From the Chaplain: The value of senior ministry

In September of 2018 I had the good fortune of becoming the chaplain of Northern Montana Health Care. My duties are primarily in the Northern Montana Care Center, the long-term care facility.

In my 31 years of pastoral ministry I didn’t get as involved with nursing home ministry, largely because my churches tended to be younger. Coming to the Care Center is a new chapter for me.

I have found that it is a good fit for me at this time in my career. As such, I want to encourage others — pastors and lay people alike — to consider your service to seniors.

I am an evangelical and as such I believe people need to “know Jesus” in order to get to heaven. The people in the Care Center, of course, are closer to heaven than most of us. None of us know how long we’ll live, but at age 90 you know it is coming.

This makes some folks more open to talking about death and heaven. (I’m far more comfortable after 11 months of talking about it!) Some people want help preparing for death. At the Care Center, this is a one-on-one opportunity to share the plan of salvation. I feel honored to pray with people in order that they may come to know Jesus and have their sins forgiven. I am aware of the limited time they have to settle their eternity with God. I have seen people find peace with God, and release their fear of death. That’s a special thing.

Another asset of Care Center ministry is the ability to hearten a resident by simply visiting. A nursing home can be a lonely place. We honor Jesus when we take time to befriend a resident. One of our volunteers brings her dog once a week to visit residents.

I will be the first to confess that most of my life I’ve been “too busy.” The nursing home was too slow. It was uncomfortable. It’s hard to be around sick people. Now that I’m here five days a week, I see that this is a great ministry opportunity.

My challenge to those reading this article is that you consider taking the time to become a friend to a Care Center resident. If your church has a Care Center ministry, see how you can be involved. Also, I believe every Christian should learn and be able to pray to lead someone to Christ. My prayer is simple. I take their hand and ask them to repeat this prayer: “Lord Jesus, I believe You are the way to heaven. Cleanse all the things in me that need to be cleansed so I can spend eternity with You.”

If this work is something you want to be involved in, the following churches have regular ministry at the Care Center: Havre Assembly of God, Immanuel Baptist, Fifth Avenue Christian, Messiah Lutheran, First Lutheran, Seventh Day Adventist, Van Orsdel United Methodist, St. Jude Thaddeus, and First Presbyterian. Please feel free to call me for further information. I can be reached at 406-390-3081.

“Religion our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress …” James 1:27 NIV

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Tim Zerger is chaplain at Northern Montana Health Care.