Preaching the Gospel as a Means of Pastoral Care at LaGrange Baptist Church, LaGrange, Kentucky

Abstract

During the years of my pastoral ministry, I have observed many Christians who were unable to find comfort in the gospel when they encountered troubles in their lives. This became a deep concern in two ways. First, my people were hurting, and I could not seem to offer them sufficient help in the gospel. My second concern was where the members of the church might turn for help. Chapter 1 outlines the project goals, context, rationale, and definitions that grew out of these concerns. Chapter 2 grounds the task of preaching, which is central to this project, in the New Testament. It provides relevant theological and historical insights that establish the nature and importance of gospel soul care, drawing heavily on the example of the English Puritans. As Chapter 3 explains, the Puritans' keen insight into the human soul forced me to face some contemporary complications in gospel soul care, especially our modern professional and therapeutic approach to ministry. This research was combined with practical work at LaGrange Baptist Church in LaGrange, Kentucky, as described in Chapter 4 and evaluated in Chapter 5.