The Care Ministry Podcast

In this episode of The Care Ministry Podcast, Laura Howe and Rebecca Bailey talk about how to intentionally develop a stronger care team without adding another overwhelming program to your calendar.

Training can easily become reactive. A difficult situation comes up, a volunteer feels unprepared, or someone finds a great workshop, and suddenly leaders are trying to fill another gap.

But developing a healthy care team is about more than giving people information.

Laura and Rebecca explore how leaders can look at the needs already showing up in their church, identify the foundational skills every caregiver needs, and create simple rhythms for ongoing development.

They also discuss the importance of presence, empathy, self-awareness, clear boundaries, and knowing when to bring others into the care process.

The goal is not to create caregivers who know everything. It is to intentionally develop people who can show up well, continue learning, and provide care with confidence, humility, and compassion.

“Who you are in the room is more important than what you know in the room as a caregiver.”
— Laura Howe

“Competence isn’t knowing everything. It’s recognizing your limits and knowing when to bring someone else into the care process.”
— Rebecca Bailey

“Some of the biggest aha moments happen through reflection rather than adding more layers of information.”
— Laura Howe

“The absence of mistakes and having perfection is not a reasonable goal in ministry. But how we repair and build resilience is.”
— Laura Howe

Website: HopeMadeStrong.org
Socials: Facebook – Instagram – Twitter – YouTube
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The Church Mental Health Summit is almost here, and this episode gives you a preview of what’s coming.

Laura shares short excerpts from six Summit sessions, one from each track, and highlights a few of the ideas that can help shape stronger, more thoughtful care ministry.

Because the goal of the Summit isn’t to consume as much information as possible. It’s to find the one or two ideas that help you think differently, strengthen your care, or take a meaningful next step.

John Swinton | Spiritual Formation
Healing is bigger than curing. John explores shalom, relationship, and what it means to experience healing even when symptoms remain.

Elias Olmer | Leadership
What if behavior is information? Elias challenges leaders to look beneath what they see and become curious about what someone may be carrying.

Rachael Newham | Mental Health & Well-Being
Language matters. Rachael explores how the words we use can either reduce or reinforce stigma around mental illness.

Dr. Zoricelis Davila | Healing & Recovery
Grief doesn’t always look the way we expect. Dr. Davila reminds leaders to stay present long after the immediate crisis has passed.

Chuck Hunt & Dr. Aaron Rosales | Families & Students
Supporting mental health and making disciples are not separate things. Churches can help young people experience belonging, hope, and the presence of Jesus.

Brian Fikkert | Community & Outreach
Care is not only about doing things for people. Brian explores the difference between relief and development and the importance of walking with people.

The 2026 Church Mental Health Summit is happening October 7, 8 & 9.

You’ll hear from speakers from around the world through live Zoom and pre-recorded sessions across six tracks.

Free access is available each day for 24 hours.

Register here:
https://www.churchmentalhealthsummit.com

What care should your church actually provide?

In this coaching call, Laura talks with Eric Kuhn from Grace Spring Bible Church about how to discern what care belongs inside the church and what may be better supported through trusted partnerships.

As Grace Spring builds on its longstanding connection with Response Care Center, Laura and Eric explore how church vision, existing strengths, and congregational needs can help determine where to focus. They also talk about developing a culture of care, equipping group leaders as shepherd leaders, identifying administrative care roles, and building systems that support relationships rather than replace them.

You’ll hear practical ideas for knowing where to start, when to partner, and how to grow care in a way that is sustainable for your church.

“We need both. We need vine workers and we need trellis workers.”
Eric Kuhn

“We don’t want to reinvent the wheel.”
Eric Kuhn

“You might be scared out of your mind to even consider it, but we really want to walk with you.”
Eric Kuhn

“We have to make it our own, and we have to make it in a way that really fits us as a church.”
Eric Kuhn

Care Alignment Framework
Identify the intersection between your church’s vision, strengths, and the needs of your congregation so you can discern what care to build, what may need to wait, and where partnership can help.
https://www.hopemadestrong.org/care-alignment

Care Coordinator Resource
Explore the role of a care coordinator, including how administrative leadership, resource connection, and follow-up can strengthen your church’s care ministry.
https://www.hopemadestrong.org/care-coordinator-job-description

Free Care Ministry Planning Mini-Course
Join us in November for a free mini-course designed to help you assess your current care ministry, identify priorities, and prepare for 2027.
https://www.hopemadestrong.org/clarify-course

Website: HopeMadeStrong.org

Socials: Facebook – Instagram – Twitter – YouTube
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What do you do when someone trusts you enough to say, “I’m struggling with addiction”?

For many ministry leaders, that moment can feel overwhelming. You care deeply, but may not know what to say, where to begin, or how much responsibility you should carry.

