church, and stresses the need for ongoing pastoral care to all impacted by it.

Why Do We Pray?

This article discusses the reason for prayer and what that means for its role in pastoral care and counselling. It reflects on what prayer communicates about your beliefs, what you need to pray for, and how you may pray.

Harvesters Needed

The church is always in need of gospel workers/missionaries. This article shows that the church must understand that compassion is at the heart of mission work—mission work and pastoral care go together. The church must also pray for gospel workers. This is the call of the Lord Jesus in Matthew 9:37.

The Elders of the Church and Their Pastoral Care

Part of the task of the elder is to offer pastoral care. This article shows that such pastoral care involves care of the member, the congregation, and the minister.

Reflections on Pastoral Care to the Elderly

This article looks at the responsibility of elders and deacons to care for the elderly, widows, and widowers. The author shows how pastoral care can help to meet their specific needs.

Equipping to Feed the Church of God

What is the task of the overseer (the elders), and what are the needs of the flock with regards to pastoral care? (Acts 20:28).

John 21:15-19 – Feed My Sheep (Part 1)

This is the first half of two articles looking at the text of John 21:15-19. This article shows that feeding the lambs, caring for the sheep and feeding the sheep requires discernment in order to give appropriate pastoral care.

Martin Luther Addresses Youth

"Luther knew people because he knew himself." This article is about Luther's pastoral care, specifically to the youth. The author also discusses the fifth commandment and the education of the youth.

A Pastoral Visiting Checklist

What is the purpose of pastoral visiting? This article offers a kind of list that explains both why and how elders need to exercise pastoral care.

Caring for Your Pastor

This article is on pastoral care for your pastor, with consideration toward how to offer encouragement and criticism of your minister.

The Work of Elders

This article looks at the ruling task and the supervision task of the elders, as well as the elders' task of evangelism and pastoral care.

Home Visitation: Back to the Basics

This article is about home visitation and pastoral care from elders.

Pastoring the Dying and the Mourning

Caring for the dying and the mourning is the pastor’s and the church member's loving duty.

Pastoral Care of the Terminally Ill

This article on the pastoral care of the terminally ill looks at the stages of the terminally ill, the pastor's goals in this pastoral care, the family, and the visitations.

What Evangelicals Say about Psychology

Can theology be trusted? Well, it all depends on the theology and the theologian. When the theologian seeks to be guided by the Holy Spirit and when theology is based on a careful study of Scripture, then theology most likely can be trusted. Similar conclusions can be made about psychology and its use in pastoral care.

1 Peter: Strategies for Counseling Individuals on the Way to a New Heritage

The aim of this article is to provide some indication of the fruitfulness of exegetical study of one particular text, 1 Peter, for the counselor's task. It wants to motivate the counselor to integrate ever more completely the study of Scripture with pastoral care. The author discusses the Christian's position in this world, suffering, the church as household of God, and the task of elders.

The Ritual Reason Why

Are rituals in themselves wrong? Or are they beneficial? This article maintains that rituals are an important and natural aspect of society, and discusses their significance for the pastor in providing pastoral care.

Pastoring with a purpose

In this article about the purpose of pastoral care, the task of the elder is examined, as well as his task to stimulate the service of church members.