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The Pastoral Care Ministry at First Presbyterian includes purposeful
visitation, discipling of believers, the Prayer Line ministry,
the work of the deacons, and Adults in Action. More important
than these programs, however, is the hope that all church members
and friends realize how the pastoral care staff is available to
them for any need that arises. In particular, prayer concerns
are communicated to the staff through the Friendship Register
on Sunday mornings, and a list known as “People for Prayer”
is published in the church’s weekly publication called First
Things. For more information on the principles behind this
ministry, please connect with the following link to review our
church’s “Philosophy of
Pastoral Care.”
An exciting and recent development in the visitation ministry
of our church has been the Elders’ Visitation Program. Initiated
by Palmer McArthur, a number of elders have made a commitment
to sign on for one day a week. These men go by the church office
to learn who can be visited, and after a time of prayer, phone
calls are initiated to determine what visits can be made. The
blessings of this program have been many: the congregation sees
their elders serving as shepherds, the elders know they are needed
and can follow up on times that come to their attention, communication
is improved, elders are working together (as some visit in teams
of two), and it has given the minister in pastoral care regular
contact with the elders.
The discipling ministry of our church is provided
to foster spiritual growth for Christians in any stage of their
faith who have expressed a need to grow spiritually and/or expressed
a desire for accountability in their walk with Christ. This opportunity
is made available through weekly one-on-one meetings of a qualified
discipler with a disciple (male with male or female with female)
using a course of Biblical study materials, prayer, fellowship,
Scripture memorization, and exhortation. The Bible is the foundation
and the authority for all teaching and exhortation in the ministry.
Supplemental materials used are "Growing in Christ"
by Navpress and "Spiritual Life Studies" by Harold E.
Burchett. Applications must be filled out by both the discipler
and the one who desires to be discipled. All disciplers are approved
by the Pastoral Care Committee and then by the Session.
The First Presbyterian Church Prayer Line Ministry
is a telephone line that is available twenty-four hours a day,
every day of the year, for prayer. Requests for prayer can be
made any day or night by calling the church office number (803-799-9062)
and leaving a prayer request message. In addition, the prayer
partners who have committed to praying for these requests may
dial in to retrieve the prayer request from any touch dial telephone,
any time of day or night. Pastors, elders, deacons, and church
leaders have the opportunity to dial in daily and be updated as
to immediate needs for prayer, and most importantly, many particular
prayers are facilitated by this resource.
The deacons take their cue from the Greek word
for “deacon” which means “servant.” The
verb form means to provide, take care of, distribute those things
that will help and sustain the hungry and poor (cf. Acts 6:1-7).
Our deacons understand that First Presbyterian must enable a two-fold
ministry to both the soul and the body, believing that the world
must see the Word in action! Therefore, the deacons view their
ministry of sympathy and service as helping the ministry of the
Word to remain strong. Secondly, the deacons desire to lead the
congregation in significant deeds of mercy to the homebound, the
sick, the needy, the unemployed, single parents, parents without
children, and children of prisoners, either within or outside
the congregation. All of the deacons are asked to visit assigned
people on a regular basis. Several deacons are equipped to provide
financial counseling.
Finally, the deacons encourage the practice of total
stewardship among the congregational members. The deacons seek
to facilitate the worship of God on the Sabbath Day through the
taking up of the offering and serving as deacons on call. Also,
the church campus is given priority in terms of upkeep and improvements
through the Property Committee, and there is a New Members’
Committee that assists with the assimilation of those who unite
with First Presbyterian Church.
Philosophy of Pastoral
Care
First Presbyterian believes the Christian Church derives its
spiritual vitality from at least two essential resources: Biblical
preaching/teaching and purposeful visitation.
Both ministries have the same aim and therefore
must complement each other. While the preacher seeks to evangelize,
exhort, and encourage the corporate body, the pastoral care ministry
is no less a call to advance these objectives on a personal level.
When a church is engaged in purposeful visitation, it is first
characterized by an environment of prayer. This ongoing activity
provides the context for the Holy Spirit to accomplish the following:
· What people should be visited
· Discernment of their overall needs
· God-enabled receptivity
· The raising up of laity who in accord with the pastor
will make the contacts
A second mark of a congregation committed to pastoral care is
in its faithfulness to provide preparation. Just as the preacher
cannot stand in the pulpit without proper training and consecrated
study, so the person visiting should not presume that he should
enter the door of a house or hospital without a mastery of what
goals are to be fulfilled. Therefore, by teaching and through
careful planning of opportunities, church members gradually learn
how serious and valuable a priority it is to step into people’s
lives.
Thirdly, the church works toward participation within an expanded
horizon of pastoral care. While some will want to be a part of
an actual program, most will see visitation as an achievable ministry
of loving concern within the work place, the neighborhood and
other places of contact within the community.
Finally, there is throughout pastoral care the formulation of
written purposes that take into account the particular person
being visited. Just as the sermon must deliver formal application
to the many hearers, so should shepherding carry the heart of
the gospel to the individual in an informal context. Questions
may include:
· Is this person trusting in the atonement of Jesus Christ?
· If so, is he growing?
· How is his devotional life?
· What sins is he struggling with?
· What hurts can be identified?
· Is there a need for ongoing counsel or follow-up?
· Are there problems with his health?
· How is his relationship to his family?
· Is he a spiritual leader for his home?
· What difficulty is he experiencing in the education of
his children?
· What challenges is he facing in the workplace?
· Is financial debt a worry?
· Are his spiritual gifts being employed for the Kingdom?
· How is the church meeting or not meeting his needs?
· What can the church do to help him impact his neighbors
and society for Christ?
· Does he have a burden for missions?
These questions should facilitate listening that is motivated
by compassion for the person being visited; Bible study and prayer
ought to be regular and natural components of shepherding.
The ministry of pastoral care should then keep records of visits
made and maintain progress reports that contain responses both
to prayers and to the visits that have been made. In short, purposeful
visitation, whether by the pastoral staff, church officers, or
church members, is necessary for these categories of people within
the church family: for example, the hospitalized, elderly, prospective
members, new members, and inactive members.
Overall, it is the prayer of those who serve in
pastoral care that glory be brought to God’s blessed Name.
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