Theology of Presence, Part 1: The God Who Draws Near
A biblical and pastoral study of God’s nearness and the ministry of presence to those who suffer

About This Series

Executive Summary

Introduction: Why Presence Matters

Defining a Theology and Ministry of Presence

The Presence of God in the Biblical Story

Emmanuel: The Incarnation and the Nearness of God

Jesus Christ as the Model of Compassionate Presence

The Holy Spirit and the Presence of God in the Church

Bibliography

About This Series

This document is one of four parts of the study Theology of Presence: Walking with Others in the Compassion, Truth, and Hope of Christ, a biblical and pastoral study of God’s nearness and the ministry of presence to those who suffer. Each part can be read on its own, though the four are meant to be read together.

Part 1 lays the biblical and theological foundation. It defines a ministry of presence, traces God’s presence through the story of Scripture, and considers the incarnation, Jesus Christ as the model of compassionate presence, and the Holy Spirit’s presence in the church.

The four parts are:

Part 1: The God Who Draws Near

Part 2: The Heart and Practices of Presence

Part 3: Presence in Seasons of Suffering

Part 4: Sustaining a Ministry of Presence

Executive Summary

This study asks one question: how can believers faithfully remain with suffering people in a way that reflects the presence, character, compassion, and hope of Jesus Christ? It is written for lay adults in a congregation, for classes, small groups, and quiet reading. Scripture governs every conclusion. Henri Nouwen serves as a gentle pastoral guide, never as a rival authority. The eight conclusions below summarize the whole study.

1. Presence begins with God, not with us. The Father draws near to suffering humanity in the incarnation of the Son, stays with believers through the Holy Spirit, gathers them into the body of Christ, and sends them to become compassionate and faithful companions to others. The study holds together three dimensions: God’s presence with us, our presence before God, and our presence with others, which receives the principal emphasis.
2. Jesus is the model and the source. In the Gospels Jesus notices individuals, asks questions, touches the untouchable, weeps at a tomb, tells the truth with tenderness, and stays when others withdraw. He is also more than an example. His coming, cross, and resurrection accomplish the salvation that presence can only point toward. Presence is never a substitute for the gospel of Christ crucified and risen for sinners.
3. The Spirit and the body make presence possible. The Holy Spirit is the abiding presence of Christ in believers, and the church is the community through which he comforts. No caregiver stands alone, and no caregiver is asked to be the whole body.
4. Care flows from the interior life. Those who would remain with others must first learn to remain before God: in prayer, Scripture, silence, solitude, worship, and confession, receiving their identity as God’s beloved and admitting their own wounds and limits.
5. Four practices carry the ministry. Listening, hospitality, prayer, and silence are the daily tools of presence.
6. Presence reaches every season of suffering. The same pattern of attentive, honest, patient love applies in grief, illness, aging, dementia, caregiving, and dying.
7. Nouwen’s wounded healer, lament, and resurrection hope belong together. Wounds that have been faced honestly before God can deepen compassion. Lament gives sufferers biblical words for sorrow. Hope in the risen Christ is real, but it is offered alongside present sorrow and never used to silence it.
8. Love sets safeguards, and the congregation is the home of presence. Lay caregivers do not diagnose, treat, or replace medical, mental-health, or crisis professionals, and referral is itself an act of love. Where there is danger, presence means calling for help. Healthy boundaries protect both the caregiver and the person cared for. Finally, presence is meant to be sustained by a whole congregation, so that no one grieves, ages, or dies alone.

A word to the reader: if you are grieving or caring for someone who is ill, read at your own pace, and let the study comfort you before it asks anything of you.

Introduction: Why Presence Matters

Why Presence?

Most of us have stood at the edge of someone else’s pain and not known what to say. This study asks what it means to stay, and why staying matters so much to God.

The answer begins with the Bible’s own claim about God. Scripture describes the Lord who says to Moses, “I have surely seen the oppression of My people” (Exod 3:7), who walks with the psalmist through the valley (Ps 23:4), and who in Jesus Christ takes on our flesh and lives among us (John 1:14). Christian ministry of presence is the human echo of that divine nearness.

The thesis of the study can be stated in a sentence. Christian ministry of presence begins with the presence of God: the Father draws near to suffering humanity through the incarnation of the Son, remains with believers through the Holy Spirit, gathers them into the body of Christ, and sends them to become compassionate and faithful companions to others. We do not bring God into a place where he is absent. We enter trusting that God is already present.[1]

The Method

Each major section of this study follows the same pattern, so that the material can be taught in a class and also read alone. A section opens by explaining why the topic matters. It then sets out the key biblical texts, quoting two to four principal passages in full and citing other passages by reference only. The theological explanation follows, with attention to key Greek and Hebrew words, always given in the original script. Plain-language definitions, short examples, pastoral cautions, practical steps, reflection questions, a brief prayer, and a few recommended resources complete each section.

The method is simple: begin with Scripture, move to theology, and finish in practice. Every theological claim here rests on a named source or on a reference to the New King James Version, and word studies point the reader to the scholarly lexicons for confirmation.

Sources and Cautions

Honesty about sources is part of faithful teaching, so this study states plainly how it was prepared. It grew from a research-foundation file compiled for this series, which names many books and authors as conversation partners: among them Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Martin Buber, Thomas Oden, John Swinton, Stanley Hauerwas, Nicholas Wolterstorff, C. S. Lewis, and, most of all, Henri Nouwen. Most of the books named in that file were not directly consulted in preparing this study. It therefore quotes none of them. Where their ideas appear, they are described in paraphrase, drawn from the research file and from general knowledge, and each is flagged in a footnote so that a teacher can confirm the point before using it in a class.[2]

Factual claims have been kept to a minimum, and statistics appear only when they come from pages that were actually retrieved and are cited with their addresses. One such source is the Lausanne Movement’s occasional paper on suffering and violence, cited where it bears on the cross.[3] Where no page was retrieved, the study makes only general statements and gives no numbers.

Scripture is quoted from the New King James Version. The quotation is deliberately sparing, and the total quoted text is kept well below twenty-five percent of the whole study, in keeping with the publisher’s stated limits.[4]

A caution applies to every page. This study is for lay caregiving. It does not replace medical, psychological, legal, or crisis care. Lay caregivers do not diagnose or treat. If a person speaks of self-harm, or if there is abuse, neglect, or a medical emergency, contact emergency services (911 in the United States). For thoughts of suicide, the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline can be reached by call or text at 988 in the United States.[5] Referring someone to skilled help is not a failure of presence. It is one of its finest forms.