In this episode, Laura Howe and Rebecca Bailey talk about how churches can respond to addiction with compassion, curiosity, and healthy boundaries. They explore why addiction is often connected with trauma, grief, and mental health, and why someone’s recovery journey cannot be reduced to one simple solution or program.

Together, they share practical questions ministry leaders can ask, common responses to avoid, and ways churches can connect people with appropriate treatment, peer support, and recovery resources.

This conversation is a reminder that churches do not need to become treatment centres or counselling practices to care well. The church can offer belonging, purpose, hope, prayer, discipleship, and long-term companionship.

You do not need to know every step of someone’s recovery journey. You simply need to listen well, help them find their next faithful step, and continue walking alongside them.

“When someone shares their story with you, they’re feeling desperate and they’re wanting some hope. They’re wanting to be heard.”   Rebecca Bailey

“You don’t want to jump into solutions and trying to get to the underlying details of things. Instead, you really want to say, ‘Thank you for telling me. I’m glad that you’ve been vulnerable enough to share this with me.’”  Rebecca Bailey

“Questions are offered as curiosity so that they feel they can express and share and go deeper.” Laura Howe

“You have to let the person also be a participant in their recovery journey. You can’t do things for other people.”   Rebecca Bailey

“It’s not knowing all the answers. It’s just loving the person that God has placed right in front of you.”   Laura Howe

   Project Exodus - https://www.projectexodus.net/

   Life Recovery - https://newlife.com/groups/

   Re:Generation - https://www.watermark.org/ministries/regeneration-recovery

   Celebrate Recovery - https://celebraterecovery.com/

Website: HopeMadeStrong.org
Socials: Facebook – Instagram – YouTube
Amazon store: 🇨🇦Link 🇺🇸Link

What happens when the people caring for everyone else realize they need care too?

In this episode of The Care Ministry Podcast, Laura Howe is joined by Dr. Dan Allender, therapist, author, professor, and founder of the Allender Center. Together they explore the connection between story, trauma, healing, and spiritual formation, and why caring for others requires us to tend to our own hearts first.

Dan shares the deeply personal story that shaped his life’s work and discusses how unaddressed pain often continues shaping us in ways we do not recognize. Laura and Dan also unpack why healing is rarely quick or linear, the role of community in restoration, and what ministry leaders need to understand as they support others through grief, trauma, and recovery.

This conversation is especially helpful for pastors, care leaders, and helpers who spend much of their time supporting others but may be realizing there are parts of their own story that still need attention.

"The more we grow, the more we know how far we have to grow."
Dan Allender

"My God has known my sin today and a month from now and still delights in me."
Dan Allender

"So many of us who serve others know how to offer good comfort. But then the simple question is: how are you in receiving comfort?"
Dan Allender

"Healing is not something we arrive at. It's a journey of truth-telling, grief, courage, and relationship."
Laura Howe

Learn more about the Allender Center and their story-based approach to healing and spiritual formation

The Allender Center

Website: HopeMadeStrong.org

Socials: Facebook – Instagram – Twitter – YouTube
Amazon store: 🇨🇦Link 🇺🇸Link

What does it look like to build a care team before the crisis happens?

In this coaching episode, Laura talks with Bill Loften, Care Pastor at Grace Fellowship Church in Maryland, about expanding care beyond pastors and licensed ministry leaders.

Bill is less than a year into his role, but he is already thinking strategically about how to identify, equip, and support people within the congregation who can step into care. Together, Laura and Bill explore peer support, lay care, small group leaders, volunteer training, community partnerships, and how to build care systems that are sustainable and aligned with the strengths of your church.

This conversation is especially helpful for care leaders who want to grow their ministry without carrying every need themselves.

“We're developing a fire department to be able to handle the fires when they come.”
Bill Loften

“They might not feel called to ministry, but they feel called to do ministry.”
Bill Loften

“There's these specific people that show up when crisis happens or when a need is happening.”
Bill Loften

Care Alignment Framework
Identify the intersection between your church’s vision, strengths, and the needs of your community so you can focus your care ministry where it can have the greatest impact.
https://www.hopemadestrong.org/care-alignment

Model of Care
Explore the different layers of support available within a church, including self-care, community care, peer support, pastoral care, and professional care.
https://www.hopemadestrong.org/model-of-care 

Website: HopeMadeStrong.org

Socials: Facebook – Instagram – Twitter – YouTube
Amazon store: 🇨🇦Link 🇺🇸Link

 In this special summer episode, Laura and Rebecca are taking a short break while continuing to bring listeners new and meaningful content each week. This episode features one of the top sessions from a past Church Mental Health Summit with Dr. Stephen Grcevich, founder and president of Key Ministry.

