Hospital visitation is one of the most important aspects of small church pastoral care and one of the most commonly done poorly. Pastors who are uncomfortable with illness, who do not know what to say, who stay too long or leave too quickly, who pray in ways that feel performative rather than genuine, do more harm than good.

This guide is for the pastor who wants to do hospital visitation well.

Before You Go

Call ahead when possible

A brief call to the family before you visit allows them to let you know if the patient is sleeping, in a procedure, or not ready for visitors. It also communicates that you are coming, which itself is a pastoral act. “I am planning to come by this afternoon. Is there a good time?” is a simple, considerate call that takes two minutes.

Know what you are walking into

Ask the family what the situation is before you arrive. Is this a routine procedure or a serious diagnosis? Is the patient anxious or at peace? Is the family in crisis or managing well? This information shapes how you approach the visit.

During the Visit

Keep it short

A hospital visit should be 15-20 minutes unless the patient or family clearly wants you to stay longer. Sick people tire easily. A short, focused visit is more valuable than a long one that exhausts the patient. When in doubt, err on the side of shorter.

Let them talk first

Do not arrive with an agenda. Ask how they are doing and then listen. Let them tell you what is happening, what they are afraid of, what they need. The pastor who listens before he speaks will say more useful things than the pastor who arrives with prepared remarks.

Sit down

If there is a chair, sit in it. A pastor who stands throughout a hospital visit communicates that he is in a hurry to leave. A pastor who sits communicates that he has time for this person. Sitting also brings you to eye level with the patient, which changes the dynamic of the conversation.

Do not minimize the situation

Resist the temptation to reassure the patient that everything will be fine. You do not know that. “I am sure you will be okay” is not pastoral care. It is false comfort. Acknowledge the reality of the situation. “This is hard. I am glad I am here with you” is more honest and more helpful.

Read Scripture briefly

A brief passage of Scripture, read quietly and without commentary, is often the most powerful thing a pastor can offer in a hospital room. Psalm 23. John 14:1-3. Romans 8:38-39. Choose a passage that speaks to the specific situation. Read it slowly. Let it land.

Pray specifically

Pray for the patient by name. Pray for the specific situation. Pray for the family members who are present. Do not pray a generic prayer that could apply to anyone. “Lord, be with Margaret as she faces this surgery tomorrow. She is afraid. Help her to know that you are with her in the operating room and in the recovery room and in whatever comes next.” That is a prayer that communicates genuine pastoral care.

After the Visit

Follow up

A brief text or call the day after the visit communicates that you are still thinking about them. “I have been praying for you this morning. How are you doing?” takes 30 seconds and means a great deal.

Tell the congregation

With the patient’s permission, share the prayer request with the congregation. Pray for the patient by name in the Sunday service. This connects the patient to the community’s prayer and communicates that the church is aware of and caring for them.