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Pastor: Your ministry circle (or scope)


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Pastor... What is the scope of your ministry?
(asking what your practice is - poll type question)

Example:
You've been at a church for one year. You get a call one night from someone you've never met or heard of. They say "I'm a member and I need counseling." You find out they are a member but haven't been to church for years and have been taken off the membership roll. Do you react to them as a member?

Example:
Do you visit family members of your church members when they go into hospital? For example, the brother of a member goes in for "chest pain." Your member has never even mentioned that they have a brother. Do you go visit the brother of your member?

etc.

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I have made many visits to families and hospitals for people who claim they are members, but haven't darkened the door of the church in years. The answer is yes to both your examples. Yes, I would treat them as a member, a backslidden member, but a member. Yes, I would go visit the brother in the hospital.

I had one individual who stopped me at the store after I had been in the church for almost 9 years. He introduced himself and asked me for assistance. I asked him what church he went to and he told me GBC. I told him that I had been their for 12 total years 3asst and 9 pastor and I had never met him, but I asked him how I could help.

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I appreciate your outlook! I too would minister to people like this. I find that at these times they are "sensitive" to truth. But I suppose that pastors of very large churches may not have the time to visit in all cases like this. This would be a good opportunity for deacons to "help the pastor."

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When I became pastor I tried to visit every member who did not attend. I figure 2 visits without any response is enough.

Some of the worse talk I've heard towards churches & or pastor has come from people who never attend the church they're members of.

Had a friends wife, she told Linda & I about blessing a woman out at church and putting her in her proper place, the woman thanked her for visiting them one Sunday morning. She informed this woman quickly, I've been a member of this church for more than 20 years. But them she told on herself, that was the 1st time she had been to church in over 2 years. I suppose that woman will fear thanking anyone else who visits that church.

How can a person who is a member of a church, who never attends, never supports that church in any manner, expect the members & or pastor to visit them when they're sick and in the hospital and or had a loved one die?

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I feel personally that it is not only the pastors and deacons, but all christians responsibility to respond to anyone who is in need of comfort - regardless of whether they are a member of your church or another and regardless of attendance. The only church membership that truly matters is the names in the Lamb's Book of Life, and, if you are too busy worrying about whether someone is "worthy" of a visit, you might just miss out on the chance to add to the role call. God bless.

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Pastor... What is the scope of your ministry?
(asking what your practice is - poll type question)

Example:
You've been at a church for one year. You get a call one night from someone you've never met or heard of. They say "I'm a member and I need counseling." You find out they are a member but haven't been to church for years and have been taken off the membership roll. Do you react to them as a member?

Example:
Do you visit family members of your church members when they go into hospital? For example, the brother of a member goes in for "chest pain." Your member has never even mentioned that they have a brother. Do you go visit the brother of your member?

etc.


I feel safe in answering for my husband on these....for number one, he would request they come to church to a service first. His home pastor always told his church that he gives four counseling sessions per week (all the church services) and that after that, if THOSE aren't helping, then come talk to him. Too many people want to use the pastor as a psychologist instead of getting right with God.

As far as the second example, if a church member requests that he visit someone in the hospital, he always does. However if its a non member and nOBody has requested a visit, he generally does not.

So I guess basically...he keeps most of his ministry to the church members (and of course soulwinning/outreach) but anytime a church member requests he visit someone else, he does immediately. He has also performed funerals for non members and does try to help non members in different ways if requested.
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I feel personally that it is not only the pastors and deacons, but all christians responsibility to respond to anyone who is in need of comfort - regardless of whether they are a member of your church or another and regardless of attendance. The only church membership that truly matters is the names in the Lamb's Book of Life, and, if you are too busy worrying about whether someone is "worthy" of a visit, you might just miss out on the chance to add to the role call. God bless.



Who said they worry about whether someone is worthy enough before they visit them?
Who said they only visited those who were worthy?
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