How This Study Is Arranged

The study moves through five movements. The first three sections lay the foundation: a definition of presence, the story of God’s presence in Scripture, and the incarnation of Christ. The next sections turn to Jesus as the model, the Holy Spirit and the church, and the interior life of the caregiver. A further group of sections treats the practices of listening, hospitality, prayer, Scripture, and silence. Then come the settings of care: grief, illness, aging, dementia, family caregivers, dying, and the time after death. The final sections gather the threads in Henri Nouwen’s picture of the wounded healer, in lament and resurrection hope, in boundaries and referral, in the life of the congregation, and in practical guidelines.

Companion studies such as “Learning to Care,” “Henri Nouwen on Prayer,” and “The Body of Christ” carry some of these themes further. Take the sections in order or choose the ones that fit a present need. The aim is the same: to become, in the phrase Henri Nouwen made familiar, a living reminder of Jesus Christ to those who suffer.[6]

Defining a Theology and Ministry of Presence

Significance

Before we can practice presence, we need to know what we mean by it. The word can sound vague, even passive, as though presence were only a polite way of doing nothing. This section gives the study its working definitions and its thesis, and it names the three dimensions of presence and the seven marks that keep the ministry faithful. A clear definition protects us from two mistakes. One is to think that care is only technique, and the other is to think that care is only a warm feeling. Biblical presence is neither. It is the practice of a people who have been drawn near by God and who, in gratitude and by the Spirit, draw near to others. Everything later in this study depends on getting these foundations right.

Key Biblical Texts

2 Corinthians 1:3–4 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.

Romans 12:15 Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep.

Matthew 28:20 . . . teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.

Theological Explanation

A theology of presence is a biblical understanding of God as the One who comes near to his people and calls them to embody his compassionate presence in their relationships with others. A ministry of presence is the deliberate practice of remaining attentively, compassionately, and faithfully with another person, especially in suffering, without treating that individual merely as a problem to solve, a condition to diagnose, or a project to complete.[7]

Notice the order of those definitions. Theology comes first. The ministry is a response to something God has already done. Paul’s words in 2 Corinthians 1:3–4 show the pattern exactly. God is “the God of all comfort,” and he “comforts us,” so that we “may be able to comfort” others. The Greek word group for comfort, παρακαλέω and παράκλησις, carries the sense of coming alongside to encourage and console; the range of meanings should be confirmed in BDAG.[8] The shape of the passage is plain: ministry begins as receiving.

The thesis of the study follows from this. Christian ministry of presence begins with the presence of God. The Father draws near to suffering humanity through the incarnation of the Son, remains with believers through the Holy Spirit, gathers them into the body of Christ, and sends them to become compassionate and faithful companions to others. The risen Christ’s promise, “I am with you always,” is spoken to disciples who are being sent. We do not bring God into a place where he is absent. We enter a situation trusting that God is already present, and we seek to make his love, faithfulness, truth, and hope more visible through the way we listen, remain, pray, serve, and suffer alongside others.

The three dimensions. The study speaks of presence in three directions. First is God’s presence with us: the Bible’s story of the God who sees, hears, remembers, comes near, dwells with his people, and refuses to abandon them. Second is our presence before God: believers cannot consistently offer spiritually healthy presence to others without first learning to remain before him in prayer, Scripture, silence, lament, worship, and confession. Third is our presence with others, which is the principal emphasis of the study. It asks believers to enter another person’s experience with humility rather than standing outside it with easy explanations. It does not require the right answer to every question. It requires faithfulness, compassion, truthfulness, patience, and the willingness to remain. Presence with others grows from communion with God rather than from personality, technique, or emotional strength alone.

The seven marks. Because the word presence can be borrowed for many purposes, the study names seven marks of the kind of presence it commends.

• Trinitarian: rooted in the Father, embodied in the Son, empowered by the Spirit (John 14:15–27).
• Christ-centered: patterned after Jesus’ incarnation, suffering, death, and resurrection (Phil 2:5–11).
• Biblical: governed by Scripture, not intuition alone (2 Tim 3:16–17).
• Relational: expressed through faithful human relationships.
• Ecclesial: practiced within the body of Christ (1 Cor 12:12–27).
• Hopeful: honest about suffering, grounded in the resurrection (1 Thess 4:13–18).
• Practical: shown in listening, visiting, hospitality, prayer, lament, and service (Gal 6:1–2).

Presence is not inactivity. It is a disciplined form of Christian love. A person who sits through an afternoon at a bedside has set aside her schedule, restrained her urge to fix, and trusted God with what she cannot control. Presence also shows itself in concrete acts: a casserole, a ride, a call on an anniversary.

Presence is not a substitute for the gospel. It is the setting in which the good news is made credible, and the truth about Christ is offered faithfully, lovingly, and at the right time. Henri Nouwen describes the Christian minister as a living reminder of Jesus, one whose embodied faithfulness points beyond itself.[9] Scripture remains the final measure.

Plain-Language Definitions

• Theology of presence: a biblical understanding of God as the One who comes near, and who calls his people to be near to others in the same spirit.
• Ministry of presence: staying attentively and lovingly with someone in their suffering, without trying to treat them as a problem to be solved.
• Three dimensions: God’s presence with us, our presence before God, and our presence with other people.
• Living reminder: a believer whose way of being with others brings Jesus to mind.

Examples

A biblical example. Job’s three friends sat down with him on the ground for seven days and seven nights, and no one spoke a word, for they saw that his grief was very great (Job 2:11–13). Their silence was their best gift; the trouble began when they started explaining.

A composite example, not a real person. A woman we will call Ruth, in a class like yours, learned that a neighbor’s husband had received a hard diagnosis. She nearly stayed away for fear of saying the wrong thing. Instead she wrote a note, asked to visit on Thursday, and brought a loaf of bread and a willingness to listen. When she left, the neighbor said, “Thank you for not trying to make it better.” Ruth had not solved anything, and she had been present.

Pastoral Cautions

• Do not treat presence as an excuse for never speaking of Christ. Ask for permission, and speak with gentleness when the moment is right.
• Never imply that suffering is deserved or sent as punishment (John 9:1–3), and do not promise healing or a particular answer to prayer.
• Do not take on tasks that belong to doctors, counselors, or emergency responders. Know when to refer, and do so lovingly.

