Pastoral Care and Holistic Ministry

To be pastoral is to create a sacred space and time for the other person who needs support. The caregiver is fully present, listening critically and attentively to locate the "pastoral pillars" on the way for continued support. In order to provide effective pastoral care ministry, and also be able to nail down and address the core issues bothering the individual, the caregiver should look beyond the ordinary and superficial, and companion into the deep ("the shadow") with the counselee, mentee, directee, client, patient, and the like. In other words, the pastoral caregiver should identify the root causes and pertinent, disturbing issues emanating from the body, soul, and spirit of the receiver of pastoral care. May God Himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul, and body be kept blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ comes again- (1 Thess. 5:23, NIV)-Holistic Ministry. The book also focuses on the private, professional, and public lives of pastoral caregivers-pastors, church leaders, chaplains, counselors, psychotherapists, clinical social workers, spiritual directors, health professionals, and similarly-situated others.

Dr. Gabriel Amoateng-Boahen is a Professional Staff Chaplain (Retired) University of Chicago Medical Center Chicago, Illinois USA and also the Chaplain for the Brong Ahafo Association of Chicago and the keynote speaker at the Council of Brong Ahafo Associations of North America (COBAANA) in 2011, and the Ombudsman for COBAANA. Gabriel has strong ecumenical inclination and is deeply involved in the activities of the Council of Ghanaian Churches in Chicago, where he is the current Vice President. Gabriel takes a lot of inspiration from Evangelist Dr. Billy Graham. He is Gabriel's \"spiritual mentor\" and has twice attended the Billy Graham Schools of Evangelism in Cincinnati, Ohio (2002), and Kansas City, Missouri (2004). Gabriel was at the Haggai Institute in Singapore in 2000 for the Advanced Leadership Training for Christian Leaders from Developing Countries.He is a member of these professional associations: National Association of Catholic Chaplains (NACC), Association of Professional Chaplains (APC), Spiritual Direction International (SDI) and others. Gabriel was the representative for the University of Chicago Medical Center at the Kenwood-Hyde Park Interfaith Council (2010-to May 31, 2015).On March 27, 1977, Gabriel and Mrs. Agatha Amoateng-Boahen were joined together in holy matrimony at the Holy Spirit Catholic Church at Ahafo Hwidiem. They now live peacefully and happily with their eight children: Mrs. Veronica Amoateng Antwi; Rev. Sampson Amoateng; Rev. Mark Amoateng, MD; Rev. Daniel