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Ethical Practices Self-Assessment Plan and Practices for Future Ministry
A plan for future ministry outlines the ethical and self-assessment strategies that a minister expects to employ in the course of their ministry. The purpose of this text is to develop a self-assessment plan for growth and strategy in the areas of self-care, pastoral care, community care, and familial care.
Growth Areas and Strategies for Self-Care
While there is no exclusive command requiring us to love ourselves, there is Biblical support for self-care. Confronted by the Scribes to give His view on what was the first of all commandments in Mark 12: 28-31, for instance, Jesus answered that it is to love the Lord with all of one’s heart, soul mind, and strength; and to love one’s neighbor as oneself. Loving oneself, therefore, is a prerequisite for loving God and one’s neighbor.[footnoteRef:1] Christians have an ethical duty to love and care for oneself, as self-care forms the foundation of love for God and others.[footnoteRef:2] There is a need for me to grow in this duty of self-care and the realization that there is a balance between working for justice and resting in the care of God. When we take time to rest, we acknowledge that God is bigger than our efforts of goodness and trust that He is in control. [1: Jeffery Gates, “Self-Care: A Christian Perspective,” Evangelical Review of Theology 35, no. 1 (January 2015): 6 ] [2: Ibid.]
In Genesis 1 and 2, God creates the entire creation in six days and rests on the Sabbath, thereby blessing it and making it holy. The day of rest symbolizes holiness, the very essence of God’s character. Similarly, rest on the Sabbath after six days of pastoral work is one of the self-care strategies that I intend to employ in ministry.
Multiple times in His earthly ministry, Christ retreats from His ministerial demands to draw into a deeper and intimate relationship with God through prayer.[footnoteRef:3] Following His baptism, for instance, Christ retreated into the wilderness, where He spends 40 days and nights fasting and praying for God to equip Him to handle the devil’s temptations. Like Christ, it is important for ministers to retreat into solitude once in a while to seek spiritual renewal and a reconnection with God through prayer. After retreating to pray in Mark 1: 35, Christ returned and told His disciples that it was time to move to another town.[footnoteRef:4] Thus, retreat and prayer provide...
Retreat and prayer is to be complemented with continued reading of the scripture as Christ advised in Mathew 4:4 – that man cannot live on bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God. The scripture provides the armor that Christians need to resist temptations and maintain their bodies as temples of Christ. Finally, there is a need for continuous education – the apostle Peter in 2 Peter 3: 18 calls upon ministers to continually grow in the grace and knowledge of Christ. Continuous education provides avenues for ministers to better understand how God works, and to provide better nourishment to the flock of Christ.[footnoteRef:5] Continuous education occurs through constant reading as well as attending conferences and camps that bring together ministers and church leaders and allow for knowledge-sharing. [3: Luke 5; 15, Mark 1: 35, Mark 1: 45, Mark 2: 13] [4: Mark 1: 35] [5: Ernie Lassman, “the Importance of Continuing Education for Pastors,” Concordia Theological Seminary Journal 19, no. 1 (March 2015), 4 ]
Areas of Growth and Strategies for Pastoral Care
Strategies for effective pastoral care are based on several facets including accountability, transparency, vulnerability, and humility. Paul, in 2nd Corinthians 6: 3, supports accountability by requiring ministers to live in such a way that no one will stumble because of them or find fault with their ministry. Christians have a duty to ensure that whatever they do in deed or word is done for the glory and honor of God.[footnoteRef:6] I plan to exhibit accountability by always taking responsibility for my decisions and actions, addressing pitfalls in my performance openly and fairly, and opening up my convictions/positions to healthy criticism.[footnoteRef:7] Christ exemplified humility in His earthly works such as when He washed His disciples’ feet.[footnoteRef:8] I will strive to demonstrate humility by bringing attention to God and not myself at all times, recognizing that the privileges and favor I enjoy come from God, listening to all regardless of their social status, and putting the needs of those I serve above my own.[footnoteRef:9] [6: Colossians 3: 17] [7: General Conference of Seventh Day Adventists, “Transparency and Accountability: a Global commitment of Seventh-Day Adventist Church Leaders,” Author, 2018, 55. ] [8: John 13: 1-17] [9: General Conference of Seventh…
.." Kotter specifically is noted as having stated as follows: "Leadership is different from management but not for the reason most people think. Leadership isn't' mystical and mysterious. It has nothing to do with having charisma or other exotic personality traits. It's not leadership necessarily better than management or a replacement for it: rather leadership and management are two distinctive and complementary activities. Both are necessary for success..." (Kotter, 1990, p.103
Theology for and the Process of Planting a New Church Many years ago, America was known as a "Christian nation." However, in modern society, our nation is in a religious era in which individuals create their own belief and value systems instead of listening to God's teachings. The amount of churchgoers in America today is rapidly decreasing as churches fail and close every day. Church planting is the process of planting
(Paul, 2005) In fact, the AAPC survey found that African-Americans, devout evangelicals, people without a college degree, the elderly and people age 18 to 29 are most likely to fear that a professional counselor won't take their religious beliefs into serious consideration when treating them. (Paul, 2005) People come to Christian counselors for two reasons," commented Randolph Sanders, executive director of the Christian Association for Psychological Studies, an association of
Furthermore, when groups began people naturally turned to the group leader for direction and advice. It would be accurate to state that most of the relating was to the group leader at that point. However, by exercising linking behavior, I was able to get the group members to look to each other for understanding and help. Initially, I had to point out when people were saying things that would indicate
Counseling Model A Practical Pastoral Counseling Model Counseling Setting Where Will Counseling Take Place? Boundaries for Safety and Security Relational Style Relational/Communication Style Structure/Strategy Sessions Summation Supportive Feedback God's Riches at Christ's Expense Annotated Bibliography A Practical Pastoral Counseling Model This is an overview of the counseling position that I will take when working with clients/parishioners. I realize that this cannot encompass every eventuality that may occur during a counseling session, but it should be comprehensive enough to account for most of the possibilities
(Byrd and Byrd, 1993) The process of healing can be found, for example, in Luke 13:10-17, which refers to a woman who has been crippled for eighteen years. The healing takes place by the laying of hands on the women by Christ. In John 5:1-18 we have the story of a seriously ill man placed at pool waiting for healing. This episode stresses the importance of listening to Christ's instruction and