Pastoral Care

Baptist Churches in Belarus

Baptists living in what is now Belarus have experienced war, shifting borders, persecution and the breakup of the Soviet Union. Their history gives them a unique perspective on what it means to follow Christ and suffer for him.

September 1, 2015

Young R. Kim on Learning from a Fourth-Century Saint

Catholic and Orthodox Christians consider Epiphanius of Cyprus a saint because he was pious and opposed heresy. Protestants can learn from him as well.

April 7, 2015
Reconciling with the Church

Pope Francis recently said "Christians are not made in a laboratory, but in a community called the church." But what about those people for whom the church has been a source of pain?

February 25, 2015

Jerry Sittser on Growing through Adversity and Spiritual Practices

You probably gather for worship with both lifelong worshipers and those new to the Bible. Jerry Sittser mines the history of Christian spirituality for nuggets that give life to all levels of worshipers.

January 6, 2015

Colleen Kwong on Using Art to Include Shut-ins

When strokes, illness or other challenges keep people from attending worship, they often fall off the congregation’s radar. Here are ideas for using visual arts to reconnect and include such people in worship and church life.

September 24, 2014
Peggy Goetz on Planning Worship with Stroke Survivors

Peggy Goetz is a communication arts and sciences professor at Calvin College in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Observing her speech pathology students in Calvin’s stroke clinic sparked her to research the experience of stroke survivors in their church communities.

September 12, 2014
Peggy Goetz on Churches and Stroke Survivors

Stroke is a leading cause of disability in adults around the world, so your congregation probably includes—or will soon include—stroke survivors. And about a third of stroke survivors suffer from some form of communication impairment. Peggy Goetz researches the experience of stroke survivors in their church communities.

September 12, 2014