Pastoral Care

Course Outline & Assessment Information

Objectives

This module lays a solid scriptural foundation (“1.Building on the Rock”) before moving into the basic skills of Pastoral Care (“2.Competent Superstructure”).

It is an introduction to the experience of pastoring as the writers of the Bible saw it - and as field ministers experience it.

Organization, ethics, mandates and boundaries are also discussed, as is facilitating the ministry of all believers. In concert with ACCM, each trainee will establish and maintain a working relationship in their home area with someone who can mentor them (usually their pastor or pastoral supervisor) while they complete the course. High practicality and immediate usability are the goals, as we develop this class through real-life feedback loops between the College and the “coal-face”, where pastoral care is actually happening.

The class has been designed to give instruction, experience and the opportunity to demonstrate competency, within the context of pastoral ministry:

1. organizing and resourcing congregational activities
2. coordinating a congregation's planning process
3. managing congregational processes including responding to conflict
4. evaluating congregational programs

Content

Focus

This course is designed as an introduction to the experience of pastoring in its purest sense - as the writers of the Bible saw it (1. BUILDING ON THE ROCK), learning that pastoral care supports the growth of others in community and some basic competencies (2. COMPETENT SUPERSTRUCTURE).

The philosophical underpinning of this class is the Word of God Itself. No lesser competency standard will do when serving the people of God. Successfully completing this course may suggest scriptural characteristics like "apt to teach", "competent steward" and "faithful in the word as taught". However, notwithstanding a student's class grade, adequately shepherding Jesus' sheep simply cannot be successfully separated from total yieldedness to the sovereignty and guidance by the Master Himself.

As you undertake this class, may your prayers parallel the prayer of King Solomon which pleased God so much: "Give me now wisdom and knowledge, that I may go out and come in before this people: for who can (adequately pastor) this thy people, that is (destined to be) so great?" 2 Chr 1:10 (KJV).

Texts and Supporting Materials

The Holy Bible.

• Matt 1:1 - John 21:25.
• Life & Teaching of Jesus Christ.
• James
• 1 & II Peter
• I-III John
• Jude

• Ogden, G (1990) The new reformation. Zondervan Publishing House. Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA.

Selected additional readings available on the Pastoral Care web site during the class. These are intended for stimulation and prompting within the brief of the class. They do not necessarily represent the views of ACCM, its parent body or the lecturer.

Recommended Reading

• Vanier, J (1979) Community and growth. (Translated 1989) St Paul Publications. Homebush, NSW, Australia.
• London, HB & Wiseman, N.B. (1994) The heart of a great pastor. (Regal Books - A Division of Gospel Light = Ventura, California U.S.A.)
• London, H.B. & Wiseman, N.B. (1973) Pastors at risk. Victor Books. Wheaton, Ill. USA.
• London, H.B. & Wiseman, N.B. (1973) Your pastor is an endangered species. Victor Books. Wheaton, Ill. USA.
• London, HB, et al (1996) Refresh, renew, revive. Family Publishing, Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA.
• Peterson, E.H. (1996) Living the message. HarperCollins. London, U.K.

To purchase these books, select the "Bookstore" option from the Student Services dropdown menu. Ambassador College of Christian Ministry partners with Amazon Books to provide fast, efficient service and delivery of your textbook needs worldwide.

Note:

You might wonder why we recommend titles about “risk” and “endangered” and “revive”. We certainly don’t want to discourage anyone from exploring a field ready to harvest, with very few laborers! However, nor do we want to ignore the very real threats and dangers which face people in pastoral ministry. One is far less vulnerable when forewarned. Many of the “burnout” factors can be minimized if our perceptions are sound and if false assumptions are dealt with early. That is why the classes near the beginning deal more with Scripture-based reasoning than with method.

Mentoring

Our distance-education students are mentored both by the ACCM lecturer and a "Local Coach". This would be a senior pastor, pastoral supervisor or other Christian ministry referee suitable by agreement with ACCM and readily accessible to the student. The "Local Coach" should be willing to provide the student with real-life application advice and practice opportunities in his/her own denominational setting, as well as affirm locally demonstrated practical competency and integrated learning. The reason for all this is that we intend for this unit to help you be of immediate practical use in pastoral care!

