Step Three – Reach out in prayer
Prayer should be the priority of a Care Pastor’s ministry. As Mel Steinbron says, “If prayer is all the pastoring some people receive, it’s already more than most are getting.” At times you may find people who would say, “Don’t visit me,” but you will never find anyone who would say, “Don’t pray for me.”
Praying for your group each by name has great results:
- It develops a joint concern for the burdens and needs for your flock members. You begin to feel their passion.
- It silently establishes a bond. You simply cannot help to sense closeness to a person you are praying for in sincerity on a regular basis.
- It deepens a sense of accountability. Through your efforts of praying for your people in sincere devotion, it allows God the opportunity to lay the burden of care and concern squarely upon your shoulders and infuses you with divine love for them.
- It is a productive time between God and you. Not only do these moments of prayer avail Care Pastors the opportunity to pray for their flock members, but the warmth of the atmosphere also creates precious moments that God could speak to them intimately.
- It becomes the catalyst that keeps you able to function. Prayer is the key to be an effective Care Pastor. There is no way that any person could lose passion for the care ministry if they have developed disciplined prayer for their flock members. When you stop praying, you will stop pastoring. I have often found that people who become discouraged in their ministry efforts are those who are not committed in prayer for their people. Pray for your People Every day!
Care Pastors are encouraged to pray for their people every day. This could very well be one of the most important things they can do for them. When we pray for people with love, devotion, and compassion the Holy Spirit will help us understand what they are facing and guide us in the best way we can minister to them.
RELATED: One Pastor’s Daily Prayer
As Christians, we know we are also people of the Spirit. If we remain very sensitive to the whisper of the Holy Spirit, while praying for an individual or couple, He will lead and guide us to understand exactly how to pray and even what to pray for. In that way, we will be able to minister to our people on a much higher level. An encouraging call from you at the right moment may make a world of difference to a discouraged member.
A great way to be effective in your prayers for your families is to instead of praying for them generally, to instead pray for only one family per day and zero in on them. Mention them by name, one-by- one, and allow the Holy Spirit to direct you.
Step Four – Exemplify a Christian Lifestyle
It almost sounds superfluous to say, but Care Pastors should be an example to their people all the time. Not only at church events, or within their flock, but every day of the week, wherever they go. People may see or hear you at times and places you don’t even realize. Watch what you say and do at the grocery store, at the cashier’s desk, in the parking lot, at a traffic light, etc. Care Pastors should also guard what they say about other people — including criticism of their pastor, church leaders or other church members.
1 Timothy 4:12 says, “. . . be an example to the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.”
1 Thessalonians 5:22 admonish us to “Abstain from all appearance of evil.”
Reality Fact: You can fail on the first three areas of C-A-R-E and may possibly even get away with it — at least for a while — but if you fail in being an example, you will assuredly lose the confidence or support of your people. They simply won’t trust you and the fruit of your ministry will be minimal. I realize the great responsibility it places on a Care Pastor, but then, we should all as Christians already live exemplary lives in any case.
Being an example should not imply that the Care Pastor is perfect, superior to the flock member, more mature, or even more qualified. It does suggest the need to be humble, faithful, and unselfish. It also suggests that we are all friends traveling the same road to the same destiny, learning from one another how to grow and develop spiritually. Friendship, relationship, and companionship — they all lead to mutual ministry. Through camaraderie people give something of themselves to each other. We can all learn from one another.
This article is an excerpt from John Bosman’s book, The Care Revolution Handbook for Pastors and Leaders.