Practical Application

1. Write your own definition of what you hope to offer when you visit someone who suffers.
2. Begin with God. Before a visit, pray briefly that you would be attentive.
3. Name the dimension you most need today: receiving, remaining, or going.
4. Check the seven marks. After a visit, ask whether your presence was Trinitarian, Christ-centered, biblical, relational, ecclesial, hopeful, and practical.
5. Join a body. Tell a pastor or trusted friend whom you are visiting, within the limits of confidentiality.
6. Pair presence with a small act, and keep a pastor’s number and a local crisis resource at hand.
7. Return. Faithful presence is measured in months, not minutes.

Reflection Questions

Discussion Questions

1. How does 2 Corinthians 1:3–4 change the way you think about your role as a comforter?
2. Which of the seven marks of presence comes most naturally to you, and which is hardest?
3. Why might the claim “presence is not inactivity” matter in a busy congregation?

Application Questions

1. Whom could you visit or contact this week, and what small act might accompany your visit?
2. What is one habit that would help you remain before God before you go to others?
3. Where do you need a fellow member of the body to share a caregiving task?

Personal Reflection

Think of a time when someone stayed with you in a hard season. What did they do or not do, and what did that teach you about God?

Suggested Prayer

Father of mercies and God of all comfort, you have drawn near to us in Jesus Christ. Teach me to receive your comfort first, and then to share it with gentleness. Keep me from hurrying, from fixing, and from fear. Let your Spirit make me attentive, humble, and faithful, so that those who suffer may sense that you are near. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Recommended Resources

• Henri J. M. Nouwen, The Living Reminder: a short reflection on the minister as one who brings Jesus to mind through faithful presence.[10]
• Mark Vroegop, Dark Clouds, Deep Mercy: a clear evangelical introduction to biblical lament.
• Scripture itself: 2 Corinthians 1:1–11, read slowly, once a day for a week.

The Presence of God in the Biblical Story

Significance

The Bible is one long account of God coming near. It opens with a garden where God walks with his creatures, passes through slavery and wilderness where he hears and goes with his people, and ends with a city where he dwells with them forever. For a caregiver this story is not background. It is the ground under our feet. When we sit with someone who feels abandoned, we are not inventing a hope. We are standing inside a story in which God has again and again refused to abandon those who suffer. Knowing that story steadies the caregiver and gives the sufferer words, promises, and a pattern to lean upon.

Key Biblical Texts

Exodus 3:7, 12 And the Lord said: “I have surely seen the oppression of My people who are in Egypt, and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters, for I know their sorrows.” . . . So He said, “I will certainly be with you.”

Psalm 23:4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

Isaiah 43:2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, nor shall the flame scorch you.

Theological Explanation

The story begins in Eden, where the Lord God is heard “walking in the garden in the cool of the day” (Gen 3:8). The scene comes after the fall, yet it shows what was normal: God and humanity near one another. Sin brings hiding, but God keeps seeking: “Where are you?” (Gen 3:9).

With the patriarchs, presence takes the form of promise: “I am with you” (Gen 26:24); “I am with you and will keep you wherever you go” (Gen 28:15).

At the burning bush the pattern becomes clear. In Exodus 3:7 the Lord says he has seen, heard, and known. Three Hebrew verbs recur through the Old Testament to describe how God relates to the afflicted: רָאָה (to see), שָׁמַע (to hear), and זָכַר (to remember). The last does not mean that God had forgotten; it describes God turning toward his people in faithful action (compare Exod 2:24). The range of each verb should be confirmed in HALOT and BDB.[11] Then comes the promise of Exodus 3:12, “I will certainly be with you,” tied to the divine name given in Exodus 3:14. When Moses pleads that he cannot go on without God’s presence, the Lord answers, “My Presence will go with you” (Exod 33:14), and Moses is satisfied that nothing else could distinguish Israel from the nations (Exod 33:12–17).

The tabernacle and temple make that presence visible. God instructs Israel to build a sanctuary so that he may dwell among them (Exod 25:8). The Hebrew verb שָׁכַן (to dwell, to settle) expresses this (to confirm in HALOT). In the temple, Israel learned that God is both holy and near.

On the edge of the promised land, Moses tells the people, “Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the Lord your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you” (Deut 31:6, and again in 31:8). Joshua hears the same words (Josh 1:5–9). Hebrews applies them directly to believers (Heb 13:5–6). The psalms turn the promise into prayer: God is “a very present help in trouble” (Ps 46:1), and even in darkness “the night shines as the day” (Ps 139:7–12).

The prophets keep this promise alive when the temple is destroyed and Israel is exiled. To a people passing through the waters of exile, Isaiah says, “Fear not, for I am with you” (Isa 41:10) and, “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you” (Isa 43:2). The promise does not say there will be no waters or fire. It says God will be in them with his people.

The story reaches its goal in Revelation 21:1–5. John sees a new heaven and a new earth and hears a loud voice: “the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them” (Rev 21:3). God “will wipe away every tear” (Rev 21:4). The language of tabernacle returns from Exodus, and the story concludes in permanent presence.

The pastoral meaning is threefold. God’s presence is a covenant promise, not a mood. It is personal: he sees, hears, and remembers the particular sufferer. And it is often found within trouble, not only after it. The caregiver who knows this will not say, “God is not here,” and will not say, “God has a reason for this.” She will say, with her presence, “God has not left you, and I will keep coming.”

Plain-Language Definitions

• Covenant: God’s binding promise to be faithful to his people.
• Tabernacle: the tent where God dwelt among Israel in the wilderness, a sign of his nearness.
• To remember (זָכַר): in Scripture, God’s turning toward his people in faithful action, not merely recalling a fact.
• To dwell (שָׁכַן): to settle or live among, as God does with his people.
• New creation: God’s final renewal of all things, when he dwells with his people forever.

Examples

A biblical example. Hagar, a servant sent away into the wilderness, calls the Lord “You-Are-the-God-Who-Sees” (Gen 16:13). A woman no one else noticed was seen by God.

A composite example, not a real person. A man we will call Walter, recently widowed, told his small group he could not feel God anywhere. No one argued. One member read Psalm 139 aloud, slowly, and another said, “You may not feel him, but we believe he has not left you, and we are not leaving either.”

Pastoral Cautions

• Do not insist that someone should feel God’s presence. Feelings of absence are real, and the psalms give them voice (Ps 13; 88).
• Do not claim that God’s presence means the trouble will end soon or that he will heal, and never say suffering is a punishment (John 9:1–3).

