One of my favorite stories is that of two brothers who race downstairs for breakfast one morning to see their mother has prepared their favorite pancakes that day. They are so excited they begin to tussle and argue over who will get to have first pick of the pancakes. Mother interrupts and asks them, “What do you think Jesus would do in this situation?” The younger brother remembered a recent Sunday School lesson and reminded them Jesus said the first will be last and the last will be first, and being a true servant He would go last. The mother was more than pleased with the answer and using the lesson as an example she asked, “Then what do you think you should do?” The older brother, in all his wisdom, points to his younger brother and says, “You be Jesus.”
You be Jesus. That is our job, but one of the challenges in our calling has been the center of many discussions I have had with church youth workers and pastors for years. Many youth pastors and volunteers feel restricted by laws and policies that prohibit the practice or teaching of any one religion in the school classrooms. This frustration comes from colleagues and friends who are passionate about their work and truly care for the youth in our communities. When I first started in youth ministry and was visiting schools regularly as many youth ministers do, I never had experiences that left me feeling frustrated or uninvited–and still don’t after 13 years of visiting schools. In fact, through some simple and traditional pastoral care practices I have felt empowered, invited and recognized as a chaplain to schools, private and public.
The pastoral-care approach I prefer is what I like to call “holistic pastoral care” and is based on Howard Clinebell’s “Holistic Liberation–Growth Model of Pastoral Care and Counseling” from his book, Basic Types of Pastoral Care and Counseling. The particular goals of this type of care are to nurture spiritual wholeness and present a real and living image of Christ to young people who beg for real and passionate disciples to show them who and what Jesus is. This is slightly different from Clinebell’s model and focuses on what he says are six dimensions of spiritual wholeness.
1. Enlivening the Mind
2. Revitalizing the Body
3. Renewing and Enriching Intimate Relationships
4. Deepening Relationships with Nature and Environment
5. Growth in Relation to Significant Institutions in One’s Life
6. Deepening and Vitalizing One’s Relationship with God
This type of care is often invited by school leaders to be part of what F. Clark Power calls “the hidden curriculum to nurture the moral character of the students.” It does not try to fight government restrictions by radical means, but rather expresses a radical love that helps us see the God who is alive among us. The holistic approach is practiced through a presence that is appreciated and accepted, yet does not diminish the work of connecting God to the deepest yearnings of our youth. It helps move our focus from introducing Jesus to being Jesus in the hallways of local schools. Where Clinebell mentions 16 different aspects of practicing the model, I have recognized six simplified, practical rules that work for developing and sustaining pastoral care in the schools.
Go. This is a basic rule that does not respond directly to the six dimensions of wholeness but primes the ministry. The essential part of pastoral care is the going part that responds to the constant going Jesus models and commands in the gospels, as well as reminds people how much God cares for them. A routine visitation schedule is as key in youth ministry as it is in any other type of ministry. Where else is a better place to visit young people than the place they spend most of their adolescence?
Build Wholeness. Holistic pastoral care seeks to build every aspect of the people for whom we care. When Jesus says to love God with all our heart, mind, and soul, that means these different parts of the whole need to be built and exercised. We are called as partners with families and schools to shepherd and build the hearts, minds and souls of young people. Imagine the tired minds and bodies of our youth on Sundays and even sometimes when we see them during the week. A quick pep talk or light visit during lunch can enliven the mind and revitalize the body to help them perform better in school. Also, a visit at school may help with outside stress that may be causing poor sleep or diet habits that weaken the body, mind and soul, as well as other life-giving resources for that person.
Healing Touches. Jesus was always touching and healing nearly everywhere He went. He helped make people aware of what they could see and hear, where they could walk and how much they were loved. The lessons that reveal God and Christ in the youth rooms are reinforced with a short visit to check in or a longer, concentrated visit to pray, listen or counsel. This is an opportunity to give a high five or to ask someone exactly how they are doing. Intimate relationships are fed in these times, and relationships with the world in which we live are deepened.
Give to Caesar what is Caesar’s, and give to God what is God’s. Being in the freedom of Christ does not put us above the law or policies of the school. Jesus reminds us that rules are rules and they are sometimes in place for a good reason, yet nothing can stop us from the powerful love of God. Respect the rules, and focus on being a constant presence for God’s love. Just because specific religions cannot be practiced in the classroom does not mean the Spirit of Christ has to be absent from the hallways and cafeterias or the hearts and minds within the school.
Positive, Trusted Relationships! I always tell volunteers and pastors not to think about visiting a school if they have any other motive other than developing a trusting and positive relationship that can help deepen the faith of the students. In fact, part of the covenant I make with schools I work with restricts me from doing any picking (recruiting), preaching or proselytizing–my “3P rule.” Particularly in today’s world in which passion and reality have become standard and religious rhetoric is hardly tolerated without action. Constant presence in the life of a community can return true rewards. I am willing to say that 70 percent of the students I see may not attend a church or youth group regularly, but they know they are loved; and they know there is a living God. The day they give their lives to God may just be the next time I visit.
Holistic pastoral care calls us beyond the flag pole and the student Bible studies into the culture of our schools to be Jesus in their midst, healing, touching and shepherding the disciples. By giving to God what is God’s and to Caesar what is Caesar’s, by touching and healing through giving regular time and attention, and by recognizing the many needs of our youth, our schools give us a great opportunities to do more than talk about Jesus. The school is a place we can be the presence of Jesus for many.
