Case Study: Evaluating Pastoral Wisdom in Chaplain Mike's Conversation

This assignment analyzes a case study focusing on a pastoral conversation between Chaplain Mike and a couple, Bob and Carol, who are dissatisfied with the church's music. The student's analysis evaluates Chaplain Mike's handling of the situation, pointing out his strengths in initiating and guiding the conversation while also suggesting improvements, such as incorporating biblical teachings and providing a clear plan for addressing the couple's concerns. The assignment emphasizes the broader application of pastoral ministry beyond preaching, highlighting the roles of priests, clergymen, and nuns in the Catholic Church as examples of community service. The student concludes that Chaplain Mike should have offered more direct guidance and facilitated a meeting between the couple and the choir director to resolve the conflict, underscoring the importance of teaching, guiding, and praying with those seeking pastoral care.

Pastoral Care
Student’s name
Institution Affiliation(s)

Is there anything you would add or modify? What pastoral wisdom (or lack thereof) do you
see in this encounter?
Pastoral ministry has a broad application in the church than the council. Initially, the term
minister was only reflected in preachers in the protestant churches. The pastoral role had not
been internalized and understood by many people in the society; hence the term was used to
focus on the ordinary meaning thus ignoring the deeper aspect of ministries. Currently, the
pastoral ministry has reflected on the bigger picture of pastoral identity which is served not only
to the church but the entire community. The church acts as a symbol of pastoral service as being
ordained only ushers people into the pastoral service but does not play the exact role in pastoral
care (Agbiji & Agbiji, 2016). Catholic churches have strived to portray this notion through the
roles that priests, clergymen, and nuns play in the church. In the Catholic community, the church
is a symbol of society. In this case, priests, clergymen, and nuns act as servants of the societies in
which they administer in church.
The conversation between Chaplain Mike and the couple (Bob and Carol) shows pastoral
wisdom through the answers given by Chaplain Mike. For instance, Mike is able to strike a
conversation with the couple even when carol comes in already crying. He asks her why she is
crying and what that meant. Mike is able to shift the conversation between the couples and lets
the couples be the ones doing leading the talk when he asks Bob what he wanted him to do. After
Bob states the case, Mike responds in a way that was meant to establish the cause of their
complaints. “Let’s get back to the issue that brought you here. What exactly is it about our music
that has you so upset?” This statement gives Bob the chance to explain his case while Mike
listens.

From my point of view, Chaplain Mike did well during the conversation. However, I
would like to add that Mike should have made reference to the teachings of the bible or quoted
some Christian teachings while giving guidance to the couple. It is also Mike’s role as the
Chaplain to explain the issues at hand to the complainants and give them a way forward,
something that Mike has not done in the case study. Also, Since Mike has identified the fact that
the couple is angry with the director of the choir for not playing Ted Adam’s music, Mike should
be able to give reasons why that is so or give the couples assurance that he would follow up on
the matter (Ragsdale, 2018). Mike asked the couple whether they miss Ted who was their friend
and the couple looked down in silence. This was an indication that the couple missed Ted Adams
and in fact, it was the only reason that had got them complaining in the first place. Finally,
Chaplain Mike should arrange for a meeting where the couple (complainants) and the choir
director meet and discuss the way forward now that he knew what was the problem.
In conclusion, the Chaplain is bestowed with the responsibility of teaching and spreading
the noble commandments of the Lord using the Holy Scriptures. Mike should be able to give
advice, teach, guide and pray with the couple. He should be in a position to give directions on the
way he intends to hand the case going forward and the measures he will implement to ensure a
similar scenario does not happen again.

References
Agbiji, E., & Agbiji, O. (2016). Pastoral care as a resource for development in the global
healthcare context: Implications for Africa’s healthcare delivery system. HTS Teologiese
Studies / Theological Studies, 72(4), 12. https://doi.org/10.4102/hts.v72i4.3507
Ragsdale, J. (2018, May 17). Transforming Chaplaincy colleague publishes in Journal of
Pastoral Care and Counseling. Retrieved April 10, 2019, from Transforming Chaplaincy
website: http://www.transformchaplaincy.org/2018/05/17/transforming-chaplaincy-
colleague-publishes-in-journal-of-pastoral-care-and-counseling/