PTC 523 Course at a Glance (2025)

Course Description

The objectives for this course are: 1) Survey the spectrum of interpersonal ministry that exists in the local church, recognizing both public and private ministries of the Word for the whole church as a ministering community. 2) Learn to assess a church’s culture, especially the ways this helps or hinders congregational care. Students will consider this through examining both informal relational care and the structures of the church where congregational care occurs (e.g., church discipline, small groups, lay counseling). 3) Avoid pitfalls (e.g., crises, burnout) and to leverage opportunities (e.g., small group, hospital visitation) in congregational care. 4) Study contextual dynamics of a local church that help or hinder thriving congregational care. 5) Study and create a plan to strengthen current congregational care provisions in local church settings