Practical Application

1. Read the story aloud. Choose one passage a week, such as Psalm 23 or Isaiah 43, and read it slowly.
2. Learn three verbs: God sees, hears, and remembers.
3. Offer a promise gently. Ask, “Would it help if I read a psalm?” before you read.
4. Let the psalms speak. Use Psalm 13 or Psalm 88 with a person who cannot feel God.
5. Be a small tabernacle. Offer your home, table, or time as a place to rest.
6. Hold the end in view. Pray with the hope of Revelation 21:1–5, gently and without hurry.

Reflection Questions

Discussion Questions

1. Which moment in the biblical story of God’s presence is most meaningful to you, and why?
2. What difference does it make that God “sees, hears, and remembers”?
3. How does Isaiah 43:2 differ from a promise of rescue from all trouble?

Application Questions

1. Which psalm could you read this week with someone who is struggling?
2. How can your congregation be a visible sign of God’s dwelling among his people?
3. What would it look like to be present for someone for a season, not only a day?

Personal Reflection

Where do you most long to know that God is near right now? Bring that place to him in a few honest sentences.

Suggested Prayer

Lord God, you saw the suffering of your people, you heard their cry, and you remembered your promise. Be near to those I love who are hurting, and be near to me. Help me to trust that you are present when I cannot feel it. Make me a gentle companion, and bring us at last to the day when you will wipe away every tear. Amen.

Recommended Resources

• Scripture: Psalm 139 and Psalm 46, read aloud with a friend or a class.
• Thomas C. Oden, Pastoral Theology: Essentials of Ministry: a broad Christian treatment of visitation, suffering, and death.[12]
• Stanley Hauerwas, Suffering Presence: a theological reflection on how Christian communities respond to suffering.

Emmanuel: The Incarnation and the Nearness of God

Significance

The high point of God’s nearness is the coming of his Son. In Jesus of Nazareth, God does not send a message about suffering from a safe distance. He enters the world, takes on human flesh, feels hunger and sorrow, and dies a human death. For anyone who asks, “Does God know what this is like?”, the incarnation is the Bible’s answer, and it gives the caregiver a pattern of entering another’s world in humility. At the same time, the incarnation leads to the cross, where presence becomes atonement, and that must never be lost.

Key Biblical Texts

Matthew 1:23 “Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us.”

John 1:14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

Hebrews 4:15–16 For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Theological Explanation

When the angel speaks to Joseph in Matthew 1:20–23, he quotes Isaiah’s promise of a child called Immanuel, which Matthew translates as “God with us.” The Greek is μεθ᾽ ἡμῶν ὁ θεός. The name states what Jesus is: God present among his people, the answer to the long promise of Exodus and Isaiah.

John’s prologue (John 1:1–18) gives the deepest account. The Word who was with God and was God “became flesh” (σάρξ). Then he says the Word “dwelt among us.” The Greek verb is ἐσκήνωσεν, from σκηνόω, whose root is the noun for a tent, σκηνή. A natural reading hears an echo of the tabernacle in the wilderness: the God who once dwelt in a tent among Israel now pitches his tent in a human life. How strongly the allusion should be pressed, and the sense of the verb, should be confirmed in BDAG.[13] John adds that “we beheld His glory,” full of grace and truth, and that “no one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him” (John 1:18). To see how Jesus treats a leper, a widow, or a grieving sister is to see how God treats them.

Philippians 2:5–11 shows the direction of this movement: downward. Christ, “being in the form of God,” did not grasp at equality with God, but “made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant” and “humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross” (Phil 2:6–8). Paul introduces this hymn as a pattern for the believers’ mind: “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus” (Phil 2:5). The caregiver tempted to stand above a sufferer is called instead to this downward way. Henri Nouwen later developed it in his writing on leadership and downward mobility.[14]

The letter to the Hebrews presses the point with unusual tenderness. Because the children share flesh and blood, Jesus “likewise shared in the same,” so that he might free those held in fear of death, and “in all things He had to be made like His brethren” so that he might be “a merciful and faithful High Priest” (Heb 2:14–17). “For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted” (Heb 2:18). In Hebrews 4:15 the Greek behind “sympathize” is συμπαθέω, to suffer with, from which our word sympathy comes (to confirm in BDAG). The result is an invitation: “Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace” (Heb 4:16). We come to God because he has come to us.

The cross is where nearness goes furthest. The Lausanne Movement’s occasional paper “Following Jesus in a World of Suffering and Violence” (LOP 62) says, in the summary of the retrieved page, that Christian understanding of suffering begins at the cross, where God is revealed as One who is not untouched by suffering, and that the church is called to respond to others’ pain with practical love and compassion.[15] Compare Isaiah 53:3–5 and Mark 15:34. God does not stand outside our pain.

Yet we must say more, or we say too little. The cross is not only solidarity. It is substitution. Jesus “bore our sins in His own body on the tree” (1 Pet 2:24); “Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures” (1 Cor 15:3); God presented him as a propitiation “through faith in His blood” (Rom 3:25). He did not merely share our sorrow; he carried our guilt, and rose on the third day. Presence that is also atonement means that the One who sits with us in the dark has also dealt with sin and death. A ministry of presence therefore cannot become a substitute for the gospel. It is the manner in which the gospel is lived beside those who need it. The caregiver need not force a sermon into a hospital room, but neither will she hide the hope that holds her.

Plain-Language Definitions

• Incarnation: the Son of God becoming truly human in Jesus, “the Word became flesh.”
• Immanuel: a name meaning “God with us,” given to Jesus in Matthew 1.
• Atonement: what Christ accomplished on the cross, bearing our sins so we might be forgiven.

Examples

A biblical example. At the tomb of Lazarus, Jesus “groaned in the spirit and was troubled” and then “Jesus wept” (John 11:33–35). The One about to call Lazarus from the grave first stood in the sorrow with those who loved him.

A composite example, not a real person. A hospital volunteer we will call Naomi sat with a man whose daughter had died suddenly. She did not explain. She said quietly, “Jesus knows what it is to lose someone he loved, and he is with you in this room.” Later he asked about forgiveness for old quarrels with his daughter. Naomi spoke simply of forgiveness in Christ and asked whether he would like the chaplain to come.

Pastoral Cautions

• Do not use “Jesus understands” as a way to end a conversation. Let the sufferer speak first.
• Do not reduce the cross to sympathy; keep Christ’s work for sinners clear.
• Do not press a gospel presentation on a person in acute grief or crisis; wait for the person to open the door, and be ready when they do.
• Refer to a pastor or chaplain when spiritual distress is deep.

