mgpcpastor's blog

At Head – Heart – Hand, David Murray provides a very helpful post on the subject of ‘A Normal Pastoral Visit’.
I was not really trained or mentored in pastoral visitation as an elder or a pastor. This has meant that visiting is not focussed or purposeful.
In this vein, of particular use is a list of over twenty questions that the visitor could ask as a means of keeping the tone of the visit focused on the Christian growth and health of those being visited.

Is there anything you would like me to pray for?

What have you been reading in your Bible? Anything that’s helped you or puzzled you?

What do you find difficult about reading the Bible?

What do you feel burdened about in prayer?

Is there anything you would like to hear a sermon on? Any verses you would like explained?

Are there any sermons that you’ve found helpful… confusing… challenging?

What did you think about the sermon on…?

Would you say you are going forward spiritually, or backwards?

Are you reading any good Christian books? Is there anything you want to share from it?

Have you found any verses that are helping you to live life and prepare for eternity?

What gifts do you think the Lord has given you? Do you feel the church is making most use of your gifts?

How would you describe yourself: Unsaved, saved and sure of it, or not sure?

Do you think much about death and life after death? Do you feel prepared for that? How are you preparing?

What is your hope of heaven? What reason will you give for being admitted there?

What do you think of Jesus Christ?

What would you most like to change in your life?

What is your greatest fear?

Are you facing any difficult challenges?

Is there any one thing that stops you from following Christ?

Children, what have you been learning in Sunday School?

Do you have any questions for me?

It would not be necessary or even helpful to rattle through all of these questions each visit or with every person visited.
They give insight into the areas through which spiritual contact can be initiated with pretty much everyone that a pastor or elder would visit in a normal context.