Jan
28
2010
Visit the Sick
Brian Croft, Pastor at Auburndale Baptist Church in Louisville, has written a helpful little book entitled Visit the Sick: Ministering God’s Grace in Times of Illness. Pastors, elders, and deacons would do well to read it. It wouldn’t take much more than an hour.
On p. 67, Croft lays out a visitation checklist. I found this extremely useful. The comments after each item are mine.
Theological
- Ask leading questions – Don’t chatter away, inquire
- Read Scripture – Let God do some of the talking
- Pray the gospel – You may not be able to share it, but you can always pray it
- Affirm the promises and attributes of God – Listen first, but don’t be afraid to gently teach
- Trust God’s sovereign plan – Remind them again and again
Pastoral
- Prepare your heart – don’t coast into visitation, get spiritually ready
- Watch your time – five or ten minutes can be enough, thirty minutes tops in most situations
- Listen, don’t solve – They’ll remembered you were there, not your advice
- Leave a note – Good way to salvage an “empty” trip
- Enjoy the moment – Visitation is a privilege
Practical
- Make eye contact – Shows you care
- Touch with discernment – A held hand in the right situation can speak volumes
- Be pleasant – Being a jerk is a bad idea
- Be perceptive – Pull up a chair and sit at their level
- Freshen your breath – Give them Christian Hedonism, not Christian Halitosis
You can purchase Visit the Sick at Amazon.
10 Comments
Visitation is a great privilege. And this is a really helpful overview.
I have to tell you , this little checklist is perfect.
Some people like hospital visits — but most are like me. You don’t know what to say!
Now, I’ve got some great ideas. Thank you
David
http://www.redletterbelievers.com
“Salt and Light”
Christian Halitosis?!?!?!?! LOL! “That breath would slay anyone in the spirit!”
I learned more about visiting the sick in this one post than in all my years at Bible college. This is so practical; it should be required reading for anyone going into pastoral ministry. Thank you VERY much for posting this Kevin.
In the small amount of experinece I have had I agree with most of what is said in this article. The most important thing a visitor to the sick can do is listen. The reason for this is that it’s not about you; it’s about them, the sick ones you have visited and their chance to talk about it if they want to. ALWAYS pray before you go. Human wisdom isn’t worth anything, but God’s wisdom is worth everything.
[...] time, read Teddy Yu’s Convalescent Home Ministry article. Then read Kevin DeYoung’s article on visiting the sick (adapted from Brian Croft’s [...]
[...] About fifteen folk from the church are involved in this activity. Kevin DeYoung posted a review of a booklet by Brian Croft, Pastor at Auburndale Baptist Church in Louisville, entitled ‘Visit the Sick: Ministering [...]
[...] Visit the Sick [...]
Great check list.
Nice to visit with a purpose and something to say that brings life and hope.
Thought this website might also be something to reference when visiting the sick.
“God’s Words of Comfort & Healing”
http://web.me.com/love101
There is lot’s of scripture on prayer, healing, faith, love, trust, to read and turn into prayers.
Often, I’ll just read scripture after scripture,for thirty minutes or so while turning them into prayers.
And we’re both getting blessed. There’s something about reading the Word out loud.
Lot’s of scripture “wall posters” to print out and cover the walls in God’s Word.
They cried to the Lord in their trouble… he sent His word and healed them.
Psalm 107:20
Everything on the site is free to use and give away.
Be blesse…
Visiting the sick is so crucial. I was thinking about visiting widows and orphans. They’re not “sick,” but disadvantaged…
Offering hope–this is Christianity. Hope lends to healing…
A great post!
Thank you.
God bless~
Mary