The vast pastoral ministry is not a one-man ministry. It is a team ministry. It includes many activities of the church of which visitation is one. The pastor of the church is expected to make pastoral calls, but the apostle Paul reminds us that we are members of one another and therefore, we should have the same care one for another (Rom 12:5; 1 Cor 12:25). Hence, every member of the church has a part to play in this vital ministry. We are one another’s keepers.

What is it?

What constitutes the visitation ministry? It includes visiting members’ homes, counselling troubled souls, ministering to the sorrowing, visiting the sick in hospital and prisoners in prison, and proclaiming Christ to the lost in a family.

The visitation ministry is a "heart" ministry, involving feeling, emotion and sympathy. Unfortunately, a setback in the visitation ministry occurs when things are done just for the sake of fulfilling a pastoral duty. When a pastor does his pastoral calls perfunctorily, it is tragic.

The visitation ministry is a joyous, exciting and rewarding one. The Lord Jesus said, "It is more blessed to give than to receive" (Acts 20:35). When you visit a brother who is in need, you are doing it in the name of Jesus Christ. Your act of love will encourage him. You may not be able to say much but your presence will surely uplift him. Such an act God will not forget (Heb 6:10). He will reward you in due time. Jesus said, "Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me" (Matt 25:40).

Purpose

A church with a visitation programme will know the spiritual well-being of its members. The book of Proverbs says, "Be thou diligent to know the state of thy flocks, and look well to thy herds" (Prov 27:23). I believe the best yardstick to evaluate the spirituality of God’s people is to visit them. When you hear about their vicissitudes of life, you will soon know the condition of their spiritual life.

The apostle Paul could not visit the Philippian Christians because of his confinement in prison. So he appointed young Timothy to go on his behalf to find out the spiritual welfare of the church (Phil 2:19). Paul was a true pastor. He cared for God’s people. In Thessa-lonians he tells us how he cared for the believers as a nurse cherishing her children (1 Thess 2:7).

Though Paul was incarcerated in Rome, he had high hopes of seeing the Philippian Christians soon. Like Christ, he always put others before him. He placed others’ needs above his own. He wanted to go home and be united with Christ, but he also felt that it was more needful for him to remain on earth to help in the spiritual welfare of the Philippians (Phil 1:22-26). It is only when the pastor visits his members that he can know the spiritual condition of his flock and minister to them more effectively.

God’s people always like to seek advice from the pastor of the church. Somehow they feel that they can find strength through the pastor’s counsel. Therefore, when the pastor visits them and gives them a listening ear, they are more than happy to receive him and share with him their problems. Also, when the pastor offers to pray for them, they feel blessed and assured that God will take care of the situation.

Benefits

A pastor is a shepherd. Because he has a shepherd’s heart, he enjoys making pastoral visits. Many a time, pastors do not know their members well. As a result, they are not able to minister to them effectively. One by one their sheep go astray. However, there is always joy to see members of the church walking in the truth. John, in his Epistle said, "I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth" (3 John 4). Joy fills our hearts when we see a member, who has gone astray, returns to the sheepfold after a brief visit to him.

Visiting church members whose families are non-Christians can be a challenge. I remember visiting a member’s grandmother at a local hospital to share Christ with her. Her son resisted so vigorously that he created a scene in the ward. In no time everybody was looking at me. I didn’t know what to do but pray to the Lord. The woman died without knowing Christ. However, there are occasions when the Lord opens doors for you to share the Gospel with people. I know of families that came to the Lord in this manner. Indeed, God works in mysterious ways.

Problems

Some church members in the visitation ministry are reluctant to visit someone unfamiliar to them, fearing that there may be a communication problem. As the visitation ministry is a "heart" ministry, you need first of all to have a heart for people. How you minister to them is secondary because the Holy Spirit will grant you words of wisdom to meet the situation. Jesus said, "Take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak. For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you" (Matt 10:19, 20).

The other problem is people. Nowadays, it is difficult to find a core of committed people for the visitation ministry. Every member of the church must make an effort to be a part of this ministry for the simple reason that we are one another’s keepers. The book of Hebrews reminds us to consider how we may spur one another towards love and good works (Heb 10:24). Brothers and sisters, let us just do it!

Preparation

When you visit a person or a family, there is something that you would like to say or do. Therefore, it is important to make preparation for it. Let me suggest the following:

1. Have a passage of Scripture ready to read. Choose something that suits the occasion.

2. Pray before you embark on the visit. We need to ask God to prepare us spiritually because we do not know what to expect when visiting a person (especially those in hospital).

3. Plan your programme. Everyone must know their parts. For instance, do not call upon someone to pray without prior notice. He may not be ready for it.

Challenge

The task of visiting every member of the church is stupendous. The pastor(s) cannot meet the demands of the ministry. I believe that, by the grace of God and with the help of church members, the programme can be successfully implemented.

Many of you know about my desire to revive our church family worship and to minister to widows and widowers of the church (Matt 25:35-40). You can help me fulfil this vision by getting involved in this ministry. I foresee difficulties but together and with the help of God, we can succeed. Let me challenge you to pray earnestly for this visitation ministry. Let me encourage you as members of the church to involve yourself in building God’s Kingdom. Amen.

Rev. Colin Wong