The SBC Nurses Ministry: Serving with Skill, Compassion, and Faith

The SBC Nurses Ministry at Steadfast Baptist Church is a dedicated team of licensed nurses and healthcare-trained volunteers who bring clinical expertise, pastoral care, and practical support into the life of the church and the wider Detroit community. Rooted in Scripture and driven by a commitment to serve “the least of these,” our ministry bridges physical health and spiritual well-being. We provide medical oversight for church events, health education, congregation-centered screenings and referrals, emergency response, and compassionate home and hospital visitation. We champion whole-person care: body, mind, and soul.

Why Church Nursing Matters

• Faithful Presence: Church nurses embody Christ’s love by being a visible, skilled presence during moments of vulnerability—illness, grief, crisis, and aging. Their ministry reassures congregants that medical needs are noticed and that spiritual care accompanies clinical attention.

• Health Advocacy: Nurses in the church identify health risks early, coordinate care with medical providers, and connect congregants to community resources. This advocacy lowers barriers to care and promotes long-term wellness.

• Community Outreach: Through health fairs, screenings, and educational workshops, church nurses extend positive health messaging beyond the sanctuary into neighborhoods that need accessible, culturally sensitive care.

• Emergency Preparedness: Trained responders on-site at services, events, and outreach activities improve safety and outcomes in medical emergencies. Their presence also gives peace of mind to leaders and attendees alike.

• Holistic Discipleship: Church nurses integrate faith and health—teaching stewardship of the body as temple, offering prayerful support alongside clinical assessment, and helping families navigate end-of-life decisions with dignity and spiritual grounding.

Essential Duties of an SBC Church Nurse

• Triage and Emergency Response: Provide immediate assessment and first-aid or lifesaving interventions when needed; coordinate EMS activation and communicate with pastoral staff and family.

• Health Screenings and Risk Assessments: Organize and conduct blood pressure checks, glucose testing, cholesterol screening, fall-risk evaluations, and basic mental health screenings; interpret results and recommend follow-up.

• Care Coordination and Referrals: Help congregants access primary care, specialty providers, social services, medication assistance programs, home health, and hospice when appropriate. Maintain a vetted referral list of community partners.

• Wellness Education and Programs: Plan and lead classes or support groups on chronic disease management (diabetes, hypertension), healthy aging, nutrition, smoking cessation, heart health, and mental wellness, integrating biblical principles of stewardship.

• Health Policy and Event Safety: Advise church leadership on health-related policies (infection control, immunization recommendations, medication administration), conduct safety assessments for ministries serving vulnerable populations (children, elderly), and staff medical coverage for large events.

• Home and Hospital Visitation: Offer clinical assessment, spiritual encouragement, medication review, and guidance for families during illness and recovery. Serve as a liaison between medical teams and pastoral care.

• Documentation and Confidentiality: Maintain accurate, confidential records of nursing interactions per legal and ethical standards, and ensure HIPAA/privacy considerations are respected.

• Training and Volunteer Supervision: Recruit, train, and oversee non-licensed volunteers for tasks such as blood pressure checks, wellness outreach, and hospitality for those with medical needs.

• Disaster and Public Health Response: Participate in emergency planning and response for public health incidents, outbreaks, or community disasters, liaising with local health departments when needed.

Who Should Consider Becoming an SBC Church Nurse

• Licensed Practitioners: Registered Nurses (RNs), Licensed Practical/Vocational Nurses (LPN/LVN), Nurse Practitioners (NPs), and clinical nurses with an active license and clinical competence who feel called to devote their skills to ministry.

• Clinically Experienced with a Heart for Ministry: Nurses who can blend clinical judgment with pastoral sensitivity—able to make decisions under pressure while offering prayerful presence and biblical encouragement.

• Community-Minded Educators: Those who enjoy teaching, organizing health initiatives, and leading preventive-care programs that lift the health profile of the congregation and neighborhood.

• Compassionate Advocates: Individuals committed to advocating for equitable access to care and addressing social determinants of health—transportation, housing, nutrition, and access to medications.

• Team Players and Leaders: Nurses who can collaborate with pastors, deacons, ministry leaders, and community partners, and who can mentor volunteers and build sustainable ministry systems.

What to Expect When You Join

• Orientation and Training: Structured training covering ministry scope, documentation expectations, confidentiality policies, pastoral integration, and emergency protocols.

• Flexible Commitment: Roles range from part-time volunteers covering Sunday services and events to more regular leadership roles coordinating programs and outreach.

• Spiritual Growth: Opportunities to engage in prayer teams, Bible study, and pastoral debriefs—nursing within SBC is ministry first, clinical support second.

• Ongoing Development: Access to continuing education, workshops on faith