Dr. Grcevich shares important research on how common mental health conditions can impact church attendance for families. He helps leaders understand why families may struggle to participate in church life, especially when anxiety, ADHD, depression, autism, trauma, sensory needs, social communication differences, stigma, or past church experiences are present.

This conversation invites church leaders to look at their ministry environments with fresh eyes and consider what barriers may be making church harder for families who already feel isolated or overwhelmed.

Dr. Grcevich also introduces a practical framework for developing a mental health inclusion strategy so churches can become more welcoming, thoughtful, and supportive places for individuals and families impacted by mental illness.

“When we think about inclusion in our churches, mental health inclusion is by far and away our greatest need.”
Dr. Stephen Grcevich

“Mental health ministry is clearly family ministry.”
Dr. Stephen Grcevich

“When one member of the family struggles, it’s likely that everybody else isn’t going to be part of church.”
Dr. Stephen Grcevich

Key Ministry

Training Videos on Mental Health Inclusion

Mental Health and the Church by Dr. Stephen Grcevich
HMS Amazon Store 🇨🇦Link
HMS Amazon Store 🇺🇸Link

Church Mental Health Summit

Summit Circle

Website: HopeMadeStrong.org

Socials: Facebook – Instagram – Twitter – YouTube

Amazon store: 🇨🇦Link 🇺🇸Link

Blended families are more common than we often realize, but they’re rarely talked about in our churches.

In this episode, Laura sits down with Inés Franklin to explore the realities of blended family life and how care leaders can better support those navigating complex family dynamics.

Together, they discuss hidden challenges, the impact of family systems on identity and faith, and practical ways the church can create space for healing and belonging.

If you’re a pastor, care leader, or walking alongside families in transition, this conversation will help you care with greater awareness, compassion, and intention.

“Blended families aren’t broken… they’re a picture of redemption.” - Inés Franklin

“We don’t make space for blended families to share their story, and so often, they stay silent.” - Inés Franklin

“We can’t fully care for someone without understanding the family dynamics shaping their story.” - Inés Franklin

“You have to be honest about the pain so that you can experience healing.” - Inés Franklin

“God doesn’t wait for our stories to become tidy. He meets us right in the middle of the complexity.” - Laura Howe

Website: HopeMadeStrong.org

Socials: Facebook – Instagram – Twitter – YouTube

What happens when a church becomes a place where people feel safe enough to be honest?

In this coaching episode, Laura talks with Jennifer VanCleve, a campus pastor at StoneBridge Christian Church in Omaha, Nebraska. Jennifer shares how care has been growing in her church through small groups, recovery ministries, grief support, mental health conversations, and a deep desire to help people feel seen, known, and loved.

Together, Laura and Jennifer explore how churches can create safe spaces for honest stories, support people walking through grief, addiction, trauma, and mental health challenges, and equip more leaders to step into care with confidence.

This conversation is especially helpful for churches asking how to build a culture of care that is relational, compassionate, and sustainable.

“We have to remember grace abounds and love abounds.”
Jennifer VanCleve

“That’s what a church can be when people are loved unconditionally.”
Jennifer VanCleve

“Care ministry isn’t designed to be cookie-cutter to the church down the street.”
Laura Howe

“When people feel seen, known, and loved, care begins to take root.”
Laura Howe

“We have to start thinking about designing an onboarding strategy for leaders so that they feel supported and not just thrown into the mix.”
Laura Howe

StoneBridge Christian Church

Celebrate Recovery

GriefShare

MomCo

When Helping Hurts / The Chalmers Center

Slow Kingdom Coming by Kent Annan

Hope Made Strong Care Protocol 

Care Ministry Coaching 

Website: HopeMadeStrong.org
Socials: Facebook – Instagram – YouTube

In this episode of The Care Ministry Podcast, Laura Howe and Rebecca Bailey discuss how churches can create safe pathways for families to ask for help before situations reach a crisis point.

Many families are carrying challenges related to parenting, grief, finances, mental health, caregiving, and relationships, but often hesitate to reach out for support. Laura and Rebecca explore the barriers that prevent people from asking for help and share practical ways churches can build trust, communicate care clearly, and make support easier to access.

Together, they discuss how churches can move from simply responding to crises toward creating cultures of care where families feel safe, supported, and connected.

"If you aren't talking about mental health, recovery, financial problems, marriage, if those conversations are not coming up already in the normal rhythm of your church, then people are thinking, 'This isn't the place where I'm able to talk about this."
Rebecca Bailey

"All the more reason why, as churches, we want to make care accessible. We want to have intentional communication that is letting people know, 'We are here. We are here."
Laura Howe

"People are going to seek help if they know that their story is going to be handled with dignity and care."
Rebecca Bailey

"Asking for help shouldn't be the hardest part of getting help."
Rebecca Bailey

Website: HopeMadeStrong.org
Socials: Facebook – Instagram – Twitter – YouTube