In this episode of The Care Ministry Podcast, Laura Howe is joined by pastor and care ministry leader Chad Clements for a coaching-style conversation about grief, leadership, and the pressure many ministry leaders feel to move faster than they should.

Chad shares openly about stepping into a newly created care role without a clear roadmap and how his own journey through grief and lament has shaped the way he thinks about care. Together, Laura and Chad talk about why care ministry does not begin with programs or systems, but with listening, trust, and taking time to understand what is already happening in a church.

This episode names a tension many leaders feel but rarely say out loud. The internal pressure to produce results, build structure, and make sure no one falls through the cracks, even when leadership has not placed those expectations on them.

Along the way, Laura introduces simple care frameworks, shares practical tools for grief support, and reflects on why going slow is not a setback but a faithful and wise approach to care. This conversation is especially helpful for leaders who are building care ministries from the ground up, navigating transition, or trying to care well without burning out.

“It’s more my own personal journey of going through grief and lament. Just doing too many funerals, seeing too many tragedies, and seeing how powerful it was to meet God in the midst of it.”
Chad Clements

“The leaders haven’t pressured me, but I feel that internal pressure to produce and to develop what they’ve called me to develop.”
Chad Clements

“Care doesn’t start with systems. It starts with listening and slowing down enough to see what’s already happening.”
Laura Howe

At Hope Made Strong, we walk alongside church leaders as they listen well, discern next steps, and build care ministries that are sustainable and relational. Coaching is not about rushing to solutions. It is about creating space to notice, reflect, and respond wisely.
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In this episode of the Care Ministry Podcast, host Laura Howe is joined by Rebecca Bailey for a rich conversation on how spiritual formation functions as preventative care within church care ministries. Together, they explore why care and formation cannot be separated, how spiritual formation shows up across Hope Made Strong’s five-part Model of Care (self, community, peer, pastoral, and professional), and why care is less about fixing problems and more about being present and becoming formed alongside one another. This episode invites leaders to move beyond reactive care toward cultivating cultures that sustain people before crisis hits.

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In this episode of The Care Ministry Podcast, Laura Howe is joined by psychologists, spiritual directors, and Soul Shepherding founders Bill Gaultiere and Kristi Gaultiere for a deeply honest conversation about empathy, burnout, and spiritual formation. Drawing from decades of counseling, ministry leadership, and personal experience, the Gaultieres unpack why empathy is “oxygen for the soul” and how self-judgment, emotional disconnection, and over-functioning can quietly lead caregivers toward compassion fatigue. They explore what empathy truly is (and what it is not), how Jesus models empathy throughout the Gospels, and why receiving God’s empathy is essential for sustainable care, healthy boundaries, and long-term ministry fruitfulness.

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In this episode of the Care Ministry Podcast, host Laura Howe sits down with Jennifer Bowen, Executive Director of Shalem Mental Health Ministries, to reflect on hosting a Local Church Mental Health Summit in Canada. Jennifer shares the heart, strategy, and lessons learned from hosting a multi-day summit that brought together pastors, therapists, educators, and ministry leaders to explore faith and mental health together. The conversation covers why embodiment and hospitality matter, how to scale summits to fit any community, and why collaboration across sectors is essential for sustainable care. This episode is both practical and visionary for leaders considering hosting a local summit or partnering more intentionally around mental health.

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In this episode of the Care Ministry Podcast, host Laura Howe sits down with Mark Strickland and Matt Timpson from Milton Bible Church to explore what intentional, sustainable care looks like in a mid-sized church. Together, they unpack why Milton Bible has chosen to remain “decidedly mid-sized,” how administration can strengthen (not replace) relationships, and how care systems can support people without becoming cold or program-driven. The conversation offers practical insight into connect groups, prayer pathways, boundaries in care, documentation, and building a culture where people are truly seen—without trying to meet every need alone.

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In this episode of the Care Ministry Podcast, Laura Howe and Rebecca Bailey kick off the new year by introducing prayer as a foundational care strategy within a holistic care ministry. They unpack how prayer fits into six core care pillars and explore why prayer should be more than informal or assumed.

It deserves thoughtful structure, training, and follow-through. From understanding different types of prayer to building clear systems for prayer requests, follow-up, confidentiality, and team support, this conversation offers both theological grounding and practical guidance for churches that want prayer to be an intentional, trustworthy entry point into care.

Quotes
“Prayer is the most accessible entry point into caring for your congregation — and that’s exactly why it needs intention.” –Laura Howe
“If we don’t provide training and conversation around prayer, we assume everyone knows how to pray — and we miss a lot.” –Rebecca Bailey
“Prayer ministry is not a gossip chain, and it’s not a substitute for pastoral or professional care. It’s an intentional way to enter someone’s life in a tender moment.” –Laura Howe
“Different lived experiences shape how people pray — and that’s what helps others feel seen, heard, and understood.” –Rebecca Bailey
“When prayer requests go unanswered, it can quietly reinforce stories of shame, rejection, or not belonging.” –Laura Howe

Resources
Care Ministry Cohort

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Today, Laura Howe speaks with Dr. Chris Adams, Executive Director of the Mental Health and the Church Initiative at Biola University’s Rosemead School of Psychology. They dive into the essential practices of healthy caregiving within ministry, highlighting how care leaders can show up with empathy and wisdom without carrying the full emotional weight of others. Chris shares his personal journey from pastoral ministry to clinical psychology, offering practical insights on boundaries, supervision, and cultivating emotional and spiritual resilience in leadership.

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In the final week of the Advent series, Laura and Rebecca explore the theme of love…not just the love we offer others, but the radical invitation to receive love ourselves. They reflect on the vulnerability of love, the five needs for Christian connection, and how community becomes the soil where love is planted and grown. This episode brings a practical and deeply spiritual close to the Advent journey, reminding leaders that God's love flows to us before it flows through us.

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In this third week of the Advent series, Laura and Rebecca dive into the theme of joy, not as fleeting happiness, but as a deep, sustaining posture of the heart. They reflect on how joy can coexist with sorrow, stress, and fatigue, and how it’s often found not in perfection, but in presence. Through personal stories, theological insights, and the Advent Guide, they invite leaders to explore what true joy looks like, especially during a busy, overwhelming season. This episode is a gentle yet powerful reminder: joy is available even in the in-between.

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In week two of our Advent series, Laura and Rebecca reflect on the theme of peace, not as the absence of noise or activity, but as the deep assurance that God is near in the midst of chaos. Using the free Advent Reflection Guide, they share practical ways for care leaders to slow down, center themselves, and reconnect with God, even in the busiest season. Through breath prayers, hymns, and daily prompts, this episode is a gentle reminder that leaders are invited to experience peace, not just extend it to others.

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— Rebecca Bailey

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