“What [the pastor] sees should help him serve and love the other person better. The pastor leads the conversation but he should never forget where he is. He must not abuse his position. Learning about the home will be a cautious part of the first conversation. He will however be on guard against the gossip in the home. He is never a friend but a pastor to the family. He must keep foremost the question, how can Christ dwell in this home? He may sometimes ask if family devotions are held; or if and what the children pray; if people attend church and if not, why not? He has not time for small talk, but he always has time to serve.”
Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Spiritual Care. Jay Rochelle, trans. (Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1985), 46.
