Overview: BA Pastoral Care Training Modules
This training modules are built on the conviction that biblical truth and practical ministry are inseparable. Each module is intentionally designed with a dual focus, bridging the gap between sound theology and hands- on ministry. Part 1 establishes the Biblical Foundation, grounding our care in God’s word, while Part 2 focuses on Ministry Application, equipping us with frameworks & tools for pastoral care. Sound theology must inform every practical action, and real-world ministry provides the very context where our biblical convictions are applied and tested. This intersection ensures that our care is neither ‘theology without heart’ nor ‘activity without truth’ but a holistic response to the needs of the church.
Module 1
Part 1 – Biblical Pastoral Care
Part 2 – Ministry Focus: Gospel Lenses
This first module seeks to establish biblically an understanding of pastoral care, as well as to explain BA’s convictions and approach towards pastoral care. It then moves to introduce 3 key ‘gospel-lenses’ that will shape our perception and posture towards pastoral care.
Module 1: Q&A
1. When do we just lend a listening ear/hear out the people we are helping?
1 Thessalonians 5:14 calls us to admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted and help the weak. Listening is an act of humility to understand the individual’s unique situation, so that we can speak God’s truth relevantly into their lives i.e. how is this person a sinner, sufferer and saint in the heat he/she is in. Christian growth happens in the routine humdrum of life, and listening is essential to understand the life factors pushing people’s buttons before we can point them to Christ. Module 2A will explore further how to do mundane life-giving conversations well. Module 2B will explore how our listening approach adjusts and caters to sufferers experiencing acute suffering and mental health struggles.
2. At what point do we adopt a ‘firmer’ stance and tell some hard truths that they may not be ready to hear?
1 Thessalonians 5:14 calls us to admonish the unruly. When a person chooses various kinds of ungodly responses (thorns) in the Heat, he/she is slipping into friendship with the world. And our faithful and loving response is to admonish the unruly. However, while adopting a firm stance, we must also remember that sanctification is God’s work and timing, which has a long-term trajectory (upward-moving yo-yo). 1 Thessalonians 5:!4 ends with ‘be patient with the all’. We speak hard truths not in to speed up in modifying their superficial behaviour, but to prayerfully call their heart to love God more deeply. Module 2C explores how confronting the unruly in conflicts.
3. How do we ensure that we are constantly using and basing our counsel on God’s word without being overly preachy?
The big picture and core conviction that shapes our goal in conversation is that we’re leading and preparing one another for eternity. Under God, our conversations serve this purpose within the body of Christ. We aren’t giving theological lectures to one another, pointing one another to a supreme source of wisdom which we all rely on, for the particular Heat they are facing. Module 2A should explore this more deeply as we consider what makes edifying biblical conversations.
4. How do we decide to ‘let go’ of certain pastoral care cases that we are handling? How far should we go in caring for our members?
The nature of our care for them may change, but we never truly ‘let go’ of our members, like we let go of projects. And since we are convinced that the GG is the primary unit of pastoral care, the GG and the GG Leader always remain the primary carers for a person. However, when an acute crisis hits, we can use BA’s Triaging & Support system. If a case exceeds the capacity of mutual member support, it is triaged to the GG Leader, and if necessary, up to the TG Leader. And such triaging isn’t abandoning a member. It is reinforcing the primary unit of care with wider church support. In Module 2A, we’ll get to explore how Caregiving, Caregivers & Care Team form part of BA’s Triaging & Support system.
It’s important to recognise that pastoral care for our members is a long-term, life-on-life journey. Shepherding is fundamentally sacrificial and compassionate, it will cost. However, while we sacrificially care, protect, and guide, we need to remember that we cannot ‘fix’ or take responsibility of their final fruit – only God’s Word by His Spirit sanctifies. Besides, the burden of care lies not on us or few leaders alone, but on ‘one another’ across the whole community. Module 2A will touch on place of caregiver’s self-care and preventing personal burnout, and mechanics of caring in community.
6. What resources would you recommend for doing 121 with another GG leader or member on pastoral care topics?
First, I’d start with Saints, Sufferers, and Sinners: Loving Others as God Loves Us by Michael R. Emlet. It helps us understand people’s needs, and how God has already equipped us in his Word for pastoral care. To help us understand the non-linear, messy trajectory of growth, I’ll then read How Does Sanctification Work? by David Powlison.
7. I appreciated the concept of pastoral care for all by all, but what’s the best approach for our people to level up on this, so that GG members can care better for one another?
Practice it, and walk it out in the life of church community. Start small. The best way for our people to level up is to change the way they view daily church life i.e. try out The Humdrum Project homework! We often default to thinking care only happens during an acute crisis. To level up our GG, we can intentionally model Vert & Horiz Listening during mundane settings e.g. morning tea or the 10 minutes before and after GG. When members see their leaders asking questions that connect horizontal weekly updates to their vertical relationship with God, the culture shifts from surface-level logistics to a community that prayerfully speaks God’s word in love.
Module 2A
Part 1 – Biblical Conversations
Part 2 – Ministry Focus: Caregiving, Caregivers & Care Team
This module explores the biblical basis for seemingly mundane yet God- designed life-giving conversations, which then flows directly into thinking about our roles as caregivers, self-care, side-by-side ministry and building effective tiered care teams.
Module 2B
Part 1 – Biblical Suffering
Part 2 – Ministry Focus: Mental Health
We live in a broken world where suffering is inevitable because of sin, and because of the cursed condition of our world. The Shepherding of God’s people into eternal life with God inevitably involves pastorally caring for those who are suffering. This module helps us think biblically about nature of suffering and its place in the life of Christians. We’ll then consider the place of mental health in our broken world, and develop a biblical approach towards sufferers.
Module 2C
Part 1 – Biblical Conflict
Part 2 – Ministry Focus: Conflict Resolutions
As we dethrone God and enthrone ourselves, we cannot but create conflict with one another in various contexts; at home, at work, in church, in marriages. This module seeks to develop a biblical framework to understand conflict, and ways to help others engage in conflicts in a godly way that won’t undermine the gospel.