HOW DO WE CARE?

CONTACT INFORMATION

NBC Care Leader

Leon Stead - Team Leader
0415 515 439

Church Office
9913 8678

Ministry Team

Leon Stead - Senior Pastor
0415 515 439

Travis Mundy - Pastor
0435 564 314

Kieran Degan - Pastor
0422 734 830

Daniel Leach - Youth Director
0448 326 699

Confidentiality: Any information giving to an NBC Carer or coordinator remains appropriately confidential and permission should be obtained where an individual is required to share information with a third party.

‘We love because he first loved us.’ 1 John 4:19

We care because Jesus is the Good Shepherd who cares for us. We acknowledge that the very best care comes from the one who is our Good Shepherd.

In John 10:14-15 Jesus teaches us that we can always depend on God’s love for us, we can trust that he knows what is going on in our life and we can trust ourselves to him to ultimately care for us.

‘I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me –  just as the Father knows me and I know the Father – and I lay down my life for the sheep.’ John 10:14-15

One of the ways that Jesus is providing his loving care is by instructing us to ‘love one another’.

‘A new command I give you: love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.’ John 13:34

We care for one another as an overflow of the love we have received from Christ. 

It is our desire at Narrabeen Baptist Church that each of us, united as we are in Christ, would be humbly and lovingly looking to the interests of others. 

Caring for one another is every Christian’s responsibility and can be demonstrated through praying with and for someone, phone calls, emails, visiting, supporting, encouraging, providing meals and help.

We believe that CARE begins by reaching out to others in need, listening and bearing witness to God’s presence by our words and actions.

WHERE CAN YOU FIND CARE?

YOUR CHURCH COMMUNITY: It is helpful to approach our Sunday gatherings as a time where we are receiving and giving care. As we gather to worship Jesus, God is ministering to us through his Word & Spirit and, at the same time, we are ministering ‘the message of Christ’ to  one another. That is what Colossians 3:16 teaches us. This means that we ought to expect the activity of being present as the Church and in relationship with one another to constantly be facilitating care. 

Prayer Clusters: In order to ensure that we are providing care on a Sunday we have established the practice of Prayer Clusters at each service. After each church gathering a ‘Prayer Cluster’ meets in the front right-hand seats. The cluster is made up of Pastors/Elders and members of the NBC Care Team. These people are there after each service to listen, pray and answer questions for those who need to speak with someone. They will initiate care by praying for you then and there. Any requested follow up will be provided by the NBC Care Team.

YOUR COMMUNITY GROUP: These groups are designed to be the kind of places where we can share our lives. That includes sharing our needs & struggles with people who know us and love us. Community Groups are places where we can listen, pray and help one another. 

Where your need extends beyond your group’s capacity – your leader knows how to refer you to others. Visit the Church’s website if you’d like to join a community group.

THE CHURCH ELDERSHIP: There is an open invitation to meet and pray with the Elders of the Church. Elders are available after each service in the ‘Prayer Cluster’ and they meet together on the first Wednesday of the month. The Elders are always available to respond to needs and crises as they arise. James 5:14 encourages us to call upon the elders when we are in need, so please make your needs known. 

THE NBC CARE TEAM: This is a group that is particularly concerned with those who are in a season where they are in need of care above and beyond what our Sunday Gatherings & Community Groups can provide, or for those who are unable to join us at church. Perhaps they are hospitalised, elderly or in the process of drifting away from the fellowship.

The NBC Care Team will endeavour to come alongside people in those situations by providing: 

• Emotional and spiritual support including: home and hospital visitation, bible reading & prayer.

• Practical and physical support including: meals, transportation, shopping, child care, etc.

NBC Carers are church members who have a particular interest in caring for others as part of a team and have undertaken pastoral care training. 

ARE YOU IN NEED OF CARE?

If you belong to a Community Group

STEP ONE: Share your situation with your Community Group. The group leader and members will endeavour to provide appropriate practical, emotional and spiritual support.

STEP TWO: If the Community Group needs additional resources or support, they will ask your permission to contact NBC Care. With your permission the appropriate minister will also be informed. From there further care will be coordinated by the NBC Care leadership.

If you don’t belong to a Community Group

There are a number of ways forward:

• Please share your situation with someone at church with whom you have a supportive relationship.

• Make use of the ‘Prayer Cluster’ after one of the Sunday gatherings. If you’d like, ask that the NBC Care Team be informed of your need.

• Speak to someone on the Pastoral Team or Eldership.

• Contact the office to make contact with the NBC Care Team - 9913 8678

• In the case of an emergency, please contact any of the pastors. Contact information is on the back page.

KNOWING OUR LIMITATIONS

Church Leaders, NBC Care Leaders & Carers are aware of the importance of not going beyond their expertise and
experience. They may suggest the involvement of others from the church with specialist skills [eg. working through grief] or suggest the individual seek professional help [eg. counselling] or community services [eg. meals-on-wheels] as appropriate.

Our Compassion Budget is allocated to help those who might need financial assistance at these times.