"Fellow-laborers together"

As the apostle Paul indicated in this phrase (Phil 4:3; Phm 1:24), we are in this service of Jesus Christ together, whether as students doing this unit together, as an intradenominational group, or as part of the overall Body of Christ. We need the stimulation of "iron sharpening iron" in our exchanges (Prov 27:17). Leaning to submit to one another's experience and counsel in humility (1 Pet 5:5) will guard against many of the pitfalls of pastoring. "He that is first in his own cause seemeth just, but his neighbor cometh and searcheth him" (Prov 18:17). To this end, by taking on this class, you are agreeing to a process that includes sharing experiences with other students pursuant to ACCM assessment recommendations. We want any misconceptions to come out now rather than later when you have responsibilities in some aspect of pastoral care. In order to facilitate the process, we need an environment in which students feel safe to experiment and make mistakes during training, as well as share their experiences without fear of penalty and in the reassurance of total confidentiality. Since confidentiality is one of the most vital principles of effective pastoring, students are encouraged right from the start to get used to exercising it. By taking on this course you are agreeing, as indeed ACCM is agreeing, to observe confidentiality within class groups. Student comments posted for viewing by others in the same class will contain names and other obvious identifiers included. Frank and honest feedback is vital to those undertaking the unit, as well as for future students. We must therefore be able to depend on confidentiality. In real-world pastoring, nothing kills off your credibility faster and more completely than a failure to observe confidentiality. Likewise, people are far more confident when pastoral ministry can be relied on to keep confidences. Even secular law in many countries considers pastoral confidentiality as inviolable.

Another key factor facilitating students' willingness to exchange experiences is mutual respect. We're in this together and we have different degrees of prior experience. If someone makes a comment or asks a question to which you already know the answer, by all means offer it - in humility! Students are just that: students. They're doing this unit because they don't yet have all the answers. What human does? The humility and meekness of the Master should guide our interaction as students, just as it should guide our subsequent pastoring. So, basic rule of thumb:

If you don't know - ask! And let's all make sure that respect for the one asking always triumphs over what we might think of the question. That way we can get all our questions answered in an environment of mutual respect and acceptance (John 13:35). Remember: the atmosphere we create among our fellow learners will probably tell the assessor something about the atmosphere we're likely to promote among those we serve in pastoring.

Be Open and Frank

During the course of "Pastoral Care", you're asked to include feedback indicating personal growth areas: to share with us what you see as the hurdles you'll face as you prepare for pastoring. Please rest assured that doing so is a big PLUS! Nobody is strong and balanced 100% of the time. Carers often need caring for. Developing the skill to diagnose and obtain help in addressing your own vulnerabilities is a very healthy indicator. Remember, we have to be able to sign off on performance criteria that you've managed to demonstrate. Any input you provide about the hurdles you had to clear in order to deliver these competencies IN NO WAY DETRACTS from successful assessment. In fact, it helps us not only to help you and others; it also demonstrates your recognition of - and capacity to deal with - your strengths and growth areas.

About Your "Local Coach

This person plays a major role on your "Pastoral Care" assignments. He or she will, in effect, be providing documented testimony that you are integrating what you're learning into an ongoing pastoral commitment. Although they will provide you with a reference, you as a student will need to make it possible for them to do so in good conscience. When you seek out a mentor, you should therefore choose someone you respect and whose advice you are willing to take fully into account. They should have a relationship with you close enough to be able to complete the feedback we will ask them to give. If you manage to find someone who will supervise or advise future pastoral contributions you might make (such as your regional pastor, superintendent, etc), so much the better! Students whose circumstances preclude finding a suitable Local Coach can contact the ACCM lecturer, who will advise on alternative ways you can attempt to negotiate this important issue.

Special “Local Coach” note to all students doing this unit for credit:

We will be asking your Local Coach to complete a declaration verifying their involvement with you over the period in which you complete this study. (This declaration will be archived with your student records). Activities suitable for inclusion are:

• counseling and advice
• training
• performance evaluations and
• any “on-the-job”, or “real-life” experience.