Practical Application

1. Read John 1 and Hebrews 4 slowly before you visit.
2. Take the servant’s posture. Sit at eye level; avoid standing over a bed.
3. Use Jesus’ name with care. Say “Jesus is with you” when it is welcome.
4. Name Christ’s sympathy when someone asks whether God knows.
5. Keep the gospel clear. Be ready to say simply who Jesus is and what he has done.
6. Pray Hebrews 4:16 with those who ask for help.

Reflection Questions

Discussion Questions

1. What does it mean to you that God became flesh in Jesus?
2. How does the downward movement of Philippians 2:5–11 shape the way we care for others?
3. Why must the cross be both solidarity and substitution?

Application Questions

1. How can you “sit lower” in a conversation with a person who is hurting?
2. When would it be wise to speak of Christ’s work directly, and when to wait?
3. How might Hebrews 4:16 be prayed with someone this week?

Personal Reflection

Where in your own life do you most need to hear that Christ sympathizes with your weakness? Bring that to him in a few quiet sentences.

Suggested Prayer

Lord Jesus, you became flesh and lived among us. You wept at a grave, and you carried our sin to the cross. Draw me near when I am weak, and teach me to draw near to others. Let me never confuse nearness with a cheap word of comfort, but let me point to you, who loved us and gave yourself for us. Amen.

Recommended Resources

• Scripture: John 1:1–18 and Hebrews 2:14–18; 4:14–16, read together as one study.
• Henri J. M. Nouwen, In the Name of Jesus: a short reflection on humility and downward mobility in Christian leadership.[16]
• Lausanne Movement, “Following Jesus in a World of Suffering and Violence” (LOP 62): a retrieved occasional paper on the cross and the church’s response to suffering.

Jesus Christ as the Model of Compassionate Presence

Significance

When we sit with someone in sorrow, we are not inventing a new kind of kindness. We are following Someone. The Gospels show us the Son of God among crowds, funerals, and dinner tables, and what stands out is not only what he did but how he was with people. He noticed them, asked them questions, let them cry, touched those others avoided, told the truth without leaving, and stayed when others ran. This section looks at those six qualities, not as a technique to copy, but as a portrait of the One whose presence we hope to reflect. Christian presence begins with God’s presence, and in Jesus the Father has come near to suffering people.

Key Biblical Texts

Mark 1:40–42 Now a leper came to Him, imploring Him, kneeling down to Him and saying to Him, “If You are willing, You can make me clean.” Then Jesus, moved with compassion, stretched out His hand and touched him, and said to him, “I am willing; be cleansed.” As soon as He had spoken, immediately the leprosy left him, and he was cleansed.

John 11:32–36 Then, when Mary came where Jesus was, and saw Him, she fell down at His feet, saying to Him, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.” Therefore, when Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her weeping, He groaned in the spirit and was troubled. And He said, “Where have you laid him?” They said to Him, “Lord, come and see.” Jesus wept. Then the Jews said, “See how He loved him!”

John 8:10–11 When Jesus had raised Himself up and saw no one but the woman, He said to her, “Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?” She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said to her, “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.”

John 20:26–27 And after eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, “Peace to you!” Then He said to Thomas, “Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing.”

Theological Explanation

The Gospels do not present Jesus as a dispenser of answers. They present a person who gave people his attention. We can see this in six recurring qualities. Each rests on the same foundation: in Jesus, God has drawn near (John 1:14; Hebrews 4:15).

He noticed individuals. In a crowd, Jesus saw one person. He saw the woman who touched his garment and would not let her slip away unseen (Mark 5:30–34). He saw a man blind from birth before his disciples had finished discussing him (John 9:1). Martin Buber’s distinction between treating a person as a “Thou” and as an “it” has often been used to describe this kind of attention.[17]

He asked questions. Jesus did not always begin with instruction. He asked the blind beggar, “What do you want Me to do for you?” (Mark 10:51). He asked a man who had waited thirty-eight years, “Do you want to be made well?” (John 5:6). He asked Mary Magdalene, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” (John 20:15). He asked two curious followers, “What do you seek?” (John 1:38), and he asked Martha, “Do you believe this?” (John 11:26). These questions honored the person and opened a space where a true answer could be spoken.

He allowed grief. At Bethany Jesus did not correct Martha’s complaint or Mary’s, though he knew what he was about to do (John 11:17–44). Both sisters said the same sentence: “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died” (11:21, 32). He did not rebuke them. John says Jesus saw Mary weeping and “groaned in the spirit and was troubled” (11:33). The verb for groaning, ἐμβριμάομαι, can carry a sense of deep, even indignant, emotion (to confirm in BDAG). Then comes the shortest verse in the English Bible: “Jesus wept” (11:35). The verb is ἐδάκρυσεν, from δακρύω, “to shed tears.” John uses a different word for the weeping of Mary and the mourners (κλαίω), and commentators note the difference (to confirm in BDAG).[18] He wept at the tomb of a friend he was about to raise.

He touched the untouchable. Under the law, a person with a skin disease lived apart and called out a warning (Leviticus 13:45–46), and a woman with a long flow of blood made whatever she touched unclean (Leviticus 15:25–27). Jesus touched the man with leprosy before he healed him (Mark 1:41). He allowed the bleeding woman’s touch and called her “Daughter” (Mark 5:34), and he took Jairus’s dead daughter by the hand (Mark 5:41). His nearness said, without words, that they belonged.

He did not confuse presence with approval. Jesus sat with the Samaritan woman at a well, crossing lines of ethnicity and gender, and yet he named her history plainly (John 4:4–30). He refused to condemn the woman caught in adultery and also said, “go and sin no more” (John 8:1–11). He invited himself to the house of a despised tax collector (Luke 19:1–10). He looked at the rich young man and “loved him,” and then told him the one thing he lacked (Mark 10:21). In him, presence made truth bearable, and truth kept presence from becoming flattery.

He stayed when others withdrew. The Good Samaritan’s story is told against a priest and a Levite who “passed by on the other side” (Luke 10:31–37). In the garden, “they all forsook Him and fled” (Mark 14:50). Yet after the resurrection, Jesus came to frightened disciples behind locked doors (John 20:19) and returned a week later for the one who had doubted (John 20:26–29). At Nain he walked toward a widow’s funeral procession and not away (Luke 7:11–17). When his disciples asked whose sin had caused a man’s blindness, Jesus rejected the premise and went to the man (John 9:1–7).

