Session 1 - A Biblical Plan for Resilience

The primary role of five-fold ministry, including the pastor, is to train the church as whole to care for itself.

Ephesians 4:11-12 (HCSB)
{11} And He personally gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers,
{12} for the training of the saints in the work of ministry, to build up the body of Christ,

No one should be released to do membership care, as a representative of the church, without training. Those who represent the church in such a manner should be spiritually mature, sound in the Word and submissive to pastoral leadership.

When members are trained to do the work of the ministry, including this responsibility of membership care, the Body of Christ will grow both numerically and spiritually. Why? Because members will be less vulnerable to derailment, deception, division and departure.

Ephesians 4:14-16 (HCSB)
{14} Then we will no longer be little children, tossed by the waves and blown around by every wind of teaching, by human cunning with cleverness in the techniques of deceit.
{15} But speaking the truth in love, let us grow in every way into Him who is the head—Christ.
{16} From Him the whole body, fitted and knit together by every supporting ligament, promotes the growth of the body for building up itself in love by the proper working of each individual part.

My vision of membership care is a vision of shared responsibility.

The shepherd/overseer (Senior Pastor) cares for members by feeding, leading, and watching.

The pastoral staff, elders, deacons, and deaconess care for members by mentoring, modeling, and mending in an organized manner.

The members via Membership Care Captains, care for members through connecting, communicating, comforting and encouraging; as well as through either organized or spontaneous in-reach.