CARE IN COMMUNITY
An Overview for Community Group Members
The primary place where care needs are met at Journey is within the context of a community group. Within community, care may look like:
- Listening to the group member
- Praying with a group member
- Sharing scripture with a group member
- Visiting a group member in the hospital
- Assisting a group member with funeral arrangements and walking with them through grief
- Walking with a group member through divorce
- Walking with a group member through an addiction
- Walking with a group member through a job loss
- Walking with a group member through a financial crisis
- Celebrating a group member’s baptism
- Celebrating marriages and births within the group
Other serious care needs may require a referral to an outside resource, in combination with whatever care the group members can provide. The various escalation priorities based on the care need are described below.
LEVEL 5 CARE
A physical safety need. Examples of this are when members of your group may be faced with homelessness, or their physical safety is threatened by another member of the home. Immediately alerting a Care Network team member will allow a timely response with help.
LEVEL 4 CARE
Substance abuse and addictions needs. Examples of this are when members of your group are struggling with alcohol or drug abuse or addiction, or other addictions, such as pornography.
For Level 4 and Level 5 care needs, the individual or couple should be referred to resources outside the church by reaching out to the Care Network team. This does not mean that the community group doesn’t still love and care for them, but that the needs are larger than the group can independently provide. Group members should still provide encouragement, pray with them, listen as they share, and give them scripture to hold on to during these challenging times.
In cases of spousal abuse or in cases where a group member is bringing an addiction into the group environment, please communicate these circumstances to the Group Director to assist in addressing.
LEVEL 3 CARE
Traumatic circumstances, such as serious illness, death and divorce. These are generally circumstances that may require a referral to an outside counselor or therapist, but are also important times for the community group members to walk alongside the person suffering. The Care Network team can help connect the individual(s) with outside resources, but they will also need prayer, visits, encouragement, hope, emotional support, and someone to listen to them. This type of care is best given from those with whom they have a relationship through community groups.
LEVEL 2 CARE
Emotional or spiritual struggles. Examples of emotional struggles are issues of circumstantial depression (not chronic), family differences, relationship issues, self-esteem and self-worth. In most of these cases, a community group providing a safe place for the individual to process and discuss his/her struggles, praying for the individual, and speaking truth to them through God’s Word are sufficient to meet the care needs of the individual. In some instances, where the emotional or spiritual struggles persist beyond the support that can be given by the community group, they may be referred to a Journey staff member for Pastoral Counseling..
LEVEL 1 CARE
These types of care needs are described and listed above as typical care needs that are met through community groups, strategic service teams, or generally from anyone in the church body. Some care needs exist because of positive circumstances. Community group members provide care as they celebrate group members’ baptisms, celebrate new marriages of group members, and celebrate the birth of children within the group. Celebrating together and being part of these important life moments of those in your community group is how you can see the wonderful work of Christ among the group.