Care Ministry

The Practice of Pastoral Care has become a popular seminary textbook for courses in pastoral care and a manual for clinical pastoral education. In it, Doehring encourages counselors to view their ministry through a trifocal lens that incorporates premodern, modern, and postmodern approaches to religious and psychological knowledge. This new edition elaborates on and expands the author's previous work, adding an intercultural perspective that gives more attention to religious pluralism in the pastoral care setting.

In addition to the regular demands of preaching and shepherding, modern pastors feel undue pressure to entertain congregants and increase attendance numbers. Often, churches resort to the latest business models to keep pace. But true, life-giving guidance lies in Scripture and the wisdom of those having come before us. Ancient Wisdom for the Care of Souls helps pastors to embrace a classic, biblical vision of ministry through the study of selected pastoral virtues and early church figures.

Featuring insights from the perspective of both a pastor and his wife—The Pastor’s Family identifies the complicated burdens and expectations ministry brings to the life of a family. Brian and Cara Croft identify the unique challenges that pastors face as husbands and fathers. They also...

Brokenness grasps for the soul of humanity. We are broken body, soul, and spirit, and we need the healing touch of Jesus. Soul Care explores seven principles that are profound healing tools of God: Securing your identity, repentance, breaking family sin patterns, forgiving others, healing wounds, overcoming fears, and deliverance.

Today, looking and feeling good are high lifestyle priorities. For much less than the cost of a doctor visit, this health classic will tell you how to manage stress, get well, prevent disease, and feel vibrantly alive. Does God have a health-care plan for people living today? Is there a link between diet and spiritual growth? Does the Master Physician desire to heal people today as He did in Bible times? Answers to these questions and more are contained in Ministry of Healing.

Jesus commands his disciples to love one another and promises that “by this everyone will know that you are my disciples” (John 13:35). But what does genuine care for those in our church family look like? This warm, practical book by Dwayne Bond goes beyond specific pastoral-care roles and responsibilities and explores how all church members can love and care for one another in the rhythms of ordinary life.

Seamus O'Mahony charts the realities of work in the 'ministry of bodies', that huge complex where people come to be cured and to die. From unexpected deaths to moral quandaries and bureaucratic disasters, O'Mahony documents life in the halls and wards that all of us will visit at some point in our lives with his characteristic wit and dry and unsentimental intelligence.

To be pastoral is to create a sacred space and time for the other person who needs support. The caregiver is fully present, listening critically and attentively to locate the "pastoral pillars" on the way for continued support. In order to provide effective pastoral care ministry and also be able to nail down and address the core issues bothering an individual, the caregiver should look beyond the ordinary and superficial, and companion into the deep ("the shadow") with the counselee, mentee, directee, client, patient, and the like.

Practical and Gospel-centered thoughts on how to have a fruitful ministry by one of America's leading and most beloved pastor. Many church leaders are struggling to adapt to a culture that values individuality above loyalty to a group or institution. There have been so many "church growth" and...

Many people are struggling with mental-health conditions, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic and life in our image-conscious culture. But when it comes to helping, it can be tricky to know where to begin. This wise, compassionate, and practical book is written by Steve Midgley, psychiatrist and Executive Director of Biblical Counselling UK, and Helen Thorne, Director of Training and Resources at Biblical Counselling UK. It will help listeners understand and respond with biblical wisdom to people who are struggling with their mental health.

In When the Church Harms God's People, Langberg unveils what she has learned about how churches cause harm and why Christian communities often foster unhealthy leaders who end up hurting rather than protecting God's people. She also offers hope for the future, describing how churches can reflect Christ not just in what they teach but also in how they care for themselves and others.

Adopting or fostering a child brings its own unique set of challenges only another parent facing the same uphill climb could possibly understand. From parenting children with traumatic pasts, to dealing with attachment issues, to raising a children with special needs, it can sometimes be a struggle just getting through the day. Mike Berry knows the loneliness and isolation you can easily feel in your particular parenting role - because he's been there.

Every pastor struggles with demands for his time, and how to determine priorities in ministry. Some choose to respond to the most urgent needs, while others seek a more balanced and intentional approach. But what determines these priorities? Where should a busy pastor look for wisdom in making...

Understanding more of God's character and how he loves us changed best-selling author Holley Gerth's life in beautiful, powerful ways. She realized she didn't have to settle for "I'm fine" when there was someone whispering to her in every moment, "You're mine." The hope, joy, peace, and purpose she longed for were already there, in the heart of God. Now, in 52 devotional readings, Holley shares with women the answer to the restlessness they feel in their hearts that keeps them hurrying, striving, and pushing.

Find your life and true calling by losing yourself in the ordinary rhythms of life with the people God has placed around you. Popular blogger, Shannan Martin offers Christians who are longing for a more meaningful life a simple starting point: learn what it is to love and be loved right where...

Are we hapless victims of life's whims? Are we driven along by some blind and impersonal force? A thousand times, "No!" says pastor and author Alistair Begg. Instead, Begg says we are the objects of God's providential care. We reside under his guiding and protecting hand. In this richly textured study of Joseph's life, listeners will discover God at work shaping Joseph's circumstances so that he can ultimately redeem and reconcile his family. And they'll see the hand of God in their own lives, lovingly guiding them through their disappointments and struggles to a place of peace.

Loss hurts. It's tough to go through, and painful to watch. Do you know someone who's grieving and wish you could help? Are you the one grieving and wonder if what you're going through is normal? Do you wish those around you understood you better? This book has answers. This practical and easy-to-listen-to book provides the answers you need to make a difference - in your own life and in the lives of others. Best-selling author, hospice chaplain, and grief specialist Gary Roe gives you a look at the grieving heart - the thoughts, emotions, and struggles within.

Many churches would like to start a counseling ministry, but they don’t know where to start. Mobilizing Church-Based Counseling offers direction to churches for creating a ministry built around lay-led counseling groups and mentoring. Based on proven models used in his own congregation, Brad Hambrick lays out a clear plan to launch a sustainable soul-care ministry that can be replicated in churches of any size.

Health care is on the brink of monumental change. Innovations in care and cost are making health care more available than ever. And yet, health insurers and government bureaucrats have yet to catch up to these advances, making traditional health insurance practices not only out-of-date, but overly expensive and unnecessarily cumbersome and frustrating. Moreover, their decision on what to pay for and what not to pay for may have an even bigger role in determining the health care you receive than you and your doctor. There's a better way!

With these practices, you’ll become increasingly comfortable and confident in working through your inner experiences in real time. Instead of burning out, you can follow the lead of Jesus toward a sustainable, fulfilling life.