Behind all six qualities stands one word. The Gospels often explain Jesus’ action with σπλαγχνίζομαι, “to be moved with compassion” (Mark 1:41; 6:34; Luke 7:13). The verb comes from σπλάγχνα, the inner organs, which the ancient world regarded as the seat of deep emotion. It means to be stirred in one’s innermost being (to confirm in BDAG).[19] It is also the word Jesus puts on the lips of the Samaritan and the waiting father (Luke 10:33; 15:20).

We must say plainly what this is not. It is not a technique. We are not asked to produce the six qualities as a method for managing people. They flow from the Son’s love for the Father and for those the Father gave him (John 13:1; 15:9). Henri Nouwen’s writing on compassion stresses that Christian compassion means entering another’s suffering and not keeping a safe distance, and that it is rooted in God’s own compassion.[20] Nor can we do what only Jesus could do. We are asked to be present as he was present, trusting that he is already there.

Plain-Language Definitions

• Compassion: being moved by another’s pain so deeply that we move toward them, not away.
• Presence: giving someone our attention, time, and care without trying to control or fix them.
• Lament: honest sorrow spoken to God, which Jesus himself allowed and shared.
• Untouchable: a person whom society avoids because of illness, shame, or status.
• Grace and truth: love that welcomes a person as they are and also speaks honestly about what is good for them (John 1:14).

Examples

Biblical example. Jesus reaches Bethany four days late and hears two grieving women say the same hard sentence. He does not argue. He asks where Lazarus was laid, and he weeps. Only afterward does he speak words of authority. For those who care for the grieving, this order matters: presence first.

A composite example, not a real person. Margaret’s husband died in the spring. After the funeral, friends dropped off casseroles and said, “He’s in a better place.” One neighbor, Ruth, did something different. She stopped by on Thursdays and asked, “Would you like to tell me about him today, or would you like me to just sit?” Some Thursdays Margaret talked for an hour; some weeks they hardly spoke. When Margaret finally said, “I’m angry at God,” Ruth did not correct her. She said, “I’m not afraid of that. I think he can handle it.” Ruth was not a trained counselor. She was simply staying.

Pastoral Cautions

• Do not turn Jesus’ healings into a promise. We do not know whether or when God will heal, and we must never imply that more faith would have changed the outcome.
• Do not treat the six qualities as a checklist. People can tell when attention is a technique.
• Do not confuse presence with approval, but do not use “truth-telling” as permission to correct someone in the middle of their grief. Timing and invitation matter.
• Do not touch without welcome. Jesus’ touch was an act of love toward people already shut out; ours must respect another person’s wishes and comfort.
• Do not suggest that suffering is deserved or sent as punishment (John 9:1–3).
• Lay caregivers do not diagnose or treat. If a person speaks of harming themselves or others, or you suspect abuse, neglect, or a medical emergency, contact emergency services (911 in the United States) and encourage professional help. Referral is an act of love.

Practical Application

1. Notice first. Before speaking, take a breath and look at the person’s face, posture, and what is not being said.
2. Use their name warmly.
3. Ask an open question. “What would be most helpful today?” echoes Mark 10:51 and leaves them in charge.
4. Allow tears, yours and theirs. Keep tissues nearby and do not hurry to dry anyone’s eyes.
5. Offer touch gently and by invitation. A hand on the shoulder or a held hand can speak, but ask or watch for welcome.
6. Stay with truth and love together. If you must say a hard thing, ask permission, choose your time, and let it be clear you are not leaving.
7. Be the one who comes back. Put the next visit or call on your calendar before you leave.
8. Resist explaining. Say, “I do not know why, but I am here.”
9. Know your limits. When the need exceeds what you can offer, help the person connect with a pastor, counselor, or doctor, and stay beside them while they do.

Reflection Questions

Discussion Questions

1. Which of the six qualities of Jesus is easiest for you to practice, and which is hardest? Why?
2. Why do you think Jesus wept at Lazarus’s tomb when he knew he would raise him (John 11:35)? What does this teach us about grief?
3. How can we remain present with someone without approving of everything in their life?

Application Questions

1. Think of someone in your congregation or neighborhood whom others tend to avoid. What would it look like to notice them this week?
2. What question could you ask the next suffering person you meet, in place of an explanation?
3. When have you been tempted to leave a hard situation early? What helped or could help you stay?

Personal Reflection

1. Recall a time when someone stayed with you in a painful season, or a time when you wish someone had. Write a few sentences about what that presence meant or would have meant, and thank God for the One who never leaves.

Suggested Prayer

Lord Jesus, you saw people others overlooked, and you wept with those who wept. Teach me to see as you saw. Move my heart toward those who suffer, and keep me from running when it is hard. I cannot fix what hurts. Let me be near, truthful, and kind, because you are near to me. Amen.

Recommended Resources

• Henri J. M. Nouwen, Donald P. McNeill, and Douglas A. Morrison, Compassion: compassion as entering another’s suffering.[21]
• Kenneth C. Haugk, Christian Caregiving: A Way of Life: a practical lay-care resource from the Stephen Ministry tradition.
• The four Gospels, read slowly with attention to the verbs of Jesus’ attention: saw, heard, touched, asked, wept.

The Holy Spirit and the Presence of God in the Church

Significance

Jesus ascended, and yet he promised, “I am with you always” (Matthew 28:20). The way he keeps that promise is the Holy Spirit. Many caregivers feel they must supply the comfort themselves. This section frees us from that burden. The Spirit of God lives in believers and among them, so the comfort we offer is first a comfort we have received. The Spirit also gathers us into the body of Christ, so no one cares alone. Here the central thesis of this study comes into focus: the Father draws near through the Son, remains with believers through the Spirit, gathers them into the body of Christ, and sends them to be companions to others. We do not bring God into a room where he is absent.

Key Biblical Texts

John 14:16–18 And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever; the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you. I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.

Romans 8:26 Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.

2 Corinthians 1:3–4 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.

1 Corinthians 12:25–26 . . . that there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another. And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.

Theological Explanation

The Spirit as παράκλητος. In the Upper Room, on the night before his death, Jesus told his troubled disciples that he would not leave them as orphans (John 14:18). He promised “another Helper,” the Spirit of truth, who would be with them forever (14:16–17, 26; 15:26; 16:7). The Greek word is παράκλητος, formed from “called alongside.” Lexicons give meanings such as helper, advocate, or intercessor (to confirm in BDAG and TDNT).[22] The same family includes παρακαλέω and παράκλησις, which can mean “to comfort” and “comfort.” The Spirit is God coming alongside, “another” Helper like Jesus himself, so the nearness the disciples knew in Jesus would continue.

