The Tent: A safe place for shepherds to reflect together
RegisterRegister   Log inLog in 

Being There: A Ministry of Presence

 
Post new topic   Reply to topic
ShepherdLeader.com Forum Index -> While Shepherds Watch Their Flocks -> Day 39: Being There
View previous topic :: View next topic  
Author Message
laharper



Joined: 18 Sep 2011
Posts: 8

PostPosted: Sun Dec 25, 2011 10:57 pm    Post subject: Being There: A Ministry of Presence Reply with quote

“What do I say to a person whose loved one has died?” This is a question I am often asked when I make presentations to the hospital visitation teams of local churches. People often say they are uncomfortable visiting the sick, dying and bereaved because they don’t know what to say. My response usually involves what not to say rather than what to say. In reality, you don’t have to say anything profound or prophetic. Your presence itself is an indicator to people how much you care.

I do remember the Postal Service’s (I retired from management with 37 years of service) equivalent of LBWA. We called it Management by Walking. Designed to give employees a chance to become familiar and comfortable with you, to let them see your involvement with the daily operation, MBW got you out of the front office and acquainted with those for whom you made decisions each day that affected their lives.

An important part of a hospital chaplain’s responsibility is to provide pastoral care to the staff, particularly the nursing staff. Not long ago I had a resident chaplain who was being evaluated by the nursing staff. This resident was a very shy young woman from another country who was very surprised at the nursing managers’ high ranking of her abilities. She critiqued herself by saying that she had only engaged in very brief conversations with the nurses. But the nursing manager said that her staff had felt they could count on the resident because whenever a code is called and circumstances are frantic, the resident always shows up to lend support in the situation. In other words, when things get tough, she’s there.

This ministry of presence-just being there-seems to somehow be overlooked many times in the modern church. Some senior pastors, as their churches grow, delegate “being there” to their staff. It is amazing to me as I observe senior pastors shed the duties they prefer not to do and assign them to others, that those duties most often involve relationships with the flock. It seems some want to be promoted from “being there.”
Perhaps the failure of the shepherd to be there for congregations is a reason for a shift in the US from traditional church services to home churches. George Barna’s group estimates between 6-12 million people attend house churches (USA Today July 22, 2010). People, like sheep, sense when their shepherd is not watching for them. Smaller groups may offer a chance to be shepherded by name, prayed for by name, and watched by name-something all sheep need.

Dear Lord,
Please anoint me with your Spirit so that I can intentionally be there for those to whom I minister, patients and staff. The demands seem overwhelming, but by your Spirit and with Your grace, I can be successful. I pray for pastors everywhere that you would fill us with a desire to be present for our congregations. Fill us with the love it takes to stay involved, to stay in close relationship. Being there is hard, but the reward is great. With your help, we can exercise oversight voluntarily, according to the will of God; and not for sordid gain but with eagerness; nor yet as lording it over those allotted to our charge, but proving to be examples to the flock, so that when the Chief Shepherd appears, we will receive the unfading crown of glory. (1st Peter5:2) In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.
_________________
L. A. Harper
Back to top
View user's profile Send private message
Display posts from previous:   
ShepherdLeader.com Forum Index -> While Shepherds Watch Their Flocks -> Day 39: Being There
Post new topic   Reply to topic All times are GMT - 5 Hours
Page 1 of 1

 
Jump to:  
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum

FAQFAQ   SearchSearch   ProfileProfile   MemberlistMemberlist   UsergroupsUsergroups   RegisterRegister 
Log in to check your private messagesLog in to check your private messages   Log inLog in 


Powered by phpBB © 2001, 2005 phpBB Group