For those coming over from "The Thoughtful Pastor Blog", this posting is expanded beyond a book review and offers an outline plus a few extra observations. Feel free to add your comments.
Christians care. Some more than other and some in different ways. We have different callings, gifts, graces and talents. Our unique spiritual fingerprints are left behind when we give care in the name of Christ in witness to these things. Many of us get very uncomfortable when an opportunity to care is presented. "Christian Caregiving" by Kenneth Haugk tells the story of caregiving.
Christians care. Some more than other and some in different ways. We have different callings, gifts, graces and talents. Our unique spiritual fingerprints are left behind when we give care in the name of Christ in witness to these things. Many of us get very uncomfortable when an opportunity to care is presented. "Christian Caregiving" by Kenneth Haugk tells the story of caregiving.
Christ taught by example and through story. Haugk's story gives the reader techniques in a way that are caught rather than taught in order to become that caring example. Through this a Christian disciple is empowered to take action in the everyday moments that need God's touch. This builds the disciple and transforms the world in this most basic and defining function of the church.
"Christian Caregiving" is the introductory course for the Stephen Ministries. It is designed to bring the disciple into a deeper caregiving life. This book is over 25 years old and remains a relevant workhorse of a teaching book. Our church is using it as a Lenten devotional study with the hopes of having a Stephen Ministry forming later. The book's 20 short chapters are focused and easy to read. It is a teaching book for the student. There are few bullet points, only the story that caries the reader to a conclusion requiring a decision to give care. An outstanding book for pastor's, caring groups, and evangelism committees.
If you would like a copy of our Lent 2012 study guide, email me at revavanhooser@gmail.com. My guide is not sanctioned by Stephen Ministries but an outline of the book to guide a conversation in our particular group. I admit that it is a short cut but desire our group to explore this ministry before immersing them in the commitment that a Stephen Minister must make. A Leader's Guide by Haugk and McKay, ISBN 086627012 is available from your favorite bookseller and provides more depth than we will go into during the 40-days of this year. This Lent we hope to cast a vision for a ministry of care for our congregations and District.
The Stephen Ministries is a group formed on 1975, "for training and organizing laypeople to provide one-to-one Christian care to hurting people in and around your congregation." They have a complete system that is extraordinarily successful in doing this. For more information about forming a Stephen Ministry group and accessing their many resources, go to http://www.stephenministries.org .
We have structured this study to cast a vision of caring as ministry and offer the tools to hear that call more than merely get basic instructions. Rather than meet weekly, the hope is to attract more by having two Sunday afternoon gatherings to cover 1/2 of the book at each. We will ask questions from each chapter and see where the conversation goes. After Easter we will collect those who hear a calling to caring ministry and develop a structure-such as the Stephen Ministries.
Here is my outline of the book and a brief agenda for during our group gatherings. Each will open with prayer and a meal.
Chapter 3: God, You and Me
Chapter 5: Family Ties
Chapter 7: Touching Spiritual Depths
Chapter 8: Ministering to the Whole Person
Chapter 10: A Surprise Gift, Forgiveness and Confession
Chapter 11: Confession and Absolution over the Back Fence
Read Chapters 10-20-one short chapter per day to be ready for the session!
Chapter 15: Sharing a Blessing
Chapter 16: A Cup of Cold Water
We have structured this study to cast a vision of caring as ministry and offer the tools to hear that call more than merely get basic instructions. Rather than meet weekly, the hope is to attract more by having two Sunday afternoon gatherings to cover 1/2 of the book at each. We will ask questions from each chapter and see where the conversation goes. After Easter we will collect those who hear a calling to caring ministry and develop a structure-such as the Stephen Ministries.
Here is my outline of the book and a brief agenda for during our group gatherings. Each will open with prayer and a meal.
For Session 1: 1-3:00, Sunday March 4
The Preface and Chapter 1: It’s Not Easy
- We will begin with a very brief Spiritual Gifts profile and discuss how God has wired us for ministry.
- What are we trying to do here and why?
- We already care at some level as a Christian. What are the things that hold us back from truly giving that care?
Chapter 2: God as the Curegiver
- What is the role of the Christian caregiver in any situation?
- What is God’s role?
- What is our role within God’s role in Christian caregiving?
Chapter 4: Why Care?
- What motivates you to care and to show care for others?
- How does your individual effort in Christian caregiving fit into the mission of Christ through His church?
Chapter 6: Move Over Freud
- How does faith make caregiving more effective, or for that matter, possible?
- How can faith add value to medicine and education and sociology?
- What are some of the deeper questions in your life that need answers?
- What are some of the obstacles to getting those answers?
- What are some things that we can do to open the door to answers?
- What does “Holistic” mean to you?
- How does the Bible show Jesus Christ as “Holistic?”
- What are some of the pitfalls that keep us from caring holistically?
Chapter 9: Servanthood vs. Servitude
- What is the difference between servanthood and servitude?
- What are the pitfalls to caregiving from servanthood? Which of these do you struggle with?
- How has God demonstrated forgiveness toward you?
- How do you demonstrate forgiveness toward others?
- List and be ready to discuss the four practical steps to introduce forgiveness into your relationships.
- What is the difference in private confession and confessing to a live person?
- How can you be a “Caring Cary” rather than a “Harsh Harry” or a “Libertine Larry”?
For Session 2: March 25 from 1-3:00 PM
We will begin this section with a brief questionnaire on Relating Styles. How we see ourselves affects how we see others.
Chapter 10 & 11: A Surprise Gift, Forgiveness and Confession and Absolution over the Back Fence Confession and Absolution over the Back Fence (Repeated from last time)
We will continue our discussion of the four practical steps to introduce forgiveness into relationships.
Chapter 12: Tools of Your Trade: Their Use and Abuse
We will now make the jump to learning some practical skills of Christian Caregiving. This is a pivotal chapter. Read this very closely and list the skills that you either have or want to have to be an effective caregiver.
- What are our guiding principles as caregivers?
- Where are lay people more important than clergy in caregiving?
Chapter 13: Prayer
- How is the nature of prayer triangular?
- How should prayer be used in caregiving?
- How should prayer NOT be used in caregiving?
- Let’s build a prayer- A way to be ready to pray aloud in any situation.
Chapter 14: The Bible
- Why and how is the Bible used as a tool in Christian Caregiving?
- How can you use a benediction in your Christian Caregiving?
- What are the “cups of cold water” that you have to share?
- What is your part in the “umbrella of caring”?
Chapter 17: The Evangelism-Caring Connection
- How does the book define Evangelism?
- What makes caring evangelistic?
Chapter 18: Celebrating Results
- How can focusing on results keep you from achieving them?
- What are some process goals versus result goals?
- What is the most important “result” to any caregiving?
Chapter 19: Hope Full Caregiving
- How can caregiving be “hope-full?”
Chapter 20: The Thrill of it All
- How is God your Power Source?
- Where are you in your Caregiver Journey?
- Where can your calling and skills build the Church?
Benediction: Assessment, Feedback and goal setting
Our churches and pastors need called, motivated and prepared caregivers. What does a caregiving ministry look like? What are some steps to make this ministry happen?