The Spirit within the suffering. Romans 8 places the Spirit in the middle of pain. Believers are led by the Spirit and receive the Spirit of adoption, by whom we cry, “Abba, Father” (8:14–16). Creation itself groans, and so do we, as we wait for redemption (8:18–25). In the middle of that groaning, “the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses” (8:26). The verb is συναντιλαμβάνομαι, “to take hold together with” (to confirm in BDAG). When we cannot find words to pray, the Spirit does not wait for better words. He intercedes (8:26–27). Anyone who sits with the dying or the bereaved and can only sigh is not failing. The Spirit is already praying, and nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ (8:38–39).

The Spirit and the dwelling place of God. In the Old Testament, God dwelt among his people in the tabernacle and temple. In the New Testament, the Spirit makes the church that dwelling place. “Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?” (1 Corinthians 3:16). Here the “you” is plural, addressing the community. In 1 Corinthians 6:19–20, Paul adds that the believer’s body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, bought with a price. Ephesians 2:19–22 completes the picture. Believers are fellow citizens, members of God’s household, built on Christ as the cornerstone into “a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.”

The Spirit as the Christian’s resource. Presence asks us to stay near pain we cannot repair, and our own energy will fail. Paul’s teaching in 2 Corinthians 1:3–7 shows another source. God is “the God of all comfort,” who comforts us so that we may comfort others. The comfort flows through us; it does not begin with us. Paul adds that Christ’s sufferings and Christ’s consolation overflow together (1:5–7). Our own seasons of grief, received from God, become the place where we learn to console. This is an invitation to receive before we give.

The body as the means. The Spirit does not work only through individuals. He gives gifts and joins believers into one body (1 Corinthians 12:12–27). Paul draws the conclusion that bears directly on suffering: “if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it” (12:26). The New Testament letters are full of the practices of a body that carries pain together. Believers are to rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep (Romans 12:9–16). The strong are to bear with the weak, as Christ did not please himself (Romans 15:1–7). Believers are to restore one another gently and “bear one another’s burdens” (Galatians 6:1–2). They are to clothe themselves with “tender mercies” (Colossians 3:12–17), which in Greek is literally σπλάγχνα οἰκτιρμοῦ, the same inward compassion we saw in Jesus (to confirm in BDAG). And they are to be of one mind, having compassion for one another and tenderhearted, not repaying evil for evil but blessing (1 Peter 3:8–9). Presence is therefore not a private project. It is the life of a community indwelt by the Spirit. For more on this theme, see the studies “The Body of Christ” and “Pictures of the Body of Christ.”

Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s Life Together is often cited for its view that Christian community is a gift of God and for its teaching that ministry begins with listening, though Scripture remains our standard.[23]

Plain-Language Definitions

• Paraclete (παράκλητος): a Greek word for the Holy Spirit meaning one called alongside to help, comfort, and stand with us.
• Indwelling: the Spirit living within believers and among them as God’s temple.
• Intercession: the Spirit praying for us when we cannot pray as we should.
• Body of Christ: the church, the people the Spirit joins to Christ and to each other.
• Comfort: more than soothing; it carries the sense of strengthening and standing alongside.

Examples

Biblical example. The disciples after the ascension waited in Jerusalem, afraid and uncertain, and then the Spirit came at Pentecost (Acts 2). Soon they were sharing meals and possessions and caring for those in need (Acts 2:42–47). The Spirit had given them one another.

A composite example, not a real person. Daniel began caring for his wife, who has dementia. He told his Sunday school class he was “fine,” but he was exhausted and had stopped praying because he had no words. One evening a classmate named Paul came, brought supper, and stayed an hour. Before he left he said, “I am not going to fix anything. I just want you to know the class has you in its heart.” Over the next months others took turns sitting with his wife so he could rest. Daniel said later, “I thought I had lost God. But he came to my door in all these people.”

Pastoral Cautions

• The Spirit’s presence is a fact of faith, not always a feeling. Do not tell a suffering person that if they do not sense God’s nearness something is wrong with their faith. The psalmists felt his absence (Psalm 13; 88).
• Be careful with claims such as “the Spirit told me.” Impressions must be tested by Scripture and by the wisdom of the community, and never used to overrule a person’s choices or medical care.
• Do not use the Spirit’s comfort to avoid practical help. A meal, a ride, and a phone call are fruits of the Spirit in the body.
• Respect confidentiality. Share only what the person has permitted.
• Do not let one willing person carry everything; share the care.
• Where there is risk of self-harm, abuse, neglect, or a medical emergency, call emergency services (911 in the United States). Spiritual care does not replace professional care.

Practical Application

1. Begin each visit with a quiet prayer that the Spirit would be the One who comforts.
2. Remember that you are not the source. When you run out of words, say so and sit quietly. Romans 8:26 allows it.
3. Pray simply, and ask first. “May I pray with you?” respects the person and the Spirit’s gentle leading.
4. Create a care rotation in your class or small group for meals, rides, visits, and phone calls.
5. Honor each gift: listening, cooking, driving, praying.
6. Weep with those who weep. Let your face and presence show it (Romans 12:15).
7. Receive comfort yourself. Let others care for you in your own seasons of loss, so that you can later comfort others (2 Corinthians 1:4).
8. Test impressions with a trusted friend before you share them with someone who is hurting.
9. Include the person in the body. Invite those who are ill or aging to pray for others and share their gifts, since they remain members of the body (1 Corinthians 12:22–26).

Reflection Questions

Discussion Questions

1. What does it mean to you that Jesus called the Spirit “another Helper” who would be with us forever (John 14:16)?
2. How does Romans 8:26 change the way we think about prayer at a bedside?
3. What would it look like for our congregation to live out 1 Corinthians 12:26 in a time of sorrow?

Application Questions

1. Who in your church or neighborhood is suffering alone? Who might share the care with you?
2. What gift has the Spirit given you that could serve someone in need this month?
3. Where do you need to receive care and not only give it?

Personal Reflection

1. Think of a time when you felt the comfort of God arrive through another person. Write a few sentences about it, and ask the Spirit to show you whom he might send you to comfort in the same way.

Suggested Prayer

Holy Spirit, Comforter and Helper, thank you that I am not alone and that no one I love is alone. When I have no words, pray in me. When I am weary, carry me. Knit your people together so that we bear one another’s burdens, and let your comfort flow through us to those who hurt. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Recommended Resources

• Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Life Together: a short classic on Christian community, listening, and mutual service.[24]
• Thomas C. Oden, Pastoral Theology: Essentials of Ministry: a broad treatment of pastoral care, visitation, suffering, and grief.

