Pastoral Care Discussion

Pastoral Care is an important value and skill within the context of ministry. Pastors, missionaries, chaplains, small group leaders, etc., provide a sense of care, comfort, and service to those who need spiritual guidance, or who are going through difficult or traumatic life situations. In developing pastoral care skills, empathic listening is imperative. Being able to be still, focused, and listening with the heart, establishes a trusting relational bond that enables effective ministry to be accomplished.

Read Hughes, 465-470.
Watch History & Foundations of Pastoral Care PowerPoint.Links to an external site.
Read the article: What Is Empathy, and Can Empathy Be Taught Links to an external site.?
Prepare to discuss the central ideas and characteristics that undergird pastoral care as follows:
Define pastoral care
Explain the pastoral care model and why it works.
Describe how clergy can do pastoral care effectively.
Give particular attention to empathic listening skills
Write a 300-word post addressing the points above. Be sure to include information from appropriate texts with proper citations.