Together Through the Storm: A Practical Guide to Christian Care

In our fallen world, episodes of sickness, suffering, and other trials are all too common. And the Bible's clear call for us to show Christian love and care means we know we shouldn't sit idly by while people around us go through these tough times.

Yet our genuine concern for others is often hindered by valid fears—the fear of not knowing what to do or what to say; the fear of putting our foot in it and making things worse; or the fear that involvement may take us beyond our own personal resources.

In Together Through the Storm, Sally Sims helps us overcome these fears by setting out clear biblical foundations and very practical guidance for Christian care that is based in the word of God and in Christian hope.

Sally brings a tremendously useful mix of life experiences to this important book, including training and practice as a nurse, study in pastoral care and chaplaincy, extensive reading and research, years of coordinating and providing pastoral care in her church, and, of course, personally persevering through her own times of trial.

Reading Together Through the Storm will help any Christian to develop in their ability to care for others, but it also provides a useful foundation for training a 'care team' in your church.

This second edition has a new cover and some updated content.

"I have searched high and low for a resource I can recommend on Christian care (sometimes called pastoral care). Many books point us to helpful Bible verses. But without the full story of the Bible - from creation to the curse to the work of Jesus to the new creation - they either end up with no place for grief and suffering, or offer only a shallow hope. Some books focus on the how - the dos and don’ts of caring for people - without exploring why Christians should care for others: what is our motivation and what is our end goal? Sally Sims brings all these elements together in one book. Together Through the Storm is an invaluable resource for every Christian. It ministered to me as an individual; it will help Christian leaders prepare for Word-based Christian care; and it will equip the body of Christ for every-member ministry." —Carmelina Read, Dean of Women, Christ College, Sydney

"It is both a delight and an honour to commend Together Through the Storm. Often pastoral ministry is seen as either preaching the Word or caring for people, but Sally Sims has so personally and carefully brought together these two concepts that should never be separated, and does it with a sensitivity that is rarely found in any book on this topic. The work is one of deep theological and biblical reflection, but it is so simply written. It is a book for every congregation member, as it so practically charts a pathway of how we should all care for each other in church life. At Moore College we seek to teach our students the elements of pastoral care. This book will certainly become part of our set reading, as it is one of the best books on the topic as well as being such a joy to read." —Archie Poulos Head, Ministry Department, Moore College, Sydney

"Our churches and communities need genuine Christian care. Yes, we need pastors, psychologists, social workers, and community welfare organizations - but, even more, we need to grasp how we can love one another. Whether in a crisis or situations of chronic need, God wants us to offer the love of Jesus to others. Sally Sims has done an excellent job of showing us how." —David McDonald, National Director, Fellowship of Independent Evangelical Churches, Australia Author of Hope Beyond Cure

"This book is indeed, as the subtitle suggests, both practical and Christian. It is filled with wise, sensible advice on the practicalities of caring for those in need. But it is more than that. The burden of this book is to explain what it means for care to be Christian. Sally shows why the church community should care for each other, and how this can work out in practice. But above all she recognizes that behind all suffering stands a God of love and compassion, and that comfort and hope is found in turning to him. The counsel Sally offers in this book is informed by both extensive pastoral practice and training and by her personal experience." —Keith Condie, Director, Mental Health and Pastoral Care Institute, Anglican Deaconess Ministries, Sydney