Pastoral Care
4. What is pastoral care in the church?
As you will have realised from the previous exercise there are many strands to consider when talking about pastoral care.
Pastoral care is important because it helps to ensure that those within the church are valued, loved and respected as members of the body of Christ. Feeling loved and valued contributes to an individual's sense of well-being which in turn builds stronger communities and bears witness to the love that God has for each person. Pastoral care also continues the ministry of Jesus, whose compassion and care transformed the lives of many. Caring for one another within a Christian Community is at the heart of the Gospel and was clearly evident in the New Testament Church.
A verse from John's gospel reinforces this point -
In the church, pastoral care has been defined as:
‘…Christian pastoral care is fundamentally and intensely relational in
nature and practice and offered from the gift of God’s love for us and our love
for one another.
As such, there is a challenge to balance the desire for best and responsible practice in the worldly and natural realm with Godly wisdom and supernatural involvement in the eternal.'
- Guidelines for Good Practice in Pastoral Care, revised 20/09/16, Association of Christian Counsellors. Available in full online from: https://www.pastoralcareuk.org/public/docs/pastoral-care/PCUK_Guidelines_for_Good_Practice_in_PC_Rev_20.09.pdf
So, what does this mean in practice? Ultimately it is about developing quality relationships and enabling one another to recognise, follow and become more like Jesus. Good pastoral care can transform lives, often for all those involved, as people draw closer to God and to each other in mutual love and respect
As an elder, pastoral care plays an essential role in realising God’s mission for the church community, whether this be local or dispersed, as the body of Christ is built and strengthened.