Page 55 - Pastoral Ministries -Student Textbook

Such visitations can be encouraged in their homes, times of sickness and bereavements. While appreciating
such opportunities for ministry, the shepherd should be aware not to visit any person or member of the
opposite sex by either the pastor or the pastor’s wife alone. Pastoral visitations should not be taken as a way of
running away from domestic responsibilities and not as a way of gathering material stuff from the members.

The Importance of Pastoral Visitation

It helps the pastor to know his members better
Sometimes it is difficult for a pastor to know his members better at the church. Yes, he can know them by their
names sometimes, but there is more than that. People pass through many challenges in their lives such that
they cannot open up to their pastor at the church. So, when the pastor pays them a visit in their homes it is easy
for them to open up which can provide an opportunity for ministry to counsel and encourage them in line with
their challenges.

It provides Evangelistic opportunity.
This is one of the most important reasons why the pastor should embark on the assignment of visiting people
either in homes, hospitals or prisons. To begin with, sometimes it happens that church members have non-
Christian family members and friends or unsaved neighbors. The presence of the pastor in the lives of those
people will provide him an opportunity to share gospel with non-Christians whom they would never otherwise
meet.
This can be even extended to the hospitals and prisons. Some of the people that are in hospitals and prisons are
not believers; hence if the pastor pays them a visit will have a chance to preach the gospel to those souls. It is
very clear that the mission of the pastor when he goes to hospital and prison is to offer hope to the people by
preaching the message of salvation to them so that their lives can be secured in our Lord Jesus.

Another thing that can motivate the pastor to visit people in hospital or prison is the reward that Jesus talks
about in Matthew 25:36 which say that, “I was naked and you clothed me; I was sick and you visited me; I was in
prison and you came to me.” So, this evangelistic visit is not only ending here on earth but there is reward after
this earthly life.

It makes people to feel loved and encouraged by their pastor.
Let me start by giving my personal experience on this point. I was very excited and felt loved by my pastor when
he came to our home to visit me. I did not expect him to come and spend some time with me just to encourage
me in as far as Christian life is concerned. Of course, I was the chairman of youths at the church, but I had no any
idea that my pastor had me in his mind to the extent of visiting me. Frankly speaking, I felt so loved and cared
and at the same time I was encouraged. This made me to continue being faithful to the things of the Lord.
There are churches whose membership is very big which makes pastors not closely to closely associate with
every member at the church. Sometimes this happens not that the pastor does not want to associate with them,
but because the church is big. Therefore, if that happen members feel unloved or uncared by their pastor. So,
how can this notion be removed in their mind? The answer is pastoral visitation; members will feel loved and
cared if they see their pastor taking time to go in their homes and spend the quality time with them. In Romans
1:22-12, Paul writes to the Church at Rome to say, “I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift
to strengthen you- that is, that we may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith both yours and mine”. This
clearly indicates that the Romans would be encouraged by Paul’s visit.

It strengthens relationships
Pastoral visits cement relationships between the pastor and his members. Since relationships are vital in
Christian ministry, these visits help members to know their pastors. Pastoral visit fosters unity which leads to
establish a warm and caring congregation. If the pastor wants to build a good relationship with his flock then,

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