Jacob Gerber

A pastor compares a paper notebook, a to-do app, and prayer software to find the best system to track prayer requests for a whole congregation.

Pastors forget prayer requests two ways: plain forgetfulness, and too high a view of our own effectiveness. What Scripture says, and what a system fixes.

How a pastor keeps track of prayer requests: write it down right away, make sure to have the list when you pray, and follow up about answered prayers.

What to write down after a shepherding call, who should see each note, and the monthly session review that catches drifting families.

How our session divides a congregation into shepherding districts: alphabetical ranges, elder and deacon pairs, and a monthly review so no family is missed.

A pastor on what elders and deacons each do, how their work overlaps, and why the record of their pastoral care has to be shared across the whole session.

A pastor on the one question that turns small talk into a pastoral conversation, when a check-in should become a longer visit, and what to write down after.

A pastor on why pastoral care tracking is worth the extra minute after every visit, phone call and text — and what goes missing in a church without it.