Sometimes, the greatest ministry does not happen inside the church building.
It happens at the bedside of someone who is sick. It happens in the home of an elderly church member who can no longer attend Sabbath services. It happens when a family is facing difficult circumstances and simply needs someone to sit with them, pray with them, and remind them that they are not alone.
This is the heart of pastoral visitation.
Pastoral home visits are an important part of Christian ministry. They provide an opportunity to bring spiritual encouragement, prayer, comfort and fellowship directly into the homes of church members. More importantly, they remind people that they remain a valued part of the Body of Christ, even when circumstances prevent them from gathering with the church.
Jesus demonstrated the importance of caring for people personally, and the early church continued this ministry of reaching out to those in need. A church is not only a building where people gather; it is a family that looks after one another.
For the elderly, the sick, the grieving and those going through difficult seasons, a visit can mean far more than words can express. It can restore hope, strengthen faith and remind someone that they have not been forgotten.
Bringing the Church to Those Who Need It Most
The pastoral team at Libala Seventh-day Adventist Church has continued to make home visitation an important part of its ministry.
Pastor Simon Shabukali, together with church elders and leaders, has been visiting members who are sick, elderly, grieving, or unable to attend church services for various reasons.
On September 25, 2026, Pastor Shabukali and Elder Chiluba Kaite from the Communication Department visited Mr. and Mrs. Chulu at their home in Lusaka West.
The Chulus are among the pioneers of Libala Adventist Church. Due to sickness and old age, they have not been able to attend church services as they once did.
Yet, during the visit, their love for God and connection to the church was evident.
Mrs. Chulu blessed the visitors by singing a hymn, demonstrating that although age and physical challenges may limit one's ability to attend church, they do not have to silence one's faith.
Pastor Shabukali shared words of encouragement from John 14:1–3, reminding the couple to remain faithful and hold on to God's promises despite the challenges that come with sickness and old age.
The visit became more than a pastoral call. It was a time of fellowship, prayer, appreciation and mutual encouragement.
The visitors came to encourage the Chulus, but they too were blessed by the faith and testimony they encountered in the home.
A Visit Can Bring Hope
Pastor Shabukali and Elder Kaite also visited the Maseko family, where they found that Dr. Kayute Maseko, a daughter of the family, was unwell.
The two prayed with the family and shared words of encouragement from 1 Peter 5:7–9 and 2 Corinthians 1:20, encouraging the family to remain sober and alert in their Christian walk while holding firmly to God's promises.
Moments like these remind us why visitation matters.
We may never fully know what someone is carrying until we take the time to visit them.
A person who has stopped attending church may not have stopped loving God. An elderly member may simply need someone to remind them that they are still remembered. Someone who is sick may need more than medicine—they may need prayer, encouragement and the assurance that their church family is standing with them.
We Are Still One Family
The strength of a church is not only seen in how many people fill its pews on Sabbath. It is also seen in how it cares for those who cannot make it to those pews.
When we visit one another, we strengthen the bonds that hold us together as the Body of Christ. We remind one another that no one should have to walk through difficult seasons alone.
Pastoral visitation therefore should not be seen as the responsibility of the pastor alone. Every church member can play a part.
Visit someone who is sick. Check on an elderly member. Encourage a family going through a difficult season. Pray with someone who is struggling. Sometimes, a simple visit, a phone call or a few moments of fellowship can become an answer to someone's prayer.
If they cannot come to church, let us take the church to them.
Because the church is not only where we worship together.
The church is also how we care for one another.
Enjoy the song shared by Mrs. Chulu during the visit.
Credit: Libala Communication Department