This is not only standard vocational training practice but also demonstrates and reaffirms ACCM’s commitment to makes its training authentic, i.e., relevant and immediately useful to people who will assist our hard-working pastors. Of course, such people are usually very busy – and we don’t want to make their schedules even more hectic with endless calls from ACCM students! However, ideally, it would be especially helpful if you can find a Local Coach who regard at least a little time allotted to you, either one-on-one or in a group, as a good investment in the life of the congregation. This has a number of significant benefits, both to you and to them. First, it creates the opportunity for you to link theoretical knowledge directly into real-life applications in your congregation – thus enhancing the prospects of retaining what you’ve learned. Second, it improves the likelihood that the skills you’re acquiring can be more immediately beneficial in your congregation, since they’d be completely relevant. Third, the experience helps you ‘get a feel’ for working with someone from whom you may conceivably be taking direction and instruction in the future; they’ve had a chance to see you up closer than usual and are thus dealing with a ‘known quantity’ which they’ve had a hand in shaping! In summary, this approach to assessment affirms ACCM’s commitment to make its training relevant and immediately practical. We want your journey with us through this unit to be of ready, practical use to pastors and pastoral teams. The fields are indeed white - but laborers competent in the art of pastoring are very few. (Matt 9:37). Somewhere out there among the people of God, someone is responding to Jesus' admonition. They are praying that the Lord will send more laborers into His harvest. Perhaps the motivation you have to take on this class the answer to such a prayer. May God guide you continually as you explore this vital means of serving Him.

Assessment

General Overview

It's up to the individual student to familiarize with the assessment requirements and to complete these items at their own pace. They will be assessed during the first assessment period after we receive them and your study record will be updated accordingly at that time. You are encouraged to post your assignment material where appropriate on the class web for whatever help your observations might provide for fellow students. This is entirely voluntary and you will not be penalized for choosing not to do so.

Specifics

We encourage students to participate in and, better still, initiate their own discussion threads on anything relevant to the course. The lecturer will monitor these discussions and although participation is not mandatory, it is strongly recommended and has been proven to help fill in the overall picture of how students are doing and whether they’re learning the value of collaboration and a “multitude of counselors.” Therefore, wherever a student’s grade is situated just below a particular achievement level, we’ll refer to these discussions in an effort to find evidence that the grade can be nudged up a little!

Rationale

The class is developed in two blocks:

1. BUILDING ON THE ROCK (Underpinning Knowledge), based almost entirely in the Scriptures and set text.
2. COMPETENT SUPERSTRUCTURE (Underpinning Skills), based on ACCM's assessment criteria, as applied in the Church milieu.

Assessing Yourself

ACCM's assessment rationale breaks learning outcomes down into criteria against which a student's performancei smeasured. Because we believe that demonstrated ability to evaluate one's own performance is very helpful to people serving in pastoral care, we've provided a list of these criteria. You may choose (entirely voluntarily) to help yourself by completing the appropriate form - by writing in your own notes and evidence of having satisfied the assessment criteria. Your mentor could then endorse this and you can forward it as an extra piece of assessment information, thus giving you a chance to draw our attention to demonstrated competence we might have otherwise overlooked in our own evaluations. Your comments should include such issues as:

• how you feel you demonstrated competence in each of the criteria
• what you learned that might help you improve your performance next time

Whether or not the lecturer agrees entirely with each of your comments, the exercise will give:

• an excellent indication of your competence in the area of self-assessment
• a viable basis for lecturer feedback
• a rich source of personal experience to which you can later refer

Assessment Submission

Your login determines which options are available to you throughout the ACCM Learning Management System. When you're ready to submit an assessment, select the "My Assessments" option from the Student Services dropdown menu and follow the instructions for uploading your document. Please note: file sizes must be less than 512kb and of acceptable file type or the system will not accept them. Acceptable file types include only:

• PDF (Adobe Reader format documents)
• TXT (standard text file format documents)
• DOC (MS Word documents) and
• RTF (Rich Text Format documents)

Dates for Assessment

Check the "Assessment Calendar" option from the Student Services dropdown menu.

Lecturer

More about the Lecturer, Phil Hopwood.

Grading System

Check the "FAQ" option from the ABOUT dropdown menu.

Copyright

This web site contains course material that is for the use of the students of Ambassador College of Christian Ministry only. Re-publication and re-dissemination, including posting to news groups or web pages, is strictly prohibited without prior written consent of Ambassador College of Christian Ministry. Your participation in an ACCM course indicates your agreement.

Class Notes - Conventions

As you work through the class notes, you'll have opportunities to complete exercises, reflect on particular points and take special note. These are clearly indicated, with relevant instructions alongside

How Long Do I Have to Complete the Class?

Check the "FAQ" option from the Student Services dropdown menu.

Queries

These should be emailed to info@ambascol.org

ALL THE BEST WITH YOUR LEARNING JOURNEY!

© Ambassador College of Christian Ministry