A Pastor's Practical Guide to Funerals: Offering Help, Assurance, and Hope

This straight-forward book integrates the pragmatic “how to” of the funeral process--especially in dealing with “difficult” funerals--with the art of being a caring and healing presence before, during, and after the funeral. While conducting a funeral is one the great privileges of ministry, pastors must be skilled and ready to guide grieving family and friends through the process of saying goodbye and burying a loved one. With sample services, prayers, sermon themes, and Bible readings, this book will help pastors hear, name, and integrate relevant illustration into a respectful story of the deceased's life--a story that is appropriate to the particular circumstances of each situation. Contents include: Preparing for Death Caring through Anticipated Death Caring through Sudden Death Meeting with Family before the Funeral Service Creating the Funeral Service Creating the Funeral Sermon Following up with Grievers