Local Pastors PLEASE Read This Before you Visit a Dying Patient!

[Mark H. Stevens, Th.D]

One of the worst experiences I ever had with a visiting Pastor happened when a young boy was declared Brain Dead, it took the doctors 2 days to convince the Parents that the boy was gone, they didn't really understand that brain dead means DEAD, and that the boy was breathing because of a respirator. Well the couples Pastor came by and rebuked them for giving up, and proceded to go in the room and "speak life" into the childs brain. He waived his hands and spoke in tongues for about 20 minutes and LEFT....Left ME to clean up that MESS. Of course the boy was still brain dead, and I had to help the couple deal with the reality of the situation. I too am a Pentecostal minister, however I fully realize EVERYONE is NOT going to get HEALED, sometimes visiting Pastors that have NOT been there all night with the family like the Chaplain, and hasn't heard the doctors assesments, or seen the charts (Which Chaplains have access to) . I think helping people deal with the reality of DEATH is also a big part of what Chaplains do.