One of my favorite stories is that of two brothers who race downstairs for breakfast one morning to see their mother has prepared their favorite pancakes that day. They are so excited they begin to tussle and argue over who will get to have first pick of the pancakes. Mother interrupts and asks them, “What do you think Jesus would do in this situation?” The younger brother remembered a recent Sunday School lesson and reminded them Jesus said the first will be last and the last will be first, and being a true servant He would go last. The mother was more than pleased with the answer and using the lesson as an example she asked, “Then what do you think you should do?” The older brother, in all his wisdom, points to his younger brother and says, “You be Jesus.”

You be Jesus. That is our job, but one of the challenges in our calling has been the center of many discussions I have had with church youth workers and pastors for years. Many youth pastors and volunteers feel restricted by laws and policies that prohibit the practice or teaching of any one religion in the school classrooms. This frustration comes from colleagues and friends who are passionate about their work and truly care for the youth in our communities. When I first started in youth ministry and was visiting schools regularly as many youth ministers do, I never had experiences that left me feeling frustrated or uninvited--and still don’t after 13 years of visiting schools. In fact, through some simple and traditional pastoral care practices I have felt empowered, invited and recognized as a chaplain to schools, private and public.

The pastoral-care approach I prefer is what I like to call "holistic pastoral care" and is based on Howard Clinebell’s “Holistic Liberation--Growth Model of Pastoral Care and Counseling” from his book, Basic Types of Pastoral Care and Counseling. The particular goals of this type of care are to nurture spiritual wholeness and present a real and living image of Christ to young people who beg for real and passionate disciples to show them who and what Jesus is. This is slightly different from Clinebell’s model and focuses on what he says are six dimensions of spiritual wholeness.

1.    Enlivening the Mind

2.    Revitalizing the Body

3.    Renewing and Enriching Intimate Relationships

4.    Deepening Relationships with Nature and Environment

5.    Growth in Relation to Significant Institutions in One’s Life

6.    Deepening and Vitalizing One’s Relationship with God

This type of care is often invited by school leaders to be part of what F. Clark Power calls “the hidden curriculum to nurture the moral character of the students.” It does not try to fight government restrictions by radical means, but rather expresses a radical love that helps us see the God who is alive among us.  The holistic approach is practiced through a presence that is appreciated and accepted, yet does not diminish the work of connecting God to the deepest yearnings of our youth. It helps move our focus from introducing Jesus to being Jesus in the hallways of local schools. Where Clinebell mentions 16 different aspects of practicing the model, I have recognized six simplified, practical rules that work for developing and sustaining pastoral care in the schools.