1. Elder Visits What will we do today? Visits to 4 types of people Visitors Visitors The Grieving The Grieving The Straying The Straying The Disciples The Disciples Demonstrate each type of visit

2. Visitor Visits What do visitors want? Freedom from pressure Acceptance into the Community Information

3. Visitor Visits How do you visit visitors? Briefly (often less than 15 minutes) Informatively Graciously (not intrusive/gift giving) Soon (within 48 hours)

4. Grief Visits What is grief? Grief is not an emotion. Grieving people can experience a range of emotions all at once.

5. Grief Visits What are all the possible emotions? Joy Sadness AngerFear Empowers Weakens Attack! Forget Everything And Run

6. Grief Visits What is grief? Grief is not an emotion. Grieving people can experience a range of emotions all at once. Grief is the time of re-adjustment after the loss of any kind in our lives.

7. Grief Visits What causes grief? Any loss, no matter how trivial. 1.Death (family, friend, associate, stranger, pet) 2.Divorce 3.Loss of employment 4.Moving to a new town

8. Grief Visits What causes grief? 5.Aging 6.Loss of a friendship 7.Loss of personal possessions (theft, fire, misplacing) 8.Death of a dream/life change (miscarriage, empty nest syndrome, midlife crisis)

9. Grief Visits What is the purpose of a Grief Visit? 1.Reconnect or deepen the link between the person and the congregation 2.Bringing them the love and comfort of Christ in a tangible way

10. Grief Visits What are the “Stages” of Grief Denial (Fear/Joy) Anger Negotiation (Fear/Sadness) Depression (Sadness) Acceptance (Joy)

11. Grief Visits What are all the possible emotions? Joy Sadness AngerFear Acceptance Depression Anger Denial Negotiations

12. Grief Visits Job’s “Comforters” (How not to do a grief visit) “What miserable comforters you all are!” Jobs friends are intellectually and theologically correct in all they say, and totally wrong because:

13. Grief Visits Job’s “Comforters” 1.They spoke about things they did not understand 2.They judged Job by his circumstances 3.They did not empathize with Job’s feelings. 1.They spoke about things they did not understand 2.They judged Job by his circumstances 3.They did not empathize with Job’s feelings.

14. Grief Visits Top 10 Stupid things people say 1.It will be alright 2.God has a plan 3.He’s in a better place 4.I understand how you feel 5.We’ll/you’ll get/have another

15. Grief Visits 6.Time will heal it 7.Don’t cry 8.Don’t talk about it 9.You’ll get over this 10.God has something better for you Top 10 Stupid things people say

16. Grief Visits LIFTTTing people 1.Listen 2.Ignorance about circumstance 3.Feelings 4.Touch 5.Testimony 6.Tangible help

17. Discipline Visits What is our mandate? If a brother or sister sins, go point out the fault just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over. - Matthew 18:15 - Matthew 18:15

18. Discipline Visits What is our mandate? But if they will not listen to you, take one or two others along, so that “every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses. - Matthew 18:16 - Matthew 18:16

19. Discipline Visits What is our mandate? If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church; and if they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector. - Matthew 18:17

20. Discipline Visits What is our mandate? 1.After those who were first aware of the sin have visited them. We must train the membersWe must train the members 2.Representing the body as the body represents Christ. 3.In order to restore the person and the church

21. Discipline Visits We put a LOCKE on the straying 1.Love expressed in concrete examples 2.Objective observations of sin 3.Confession of own struggles 4.Keep covenant/promise assistance

22. Discipline Visits What is our mandate? If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church; and if they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector - Matthew 18:15 If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church; and if they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector - Matthew 18:15 If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church; and if they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector - Matthew 18:15 If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church; and if they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector - Matthew 18:15

23. Discipline Visits We put a LOCKE on them 1.Love expressed in concrete examples 2.Objective observations of sin 3.Confession of own struggles 4.Keep covenant/promise assistance 5.Evangelize them again

24. Spiritual Health Visits How is their discipleship? “Disciple” = Apprenticeship System ApprenticeJourneymanMaster“Apprentice”

25. Spiritual Health Visits What is the purpose of Spiritual Health Visits? 1.Discern where on the path of apprenticeship they are. 2.Engage them in basic Christian disciplines: spiritual conversation, Bible reading and prayer

26. Spiritual Health Visits 1. Are they Apprentices (Disciples) Is Jesus Lord of their life? 1.If you were to die tonight and God were to ask you why He should let you in, what would you say? 2.What has Christ been doing in your life lately?

27. Spiritual Health Visits 2. Are they on the way to becoming Journeymen? (ministers) Do they have a ministry? 1.How are you using the gifts God has given you to serve Him? 2.What excites you as a way to serve God?

28. Spiritual Health Visits 3. Are they on the way to becoming Masters? (evangelists) Do they have a mission? 1.How is God using you to bring his healing, love and grace to specific people? 2.Whose life is different because of your service to God?