Bibliography

Directly Retrieved/Verified This Session

Lausanne Movement. “Following Jesus in a World of Suffering and Violence.” Lausanne Occasional Paper 62. https://lausanne.org/occasional-paper/following-jesus-in-a-world-of-suffering-and-violence-lop-62-f. Read for the cross as God not untouched by suffering and the church’s call to practical compassion.

Lausanne Movement. “Turning the Church’s Attention to Mental Health.” https://lausanne.org/global-analysis/turning-the-churchs-attention-to-mental-health. Read for the church’s role in whole-person care and cooperation with professionals.

Henri Nouwen Society. Reaching Out discussion guide. https://henrinouwen.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Reaching-Out.pdf. Read for Nouwen’s three movements and the hospitality themes.

Henri Nouwen Society. “Book Club: The Wounded Healer.” https://www.henrinouwen.org/events/book-club-the-wounded-healer. The Society’s description of the book, paraphrased.

National Institute on Aging. “Loneliness and Social Isolation.” https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/loneliness-and-social-isolation. Read for general points on connection, aging, and health.

The Gospel Coalition Canada. “What Is Lament and How to Help Others Lament?” https://ca.thegospelcoalition.org/article/what-is-lament-and-how-to-help-others-lament/. Read for the definition of lament and the pattern of lament psalms.

Not Directly Consulted This Session

• Bonhoeffer, Dietrich. Life Together.
• Buber, Martin. I and Thou.
• Haugk, Kenneth C. Christian Caregiving: A Way of Life.
• Hauerwas, Stanley. Suffering Presence.
• Lewis, C. S. A Grief Observed; The Problem of Pain.
• Nouwen, Henri J. M. The Wounded Healer; Reaching Out; Compassion; The Living Reminder; Out of Solitude; The Way of the Heart; In the Name of Jesus; Adam: God’s Beloved; A Letter of Consolation; Our Greatest Gift.
• Oden, Thomas C. Pastoral Theology: Essentials of Ministry.
• Root, Andrew. The Relational Pastor; Christopraxis.
• Sittser, Gerald L. A Grace Disguised.
• Swinton, John. Raging with Compassion; Dementia: Living in the Memories of God.
• Tournier, Paul. A Listening Ear; The Meaning of Persons.
• Vroegop, Mark. Dark Clouds, Deep Mercy.
• Wolfelt, Alan D. Companioning the Bereaved.
• Wolterstorff, Nicholas. Lament for a Son.
• BDAG; TDNT; NIDNTTE; HALOT (lexicons cited for word meanings, flagged “to confirm” in the text).

Scripture quotations are from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

---

[1] “Theology of Presence: Research Foundation” (working file, 2026), secs. 2-3.

[2] Books named in the research file were not directly consulted, and none is quoted. Ideas attributed to them are from the research file and general knowledge; confirm before teaching.

[3] Lausanne Movement, “Following Jesus in a World of Suffering and Violence,” Occasional Paper 62, https://lausanne.org/occasional-paper/following-jesus-in-a-world-of-suffering-and-violence-lop-62-f (retrieved this session; summary only).

[4] Scripture quotations are from the New King James Version (copyright Thomas Nelson). Current permission terms should be confirmed with the publisher before release.

[5] Call or text 988 (Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, United States); 911 for emergencies. Confirm current contact details before distribution.

[6] Henri J. M. Nouwen, The Living Reminder (not directly consulted; from the research file and general knowledge; confirm before teaching).

[7] Definitions adapted from “Research Foundation,” sec. 1.

[8] Walter Bauer, Frederick W. Danker, et al., A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature (BDAG), 3rd ed. (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2000), s.v. “παρακαλέω.” Not retrieved; to confirm in BDAG.

[9] Nouwen, The Living Reminder and The Wounded Healer (not directly consulted; from the research file and general knowledge; confirm before teaching).

[10] Resource listings in this section are from the research file; not directly consulted this session.

[11] The Hebrew and Aramaic Lexicon of the Old Testament (HALOT), and F. Brown, S. R. Driver, and C. A. Briggs, A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament (BDB), s.vv. רָאָה, שָׁמַע, זָכַר, שָׁכַן. Not retrieved; to confirm in HALOT and BDB.

[12] Resource listings (Oden, Hauerwas) are from the research file; not directly consulted this session.

[13] BDAG, s.v. “σκηνόω.” Not retrieved; to confirm in BDAG.

[14] Henri J. M. Nouwen, In the Name of Jesus (not directly consulted; from the research file and general knowledge; confirm before teaching).

[15] Lausanne Movement, LOP 62, https://lausanne.org/occasional-paper/following-jesus-in-a-world-of-suffering-and-violence-lop-62-f; paraphrased from the retrieved page, not quoted.

[16] Resource listing from the research file; In the Name of Jesus not directly consulted this session.

[17] Martin Buber, I and Thou (various editions). Described in paraphrase from the research file and general knowledge; not directly consulted; confirm before teaching.

[18] Walter Bauer, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature (BDAG), 3rd ed., s.v. “ἐμβριμάομαι,” “δακρύω,” and “κλαίω.” Lexical details not retrieved this session; to confirm in BDAG.

[19] BDAG, s.v. “σπλαγχνίζομαι.” Meaning given from general knowledge; not retrieved; to confirm in BDAG. The reading in Mark 1:41 also has a textual variant in some manuscripts; to confirm in a critical commentary.

[20] Henri J. M. Nouwen, Donald P. McNeill, and Douglas A. Morrison, Compassion: A Reflection on the Christian Life (New York: Doubleday). Described from the research file and general knowledge; not directly consulted; confirm before teaching.

[21] Nouwen, McNeill, and Morrison, Compassion; Kenneth C. Haugk, Christian Caregiving: A Way of Life (Minneapolis: Augsburg). Listed in the research file as recommended resources; not directly consulted this session; confirm before teaching.

[22] BDAG and Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, s.v. “παράκλητος,” “παρακαλέω,” “παράκλησις,” and “συναντιλαμβάνομαι,” and BDAG on “σπλάγχνον.” Not retrieved this session; to confirm in BDAG/TDNT.

[23] Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Life Together. Described in paraphrase from the research file and general knowledge; not directly consulted; confirm before teaching.

[24] Dietrich Bonhoeffer, Life Together; Thomas C. Oden, Pastoral Theology: Essentials of Ministry. Listed in the research file; not directly consulted this session; confirm before teaching.