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Pastoral Care

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Pastoral Care

Pastoral care is the practice that pastors do to care for people in their local

congregation or the shepherding. It is a concept that is based on the church leaders as

shepherds as described in the Scripture. Pastoral care is often considered to entail all the

elements of pastoral ministry that are outside of teaching and preaching. Therefore, to

analyze this concept, three books on the topic will be evaluated to discuss the pastoral job as

offering support and care to the congregation by being self-aware of one's surroundings and

the general pastoral care identity.

Philip Greven wrote a well-written indictment of the common practices of corporal

punishment in the book Spare the Child. The author offers insightful advice on how to raise a

child. He provides a compelling argument against physical punishment on children. He

considers physical punishment, even the slightest form, as child abuse that must be avoided.

According to Greven, there is nothing like legitimate violence on a child because all forms of

physical or corporal punishment are still abuse. The impacts of physical assault on children

have consequences extending to the society, culture, politics, religion, and even the

surrounding environment (Greven, 1990).

The church leaders and ministers must be equipped with basic training to ensure that

valuable ministry is achieved, as discussed by Howard Clinebell in the book Basic Types of

Pastoral Care & Counselling. According to the author, pastoral care is no only about

providing counsel and advice to the congregation but also cultivating a wholesome life with

seven life dimensions; mental, physical, play, relational, society or nature, play, and ethical or

spiritual. Counseling should be holistic as the church leaders must act as counselors, teachers,

as well as coaches. ABCDE model is discussed, which incorporates effective training of the

laypeople in proving inclusive caregiving and its significance. According to Clinebell (1966),
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ministers need to be aware of their environments by addressing the needs of needy people

more frequently. There are several psychotherapies that have been introduced and have

become acceptable, which includes cognitive, behavioral, self-care, family systems, and other

therapies. It is up to the minister or a pastor to determine the best one that offers support and

care in addition to the therapy aspect (Clinebell, 1966).

Current issues in pastoral counseling and care among African Americans are

investigated by Edward Wimberly in African American Pastoral Care. The author analyses

what comprehensive pastoral care means and proposes a pastoral care approach to the crisis

of disconnection. He uses his own narrative to advise pastors and ministers on how they can

establish a new narrative. Holistic development of a congregant must be achieved through a

pastoral care approach that considers personal efficacy and agency that encompasses social,

personal, transformation, and political empowerment. He advises the ministers and pastors

offering pastoral care in the African American communities on how to navigate around

negative identities, self-images, and personal stories. Therefore, the responsibilities of pastors

and ministers should extend beyond pastoral care to being present for the people who are in

pain, those struggling with difficulties, and praying with those in moments of crisis, so that

special breakthroughs can occur. Ministering through scriptures is significant but ministering

through a personal touch is also important (Wimberly, 2010).

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References

Clinebell, H. J. (1966). Basic types of pastoral counseling.

Greven, P. (1990). Spare the child: The religious roots of punishment and the psychological

impact of physical abuse. Alfred A. Knopf.

Wimberly, E. P. (2010). African American pastoral care: revised edition. Abingdon Press.