The primary role of service review is two fold: First, service review is a safeguard to maintain biblical fidelity within the public gatherings of the church. Secondly, service review is a tool to cultivate the skill of giving and receiving sincere, helpful, and godly criticism, which does not come naturally. It must be learned, taught, [...]
Archive for February, 2010
What is the purpose of a service review?
Posted in Training for Ministry on February 26, 2010 | 2 Comments »
How do I care for a lonely widow/widower?
Posted in Caring for Widows on February 24, 2010 | Leave a Comment »
How do we care for someone who has lost their soul mate, especially when the person enjoyed that companionship for over 50 years? This question poses a great challenge, but one that God in His grace can equip the church to do. There is no way to fill the void, but there are ways to [...]
What is a service review?
Posted in Training for Ministry on February 22, 2010 | 1 Comment »
Service review takes place as a round table discussion with one primary facilitator to evaluate the public gatherings for that Lord’s Day. For our church, it works best to have this time 15 minutes after our evening service with duration of forty five minutes – one hour. There are two main benefits: First, everyone is [...]
How do I know if I am called into the ministry?
Posted in Training for Ministry on February 20, 2010 | 1 Comment »
Arguably no work equals Charles Bridges’ (1794 – 1869) assessment of the call of God on someone’s life and the responsibility of those involved. In Bridges’ book, The Christian Ministry, he places the responsibility of determining one’s call into the ministry upon the conscience of the individual and the local church to which he is [...]
At what time should most hospital visits take place?
Posted in Hospital Visitation on February 7, 2010 | Leave a Comment »
We should try to honour the visiting hours of a hospital if at all possible. When that is not an option, we need to determine how important is it that we go to visit before another appropriate time would come. Although patients in hospitals sleep on and off throughout the day, avoid exceptionally early or [...]
What do I wear to visit someone in the hospital?
Posted in Hospital Visitation on February 5, 2010 | Leave a Comment »
Use good judgement and common sense. Always take into consideration who you are visiting and what will be comfortable for them. Those from an older generation will want us to be more formal, while those in a younger generation will desire more informal attire. A safe middle ground is ‘business casual’. It is wise to [...]
How can I honor the nurses and medical staff caring for those I come to visit?
Posted in Hospital Visitation on February 3, 2010 | Leave a Comment »
It is tempting to bypass the nurse’s station when coming to visit, especially if we recently acquired the patient’s updated information and room number. However, reflecting the gospel as we visit is not solely accomplished in the room with the patient but with those we encounter along the way. Therefore, a good policy is to [...]
How do I relate to other family in the hospital room?
Posted in Hospital Visitation on February 2, 2010 | Leave a Comment »
It is important that we always introduce ourselves to all in the room and treat them with kindness and respect. If the patient is asleep or unconscious, others in the room can provide an update on the patient’s condition. We could also find ourselves with an opportunity to minister to the family and friends present. [...]
