PASTORAL VISITS

The aims of a Pastoral Visit are:

  • Supporting the individual outreach leader/s

  • Supporting and further discipling DTS students

  • Assessing team dynamics, decision-making methods, finances, etc.

  • Evaluation and analysis of outreach schedules and projects

  • Outside consultancy for team issues e.g. conflicts, miscommunication

  • Debriefing and objective counsel for situations and individuals

  • Celebrating and casting fresh vision

Pastoral visits should be made by someone in a leadership position within the school (usually a DTS school leader)/ DTS Department/Training Leadership or Eldership. The person assigned must be someone who can stay impartial and objective. This person should have the authority to take whatever action is necessary to change a situation should it be required. It is important that whoever does the Pastoral visit has a relationship to both the staff and students on the team. The staff person assigned for the visit needs to have led multiple outreaches and show the ability to be able to speak to the needs of the Outreach Team and Leaders. It is easier to observe and give input when you have been in a similar situation.

It is important that the School Leader submit the people/person who will be conducting the pastoral visits to the DTS Department leadership for approval. A school leader can do their own pastoral visits only if he/she has enough experience in leading outreaches and has consulted with the DTS Department Leadership.

A Pastoral visit should be between 4 to 9 days in duration. One of the benefits of an outsider coming into a team situation is to help the team see things objectively and put them in perspective. The best time to conduct a pastoral visit is anywhere between week 3 and week 6 at the latest.

During the Pastoral visit, the team leader/s and each member of the team should be given private on one time to discuss how they are doing personally in regards to the outreach. Things to be discussed could be:

  • What they are learning (about God, about themselves, about leadership)?

  • How do they find the schedule? How are the team dynamics?

  • What do they find difficult? What do they enjoy?

  • How do they find the leadership? Do they feel included and heard in the decision-making process?

Talk with the outreach leader about how they are finding the integration with the host group/church they are working with. 

  • What are they finding to be a challenge?

  • What could be changed if necessary?

Pastoral Visitors should meet with the host leader or outreach co - ordinator in the outreach location. The aim of this meeting should be to assess how they see the team. 

  • Is the team serving their projects/ministry needs?

  • How is communication? Etc.

  • How has their hosting experience been receiving a team from YWAM, Muizenberg

It is also a good time to negotiate possible ministry opportunities for future outreach teams and continue to build relational bridges. Note that in these times you are representing YWAM Muizenberg as a whole to the hosts.

A Few Practicals - 

It is always wise to have some pre-visit Skype/Zoom/WhatsApp sessions between Outreach Leaders and those doing the pastoral visit. In this way, you can strategize the best use of your time and together develop the schedule for the visit before arrival, become aware of and communicate team dynamics and needs, etc. 

It is important that Outreach Leaders prepare the team well for the pastoral visit by casting vision, communicating expectations, and making the team aware of any schedule shifts. It is also important that Outreach Leaders communicate well with their hosts about the visit and make necessary arrangements.

When at all possible the finances for pastoral visitors should be covered by the team. That said, the "visitors" should work diligently to not be a financial burden on the team. There is a minimum R2,000/ student allotment for pastoral visit flight built into the OR Budget Maker (this can be bumped up if need be), as well as a section dedicated to housing and food costs based upon who you decide will cover those costs. We encourage Outreach Team leaders to work with School Leaders in developing their OR budgets with some special attention to the pastoral visitor section.

** Sometimes a person making a Pastoral visit will walk into a difficult or emotionally charged situation involving the team as a whole or individuals not coping, scheduling difficulties, conflict resolution, or crises. It is important that the person making the Pastoral visit observes and hears all sides of the situation before bringing recommendations or suggesting changes.

** It is vital that the outreach leader maintains the overall covering and leadership of the outreach team and that team members understand this and that the Pastoral Visitor comes alongside the team leader in a supporting / mentoring role.

**The Pastoral visit should be a help rather than a hindrance. It is important that the individual making the pastoral visit joins the team as a team member in regards to the schedule and ministry, attending team meetings, outreaches etc.