The Journey of Accompaniment: Pastoral Care Education for the Laity at the University Church of Christ in Abilene, TX

Author

• Alejandro Ezquerra

Date of Award

5-2026

Document Type

Thesis

Primary Advisor

Cliff Barbarick

Secondary Advisor

Virgil Fry

Committee Reader

Tim Sensing

Abstract

This Doctor of Ministry project addresses the need for intentional pastoral care formation among lay members at the University Church of Christ in Abilene, Texas, with particular attention to its bilingual ministry context. Grounded in the doctrine of the priesthood of all believers as articulated in 1 Pet 2:9, the project argues that pastoral care is not the exclusive responsibility of ordained clergy but a shared calling within the body of Christ. In response to congregational interest in chaplaincy and caregiving, a five-session curriculum titled The Journey of Accompaniment: Forming Hearts for the Ministry of Care was developed to equip lay members with theological grounding and practical dispositions for spiritual accompaniment. Using a qualitative participatory action research methodology, seven long-time church members collaborated in shaping and evaluating the curriculum through guided sessions, written reflections, and group dialogue.

The project findings indicate that the curriculum is theologically sound, contextually appropriate, and ready for potential use within the congregation. The project concludes that effective pastoral care education for the laity must prioritize formation before technique, shaping caregivers to embody Christ’s compassionate presence in everyday relationships and congregational life.

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.

Recommended Citation

Ezquerra, Alejandro, "The Journey of Accompaniment: Pastoral Care Education for the Laity at the University Church of Christ in Abilene, TX" (2026). Doctor of Ministry Theses and Dissertations. 73.
https://digitalcommons.acu.edu/dmin_theses/73