In many cases, pastors perceive pastoral care as a secondary duty to preaching, sometimes underestimating its significance. Leading a local church requires pastors to wear two hats: one akin to a Chief Executive Officer, managing budgets, staff, vision, and ministry operations; the other as a chaplain, attending to the congregation’s needs in times of crises, tragedies, and spiritual matters. Neglecting either role can jeopardize the church’s well-being. In the post-COVID-19 era, with heightened struggles like anxiety and relational issues, establishing a robust pastoral care ministry becomes crucial. While small churches may initially rely on the pastor for care, growth necessitates a scalable system to prevent overwhelm and ensure effective leadership.
Drawing insights from Exodus 18, Moses faced the “two hat problem,” initially assuming he had to personally address every care and counseling need. Delegating responsibilities to under-shepherds solved this bottleneck, highlighting the importance of a structured approach. Similarly, in Acts 6-7, the Early Church confronted the challenge of simultaneously leading and serving widows. Choosing leaders to handle specific tasks allowed the apostles to focus on their core responsibilities. The lesson for modern churches is clear: transitioning from the pastor as the sole caregiver to implementing a comprehensive pastoral care ministry requires cultural shifts, communication within leadership teams, and a gradual, strategic implementation over time.
So here are 5 things to remember when starting a pastoral care ministry:
1. Create a System
This system does not need to be created in a vacuum or ivory tower. The senior pastor needs to work with their board, staff, or another team to help figure out the best way to care for the people in crisis. This will vary from congregation to congregation, even though some guiding principles will overlap. The system must be laid out to the congregation in phases and communicated with care. Some congregations could not fathom anyone but the senior pastor counseling them, doing their wedding or funeral. The system will be the standard for newcomers even though it will be the new normal for regular attendees.
2. Treat People Like Chess, Not Checkers
The biggest difference between chess and checkers is that each individual piece in chess has a different value, whereas checkers are all the same. Congregations are much more like chess instead of checkers. Every person is different, and care will look radically different for everyone. A great statement to help someone understand this is, “Everyone is different in their needs and desires during a time like this. Please let us know what you desire and need. Let us know if you desire meals and visits from congregants or leaders. We would love to help in those areas. If you desire privacy and our support from the side, let us know that too. We are here for you and with you during this difficult time.”
The individual going through the crisis doesn’t know that there are many more people who go through crisis and desire different care. They only know themselves. Because of this, they may slip into the “mind reading” part of pastoral care. They may assume everyone is similar to them and wants privacy or constant care. Understanding that the congregation is different and that their needs are different will help with communication from the pastoral as well as expectations from the congregation.
3. Use a Community-Based Approach
People need to be cared for in a time of crisis or need. That is what pastoral care is in a nutshell. However, most pastors and congregations believe that pastoral care is the senior pastor solely caring for them in a time of crisis or need. Adopting and believing the second statement among a congregation will lead to the “Moses” problem addressed earlier. The pastor will be the bottleneck and eventually will burn themselves out without properly caring for the congregation.
4. Leverage Resources
Finding community resources such as counseling, food banks, job placement, or clothing is a way to work smarter instead of harder in the realm of pastoral care. There can be a strong partnership between the church and that resource agency that helps the church direct their congregation to them for the need. They specialize in those areas and can provide much better support than a local church can in many circumstances.
5. Use Clear Communication about Care Needs and Expectations
Finally, be very clear about how the church will serve the congregation in times of need. Every relationship suffers when someone assumes without gaining clarity. Make sure it is taught from the pulpit, in classes, and as newcomers are onboarded.
Every congregation, pastor, and staff would benefit from a pastoral care ministry that leverages the congregation’s gifts and the community’s resources. A pastoral care ministry will deepen the love and relationship for the congregation. Their two greatest desires, which are usually unfelt and unspoken, are to be needed and known. A place on a service team helps them be needed and cared for in crisis, which helps them be seen and known. If you are interested in hiring someone for this role, ChurchStaffing is the place to go to find the best fit for the head of your Pastoral Care Ministry at your church.
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