Why Pastoral Care Ministry is Given and not Optional for a Pastor

A friend came to me one day and asked whether the modern way of pastoral administration is not doing pastoral care ministry.

My friend shared that their family grew up in a church where pastoral ministry is a must but observed that it’s not the case here.

I replied that if you’re referring to the Biblical pastoral ministry I don’t think you can say that doing pastoral care is traditional and not doing pastoral care is modern.

I cited two reasons the pastoral care ministry is given and not optional for a pastor.

1. The meaning of “pastor” is “shepherd”

A pastor is an ordained leader of a Christian congregation. A pastor also gives advice and counsel to people from the community or congregation.

It is derived from the Latin word pastor, meaning shepherd.^[1]  When used as an ecclesiastical styling or title, the term may be abbreviated to “Pr” or “Ptr” (singular) or “Ps” (plural).

Wikipedia: “Pastor.”
Retrieved: 23 May 2019

2. Psalm 23 as basis of pastoral care ministry

The Lord is my shepherd;
I shall not want.
He makes me to lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside the still waters.
He restores my soul;
He leads me in the paths of righteousness
For His name’s sake.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil;
For You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
You anoint my head with oil;
My cup runs over.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
All the days of my life;
And I will dwell in the house of the Lord
Forever.

Psalm 23 NKJV

Referring to Psalm 23, I told my friend if you’re a pastor, how can you lead your “sheep” to green pastures, beside the still waters, soul restoration, paths of righteousness, and so on if you’re not there with them?

My friend said that the modern way might be doing pastoral care in the church every Sunday.

“Well, it might be or the Sunday could be a day for pastoral care,” I said. Then I added that still, it’s not the ‘modern way’ and actually, it doesn’t work that way.

Remember the parable of the lost sheep? Didn’t the shepherd left the 99 to search for the one sheep that was lost?

And when the shepherd found the lost one he carried it on his shoulders, rejoicing (Luke 15:3-7).

Yes, he went away to search and when he found the sheep, he carried the lost one on his shoulders.

He didn’t say, “see you at the pen” after finding the lost sheep and then left to go back to the 99.

He picked up the lost sheep and carried it on his shoulders. Not only that, he called on to his friends and neighbours to celebrate the find.

And how can the pastor and the church community called on their friends and neighbours to rejoice when the principal shepherd has neglected to search, finding, and ministering to the lost ones?

Towards the end of our conversation, I shared with my friend the ultimate calling of the really Good Shepherd in John 10:11.

“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.”

So, if one is not ready to commit to being a good shepherd, don’t… so as not to neglect and let the flock suffer.