Case Study
Sister Xiaoyan's child, Xiao Ke, is 3 years old. One day, the child suddenly developed a fever, with a persistently high temperature. Sister Xiaoyan sought out Teacher Qingqing to pray for the child, but the fever did not subside; instead, it worsened. Brothers and sisters joined in prayer for Xiao Ke, continuing for three days. During the prayers, the child's temperature fluctuated, sometimes decreasing, but recurring with a high fever, reaching over 39 degrees.
Objective
To build the faith of those being ministered to in situations requiring prolonged service and recurring symptoms.
Scenario 1
In the beginning of the prayer, everyone was full of faith, as if God would surely heal the child. The child's parents seemed to have great faith, making confident declarations. However, after praying for a while and taking the child's temperature, it had risen from 39 to 39.5 degrees! After praying again for a while, the temperature further increased to 40 degrees.
Discussion on Scenario 1
- If you were the child's parents, how would you react?
- If you were the pastor, how should you handle this situation? (Participants can role-play the parents and the pastor).
Scenario 2 and Discussion
- After praying and ministering for a while, the temperature decreased. However, an hour later, the child's parents contacted the pastor again, reporting that the fever had returned to its original state. How should the pastor handle this situation?
- While handling the situation, the pastor overhears the parents talking, seemingly arguing about whether to take the child to the hospital. How should the pastor handle this? (Participants can role-play this scenario, with roles for parents and pastor).
Scenario 3 and Discussion
For the past two years, the child has frequently had fevers and has often been treated at the hospital, each time requiring 3-5 days of treatment. Afterwards, the child's health would deteriorate significantly and persist for some time. Eventually, the child's parents decided to take the child to the hospital for treatment. After three days, the child still had a persistent, recurring high fever. The parents were greatly distressed and finally sought out the pastor. How should the pastor handle this situation?
Thoughts for the Course Leader
- Encourage understanding of the child's family background. Consider whether there are any family members who worship idols. What is the spiritual condition of the child's parents, grandparents, and maternal grandparents?
- Consider the child's eating habits and whether there is a tendency to indulge the flesh with excessive eating, especially of foods the child enjoys.
- Consider the child's character, whether the child is willful, cries over minor matters, and the relationship with the parents, including obedience.
- Tools to build faith: Encourage the child to keep moving, rather than sitting still. Consider acupressure massage and ways to communicate with the parents.
- What is the state of the pastoral relationship between the pastor and the child's parents? Is it strong enough to support further deliverance?
Summary: Key Learning Points of This Lesson - Building Faith in Ministry, Handling Sensitive Issues with Flexibility and Adaptability
Note: 1. Children's problems often reflect the issues of their parents (e.g., the discernment of good and evil). As pastors, we must be clear on how to minister to the parents of these children.
In ministry, understand the various possibilities intellectually, such as the mother's degree of discernment between good and evil. Explore the spiritual roots behind it. When the child's temperature fluctuates erratically, observe and analyse the situation, ministering with flexibility according to the circumstances.
1: For those influenced by religion, where the mother gives you face, appearing steadfast while the temperature fluctuates, but whose inner faith has collapsed, teach her that seeing a doctor is not a sin. She does not need to give you face. (Note: Assess the situation carefully, discerning whether the parents' faith is genuine. Handle different scenarios with flexibility. If the parents' faith has collapsed, let go and allow them to use their own methods. If they prefer to go to the hospital, let them).
2.2: If the child's parents still have faith, share testimonies, release prophetic words to build their faith, combine with actions, and pray again. This is also an exercise in faith for the child's parents, and the fever will subside quickly.
- Taboo: Pastors must not make decisions for those being ministered to. They must make their own choices. Minister with flexibility, not rigidity. God wants us to be as shrewd as snakes. Grasp the right measure and learn to handle different situations with adaptability.