Considerations for A Healing and Equipping Ministry

1. Most individuals and families (some 70 to 80%) will get pastoral care and counseling needs met in the regular church ministries such as classes, cells, worship and personal ministry involvement. They will only need specialized pastoral care from trained Para Care Givers, Pastors or Professionals during times of crisis, death, loss of a job, family life transitions, etc.

2. The 70-80% must be equipped and moved into personal ministry to the other members and those outside the church.

3. Approximately 10% of a congregation may reach maturity as a Christian. This state combines wisdom, character, ethics, morality, and spirituality with the truth, fruit and gifts of the Holy Spirit. Such persons will provide the bulk of ministry leadership in the church. A congregation that vigorously equips the saints may actually expand the number of persons in this category but the percentage will not grow because new persons are always entering the family of God.

4. About 10% to 20% of a congregation will need special, para-care at any one time through individual or group listening, problem solving, prayer, support or recovery.

5. About 10% to 15% need specialized, Professional care at any one time. Every church needs to develop a list of supportive counselors in the community.

6. Only some 2% to 5% will require expert psychiatric medical care.

7. Equipping must both heal and train. The Life Skills Model of equipping is actually as therapeutic as most counseling so you can be much more efficient with Life Skills.

8. Growth and healing normally proceed at a slow pace, one point, or less, at a time. Helen Lim is a minus 4 on the scale and will not likely move to a plus 5 overnight may grow from minus 4 to minus 3 to minus 2. A miracle may move a person from minus 4 to plus 1.

9. Healing is different from growth and only prepares the way for growth. The absence of illness is not the same as maturity. One can be emotionally mature and spiritually immature. After one is healed he needs to also be equipped.