There is a Ministry Gap.

Most of my calling to the ministry of Jesus was spent within the church. I call it the “home field” of ministry.

Then, in the last decade and a half, by God’s blessing, my involvement in ministry was as the “visiting team,” serving as a Chaplain in hospices, at a medical center, and in a behavioral and addiction hospital – the “away field.”

As a new chaplain I saw a level of caring that exceeded anything I had experienced or provided within the local church.

There I was taught that there was a way to care in the clinical setting. There were skills that were required, and other behaviors that were forbidden. My learning curve was steep.

The “away games” were surprisingly exciting and full of opportunity. As I applied this new set of skills, I was thrilled to see the truth and power of the gospel confirmed over and over again. I could represent Jesus without compromise, participate in many dramatic victories and see God’s light shine brightly in dark and traumatic circumstances.

When I practiced this new way with these breakthrough skills, my ministry encounters and personal relationships, on both the home and away fields, flourished.

Why didn’t I know this before?

The skills were simple but during decades of parish ministry they had never been emphasized in my education, what I read or in the conferences I attended. So, I never mastered them. This was probably true for most of my peers as well.

So, in my new season of ministry at Hospice of Saint John, with greater success and more confidence, I prayed, “Lord, if you allow me to take back to the local church what I have learned here, I will.” From that point on, my chaplain duties held even greater meaning, and my engagement with caring ministries in the local church grew dramatically.

Now I am writing a training material that includes the 7 Essentials for Caring that Make A Difference . Here is the short version.

You care. So, how can you be confident that you are giving the best care?

These 7 Essentials are the best practices of caring for people. They exist throughout the Bible from beginning to end. Each person who learns them and masters the skills to use them will be more effective in their efforts to care for people. There is a way to care for people and at the end of this learning time, everyone will know the essentials and better how to use them.

THE SEVEN ESSENTIALS  Simple. Not easy.

1.      THE NATURE TO CARE Are you a caring person?

a.      You can’t give what you don’t have.

b.      Start here.

2.      A FOCUS ON OTHERS People matter.

a.      Everyone has a story.

b.      How many stories do you know?

3.      YOUR PRESENCE You matter.

a.      Do you feel God’s presence?

b.      Your presence is valuable beyond measure.

c.      How can someone feel your presence?

4.      EXTREME LISTENING Listen before talking. Sometimes, don’t talk at all.

a.      We live in a telling culture.

b.      You haven’t listened until the one talking feels that they have been heard.

5.      PATIENT PERSISTENCE Be in it for the long haul.

a.      You can’t care in a hurry.

b.      Recovery takes a lifetime.

6.      SAFETY GUIDELINES Caring relationships are valuable. Handle with care.

a.      Don’t do this alone.

b.      Follow the rules.

7.      BE READY The “Good Samaritan” was.

a.      Opportunities happen.

b.      They interrupt the norm.

THE OTHER CHAIR An example. Everybody can do this.

I can't wait to get these into a complete and user friendly package so you can use them, but until then, I'm eager to come to you! Email me at dan@bestcareministry.com.