How to Start a Nursing Home Ministry

An Essential Christian Outreach

Amy Kreger
Amy Kreger, Yahoo! Contributor Network
Apr 8, 2007 "Share your voice on Yahoo! websites. Start Here."
My husband and I have been involved in several nursing home ministries over the years. With today's large emphasis on reaching out to and drawing in young families and children, the spiritual needs of the elderly and infirm have been tragically overlooked. While I believe that ministry is needed to people of all ages, I believe that those who are closer to death should receive the greatest ministry of the Gospel. Nursing home ministries are easily begun, include no start-up costs, and bear eternal rewards. If your church is not currently involved in this vital ministry, consider what you can do to get it started.

1. Most nursing homes have a rotation which they use for bringing in ministers to do the services. Generally nursing home services take place on Sunday afternoons at around 2:00 PM. It usually only takes a phone call to the Nursing Home Administrator or Spiritual Director/Chaplain to be placed on this schedule.

2. Arrive at the facility thirty minutes prior to your start time. Almost all nursing homes will have a room or chapel in which to hold services. The homes I have served in have a piano that can be used to play hymns for the residents. I usually play the piano while my husband and other assistants go around the halls asking people if they would like to attend services. Ask people from the church to be there to help with pushing wheel chairs.

3. Make sure your preacher speaks loudly and slowly. Often ministers get into the habit of speaking rapidly to their congregation and they carry this over to nursing home ministries. This is overwhelming and discouraging to the people who live there as they feel they "can't keep up" with the words and so they stop listening. The message must be simple, direct and done in conservative taste.

4. Take time to talk to the residents after the service. Do not whisk people back to their rooms and hurry away. These precious people don't have many people to visit with and they enjoy talking with you. Taking some time to get to know them as individuals and even listening to some of their background will give you tremendous insight into their spiritual needs and it will win you their respect.

If you are looking for ways to reach out in your community and share the Gospel, consider if God would have you to minister in your local nursing home.

Published by Amy Kreger

Amy is a stay at home mom who resides in northern Minnesota. She has been married for 9 years and has 4 young children.  View profile

  • Contact the Chaplain or Administrator of the facility to ask about ministering to the residents.
  • Be sure to speak loudly, respectfully, and slowly as you communicate with the elderly.
  • Arrive at the facility thirty minutes early to assist with transporting to the chapel.
If you ask individuals questions about themselves, and take the time to truly listen to their answers, you will show that you care about them while establishing your own credibility.

4 Comments

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  • Zane1/24/2011

    Thank you so much for posting this ~ I have had a burning in my heart for years to be a part of a ministry to the elderly and I'm finally breaking out of my selfish spoiled existence to do it!! Do you know of a ministry that doesn't focus on Sunday services but rather "adopts" them in order to spend time with them, listening to their stories, reading Scripture to them, etc? Please follow me on twitter if you can @zanehatch if you do. Thank you again and God bless!!

  • pastor g.arunodayam from india5/14/2009

    dear sir
    gretings to you inthe name of our GOD JESUS CHRIST

    I LOVE TO SERVE MY COUNTRY PEOPLE THROUGH THIS OPPERTUNITY BY IF GOD'S GRACE
    PLEASE GIVE ME YOUR GUIDANCE TO START A NURSING MINISTRY IN INDIA.THANKING YOU
    YOURS
    PASTORG.ARUNODAYAM

  • help to start a nursing home in tamilnadu india5/14/2009

    Dear and respected sir
    Greetings to you in the name of our living GOD JESUSCHRIST
    It is a great privilege to me to have fellowship with you in prayers.

    We need prayer requests, to pray for the people around the world and the nations.

    Usually we set fasting prayers by the grace of our GOD once in a month three days in the first week of the month, continuously day and night.. And also every Friday 6am to 12 noon.

    According to the needy people we set special fasting prayers on any day at any time, by the grace of ourGOD , and in his very valuable presence ,blessing one ,and powerful one. Praise the lord. GOD is doing so many miracles and wonders in this type of prayer ministry in our life since twenty years, All the glory to GOD only.

    So please send your prayer requests to us, to pray for you and your nation, and your family, friends and so on.

    GOD can change hundreds, thousands, millions, of lives with single drop of tearful prayer. We are full of burden of people, fir

  • Alchemy Annie8/22/2007

    A heartfelt thank you to everyone who is involved with nursing home ministry. Your visits and smiling faces often help more than you know.

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