“Jesus said to them, ‘It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners’” (Mark 2 v17)
The Bible makes it clear that we are more than mere body or mere soul, but a mystical unity of both (and so much more). We know there are close ties between our physical and emotional health, or between our emotional and spiritual well-being. We quickly learn that we have more quantity and quality of care to give others when we have taken care of ourselves. This makes sense, since our care flows out of our very selves. What we express outwardly is a reflection of what’s going on inwardly. When we self-care, we are caring for the most basic 'substance' God gives us to care for others.
Christian pastoral care is the activity which comes from the attitude and commitment to love one another because we ourselves are first loved by God.
It is ultimately concerned with developing quality relationships, enabling one another to recognise, follow and become more like Jesus and be reconciled to God.