If the church is going to be a caring place, we must first understand why we care and what kind of care people actually need.
In Part 1, I argued that the “pastor-centered” model of care — where the pastor is expected to personally shepherd, counsel, and comfort everyone — is not sustainable and not biblical.
In this post, I want to unpack the philosophy of care that drives our approach at Redeemer Church — the whole church caring for the whole person.
God Is a Caring God
The starting point for any theology of care is God Himself. From creation to redemption, care is at the very heart of who He is.
God created the world with care. He formed humanity in His image and entrusted them with the care of creation. Throughout the Old Testament, we see Him providing for His people, protecting them from enemies, and leading them toward righteousness.
And then, in the fullness of time, God’s care came to us most vividly in the person and work of Jesus Christ.
Jesus entered our broken world — not as an observer but as a participant — taking on our suffering, our sin, and our shame. His life, death, and resurrection display the deepest kind of care: a love that redeems and restores.
True care is gospel-shaped.
Through faith in Jesus, a person is saved from sin’s penalty (past), is being saved from sin’s power (present), and will one day be saved from sin’s presence (future). That ongoing work of redemption defines how we understand care in the life of the church.
Understanding the Effects of Sin
If the gospel defines why we care, sin defines why we need care.
Every person in your church is both a sinner and a sufferer — living in a fallen world, in fallen bodies, surrounded by other fallen people.
Every Sunday as I stand up to preach, I know I’m looking out at a congregation full of people dealing with a wide variety of pain:
- A father wrestling with anger.
- A mother grieving the loss of a child.
- A family walking through cancer.
- A marriage on the brink.
- A young adult weighed down by shame or discouragement.
- A child managing ADHD.
Some of these struggles are the result of personal sin. Others are simply the reality of living in a fallen world. But all of them remind us that sin’s effects are far-reaching and complex.
To help our leaders and members think holistically, I often summarize these effects in four categories: worship, wounds, weakness, and warfare.
Four Categories for Whole-Person Care
1. Worship
Every person is a worshiper. When our worship goes wrong, everything else follows. Misguided worship leads us into idolatry and sin — trying to find life, joy, or identity in something or someone other than God.
Pastoral care often begins here, not with behavior correction, but with helping people reorient their hearts toward the only One worthy of worship.
2. Wounds
We all carry wounds — the pain caused by someone else’s sin or the world’s brokenness. These can be deep emotional scars from abuse, neglect, betrayal, or trauma.
Wounds don’t just need truth; they need tenderness. Often, the ministry of presence — listening, praying, and walking with — does more than any sermon could.
3. Weakness
Because of the fall, our bodies and minds are frail. Illness, disability, aging, depression, anxiety — these are not just “spiritual issues” to fix but realities to bear together.
This is why whole-person care requires humility and wisdom. Sometimes people need prayer and encouragement. Sometimes they need professional help or medical treatment. We must not offer simplistic solutions to complex problems.
4. Warfare
We can’t forget that we have an enemy. Satan and his forces actively work to deceive, discourage, and divide.
Spiritual warfare is real, and it often shows up subtly — through lies we believe about ourselves or about God. Care must therefore include truth and prayer, helping people see the victory of Christ over every dark power.
Putting It Together: Whole-Person, Whole-Church Care
A robust understanding of sin helps us define the scope of care. People in our churches will deal with the effects of sin until the day Jesus returns in glory. That means care is not a department of the church — it’s a culture the church must embody.
To expect one pastor, or even a small team, to meet all these needs is both unrealistic and unhealthy. The complexity of sin’s effects demands a community of care, not a single caregiver.
That’s why at Redeemer, our goal is to create a culture of care where the whole church is encouraged and equipped to care for the whole person throughout the whole of life.
That happens when ordinary believers see care as part of discipleship — when checking in on a struggling member, praying for a neighbor, or helping a family in need becomes normal, not exceptional.
Care Begins and Ends with the Gospel
We don’t care for others just because it’s the right thing to do. We care because God first cared for us. The gospel doesn’t just save us from sin; it forms us into a people who love as we have been loved.
When we grasp that, care stops being a task list and becomes a lifestyle. The grace that came to us through Christ begins to flow through us to others.
As the apostle John writes, “By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.” (1 John 3:16)
Coming Next: How to Build Systems of Care
So what does this look like in practice?
If the whole church is called to care, how do we actually organize it? How do we ensure that no one falls through the cracks and that pastors can lead without burning out?
In the next post, we’ll look at the practical side of this — how to create a culture of care that works:
- Leaders who model care
- Small groups that practice care
- Systems that organize care
And I’ll share one story that brings it all together — a beautiful picture of what happens when a church begins to care like Jesus cares.
Ministry That Matters 