When Pastor Dan Couldn't Do it All

Tired Pastor Dan

Pastor Dan loved his church deeply. He had walked couples through marriage prep, stood beside families at gravesides, counseled teenagers through doubt, and prayed with parents fighting for their children. Ministry wasn’t just his job—it was his calling.

But lately, Dan had been overwhelmed.

The calls kept coming.

A young mom battling postpartum depression. A father whose son was spiraling into addiction. A recently widowed senior feeling invisible in her grief. The stories were heartbreaking—and endless.

Every time the phone rang, Dan’s heart said yes. But his schedule, energy, and bandwidth said no.

He was already prepping sermons, leading staff, and managing the daily needs of a growing church. He couldn’t possibly meet with everyone who needed help. And the guilt was starting to weigh heavy. “They need care,” he told his wife one night, “and I don’t have enough to give.”

That’s when he remembered a concept he’d heard in a ministry training: What if care didn’t depend on just the pastor? What if the Church became the care team?

A New Way Forward

Dan didn’t need a new program. He needed people.

He quietly invited five spiritually mature members of the church—folks known not for their platforms, but for their presence. Linda, a retired teacher with a gentle spirit. Carlos, a deacon who had walked through his own season of grief. Joy, a nurse who radiated compassion. Marcus, a small group leader who listened more than he spoke. And Elise, a grandmother with a knack for prayer and banana bread.

He called them “The Care Team.” Their job wasn’t to fix problems—it was to be with people in their pain. To listen, pray, and offer the ministry of presence. Dan brought in The Church Cares six-week training to equip them with basic tools: how to listen well, when to refer, and how to walk with someone through suffering without burning out.

Linda agreed to coordinate the team. She kept a simple spreadsheet of who was meeting with whom, scheduled occasional check-ins, and made sure the team supported each other just as they supported others.

A Shift in the Culture

It didn’t take long for the impact to show.

The overwhelmed mom had someone to sit with her in the church nursery and cry. The grieving widow had weekly walks with Joy. The addicted son found a safe, judgment-free space with Carlos. And Pastor Dan? He could breathe again. Not because he cared less—but because he had multiplied the care.

In a Sunday sermon months later, Dan said:

“I used to think helping meant doing it all myself. Now I see that the Body of Christ works best when we share the load. Because of Linda and our care team, no one in this church has to hurt alone anymore.”

Want to be like Pastor Dan?

Visit thechurchcares.com to learn how your church can equip everyday believers to care with wisdom, compassion, and the love of Christ.