By Byeong
What is the relationship between lay ministry and pastoral care? This is an important and interesting question. Strictly speaking, they are not the same. Lay ministry is one area of ministry, while pastoral care is another. Many theological schools treat them as separate disciplines. Some offer courses in lay ministry, while others specialize in pastoral care. During my studies in Canada, these were taught as two different subjects.
The Lay Pastors Ministry, however, intentionally brings these two concepts together. Dr. Melvin first emphasized lay ministry based on Ephesians 4:11–12, which teaches that church leaders are to equip God’s people for works of service. As he developed this ministry, he asked an important question: What kind of ministry should lay people be equipped to do? His answer was pastoral care.
Dr. Melvin recognized that the local church has two primary missions. The first is evangelism, based on the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19–20). The second is pastoral care, reflected in Jesus’ command to Peter, “Feed my sheep” (John 21:15–17). While churches have produced countless programs and materials for evangelism, relatively few have developed practical systems for pastoral care. Therefore, Dr. Melvin devoted his efforts to developing a lay pastoral care ministry that would equip ordinary believers to care for others in the name of Christ.
This approach begins with a change of mindset. Lay ministry teaches that every believer is a minister, not merely a spectator in church. Without this paradigm shift, neither pastors nor lay people can fully experience effective ministry. Once believers understand their calling, they are prepared to serve through pastoral care.
I believe Dr. Melvin’s approach is both biblical and practical. Even Professor Paul Stevens of Regent College, one of the world’s leading scholars in lay ministry, recognized the close relationship between lay ministry and pastoral care. In The Equipper’s Guide to Every-Member Ministry(1992), Chapter 3, “Lay Pastors and Caregivers,” Stevens discusses three significant models of lay ministry: Stephen Ministry, Howard Stone’s The Caring Church, and Dr. Melvin’s Lay Pastors Ministry.
Interestingly, all three models focus primarily on caring for people.
Stephen Ministry is an excellent example of crisis-care ministry. When individuals experience grief, illness, or other personal crises, trained Stephen Ministers visit, encourage, and support them until they recover. Its training system is well organized and highly respected. However, it requires extensive training and significant financial investment. Compared with Lay Pastors Ministry, it is more time-consuming and costly to implement.
Howard Stone’s The Caring Church also emphasizes building a caring congregation in which members actively care for one another. Likewise, Lay Pastors Ministry, now practiced through PACE, equips ordinary believers to provide ongoing pastoral care within the church and community.
These examples demonstrate that although lay ministry and pastoral care are not identical, they are closely connected. In practice, much of lay ministry finds its expression through caring for people. Lay ministry provides the vision and identity, while pastoral care provides one of its most practical and effective expressions.
Dr. Melvin never minimized the importance of evangelism. In his second book, The Lay-Driven Church, he emphasized the importance of maintaining a healthy balance between the Great Commission and the Great Charter. The church must proclaim the gospel and care for God’s people. Because abundant evangelistic resources already existed, Dr. Melvin focused his ministry on strengthening pastoral care.
The ministry of Jesus also demonstrates this balance. Although He preached the gospel, much of His earthly ministry consisted of caring for individuals. He healed the sick, comforted the brokenhearted, restored the rejected, and spent time with those whom society had overlooked. His ministry was not only proclaiming the Kingdom but also demonstrating God’s compassionate care.
From my own experience, I have found that the churches in Nagaland especially need a strong pastoral care ministry. While studying PACE in Korea, I had the privilege of studying alongside several students from Nagaland, including a professor of archaeology and a theology student. Through working together in international ministry, I came to appreciate both the strengths of the Naga churches and their need for a well-organized pastoral care system that equips lay believers to care for one another.
For this reason, I believe that the Lay Pastors Ministry is especially relevant for the churches of Nagaland. It helps believers understand that every Christian is called to minister and provides a practical way for the whole church to participate in Christ’s ministry of caring for His people.