Pastoral care is one of the most vital and biblical responsibilities of the church to care for its members. It is the shepherding of God’s people—the loving, intentional, and Christ-centered care for the spiritual, emotional, and physical needs of the congregation. Pastoral care is not merely a program or a task; it is the heart of faithful ministry and a reflection of Christ’s love for His church.
This article will explore what pastoral care is, why it is important, how to provide biblical pastoral care, and the profound impact it can have on a church community.
1. What Is Pastoral Care?
Pastoral care can be defined as the spiritual oversight and nurturing of God’s people by their shepherds (pastors and elders). At its core, it is a ministry of presence, prayer, encouragement, correction, teaching, and admonishment aimed at helping believers grow in Christlikeness and remain steadfast in their faith.
The term “pastor” itself comes from the Latin word for shepherd, which reflects the biblical imagery used throughout Scripture. For example, in 1 Peter 5:2-3 Peter through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit says, “Shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you; not for shameful gain, but eagerly; not domineering over those in your charge, but being examples to the flock.”
Pastoral care is deeply rooted in this shepherding metaphor. It involves guiding, protecting, feeding, and nurturing the flock entrusted to the pastor’s care. This means addressing spiritual needs, offering biblical counsel, and sometimes even tending to physical or emotional concerns.
2. Why Is Pastoral Care Important?
Pastoral care is essential because it reflects the character of God and the design of His church. Here are three key reasons why it matters:
It Reflects the Heart of God
God’s heart for His people is one of compassion, care, and faithfulness. As shepherds, pastors are called to model this love. Jesus demonstrated His care for individuals throughout His earthly ministry, meeting physical needs (healing the sick) and addressing spiritual needs (offering forgiveness and truth).
- Matthew 9:36 – “When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.”
- Ezekiel 34:11-16 – God promises to seek out His sheep, bind up the injured, and strengthen the weak.
It Promotes Spiritual Growth and Obedience
When believers are cared for biblically, they are encouraged to grow in their faith and walk in obedience to God. Pastoral care equips the saints for ministry and builds up the body of Christ. Paul emphasizes in Ephesians 4:12-13 that the very job of pastors is to “To equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God.”
It Builds Unity and Strengthens the Church
A church where members feel known, loved, and supported is one where unity flourishes. When pastoral care is done well, the church becomes a healthy, vibrant community that glorifies God. We see this type of flourishing in the book of Romans when we read “I myself am satisfied about you, my brothers, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with all knowledge and able to instruct one another.” Paul is commending the church in Rome because they devoted themselves not only to the Lord but to one another and were able to build one another up in Christ.
3. How to Give Good, Biblical Pastoral Care
Providing effective pastoral care requires intentionality, prayer, and a deep commitment to the Word of God. Here are key components of biblical pastoral care:
Prioritize Prayer
Prayer is foundational to pastoral care. Pastors must pray for their congregation regularly and also teach the people to pray. If you want to see a move of God and think that means you primarily need to schedule a bunch of visitations then you’ve missed the point of what the scriptures outline for pastoral care. Be encouraged by Acts 6:4: “But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.”
Teach and Apply Scripture
The Word of God is the ultimate source of truth when it comes to pastoral care. Pastors must guide their people by teaching sound doctrine, offering biblical counsel, and correcting with gentleness (2 Timothy 2:24-25). Sometimes pastors think pastoral care has to mean counseling. It can mean counseling, but pastoral care comes through the faithful preaching of the word as well. The congregation is fed and grows into the likeness of Christ by hearing the word faithfully preached week in and week out.
Be Present and Available
Pastoral care often happens in the context of presence. Being physically and emotionally present communicates love and concern. This includes hospital visits, counseling sessions, and simply being approachable. Certainly you’ve heard how we much rejoice with those who rejoice and mourn with those who mourn (Romans 12:15), but you will be relied upon in a particular way as a pastor. You will be in the moments of greatest joy and greatest pain, and the Lord will give you the strength you need every step of the way.
Equip Elders and Leaders
Pastors cannot do it all alone. Equipping elders, deacons, and small group leaders to share in the work of pastoral care ensures that the congregation is shepherded well. It’s a good reminder, even with church plants and smaller congregations as the elders are called to equip the saints for the work of the ministry, not necessarily having the lead pastor handle each and every need that comes up in the church.
Establish Regular Check-ins
On a practical note, consistent touchpoints, such as scheduled visitations by elders or phone calls to members, help maintain a connection and ensure that no one falls through the cracks. Hebrews talks about how we should consider how to stir up one another to love and good works (Hebrews 10:24). That certainly applies to the church body living amidst the “one another” passages, but it’s consistent with scripture to say that pastors are called to be an example of what it looks like to stir up one another and a very simple way to do that is to check in on your members regularly.
Address Physical Needs
Caring for practical needs—such as providing meals, financial assistance, or childcare—demonstrates Christ’s love tangibly. The book of James tells us “If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace, be warmed and filled,’ without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that?” (James 2:15-16).
4. Practical Steps for Churches
Based off what we talked about in the last section, churches can take practical, intentional steps to improve their pastoral care and we want to outline what that could look like in your church. This certainly is not an all-encompassing list, and really doesn’t even scratch the surface, but hopefully it helps to get the wheels turning:
Train and Empower Leaders
Develop a culture of care by training small group leaders, deacons, and volunteers to be equipped to know how to care for each others needs. (Romans 15:14)
Implement a Care Plan
Create a structured plan for pastoral visits, counseling, and member follow-ups. For example, assign each elder a group of families to shepherd.
Foster Community
Encourage small groups and/or Bible studies where members can support and care for one another. As the church grows, you don’t want the small group to become what a member views as “the church” but it can be a helpful forcing function to assist members in building intentional relationships and having people they know they can go to when they need help.
Use Technology Wisely
Utilize tools like church management software to track prayer requests, member needs, and pastoral visits. If you decide to take any action on your pastoral care, it can be incredibly helpful to use a tool like Undershepherd to help stay organized in this process.
5. The Results of Faithful Pastoral Care
When pastoral care is done biblically and effectively, the results can be profound. Certainly unless the Lord builds the house the laborers labor in vein, but the Lord does bless his people! Your congregation can be built up and become more unified as members feel valued and cared for. You can continue to see spiritual growth in maturity and obedience to the chief shepherd that is Christ. And your church can be a testimony to the watching world about what it means to to be a people that have turned from their sin, trusted in Christ, and now are running after him.
Lastly, always remember that elders give an account to God for the way they cared for their members (Hebrews 13:17). Pastoral care is a high calling and a sacred trust. It reflects the love of the Good Shepherd and strengthens the body of Christ for His glory. May every pastor and church strive to care well for God’s people, trusting in His Word and Spirit to accomplish the work.
