God Help Us! | The Bible and Pastoral Care Concerns for Black Churches

Coming in August!

Biblical Lessons for Pastoral Care

Grief and loss are familiar stories in the Bible. So are stories of immigration and belonging. So are stories of incarceration, reconciliation, parenting, and complicated families. God Help Us! draws readers into these stories for the sake of pastoral solidarity with Black people in the modern day.

Inherently intersectional, God Help Us! is both an in-depth study of scripture and an extensive consideration of the pastoral care needs of Black congregants. 

"This powerful book is a must-read for leaders and members of the Black church, seminary students, scholars, and anyone committed to pastoral care and advocacy." (Dr. Deborah Appler, Moravian Theological Seminary)

Six Biblical Narratives

Featuring six essays from five scholars of community leadership, pastoral theology, and biblical studies, God Help Us! promises to be a critical addition to every pastor's library. The essays uplift pastoral concerns that include:

• depression among Black women,
• cultural melancholia among African immigrants,
• systemic grief and trauma,
• rejection and belonging for Black boys,
• empowerment of Black girls,
• generational toll of incarceration.

Each essay explores a biblical story, a paralleled modern experience, the psychological dynamics, and implications for pastoral care (both generally and in the Black Church specifically). God Help Us! The Bible and Pastoral Care Concerns for Black Churches also provides discussion questions for further reflection.

"This much-needed volume calls for authentic empathy, compassionate care, and courageous solidarity for all who suffer without agency or hope in today's polarized, precarious world." (Dr. Hyan Chul Paul Kim, Methodist Theological School in Ohio)

Preorder today, ships in early August.

About the Editors

The Rev. Dr. Raynard D. Smith is the Associate Professor of Pastoral Care & Theology at New Brunswick Theological Seminary (New Brunswick, NJ), where he serves as Director of the Master of Arts in Pastoral Care and Counseling program. He is also an Associate Minister at Holy Mountain Church of God in Christ (Rahway, NJ). 

The Rev. Dr. Terry Ann Smith is the Associate Dean of Institutional Assessment at New Brunswick Theological Seminary (New Brunswick, NJ) as well as the Associate Professor of Biblical Studies there. She is an Associate Minister at Welcome Baptist Church (Newark, NJ).

Paperback: 188 pages
978-0-8298-0314-3
August 15, 2025