How do you usually respond to someone who is wrestling with spiritual concerns? We’re likely to listen, pray, offer care, counsel, and comfort from God’s word. But (very) occasionally, this is entirely the wrong approach. That’s because the need for ongoing reassurance may indicate an underlying mental health condition known as scrupulosity – a sub-type of Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD).
“I don’t know how to relate. What will I say? I don’t understand them!” Have you thought this about a different generation? This article from Amy Yeung suggests a framework that could help us care well, no matter what generation someone is from.
Pastoral care takes place in many different contexts and capacities. You might offer care to those in your family, your friendship network and your church community. A toolbox of resources can equip you in these various contexts and roles.
Caring is not so much about fixing a need or solving a problem – it’s about showing up and being there as a willing servant of Christ. It lets another know they are seen and valued.
This year, it will be 50 years since Sarah Condie made the decision to follow Jesus. And over this time, she has tried to improve her skills and abilities in offering this type of care. In this resource, Sarah seeks to distil for you what she has learned.
So, what is pastoral care? The biblical picture is not so much about providing emotional or physical care and support but rather offering encouragement and guidance that enables others to grow in Christ.
We all know that when we visit a doctor to determine if we’re healthy, the doctor measures our heart rate & blood pressure, and assesses other factors to make a determination. Sarah Condie believes healthy churches have similar measures we can use as we try to discern where God’s calling us.
The female body was designed deliberately, lovingly and with purpose. So what does God have to say about menopause? Kate Snell helps us look at menopause through God’s story.
The final instalment of a three-part series will equip you with practical tips to come alongside and support the young women and teenagers in your life.
The second instalment of a three-part series will equip you with practical tips to come alongside and support the young women in your life.
